Portugal has been a go-to destination for retirees and digital nomads for years, thanks to its temperate climate, affordable cost of living and relaxed lifestyle, but the Portugal Golden Visa program, which offers residency to non-EU citizens who invest in Portuguese property, is about to get a lot stricter with new rules for 2023.
Although Portugal’s residency by investment program is one of the most sought after by wealthy foreigners, the Prime Minister announced that the program is under evaluation.
Early in 2022, applicants were no longer able to invest in residential properties in major cities of Portugal, such as Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.
Portugal, along with other European countries offering golden visas for foreigners, have been chastised by the European Commision.
The residency by investment have been in the international spotlight for some time, and the most popular programs are putting stricter rules to control the influx of applications.
Unlike most other golden visa programs, Portugal’s program allows investors a lot of freedom, as it only requires you to spend 7 days within the first year in-country.
According to the Portuguese Immigration and border service (SEF), the number of golden visas doubled in September 2022 compared to 2021.
Although the golden visa program is not an instant citizenship by investment scheme, it offers you an easy route to apply for citizenship after 5 years.
If you plan to apply for the Portugal golden visa, now is the time to start your process before new and stricter rules of 2023 come into place.
What are the requirements for the Portuguese golden visa?
The requirements are simple and straightforward to qualify:
You’re a non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss citizen
Make a minimum investment in Portugal of €280,000 (standard threshold for real estate)
Provide evidence of a clean criminal record
Spend at least seven days in Portugal the first year, and 14 days the following years.
Who will be affected by the Portugal golden visa new changes of 2023?
Simple. Those who decided to not start, the current processing time and the changes to the program won’t affect your eligibility if you already started the process.
The delays don’t affect your ability to complete the visa application, but it will increase the overall time it takes to gain permanent residency.
Portugal’s Immigration and borders service has already responded to this problem by adding new staff in all their branches, as its expected a new influx of applications for 2023.
In these uncertain times, Portugal offers a safe haven for you and your family.
Applying for a second residency does take a bit of work and effort. But these changes might mean your last chance to get onboard on the easiest pathway to EU citizenship.
In short, the Portuguese golden visa seems to get stricter rules for 2023. However, it is important to note that these changes or the program’s suspension won’t take effect until its confirmation, so there is still time to apply for a golden visa before the new rules come into force.
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