Golden Visa Program and how Portugal is taking the lead

KAL KENNARD, MANAGING PARTNER

We often touch base on Citizenship, but now we are going to get familiar with residency. A Golden Visa refers to a temporary residence permit and this can be obtained by making a qualified investment in the country that is offering residency. The permit would grant a number of rights to the applicant, this would generally involve the right to live and work in the country, visa-free travel within a number of countries, the advantage of great education and more.

The most popular countries with a Golden Visa program in Europe are Spain, Portugal, and Greece. All amazing waterfront access with breathtaking views! Who can apply for a Golden Visa? Anyone with a clean criminal record, who is not an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen.

What are the advantages of having a Golden Visa?

• Long-term residency in the EU ( 5 or 10 years)
• Security and a second home
• Beautiful location with easy travel to nearby countries
• Live, work and study in the EU where there is access to amazing schools, public healthcare and so much more

At the moment Portugal is doing exceedingly well with their Golden Visa Program. Recently there has been a boom in the U.S. Applicants in Portugal.  IMI Daily stated in November the U.S. Applicants have reached 9.7% in 2021 and that makes it a 3.4% rise from 2020. They went on to say that Americans now make it to the top of their list ranking top 5 different nationalities for 15 out of the last 16 months which will make them the second-largest applicant group for the program in 2021. 

Another interesting point that IMI Daily mentioned was that Portugal’s Golden Visa Families are getting smaller, their statistics revealed the possibility of the applicants ranging more in the younger (who are presumed to have fewer children) and older ages (who no longer can have children) leading to the descending of family applications. Either way, it is still a popular location for a second home and it draws in many entrepreneurs that create possibilities for the country and the people living there. We look forward to seeing what other opportunities the Golden Visa may bring for the future.

If you are interested in any of the Residency Programs, especially in Portugal, check out our Residency tab for more.

Useful Links:
https://www.imidaily.com/europe/portugal-golden-visa-passes-e6-billion-investment-milestone-us-applicants-rival-chinese-in-october/

How do I begin the process and get a bespoke quote for myself and my family?

If you’d like to speak to us, please either send us a webchat (click the icon bottom right of this page), email or book in for a video consultation easily in our partner calendar. We find video conferencing to be the most efficient use of your time to ascertain the best program for you and your family. We encourage you to take advantage of it since your first consultation is free of charge.