Insights
Portugal offers an economically promising and culturally rich environment perfect for business-oriented people. Acquiring Portugal citizenship through investment gives you access to all of these benefits in the most convenient way. The government recently changed their laws surrounding this process.
Currently, you may access a variety of investment options. In general, you will need to invest around €500,000 into this country. However, the well-known real estate investment is no longer a valid option.
This article will explore Portugal citizenship changes and the different ways you can acquire it through an investment.
Since the inception of this country's golden visa program, it has provided a path to citizenship. Over time, the waiting period to become eligible for it reduced to 5 years. Plus, you only need to be in the country for 7 days in the first year and 14 days in the subsequent 2 years of your golden visa. By comparison, Portugal's citizenship by residency requires you to live there for an uninterrupted 5 years.
However, the application process to acquire this citizenship was slow due to governmental paperwork processing. This turned an estimated 3-month procedure into a 2-year or more process, increasing your wait time to 7 or more years.
As of April 15, 2024, the government has simplified and digitized the application process. Firstly, they have reduced the paperwork you will need in your application. Secondly, they now allow anyone who meets the requirements to apply. Moreover, a parent can apply for their child, and a lawyer and solicitor can apply for their client.
Thirdly, they decided to include your waiting period for residence approval as part of your required 5 years. Therefore, if you apply for the golden visa in 2020, you can acquire this citizenship in 2025 if approved.
Moving to this country gives you access to a rich culture in a politically and economically stable region. When you receive this citizenship, you are granted even more rights, from political participation to access to governmental services.
Here are the greatest benefits you can receive from this citizenship:
Without the need for a visa or other nationality-based restrictions, you will now be able to invest in this country's various industries. In particular, you could invest in their growing travel and tourism sectors. According to reports, investing in this country gives you access to 10.3 million potential customers. So this creates reasonable business opportunities for citizens.
A benefit of this particular process is that the government has made it more accessible by creating an online version. For example, you can verify your application's progress on their website. Nevertheless, there is still an in-person and mail-in process available.
Another advantage of acquiring this citizenship is that it gives you access to around 180 countries without a visa or with a visa upon arrival. Therefore, you could take advantage of worldwide economic opportunities.
Lastly, with this citizenship you have the advantage of keeping your current citizenship. Therefore, you will have access to the rights of both of these countries, increasing your travel and economic opportunities.
When you acquire this citizenship, you can help your family gain the same legal status. In particular, the following family members can receive this citizenship:
Though real estate investment can no longer lead to citizenship in this country, you still have a variety of investments you can utilize for your golden visa application. Once you have this golden visa, you can apply for citizenship after you have met the requirements.
This table broadly overviews these investment options:
| Investments | Minimum Monetary Requirements |
| Business | €500,000 |
| Fund | €500,000 |
| Research | €400,000 |
| Culture | €200,000 |
Now, let us dive deeper into the details of these investments:
You can acquire citizenship by registering or purchasing a company incorporated in this country, with its headquarters based there. For that, you will need to ensure you fund it with at least €500,000 and create 5 permanent positions or maintain 10 current ones for 3 years.
Another investment option is to place a minimum of €500,000 in an investment or capital venture fund. This amount will need to mature in at least 5 years.
You can acquire citizenship of this country by transferring €500,000 to a research project in science or technology. If you opt to transfer your investment to a low-population area, you may invest only €400,000.
Finally, you can use an investment in the arts or Portuguese heritage restoration to acquire this citizenship. Like the research investment, you may invest a smaller amount of €250,000 if it's in a low population density area.
You will need the following to apply for citizenship:
If you apply online, you will also need a digital signature and an authentication from a professional order certificate.
Additionally, you will need to be a legal adult and pay the fees when you submit your documents. These fees depend on your specific circumstances. Moreover, the government may consider your relationship with the Portuguese community and your proficiency in their language.
Now that you know the requirements of this citizenship, let us explore the different ways you can acquire it.
The most convenient process to acquire this citizenship is applying online. For that, you will need to contact a lawyer or solicitor, who will then upload your documents and follow up on the Portuguese Ministry of Justice website.
If you decide to apply without a lawyer or solicitor, you may conduct your application in person. You will start by filling in the appropriate form and bringing your requirements to one of these locations:
Then, the government officers will collect your documents and process them.
Lastly, you can apply through mail. More specifically, you will need to submit your required documents and application form to the Central Registry Office. You can then receive a password from them to verify your application's progress.
Once the government has accepted your application, the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service will interview you. Then, if you have met all their requirements, they will send you a confirmation of your citizenship.
Acquiring Portugal citizenship is now a simple process when you opt to use the investment-reliant golden visa. The government has reduced the paperwork and created a convenient online path. Nevertheless, you also have in-person and mail-in application options.
To know which investment and application you should select, you can consult with experts such as Vancis Capital. They will guide you toward the most beneficial path. So, relying on their due diligence process to verify whether you're eligible for this citizenship will guarantee your application's success.
Get in touch to discuss how we can help you with your citizenship or residency by investment goals. One of our investment migration experts will contact you to discuss your case. With over 16 years of combined experience our team has helped hundreds of families achieve freedom.
