You’ll be pleased to know that the Portuguese government has recently announced that the application period for the Golden Visa (6–18 months) will now count toward the five-year qualifying period for citizenship. This is excellent news and will significantly reduce the time it takes to receive your passport and gain rights to live in the EU.
I can confirm that the NHR tax regime has now been withdrawn; however, it remains available for clients who began their move to Portugal in 2023.
This year, the Golden Visa program remains OPEN (to avoid any confusion) and in full flow. We have yet to see any slowdown in new applications, despite the new guidelines implemented in December. The only notable change to the program in 2023 was the removal of property investment as a qualifying option.
Investment routes available for 2024 are as follows:
- Donation to Arts: €250,000
- Venture Capital/Private Equity Fund: €500,000
- Donation to Research Activities: €500,000
- Company Creation: 10 employees or €500,000 + 5 employees
The Portuguese Golden Visa remains the only route to an EU passport without a minimum six-month stay at this investment level. For reference, Malta is another option for EU rights, where we can obtain your passport within 18 months. If you would like to explore the Malta Golden Visa, please let me know, and I can email you some reading material.
Portuguese venture capital/private equity funds account for the vast majority of new applications due to their broad selection of investment options. They are also the only option requiring no active management from the investor, nor a donation to the government.
Qualifying funds with incentives such as fixed returns, guaranteed buybacks, upfront interest payments, and no fees are being subscribed to quickly. Please let me know if you would like to be notified about upcoming investment funds prior to public marketing in the coming months.
To receive details of our current pre-approved fund list, please check my calendar and schedule a convenient time to discuss your requirements via [My Calendly].
This month, we have two new market-leading investment funds offering several incentives for qualifying investors. We continue to maintain a 100% success rate, with over 2,000 successful applications for Portugal.
Next week, I’m hosting a live event, “Portugal Golden Visa 2024 – Everything You Need to Know,” to provide all the latest information for this year and answer questions during a live Q&A. There is no cost to join, and it will take place on Thursday, 25th January, at 6:00 PM Lisbon time. For further information and to register, you can click [HERE].
I’ll continue to share important updates with you this year to keep you informed of any changes in Portugal.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I hope you found this update helpful and look forward to speaking with you soon.
