It is no secret that Residence by Investment regime), also known as Golden Visa, has been on the market for quite some time, allowing people to reside in some countries for a number of years by granting them residence permits in exchange for an investment made in their territory.
Although it is true that this is still an advantage that can be acquired in different destinations, I would like to guide you through the benefits of this residence permit option offered by Portugal, through the “Residence by Investment” or “ARI” program.
How it works?
Applying for an Investment Residence Permit starts with an online application, which serves as a pre-assessment of the investment made as well as of general conditions pertaining to the candidate. This phase allows the candidate to demonstrate that they have met all requirements imposed by Portugal for the investment, as well as other legal provisions.
An important disclaimer to make is that the investment must be made prior to the online application. As reluctant as one might feel, this is the common procedure and, at FiO Legal, we can provide the adequate guidance to make sure you meet the requirements for the investment before you take this leap.
What are the accepted investments under the Portuguese Golden Visa program?
According to the newest change in Portuguese legislation, there are 5 possible investments which can grant you the ARI residence permit.
The investment should correspond to any activity carried out personally or through a company that leads, as a rule, to the achievement of at least one of the following situations in national territory and for a minimum period of five years:
The creation of at least 10 job titles; or
Transfer of capital in an amount equal to or greater than € 500,000; or
Transfer of capital in an amount equal to or greater than € 250,000.
You can find more information on the specific criteria that each invested amount should follow in our recently published informative article about Golden Visa Portugal: Understanding the Impact of 2023 Legislative Changes on Investors.
Finding the Right Investment Fund
As per common definitions, an investment fund is a collective investment undertaking or “CIU”, which allows the ARI applicant to invest money alongside other investors, allowing different shareholders to connect and reduce potential risks relating to the investment.
Since most of the situations surrounding the possibility to apply for a Residence Permit by Investment, in Portugal, imply monetary investment, it is important to understand how to go about finding adequate and reliable investment funds.
On another hand, just because these investments are the basis for obtaining a residence permit, it doesn’t mean that these cannot embed the investor’s interests and also benefit them long term.
Therefore, it is important to consider the following steps in order to make sure one can get the best possible financial and spiritual return:
What is the objective with this specific investment? Apart from “ticking the requirement boxes” for the residence permit application, are there any other personal goals that could motivate this investment?
It is always a bonus point if the investor can find other reasons to invest other than the “obligation to”, as it takes away the pressure to expect a timely and successful result of the application for a residence permit by investment.
What are the risks involved? Is this fund reliable?
Proceeding with the proper due diligence and careful review of the investment-to-be is essential to avoid unwanted and, most importantly, unforeseeable outcomes.
What are your financial goals? Is this institution likely to make this happen
Researching and having an understanding of the Portuguese market is fundamental to predict the likelihood of achieving your goals.
This is when professional advice can come in handy in order to walk the investor through the correct investment strategy. In addition, it takes away the pressure and responsibility from the investor of having to research in depth about the peculiarities of an unknown investment market.
Obtaining and maintaining your ARI Residence Permit
Once at least one of the previously mentioned investments has been made and the online application has been submitted, the candidate must wait for an in-person appointment. The appointment date is conferred by the Portuguese Immigration Office, otherwise known as AIMA – Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, and for which will require the candidate’s physical presence in national territory.
At their appointment before AIMA, candidates must present the original documents that were first submitted to the online platform, which will then be taken in for a final assessment. During this time, the AIMA will also collect the candidate’s biometric information to register them in the Portuguese and European information system.
From this point on, the immigration office should have a period of 90 business days to present their decision relating to the candidate’s application and, upon a successful outcome, consequently, issue their residence permits.
The first residence permit is valid for 2 years, renewed for periods of 3 years.
Associated Benefits
Besides having one of the smoothest procedures for granting residence permits by investment, Portugal presents many other appealing benefits for residents under this category. These include:
Free public healthcare under the National Health Care System (“SNS”).
Free primary and secondary public education.
Portuguese Nationality or Permanent Residence Permits after 5 years of legal residence.
Minimum stay in national territory of only 7 days per year in the first year and 14 days in subsequent 2-year periods.
Family reunification allowed.
Travel visa-free in the Schengen Area.
Golden Visa as a Sustainable Investment
Investing not only brings earned benefits to the investor and their family, but it can also contribute to creating a humanizing job market for persons in need of work and the proper legal conditions that the investment is able to establish.
This allows for practicing ethical and responsible recruiting by implementing measures that can inspire and integrate future businesses, as well as make a commendable contribution to the Portuguese community.
Conclusion
Although immigration can be a very challenging and stressful process considering all of the research needed as well as filling out all of the paperwork involved, it can also be extremely rewarding once you are settled in, and especially peaceful to the mind with the right legal guidance.
In my own personal experience, moving from Brazil to Japan, then from Brazil to Portugal and other European countries in different stages of my life has truly shown how even though it is possible to do it alone, it can be rather complicated and far more time consuming than if seeking professional help.
The Immigration and Human Rights team, at FiO Legal, we are committed to helping our clients through every step of their journey, particularly when they are taking a huge step toward changing and creating a different life for themselves, which requires well-grounded and careful assistance.
Although the Residence by Investment program has a strict step by step procedure that calls for detailed due diligence and review, our team has the experience and expertise to provide clients with the smoothest transition to Portugal, guiding them through the correct requirements and ensuring that they feel safe and ready to make their investment.
If you would like to know more about our work, please follow us on Fio Legal | Residence Visa Solutions in Portugal.
