Golden Visa Portugal: Investment Routes and Requirements

The Golden Visa grants Portuguese residency in exchange for a qualifying investment, with no requirement to actually live in the country while you hold it. It remains one of the most flexible paths to an EU residence permit, but the list of investments that qualify has changed significantly over the years.

What still qualifies

Direct real estate purchase stopped qualifying after Portugal's 2023 reform. Today, the main routes are capital transfers into qualifying investment or venture capital funds, job creation above a set threshold, and support for scientific research or the arts. Minimum amounts and eligible fund types are updated from time to time, so treat any specific figure you read, including here, as a starting point to confirm rather than a fixed rule.

Who it actually suits

The Golden Visa is built for people who want EU residency, and eventually a path to citizenship, without relocating full-time. If you already plan to live in Portugal day to day, the D7 or D8 is usually the more direct and less expensive route, see our overview of all three.

What you need before you invest

Every Golden Visa application still starts with the same two building blocks as any other Portuguese visa: a NIF to be identified by the tax authority and to make the investment itself, and a Portuguese bank account to move the funds through. Neither is optional, and both are worth having ready before you get deep into choosing a specific fund or project.