Portugal Golden Visa Requirements in 2026

The Portugal Golden Visa — officially the Residence Permit for Investment Activity (ARI) — remains open in 2026, and remains one of Europe’s most flexible residence-by-investment programs. What changed over recent years is the menu of qualifying investments: real estate and pure capital transfer were removed in October 2023. Everything else — funds, research, culture, business — continues under the same permit structure.

The five qualifying investment routes (2026)

• Investment funds: €500,000 into qualifying Portuguese venture capital funds (5-year maturity, ≥60% Portuguese companies, real-estate funds excluded)
• Research: €500,000 into scientific/technological institutions (€400,000 in low-density areas)
• Culture: €250,000 supporting arts or national heritage (€200,000 low-density)
• Company creation: a company forming at least 10 new jobs
• Company + investment: €500,000 into a Portuguese company creating 5 permanent jobs (or maintaining 10)

Personal requirements

• Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationality — EU citizens don’t need the program
• Clean criminal record, home country and Portugal (certificates, apostilled/legalised)
• Legal entry into Portugal and valid passport
• The investment held and maintained for the minimum period (5 years to PR/citizenship eligibility)
• Physical presence: only 14 days per 2-year period, then 21 days per 3-year period — an average of about a week a year

Family: who comes with the main applicant

One application covers the spouse or partner, dependent children (minors; adult children in full-time education and unmarried), and dependent parents of either spouse (65+ normally, younger with dependency). Family members can be added later through reunification — they do not all need to be in the first application.