The third country citizens who are not Portuguese or EU nationals are able to apply to the Golden Visa Program and, among others, they are entitled to: residence visa waiver for entering in Portugal, living and working in Portugal and family reunification.
INTRODUCTION
The third country citizens who are not Portuguese or EU nationals are able to apply to the Golden Visa Program and, among others, they are entitled to:
i. Residence visa waiver for entering in Portugal and travelling within the Schengen Area;
ii. Living and working in Portugal;
iii. Develop business in Portugal;
iv. Family Reunification, including, for instance:
a. The spouse;
b. Minors;
c. The adult unmarried children, into the care of one of the spouses, and are attending an educational establishment; and
d. The first-degree relatives in the direct ascending line of the sponsor or his or her spouse, where they are into their care, and
v. Applying for Portuguese citizenship, by naturalization, provided all other requirements set out by the Nationality Act are fulfilled.
Therefore, as long as it is conducted or concluded, as an individual or through a company of which the applicant is the sole shareholder, the activities or investments referred to below in Portugal and for a minimum period of five years, the interested party can apply to the Golden Visa.
Furthermore, it must be mentioned that in case of investments related to real estate properties, the investor can lease the real estate or holding it for commercial, industrial, agricultural or tourist purposes.
TYPES OF INVESTMENT
i. Purchase of real estate property(ies) with a value equal to or above € 500.000,00;
ii. Purchase of real estate property(ies), with construction dating back more than 30 years or located in urban regeneration areas, for refurbishing, for a total value equal to or above € 350.000,00;
iii. Capital transfer with a value equal to or above € 1.000.000,00;
iv. The creation of, at least, 10 job positions;
v. Capital transfer of the amount of € 350.000,00, or higher, for the acquisition of units of investment funds or venture capital fund of funds dedicated to the capitalization of companies;
vi. Capital transfer of the amount of € 350.000,00, or higher, for the incorporation of a company with head office in Portugal, combined with the creation of five permanent working jobs, or for the reinforcement of the share capital of a company already existing, with the creation or keeping of working jobs, with a minimum of five permanent jobs, and for a minimum period of three years;
vii. Capital transfer with a value equal to or above € 350.000,00 for investing in research activities conducted by public or private scientific research institutions; and,
viii. Capital transfer with a value equal to or above € 250.000,00 for investing in artistic output or supporting the arts, for reconstruction or refurbishment of the national heritage.
In case of low density territories, and according to the legislation currently in force, the value or requirements of the investment can be lower (for instance, in the amount of € 400.000,00 in the type of investment mentioned in i. and € 280.000,00 in ii.).
FEES
Currently, as per the legislation in force, for the analysis regarding the granting or renewal of the Golden Vista request it is due the amount of € 532,70.
For the issuance of the Golden Visa it is due the amount of € 5.324,60. For the renewal of the Golden Visa it is due the amount of € 2.662,30.
For the granting of the family reunification it is due the amount of € 5.324,60. For the renewal of the family reunification it is due the amount of € 2.662,30.
DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Passport;
ii. Evidence of entry and legal stay in Portugal;
iii. Extract from the criminal record of the country of origin, or of the country where the applicant is living for more than one year. This criminal record must be legalized by the Portuguese diplomatic representation or consular mission and issued up to three months before the submission of all the documentation legally required and translated into Portuguese;
iv. Evidence of the tax obligations duly filled in by means of submitting the negative debt declaration issued, up to 45 days maximum in advance, by the Tax Authorities and the Social Security;
v. Evidence in which the applicant is covered by the health care system;
vi. Supporting evidence of the tax identification number, or equivalent, of the country of origin, residence or tax residence;
vii. Application Form stating the authorization for consultation of the Portuguese Criminal Record;
Sworn Statement; and
vii. Payment receipt for analysis of the Golden Visa application.
PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES WITH A VALUE EQUAL TO OR ABOVE € 500.000,00 – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Public deed regarding the real estate property(ies) or promissory agreement (with a down payment equal to or above € 500.000,00);
Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the effective international transfer of assets for the real estate property(ies) acquisition;
ii. Land Register Certificate; and
iii. Legal Description by the Tax Authorities regarding the real estate property(ies).
PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES FOR A TOTAL VALUE EQUAL TO OR ABOVE € 500.000,00 – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Public deed regarding the real estate property(ies) or promissory agreement (with a down payment equal to or above € 500.000,00);
ii. Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the effective international transfer of assets for the real estate property(ies) acquisition;
iii. Land Register Certificate;
iv. Legal Description by the Tax Authorities regarding the real estate property(ies);
v. Prior notification or request for a permit to carry out the urban rehabilitation operation or written works contract for the carry out of rehabilitation works on the real estate property(ies), and, in the last case, the applicant must also submit the payment receipt of the works contract or deposit in a deposit account the price foreseen in the works contract in a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal; and
vi. Supporting evidence that the construction of the real estate property(ies) dates back 30 years, at least, whenever such information is not stated in the legal description; or
vii. Statement of the competent authority attesting that the real estate property(ies) is within a rehabilitation area.
CAPITAL TRANSFER WITH A VALUE EQUAL TO OR ABOVE € 1.000.000,00 – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the ownership, free from any charges and encumbrances, of a deposit accounts with a balance equal or above € 1.000.000,00, resulting from an international transfer.
THE CREATION OF, AT LEAST, 10 JOB POSITIONS – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the effective transfer of the amount equal to or above the legally required; and,
ii. Written employment concluded between the applicant and the employees.
CAPITAL TRANSFER OF THE AMOUNT OF € 350.000,00, OR HIGHER, FOR THE ACQUISITION OF UNITS OF INVESTMENT FUNDS OR VENTURE CAPITAL FUND OF FUNDS DEDICATED TO THE CAPITALIZATION OF COMPANIES – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the effective transfer of the amount equal to or above the legally required;
ii. Supporting document attesting the ownership of the units of investment, free from any charges and encumbrances; and
iii. Statement issued by the holding company of the respective investment fund, attesting the feasibility of the capitalization plan, the maturity of, at least, five years, and the application of at least 60% of the investment in commercial companies with head office in Portugal.
CAPITAL TRANSFER OF THE AMOUNT OF € 350.000,00, OR HIGHER, FOR THE INCORPORATION OF A COMPANY, OR FOR THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE SHARE CAPITAL OF A COMPANY ALREADY EXISTING – DOCUMENTS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
i. Statement of a credit institution authorized or registered in Portugal, attesting the effective transfer of the amount equal to or above the legally required; and
ii. Supporting document of the incorporation company with share capital equal to or above the legally required and an updated commercial excerpt from the Commercial Registry Office; or
iii. In the case of the acquisition of shares, updated commercial excerpt from the Commercial Registry Office attesting the ownership of the shares, and a written contract by means of which the acquisition has occurred, stating the amount of the acquisition.
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