Door 06 · Golden Visa
Portugal Golden Visa, EU residency by investment
Residency through a qualifying investment, with 7 days a year in Portugal. We handle NIF, AIMA filing, biometrics and family.
BOCEAN IMMIGRATION PORTUGAL, LDA · NIPC 519043731 · Payments by Stripe · about 6 months to file, then the AIMA wait
- A lawyer registered with the Portuguese Bar (OA) is on your file, named with their bar number in your engagement letter.
- An immigration consultancy with in-house lawyers, at Av. da Liberdade 67B, Lisbon. NIPC 519043731.
- Family included at no extra Reside fee.
- A clear refund grid before you pay. See the refund policy.
- Blue Ocean, the group behind Reside, has handled 1,852 cases. Read the reviews on Trustpilot.
- Reside is not a government agency. Documents are issued by the Portuguese authorities.
01 · What it is
The Golden Visa, explained
The Golden Visa, officially the Autorização de Residência para Atividade de Investimento (ARI), is Portugal's residency by investment. A qualifying investment gives you and your family the right to live, work and study in Portugal and to travel visa-free in the Schengen area.
The programme was reformed in October 2023. Real estate no longer qualifies. Two routes are practical today: a €500,000 regulated investment fund, or a €250,000 cultural heritage donation.
After 5 years of legal residency, with at least 7 days a year in Portugal, you can apply for permanent residency. Citizenship is a separate, later step. Under the Nationality Law in force since 18 May 2026, the qualifying residency period is 10 years for most foreigners and 7 years for nationals of CPLP countries (Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea). The clock counts from the date the residence card is issued. Applications for citizenship filed before 18 May 2026 are assessed under the previous 5-year rule. The residency rights of the Golden Visa are not affected by the reform.
02 · Investment routes
Two routes, one residency
| Feature | Regulated fund | Cultural donation |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | €500,000 subscription | €250,000 one-off donation |
| What you do | Subscribe units in a Portuguese fund supervised by the CMVM | Donate to a Portuguese cultural preservation entity |
| Your capital | Held for the 5-year period, then redeemable | Not refundable |
| Rules | At least 60% of assets in Portuguese-registered companies | Fewer compliance steps |
The job creation route (10 jobs) and the low-density job preservation route exist but are niche. We assess them case by case. We do not give investment advice: the choice of fund and the decision to invest are yours.
03 · Who qualifies
Eligibility in 2026
The programme is open to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals who:
- are 18 or older with a clean criminal record (no conviction carrying a sentence of 1 year or more under Portuguese law)
- can make a qualifying investment of €500,000 (fund) or €250,000 (donation) with a verifiable source of funds
- will spend 7 days a year in Portugal (14 days in each 2-year renewal period)
- hold a passport valid for at least 6 more months
Family can join the same application: spouse or registered partner, dependent children under 18 (up to 26 if in full-time education) and dependent parents over 65. Each additional person pays an AIMA fee but needs no separate investment.
04 · The steps
From kickoff to residence card
- 01
NIF and fiscal setup
Month 1. NIF in 5 to 14 business days, 1 year of fiscal representation and the power of attorney.
- 02
Investment and documents
Months 2 to 3. You place the investment. We build the source-of-funds dossier, criminal records with apostille and family documents, and translate them into Portuguese.
Your turn - 03
AIMA submission
Month 3. We file the full application and book the earliest biometrics slot. You receive a filing receipt as provisional proof of application.
- 04
Biometrics and card
Months 12 to 24. You attend a 30-minute biometrics appointment in Lisbon. Cards arrive by post 8 to 16 weeks later. The 5-year clock starts on the biometrics date.
We file within about 6 months of kickoff. AIMA's official target for the biometrics appointment is 6 months from filing, but the realistic wait in 2026 is 12 to 18 months because of the backlog. Plan for 12 to 24 months or more from kickoff to residence card.
05 · The fee
What $7,990 includes and what it does not
Included in $7,990
- NIF and 1 year of fiscal representation
- Power of attorney
- Full AIMA application: forms, source-of-funds dossier, criminal records, family documents, apostille coordination
- Due-diligence support: we review the fund documents and subscription agreement with you and flag concerns
- Biometrics appointment booking
- 12 months of case management
- Family inclusion at no extra service fee
- Bilingual document delivery (Portuguese and English)
Not included, billed at cost with receipts
- AIMA government fees, below
- The qualifying investment itself, paid to the fund or entity, never through us
- Certified translations, about €20 to €40 per page
- Apostille and consular legalisation in your country
- Travel to Lisbon for biometrics
06 · The receipt
Where each payment goes
Who you pay, and how much
06Total shown is what you pay Reside. AIMA amounts follow its published 2026 schedule. A family of four pays roughly €30,000 to €35,000 in AIMA fees over the 5-year period.
Questions
Common questions
What is the Portugal Golden Visa?
The Golden Visa (ARI) is a residency-by-investment programme for non-EU nationals. Since the 2023 reform, the eligible routes are €500,000 in a regulated Portuguese investment fund or a €250,000 cultural donation. Real estate no longer qualifies.
Who qualifies in 2026?
Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals over 18 with a clean criminal record, a verifiable source of funds for the investment, and the willingness to spend 7 days a year in Portugal.
How long does the process take?
Filing takes about 6 months from kickoff: NIF in month 1, investment and documents in months 2 to 3, AIMA filing in month 3. The biometrics appointment is the bottleneck: the official target is 6 months, the realistic wait in 2026 is 12 to 18 months. Cards are issued 8 to 16 weeks after biometrics. Plan for 12 to 24 months or more in total.
Can I include my family?
Yes. Spouse, dependent children under 18 (up to 26 if students) and dependent parents over 65 can join the same investment. Each adds an AIMA fee but no separate investment.
When can I apply for permanent residency and citizenship?
Permanent residency is available after 5 years of legal residency. Citizenship is a separate, later step. Under the Nationality Law in force since 18 May 2026, the qualifying residency period is 10 years for most foreigners and 7 years for nationals of CPLP countries (Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea). The clock counts from the date the residence card is issued. Other requirements include basic Portuguese (A2), a clean criminal record and continued ties to Portugal.
What is included in the $7,990 fee?
NIF and fiscal representation for 1 year, power of attorney, full AIMA application, apostille coordination, due-diligence support on the fund documents, biometrics booking and 12 months of case management. AIMA fees and the investment itself are billed separately.
What languages do you work in?
English and Portuguese. Legal documents are delivered in both languages by default.
How is Reside different from a real estate broker?
Reside is an immigration service, not a real estate intermediary. You pay Reside a fixed fee, shown on this page.
What if the file is rejected because of an error on your side?
Open door 06
Ready when the investment is
Start with the NIF. Your file moves from NIF to AIMA filing in about 6 months.