There are many ways to invest in order to qualify for a Portuguese Golden Visa, but property investment is by far the most popular, with up to 90% of investors choosing this route.
As detailed below, there are varying levels of real estate investment – costs for these depend upon factors such as the age, condition, and location of the property.
Prior to 2022, the real estate rules for a Golden Visa in Portugal were as follows:
Real estate investments in any region of Portugal over €500,000 automatically qualified for the Portugal Golden Visa
Investments of €400,00 in low-density areas would also qualify for the Golden Visa
In 2016-2017, the €350,000 level of investment for low-density areas was introduced for properties in need of redevelopment that were older than 30 years old – this figure is inclusive of the cost of the property plus renovation
For Golden Visa investments in low-density regions, investors were required to spend a minimum amount of €280,000. Again, properties matching this criteria these criteria must also be over 30 years old and requiring of renovation to qualify
However, it is important to note that under the 2022 Golden Visa changes, residential properties in some of the most popular regions, including Lisbon, Porto and the Silver Coast will no longer be eligible. Investors looking to qualify with properties in these regions will be required to invest in licensed commercial and touristic properties.
This is because, since its introduction in 2012, the program has successfully stimulated investment, revenue, and development in these regions, and with the new changes, the Portuguese government aims to bring the focus of investors into inland regions of the country, as well as the islands of Azores and Madeira.