Key Takeaways
- Portugal offers one of the lowest physical stay requirements in Europe for residency: 14 days every 2-year period.
- Investment through qualifying funds, with a minimum of €500,000, is now the primary route to the Portugal Golden Visa.
- Golden Visa holders can progress from temporary residency to permanent residency and, after 10 years, apply for Portuguese citizenship, generally without relocating full-time.
- The program allows broad family inclusion and visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with full EU mobility only after citizenship and a Portuguese passport are obtained.
- VIDA Capital helps investors access the VIDA Fund and navigate the Portugal Golden Visa process; contact VIDA Capital to discuss your Portugal Golden Visa strategy.
Secure your Portugal residency and a path to Portuguese citizenship with a Golden Visa investment in 2026. VIDA Capital is an advisory firm that guides clients toward strategic asset-backed fund investments in Portugal’s growing hospitality sector.
1. Low Residency Requirements That Support Flexibility
Portugal’s Golden Visa requires only 14 days of physical presence in Portugal over each two-year residency period. This schedule suits investors who want residency security and Schengen mobility without relocating their family or business.
This light requirement contrasts with programs such as Greece, where investors must complete 7 years of residence with at least 183 days per year to qualify for citizenship. Portugal therefore fits investors who want a robust Plan B while continuing their current lifestyle elsewhere.
Practical tip: Plan short visits that combine your 14-day minimum with business, education, or leisure time in Portugal so residency compliance fits naturally into your existing travel plans.
2. Asset-Backed Fund Investments as the Main Route
In 2026, the Portugal Golden Visa program focuses on qualifying investment funds as the primary route. Investors must commit at least €500,000 to a regulated fund that complies with Golden Visa rules.
The VIDA Fund is one example. The fund invests in Portugal’s hospitality sector by buying existing hotels and hospitality assets, then transforming and repositioning them to give these properties a second life. This asset-backed structure ties investors’ capital to tangible hospitality businesses instead of purely financial instruments. Past performance is not indicate of future results
Practical tip: Prioritize funds that clearly describe their asset pipeline, risk controls, and exit strategy. VIDA Capital, as an advisory firm, helps investors evaluate whether the VIDA Fund’s hospitality focus and structure align with their risk profile and Golden Visa goals.
Discuss asset-backed fund options for the Portugal Golden Visa with VIDA Capital.
3. Structured Pathway to Residency, Permanent Residency, and Citizenship
The Portugal Golden Visa starts with a temporary residency permit valid for two years. Investors then renew that permit for two more periods of two years each, while maintaining the investment and residency requirements for a total qualifying period of five years. At that point, applicants can seek permanent residency.
Portuguese citizenship law changed in October 2025. Most applicants, including Golden Visa investors, now need 10 years of legal residency to qualify for citizenship. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens generally have a reduced seven-year requirement. The Golden Visa process, from initial filing to receiving the first residency card, usually spans 12 to 18 months. As the approval card issuance usually takes around one year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the 5-year period.
Practical tip: Work with a Portuguese lawyer from the start of the process. Legal support is essential to coordinate fund subscription documents, prepare the Golden Visa application, manage renewals, and confirm your eligibility for permanent residency and citizenship under the updated 10-year framework.
4. Inclusive Family Rules and Clear Mobility Benefits
The Portugal Golden Visa allows a broad family group to join the main applicant. Eligible dependents generally include a spouse or partner, economically dependent children, and financially dependent parents and in-laws (often age 65 or older or demonstrably dependent). Document-wise, applicants can present a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship, such as evidence of a long-term partnership.
Children included in the application must remain full-time students, financially dependent on the main applicant, and not married at any time during the residency program, until the Golden Visa application is complete for them. During the Golden Visa period, the family receives residency rights in Portugal and visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Only after obtaining Portuguese citizenship and a passport do family members gain full rights to live, work, and study in any EU or Schengen Zone country, including access to public healthcare and education.
Practical tip: Confirm each family member’s eligibility with your lawyer before submitting the application, including proof of dependency for adult children and parents, and maintain that dependency status throughout the residency period.
