Key Takeaways
- Spain ended its Golden Visa in 2024, so investors who planned around Spain now need alternative routes to long-term European access.
- Portugal’s Golden Visa grants residency rights in Portugal, low physical stay requirements, Schengen visa-free travel, and a path to citizenship after five years under the current 2025 framework.
- The main qualifying route in 2026 is a minimum €500,000 allocation into regulated investment funds that deploy most capital into Portuguese companies.
- The process usually spans 12 to 18 months, and support from an experienced Portuguese lawyer is essential at every step, from application to residency renewals.
- VIDA Capital provides advisory services and access to the VIDA Fund for Golden Visa–eligible, asset-backed hospitality investments; contact the team to discuss your plan.
The Shifting Landscape: Why Spain’s Golden Visa Is No Longer an Option
Spain’s Golden Visa program officially ended in 2024, closing a major route for residency-by-investment in Europe. Many families who expected to use Spain as an entry point to Europe now need to reassess their strategy and timelines.
The program’s cancellation followed concerns about pressure on local housing markets. Investors who depended on that route now face uncertainty and must prioritize jurisdictions with stable legal frameworks and clear political support.
For families building a Plan B, this change highlights the value of programs with predictable rules and a long track record. Spain now requires relocation physical residence to maintain long-term residency, while its former Golden Visa route is no longer available.
Secure a clear path to residency in Portugal with a Portugal Golden Visa strategy.
Portugal’s Golden Visa: A Stable Alternative for 2026
Portugal’s Golden Visa offers residency rights in Portugal and a potential route to Portuguese and EU citizenship. The main route in 2026 requires a minimum €500,000 investment into eligible, government-regulated funds that invest mostly in Portuguese companies.
Portugal has kept the core structure of its program over more than a decade and remains one of the few European countries that offers access to citizenship without requiring permanent relocation.
Key benefits for international families include:
- Minimal stay: 14 days in Portugal every two years to maintain Golden Visa status.
- Path to citizenship: 10 years of legal residency under the October 2025 framework, with reduced 7-year requirements for CPLP nationals and EU citizens.
- Family inclusion: Spouse or partner (with a marriage certificate or legally recognized proof of relationship), economically dependent children, and dependent parents or in-laws who are over 65 or financially dependent.
- Education and work: The right to live, study, and work in Portugal while maintaining your primary base elsewhere.
- Schengen travel: Visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Asset-backed fund options: Regulated funds such as VIDA Fund, which invests and transforms hospitality assets, giving properties a second life.
Explore how Portugal’s Golden Visa can fit your family strategy with VIDA Capital’s advisory support.
Key Considerations: Portugal Golden Visa Investment Options & Requirements
Investment Fund Route Explained
The current Golden Visa framework requires at least €500,000 in qualifying investment funds, with a minimum of 60% of capital invested in Portuguese companies. This structure directs capital into the local economy while giving investors a regulated vehicle.
The VIDA Fund, available through VIDA Capital’s advisory services, focuses on asset-backed investments in Portugal’s hospitality sector. The fund buys underperforming hospitality assets, transforms and repositions them, and gives them a second life while targeting capital preservation and Golden Visa eligibility. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
Residency, Renewals, and Citizenship Timelines
Golden Visa applicants receive a temporary residency permit valid for 2 years. This permit is then renewed for two additional 2-year periods, as long as the investment and minimal stay requirements are maintained. At the 5-year mark, investors can apply for permanent residency in Portugal.
As the approval card issuance usually takes many months you will most likely only need one renewal instead of two in the 5-year period. The overall process from first application to holding your initial residence card usually spans 12 to 18 months. Support from a Portuguese lawyer is essential to manage applications, documentation, and communication with the authorities.
For citizenship, the new law passed in October 2025 requires most applicants to complete 10 years of legal residency before applying. Nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens face a reduced 7-year requirement.
Comprehensive Family Benefits
The Golden Visa allows you to include close family members in a single structure. Eligible relatives include your spouse or partner (with either a marriage certificate or legally recognized proof of a stable relationship), economically dependent children, and either over 65 or demonstrably financially dependent.
Children must remain full-time students, not be employed, and stay unmarried throughout the Golden Visa residency, up until the point of their own Golden Visa application. The entire family benefits from residency rights in Portugal and Schengen travel, and can later access potential citizenship rights under Portugal’s rules.
