Portugal Golden Visa
Obtain Portuguese residency through a qualifying investment, with a low physical-presence requirement and the ability to include eligible family members.
- Cultural route from €250,000
- Approx. 7 days per year in Portugal
- Cultural and investment-fund routes available
The Portugal Golden Visa is still open — but the investment landscape has changed.
Portugal's Golden Visa, formally the Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI), remains available to qualifying international applicants in 2026.
What has changed is the way investors qualify. Direct property acquisition and the former general capital-transfer route are no longer available to new Golden Visa applicants. Today's program is centred on qualifying cultural activity, regulated investment funds, scientific research, business capitalisation and job creation.
For most private investors, the practical decision is now between two very different routes: a lower-capital cultural contribution or a €500,000 subscription to a qualifying Portuguese investment fund.
Both sit within the same Golden Visa residence framework. The economics of the underlying transaction, however, are fundamentally different — which makes choosing the right qualifying route just as important as choosing Portugal itself.
Five ways to qualify. Two routes dominate the private-investor decision.
Portugal retains several qualifying investment activities. For applicants primarily seeking a passive or professionally structured route, the Cultural Golden Visa and qualifying investment funds are usually the two options requiring the closest comparison.
Cultural Golden Visa
A qualifying capital transfer supporting artistic production or the recovery and maintenance of Portuguese national cultural heritage. Selected qualifying structures can include Portuguese film, television, documentary and other cultural productions.
The standard statutory threshold is €250,000. Where the underlying cultural activity qualifies for Portugal's applicable low-density reduction, the qualifying amount can fall by 20% to €200,000.
Golden Visa Investment Funds
Subscribe at least €500,000 to units in a qualifying Portuguese investment fund structured within the current Golden Visa rules.
Unlike the cultural route, the fund option is fundamentally a financial investment. Applicants therefore need to consider fund strategy, manager quality, term, liquidity, fees, risk and exit mechanics alongside immigration eligibility.
Scientific Research
€500,000+Capital transfer supporting qualifying research activity conducted by public or private scientific research institutions within Portugal's national scientific or technological system.
Company Capitalisation
€500,000+Capitalisation of a Portuguese commercial company combined with the employment conditions prescribed by the current Golden Visa rules.
Job Creation
10 JobsCreation of at least ten qualifying jobs in Portugal. This route does not depend on a prescribed minimum capital-transfer amount.
* €200,000 applies only where the qualifying cultural activity satisfies the requirements for the applicable 20% statutory reduction. Availability and qualification should be confirmed for the specific cultural project.
Can you still obtain the Portugal Golden Visa by buying property?
No. A new Golden Visa applicant cannot qualify simply by purchasing Portuguese residential or commercial property. The property-based Golden Visa routes were removed for new applications.
This does not prevent a Golden Visa investor from separately buying a home or other property in Portugal. It simply means that the property purchase itself does not constitute the qualifying Golden Visa investment.
Applicants must instead qualify through one of the investment activities that remain available under the current program, including cultural investment, qualifying investment funds, scientific research, company capitalisation or job creation.
Portuguese residence without relocating full-time.
The defining feature of the Golden Visa is not simply investment. It is the combination of Portuguese residence with a comparatively low physical-presence requirement.
Low Physical Presence
The Golden Visa is designed for applicants who do not intend to relocate to Portugal full-time, with a low statutory minimum presence requirement.
Portuguese Residence
Successful applicants receive Portuguese residence rights under the ARI framework while maintaining the qualifying investment.
Family Inclusion
A spouse and qualifying dependent family members can generally be included through the applicable family-reunification framework.
Schengen Mobility
Portuguese residence permits provide mobility within the Schengen Area in accordance with the rules applying to residence-permit holders.
Work & Live in Portugal
Golden Visa residence provides the option to establish a deeper personal or professional presence in Portugal if circumstances change.
Long-Term Optionality
Golden Visa residence can form part of a longer-term pathway towards permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship, subject to the law and requirements in force when the applicant becomes eligible.
Cultural route or investment fund?
Both can provide access to the same Golden Visa residence framework. The amount of capital required and the economic character of the transaction are very different.
| Consideration | Cultural Golden Visa | Investment Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Standard qualifying amount | €250,000 | €500,000 |
| Lowest qualifying amount | €200,000 where applicable* | €500,000 |
| Underlying structure | Qualifying cultural or artistic activity | Units in a qualifying Portuguese investment fund |
| Primary objective | Support qualifying Portuguese cultural activity | Financial investment |
| Capital return | Depends entirely on the specific cultural structure | Depends on fund performance and exit mechanics |
| Investment-management exposure | Project-specific | Yes |
| Golden Visa residence | Yes | Yes |
| Best suited to | Applicants prioritising lower qualifying capital | Applicants seeking a conventional investment structure |
* Subject to the underlying cultural activity qualifying for the applicable statutory reduction.
From investment selection to Portuguese residence.
The exact sequence can vary by qualifying route and applicant, but a Golden Visa application generally moves through the following stages.