5. Stable Economy and Strong Hospitality Demand
Portugal combines political stability, EU membership, and a reputation as one of the safest countries worldwide. Tourism has expanded significantly, with 2024 visitor numbers and revenue surpassing pre-pandemic levels and non-residents accounting for more than 70% of overnight stays.
Forecasts suggest that by 2035, travel and tourism could represent more than 22% of Portugal’s GDP. A Golden Visa investment in a hospitality-focused fund such as the VIDA Fund can benefit from this demand by acquiring underperforming hotels and hospitality assets and upgrading them into more competitive properties. This strategy seeks to balance capital preservation with potential upside. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
Practical tip: Review how your selected fund acquires, improves, and exits hospitality assets, and how it adapts to fluctuations in tourism demand across different Portuguese regions.
Comparing Top European Golden Visa Programs: Portugal vs. Others
Portugal stands out among European residency-by-investment options that still operate in 2026, especially for investors who prefer not to relocate full time.
|
Program (as of 2026) |
Minimum Investment |
Residency Requirement |
Citizenship Timeline |
|
Portugal Golden Visa |
€500,000 (qualifying funds) |
14 days / 2 years |
10 years |
|
Greece Golden Visa |
€250,000 – €800,000 |
Zero stay initially |
7 years (requires 183 days/year) |
Portugal is currently one of the only countries in Europe that offers a structured path to citizenship without the need to relocate. Spain no longer offers a Golden Visa program, while Greece requires seven years of residence with tax residency and 183 days per year for citizenship, which makes it suitable for investors planning long term residence but less ideal for those seeking a light-residency Plan B.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Easiest Golden Visa Requirements Europe
What makes Portugal’s Golden Visa easier than other options in Europe?
Portugal combines a low physical presence requirement of 14 days every two years with the possibility of citizenship after 10 years, typically without a full relocation. The program relies on regulated, asset-backed investment funds, which gives investors clearer structures than programs that rely on personal properties or more complex routes.
Is the €500,000 investment in Portugal through funds truly asset-backed?
Qualifying funds can follow different strategies, but funds such as the VIDA Fund focus on tangible hospitality assets in Portugal. The fund buys existing hotels and hospitality properties and then transforms and repositions them to improve performance and value, giving these assets a second life. This approach links your investment to identifiable properties rather than purely financial instruments. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
Can my family also gain residency through the Portugal Golden Visa?
Yes. The main applicant can usually include a spouse or partner, economically dependent children, and financially dependent parents and in-laws in the same application. Children must remain full-time students, financially dependent, and unmarried throughout the residency period until their own Golden Visa and subsequent citizenship application are complete.
How long does it take to get citizenship with the Portugal Golden Visa in 2026?
Most Golden Visa investors become eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship after 10 years of legal residency under the framework approved in October 2025. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens generally face a reduced seven-year requirement. A specialized Portuguese lawyer can confirm how these rules apply to your case.
What are the typical costs beyond the €500,000 investment for the Golden Visa?
Beyond the minimum €500,000 investment into a qualifying fund, investors should plan for government application and processing fees, legal fees, and fund-related costs. Legal fees typically range between €16,000 to €20,000 per family, depending on complexity, and the VIDA Fund charges a 1% subscription fee on the invested amount, in addition to any ongoing fund management costs set out in its documentation.
Conclusion: A Practical Route to Long-Term EU Options
In 2026, investors who search for the easiest Golden Visa requirements in Europe often conclude that Portugal offers a balanced mix of flexibility, clarity, and long-term opportunity. Low residency obligations, a defined fund-investment route, comprehensive family coverage, and a 10-year path to citizenship without mandatory relocation make the program well suited for a long-term Plan B.
VIDA Capital supports investors who want to pursue the Portugal Golden Visa via the VIDA Fund and other qualifying structures in the hospitality sector. The firm focuses on asset-backed strategies that acquire and transform existing properties, always with the understanding that historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns. Contact VIDA Capital to explore how a Portugal Golden Visa can fit into your long-term residency and citizenship planning.
