Are you interested in obtaining European Citizenship by Investment? Portugal offers an excellent opportunity through the Portugal Golden Visa Program. By purchasing property in Portugal, you can become a European citizen and gain a second passport for enjoyable vacations with your family across Europe.
Numerous applicants have already benefited from this world-renowned investment immigration program, with many on the straightforward path to obtaining Portuguese citizenship. However, you don’t have to wait for citizenship to experience the benefits of living in the European Union. You can become a Golden Visa holder in less than a year, allowing you and your family to live, do business, work, travel, and study in Portugal.
Why the Portugal Golden Visa Program stands out as the optimal route for achieving European citizenship through investment?
The Portugal Golden Visa Program stands out as the best path to European citizenship by investment. It offers a fast, direct, and secure route with minimal requirements for applicants. There are no language, management experience, or education credential requirements. Once approved, applicants receive residence permits in less than a year.
Portugal does not tax worldwide income, and Golden Visa holders can enjoy the freedom to live, work, do business, study, and travel within the Schengen zone. Investors can easily apply for citizenship and access EU benefits for themselves and their families. The Golden Visa application can include the investor’s spouse, financially dependent children, and financially dependent parents.
To qualify for the Portugal Golden Visa process, investors need to be 18 years or older, possess a valid passport, legally reside in a country, and maintain the investment for at least five years or until they obtain a Permanent Residence card or passport. Investors are also required to spend an average of seven days per year in Portugal (with a minimum of 14 days in each subsequent 2-year period) and comply with the Health Insurance Policy.
After the fifth year, the investor and their dependents can apply for Portugal/EU citizenship or Permanent Residency. Additionally, depending on the project, the investment may be refundable after five years or upon obtaining permanent residency or citizenship.
What is the Portugal Golden Visa Program?
The Portugal Golden Visa program, officially known as “ARI” (“Autorização de Residencia para Actividades de Investimento”), allows investors to gain Portuguese residency and enjoy all the benefits of being part of the European Union. The program was created to attract more investments in businesses and real estate while promoting diversity through incentives.
Under the program, residence permits are granted to third-country nationals who intend to perform investment activities in Portugal, such as capital transfer, job creation (at least ten jobs), or property purchase.
What Investment Options Qualify for the program?
When it comes to investment options for the Portugal Golden Visa program, purchasing real estate is one of the most secure and popular pathways. The current law requires buying a property valued at €500,000 or higher. Alternatively, investors can invest €350,000 in rehabilitating a building over 30 years old located in an urban rehabilitation area. For properties in rural areas, the required amount decreases to €280,000 for rehabilitation.
While rehabilitation projects in rural areas may not yield high returns, they provide a safe pathway to obtain citizenship by investment under the Golden Visa program. Rehabilitation projects in central areas like Porto and Lisbon may offer higher returns, but it’s recommended to act swiftly due to potential changes in legislation in 2021.
If you’re interested in the Portugal Golden Visa Program, Mercan Group has been closely involved with the program for several years. We assist investors in obtaining residence permits and immigrating with their families to Portugal, offering reliable projects that ensure a safe investment while obtaining the Golden Visa.
If you’re interested in obtaining your European Citizenship by investment or learning more about the Lapa Hotel and Évora Hotel projects developed by Mercan Group, you can contact Mercan for further information.