Portugal Golden Visa vs. Other Options: A Comparison Table
|
Feature |
Portugal Golden Visa (2026) |
Spain Golden Visa (Discontinued) |
Greece Golden Visa |
|
Investment focus |
Regulated funds (€500k minimum, with at least 60% invested in Portuguese companies) |
Personal property and other qualifying assets before closure |
Personal property, capital transfer, and funds (varies) |
|
Minimum stay |
14 days every 2 years |
Low physical presence before program ended |
Must live in Greece to keep long-term residency and progress toward citizenship |
|
Path to citizenship |
10 years of residency (7 for CPLP and EU nationals) |
10 years with stricter physical presence rules |
At least 7 years of living in Greece and paying taxes |
|
Investment risk profile |
Asset-backed funds with a focus on capital preservation |
Often linked to property market cycles |
Depends on chosen route and market conditions |
Portugal stands out for its minimal stay requirement and its position as one of the only European countries offering a path to citizenship without requiring permanent relocation, while Spain’s program is closed and Greece requires long-term physical residence and full tax residency to reach citizenship.
Navigating the Portugal Golden Visa Process with VIDA Capital
VIDA Capital is an advisory firm focused on helping international families structure and execute a Portugal Golden Visa strategy. The team provides clear explanations of costs, risks, and requirements so you can align the investment and residency plan with your broader goals.
Through VIDA Capital’s advisory services, investors can access the VIDA Fund, which invests in and repositions hospitality assets in Portugal. This asset-backed approach seeks to combine exposure to the country’s tourism market with regulated fund oversight and Golden Visa eligibility. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
VIDA Capital coordinates closely with specialized Portuguese lawyers, who are essential for each step: preparing documentation, submitting applications, attending biometric appointments, and managing renewals. The advisory team maintains direct communication, helping you and your family understand each stage of the process.
To discuss your options with an experienced advisory team, request a consultation with VIDA Capital.
Conclusion: Why Portugal Works for Long-Term European Access
With Spain’s Golden Visa discontinued and Greece requiring at least seven years of physical residence and tax residency, Portugal offers a distinct balance of flexibility and long-term opportunity. The program grants residency rights in Portugal, minimal physical presence requirements, and Schengen travel, while keeping a route open to citizenship over time.
Golden Visa investors who maintain their residency and investment can apply for permanent residency after 5 years and, under the new framework, apply for citizenship after 10 years of legal residency (or 7 years for CPLP and EU nationals). Once you obtain Portuguese citizenship, you gain the right to live, work, study, and access public healthcare and education across EU and Schengen Zone countries.
Growing demand and tightening rules in other countries make program selection and timing important decisions. A structured, fund-based approach supported by specialized legal counsel and an experienced advisory firm can help you move from intention to execution with clarity.
VIDA Capital supports investors who want residency in Portugal and long-term European optionality through asset-backed fund investments. Contact VIDA Capital for a personalized Golden Visa strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Portugal Golden Visa
Overview of Portugal’s Golden Visa and comparison with Spain’s former program
Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program for non-EU nationals who invest at least €500,000 in qualifying regulated funds that allocate most of their capital to Portuguese companies. The program grants residency rights in Portugal, minimal stay requirements, Schengen travel, and a path to citizenship under the 2025 rules. Spain’s now-closed program relied heavily on personal property investments and no longer offers a route to residency-by-investment.
Current eligible investment options and the role of funds such as VIDA Fund
The primary option in 2026 is a minimum €500,000 subscription into regulated investment funds that invest at least 60% of their capital into Portuguese companies. Funds such as VIDA Fund, available through VIDA Capital’s advisory services, focus on asset-backed hospitality projects by investing in and transforming existing properties. This strategy gives hospitality assets a second life and seeks to combine tangible collateral with Golden Visa eligibility, subject to regulatory oversight. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.
Residency, citizenship timelines, and minimum stay requirements
The Golden Visa grants a 2-year temporary residence permit, which is renewed for additional 2-year periods as long as you keep your qualifying investment and meet the stay requirement. You must spend at least 14 days in Portugal in each 2-year period. After 5 years you may apply for permanent residency, and under the October 2025 framework, most applicants may apply for citizenship after 10 years of legal residency, or 7 years if they are CPLP nationals or EU citizens. The Golden Visa grants residency rights only in Portugal but allows visa-free Schengen travel for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
How VIDA Capital supports applicants through the Golden Visa process
VIDA Capital provides advisory services that help you design and implement your Golden Visa plan. The team assists you in accessing the VIDA Fund, which focuses on investing in and repositioning asset-backed hospitality assets in Portugal in aligned with Golden Visa rules, and introduces you to specialized Portuguese lawyers who manage the legal process. You receive clear explanations of timelines, costs, and documentation so that your family can proceed through each step with realistic expectations.
Current 10-year citizenship requirement after the October 2025 law
Portugal’s Parliament approved a new citizenship framework in October 2025 that extended the general residency requirement to 10 years for most Golden Visa holders. The law provides a shorter 7-year requirement for nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens. These rules should apply to Golden Visa holders unless they have already filed their citizenship application before the law is formally published.
