Golden Visa Process and Timeline: 8 Steps (2026)
Last verified: October 2026
The Golden Visa is a sequence, not a form: investment first, immigration file second, biometrics third, card last. In 2026 the sequence still works, and AIMA’s backlog is improving — but the honest timeline from decision to card remains roughly 12–24 months. Here is the sequence with current numbers.
Steps 1–4: build the base
- 1. NIF (tax number): same-week if done in person; a few weeks via fiscal representative before arrival
- 2. Portuguese bank account: 2–6 weeks with documents ready — required for the investment trail
- 3. Route selection and diligence: fund review, or project/company structuring — 4–12 weeks done properly
- 4. Investment executed: subscription signed, funds transferred with complete paper trail
Steps 5–8: the immigration file
- 5. AIMA pre-application online — submission with all documents apostilled/legalised and translated
- 6. Biometrics appointment in Portugal — fingerprints, photos, originals reviewed; family members attend
- 7. Card production and issuance — the residence card arrives; you are legally resident from issuance
- 8. Renewals: 2-year initial validity, then 3-year renewals; permanent residence available at 5 years
Realistic 2026 timing: application acceptance varies by month (AIMA clears in batches), biometrics scheduling runs from weeks to months depending on the period, and cards follow weeks later. The 2026 nationality-law clarification explicitly protects investors from penalty for administrative delays — keep every dated confirmation.
The presence requirement fits inside normal life: 14 days across each two-year period, 21 days across each three-year period. Most investors combine card appointments with the days they’d spend in Portugal anyway.
Run the sequence with one accountable team
Daria Melnik Realty manages the full chain — NIF, banking, investment, AIMA scheduling — with a single timeline and one point of contact.
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