Confirm Eligibility
Review nationality, family structure, source of funds, objectives and the applicant's general suitability for Portugal's Golden Visa framework.
Choose Your Route
Decide between cultural, fund or another qualifying investment activity based on capital, economics, risk and personal objectives.
Establish Portuguese Requirements
Complete the necessary Portuguese tax, banking, legal and documentary preparations required for the selected structure.
Complete The Qualifying Investment
Transfer the required qualifying capital or complete the relevant investment activity in accordance with the chosen route.
Submit The ARI Application
File the Golden Visa residence application together with the required personal, financial and investment documentation.
Biometrics & Residence Permit
Complete the required immigration procedures and, following approval, receive the applicable Portuguese residence permit.
Golden Visa solves a very specific residency problem.
Portugal offers several residence routes. Golden Visa is particularly relevant where maintaining a low physical presence is important and the applicant is comfortable deploying qualifying capital.
You want Portuguese residence without relocating full-time.
- You spend most of the year outside Portugal
- You can deploy qualifying capital into an eligible route
- You want qualifying family members included
- You value long-term Portuguese and European optionality
- You prefer a low physical-presence residence framework
You intend to become genuinely resident in Portugal.
- You plan to live primarily in Portugal
- You have qualifying passive income for the D7 route
- You earn qualifying active remote income for the D8 route
- Your professional profile may fit the HQA framework
- Minimising qualifying capital matters more than low-stay flexibility
Before investing €500,000, establish whether you actually need a Golden Visa.
Golden Visa is particularly valuable because of its low physical-presence requirement. But it is not the only route to Portuguese residence.
Accomplished professionals, entrepreneurs, academics and suitable investors may also be able to explore Portugal's HQA framework, which structures Portuguese business and research activity around a highly qualified residence pathway.
HQA is not a Golden Visa and should not be presented as one. It operates through a different legal residence framework and carries different participation and residence considerations. For the right applicant, however, it can materially reduce the capital required to establish Portuguese residence.
Portugal Golden Visa FAQs
Is the Portugal Golden Visa still available in 2026?
Yes. Portugal's Residence Permit for Investment Activity remains available. However, the qualifying investment routes have changed substantially, and property acquisition is no longer available as a qualifying route for new applicants.
What is the minimum Portugal Golden Visa investment?
The standard Cultural Golden Visa threshold is €250,000. Where the underlying qualifying cultural activity benefits from the applicable 20% statutory reduction, the required amount can fall to €200,000.
The qualifying investment-fund route requires €500,000.
Can I still get a Portugal Golden Visa by buying property?
No. Buying Portuguese property no longer qualifies a new applicant for the Golden Visa. An applicant can separately purchase property in Portugal, but that purchase does not constitute the qualifying Golden Visa investment.
How much time do I need to spend in Portugal?
The Golden Visa carries a comparatively low physical-presence requirement. It is commonly expressed as an average of approximately seven days per year, although the statutory requirement applies across the relevant residence-permit periods.
Can my family be included?
Qualifying family members can generally be included through the applicable family-reunification framework. Eligibility depends on the family relationship and applicable dependency requirements.
Is the Cultural Golden Visa an investment or a donation?
The economics depend on the specific qualifying cultural structure. Golden Visa eligibility does not itself guarantee repayment of capital or an investment return.
Some cultural opportunities are fundamentally contribution-based, while others may include commercial participation depending on the structure of the underlying project.
How does a €500,000 Golden Visa fund work?
The applicant subscribes at least €500,000 to units in a qualifying Portuguese investment fund. The investment must satisfy the applicable Golden Visa requirements and be maintained as required by the residence framework.
Fund strategy, risk, fees, liquidity, duration and exit mechanics vary materially between funds.
Can the Portugal Golden Visa eventually lead to citizenship?
Golden Visa residence can form part of a longer-term pathway towards Portuguese permanent residence or citizenship. Citizenship is a separate legal application and depends on the nationality law, residence requirements and other conditions applicable when the applicant becomes eligible.
Is HQA a cheaper Golden Visa?
No. HQA is not a Golden Visa. It uses a different Portuguese residence framework based around highly qualified activity, Portuguese business structure and research collaboration.
It can nevertheless be worth assessing before committing to a Golden Visa investment because suitable applicants may be able to establish Portuguese residence through the €175,000 HQA Program.
Which Golden Visa route fits your objectives?
Tell us what you are looking to achieve. We can establish your initial eligibility, compare the current Cultural and investment-fund routes, and identify whether Golden Visa — or another Portuguese residence framework — is the better fit.
Which Golden Visa route fits your objectives?
Tell us a little about your plans and investment preferences. We can assess your initial eligibility and identify which of the current Portugal Golden Visa routes may be the best fit.
- Compare Cultural and investment-fund routes
- Establish your initial Golden Visa eligibility
- Review investment amount, structure and objectives
- Identify whether another Portuguese residence route may fit better
Initial assessments are intended to establish potential suitability and the appropriate next step. Final eligibility depends on the applicant, qualifying investment and applicable Portuguese requirements.