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Golden Visa Portugal - Residency-by-investment

Golden Visa Portugal is a unique residency-by-investment solution that offers a pathway to Portuguese citizenship without having to physically live in the country. The Golden Visa not only allows the holder to live and work in Portugal, but also affords you the right to visa-free travel throughout the European Schengen area – for a minimum investment of €500,000 in a qualifying investment fund.

Through this Portuguese residency programme, you can qualify for permanent residency and apply for citizenship after five years. Portuguese citizenship gives you the right to live, work and study in the EU.
Portugal

Benefits of investing in Portugal

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Minimum investment: €500,000 in a qualifying investment fund

A route to EU citizenship and second passport without the need to relocate

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No government donation

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Travel visa-free throughout the Schengen area for leisure

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Can include adult children and parents as dependants

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Portugal does not impose restrictions on dual citizenship

We're here to help. Let our expert advisers answer all of your questions.

Golden Visa Portugal: New qualifying criteria (2023 update)

There are five routes to qualify for in the Golden Residence Permit Programme as of 19 July 2023.

Please note: none of the current investment categories can be used directly, or indirectly, for real estate investment.

  1. €500,000 unit/share investment

    Capital transfer if a minimum €500,000, intended to the acquisition of units/shares of non-real estate collective investment funds, which are incorporated under Portuguese law, whose maturity, at the time of the investment, is at least five years and at least 60% of the value of the investments is made in commercial companies based in the national territory.

  2. €500,000 donation to research

    Capital transfer of a minimum of €500,000 applied in research activities (non-refundable donation/contribution to a public or private institution of scientific research, integrated in the national scientific and technological system).

  3. €250,000 donation to arts and culture

    Capital transfer of a minimum of €250,000 applied in investment or support to artistic production, recovery or maintenance of national cultural heritage (non-refundable donation/contribution to a project which is presented and approved by both GEPAC and the Ministry of Culture).

  4. €500,000 and job creation

    Capital transfer of a minimum of €500,000 intended for the incorporation of a commercial company with HQ in Portugal, combined with the creation of five permanent jobs.

  5. Job creation

    Creation of a minimum of 10 jobs, with the 10 work posts still active at each renewal (no minimum investment).

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  • Andrew Rissik
    Group International Director
  • Sihle Goniwe - Client Administrator
    Sihle Goniwe
    Senior Investment Migration Caseworker
  • Shakirah Campbell-Essa
    Investment Migration Caseworker
  • Valencia Jacobs
    Client Administrator
  • Sarah Young
    Investment Migration Manager
  • Andrew Rissik
    Group International Director

    Andrew grew up in South Africa, where he was schooled at Michaelhouse after which he completed his education at the University of Stellenbosch.

    He served as an officer in the South African Navy before completing his management training with the McCarthy Group.

    He established a company that facilitated the investment of UK client money into the emerging South African property market. He successfully sold his interests before being appointed to head up Sable International's forex team.

    Andrew is a keen sailor who has competed internationally and spends many weekends away either sailing or enjoying the outdoors with his wife and two children.

  • Sihle Goniwe
    Senior Investment Migration Caseworker

    Sihle was born and raised in the Eastern Cape, moving to Cape Town in 2013 to study Surface Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She furthered her studies in graphic design but also branched out into hospitality, taking up retail sales and administrator positions at the iconic and luxury 5-star Mount Nelson Hotel.

    Sihle joined the Sable Investment Migration team in 2020 and has excelled in all of her roles, growing from a client administrator to investment migration caseworker and into her current senior caseworker position. She has traditionally focused on assisting our Portugal Golden Visa clients with their application process, even undertaking to learn Portuguese to better understand the requirements for nationality, but she also prepares and advises on complex residency and citizenship applications across all the jurisdictions where we offer investment migration solutions.

    Outside of work, Sihle enjoys spending time at the beach, hiking in the mountains, good food and wine tasing experiences.

  • Shakirah Campbell-Essa
    Investment Migration Caseworker

    Shakirah was born and raised in Table View, Cape Town. She travelled a bit when she was young, and that’s where her desire to explore and travel the world began.

    After matriculating, she studied Events Management at Prestige Academy college. Before joining Sable International she worked at Discovery Headquarters in Cape Town for six years. During this time, she was tasked with numerous operations pertaining, but not limited to, delivering excellent services to clients from start to finish. Problem solving and providing initiative thinking just to mention a few.

    She is currently an Investment Migration Caseworker at Sable International assisting clients through every administrative step throughout their migration application process.

    She is extremely goal-oriented and hard working. She is always up for a new challenge and love seeing her visions come to reality.

  • Valencia Jacobs
    Client Administrator

    Valencia matriculated from Steenberg Secondary then did a PA course at the Academy of Learning. She has worked at Table Mountain Cable Way, and in 4- and 5-star hotels in Cape Town. She took a four-year break from working, in order to study social work through Unisa, after which she worked in Health & Safety for seven years.

    She joins our Investment Migration team where she will be working as a client administrator. 

    She has a bubbly personality and is very humble. She is eager to learn and grow in her new role. Outside of work, Valencia loves spending time with her daughter and grandson. She also loves to braai with friends or binge watch series.

  • Sarah Young
    Investment Migration Manager

    Originally from the UK, Sarah is well-travelled – having worked in France, South America and Botswana before settling in Cape Town. She graduated at the top of her class with a BA (Hons) in International Business before spending 15 years in hospitality. During this time, she gained a clear understanding of the need for global mobility through her own experience.

    Sarah currently oversees Sable International’s Investment Migration casework team, assisting clients with finding the programme which best fits their needs. Once people have chosen their route to global citizenship, she assists them every step of the way through the entire process.

    In her free time Sarah enjoys life outdoors, spending time with family and friends paired with laughter, good food and wine.