Getting Permanent Residence in Portugal

According to the data provided by Victor Esik, an expert from Immigrant Invest, over 27,000 people received Portugal’s golden visa in the last 10 years, making it one of the most popular programs of its kind.

While regular permanent residency permits require language tests and a long mandatory residence period, one gained through investment has less strict conditions but requires significant investment.

This article will explain how one can get permanent residence in Portugal.

When Do You Need a Permit for Permanent Residence in Portugal?

Citizens outside the EU and EFTA who want to stay in Portugal for more than three months must apply for a temporary residence permit.

SEF issues the Portuguese border service, valid for one year, after which it can be renewed.

EU citizens are not required to get a permit to stay longer, but they still need to inform SEF about their stay.

If you plan to keep living in the country after five years of living under a temporary permit, you can apply for a permanent residency permit in Portugal.

If you wish, you can apply for citizenship instead. With both, you can work and study in the country, use services, and travel to Schengen zone countries without a visa.

The requirements for permanent residence in Portugal are that you pass a language mastery test and permanently reside there unless you apply for permanent residence in Portugal through investment.

Portugal Golden Visa Scheme

This Portugal permanent residence scheme allows investors and their families to receive permanent residence under less strict conditions in exchange for significant investment in the country’s economy and development.

The seven available investment options include real estate purchase, fund investment, financing culture or research, investing in the business and creating workplaces. The minimal qualifying investment starts at €280,000.

After passing a due diligence check and making one of the described investments, an investor and his or her family can get permanent residence permits with the opportunity to become citizens in five years.

To do this, they must spend at least a week in the country every year before applying.

If you wish to learn more about golden visa programs in different countries, we suggest you read this article by Immigrant Invest: https://immigrantinvest.com/golden-visa-en/.

On their website, you can also find more detailed information about Portugal’s permanent residence by investment.

Other Types of Portuguese Visa

The most common one is the Schengen visa, which allows a short stay in the country for up to 90 days. This is enough for tourism, visiting friends and family, or business trips.

The visa costs €80 and can be obtained in the country’s embassy 6 months to 15 days before your visit. Other short-term visas include those for work purposes or transit.

Temporary visas allow staying in the country for up to a year. To obtain such a visa, you must present more documents, including proof of accommodation, to sustain yourself.

Such visas are generally issued for study, treatment, internship, or work.

Visas for long stays allow residents to stay in the country for over a year. Their purposes include all the above, including family reunification, retirement, and the Portugal golden visa.

Conclusion

Now, you know how to get permanent residence in Portugal, both with and without investment. The investment path is easier and has a lower chance of denial, but it requires significant investments.

To become a citizen in Portugal, you’ll need to own a residence permit for five years in any case.