Portugal: life by the ocean, and a real road to an EU passport
You can probably picture it already: the coast, the light, safe cities, good schools, and a status that opens up all of Europe. That life is still within reach. But the road there looks different from what most websites describe.
What changed. In October 2023, Portugal removed real estate from the Golden Visa. Buying an apartment “from €350,000” no longer gets you residency; that route was abolished by the Mais Habitação law. And since 19 May 2026, the citizenship clock has changed too: under Lei Orgânica 1/2026, it’s now 7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and the EU, and 10 years for everyone else. If someone’s still promising you “a passport in 5 years”, they’re working from old information. So plan from the current rules.
What works. The Golden Visa (ARI) is alive and well — it just runs on different investments now:
- investment and venture-capital funds from €500,000 (non-real-estate, held 5+ years, at least 60% in Portuguese companies);
- cultural and heritage support from €250,000 (€200,000 in low-density areas);
- scientific research from €500,000;
- creating at least 10 jobs, or capitalising a Portuguese company.
And the part investors love hasn’t changed: you barely need to be there. 7 days in the first year, then 14 days per two-year period — and those years still count toward your future status. Your spouse and children get residency alongside you. If investing isn’t your route, Portugal also offers the D7 (passive income) and D8 (remote work) visas.
Now, tax. The old NHR regime closed to new arrivals at the end of 2024. Its successor, IFICI, offers a flat 20% for 10 years — but only for qualifying scientific, innovation and highly-skilled roles, and only if you weren’t a Portuguese tax resident in the previous 5 years. It doesn’t fit everyone.
From there, the path is predictable: permanent residence after 5 years of legal residence (you’ll need Portuguese at A2 level), then citizenship on the new timeline. Residence matters are handled by AIMA, which replaced SEF in 2023.
Tell us what kind of life you want to build in Portugal. In a free consultation, we’ll walk through every route and build a plan around your situation — not around a sales brochure.