Even the mere thought of ‘Portugal’ brings the vision of breathtaking beauty, mesmerizing beaches, and a beautiful climate. However, the fantastic year-round weather and the irresistible atmosphere are the sole reasons people opt to move here. Even the country is popular for its friendly spirit and welcoming and hospitable attitude. Adding all of it together makes the experience of living in Portugal unforgettable. So, if you want to experience the European lifestyle, moving to Portugal is your ultimate decision. In persuasion, we have curated the essentials for know-how to move to Portugal. Read on!
Moving to Portugal: Portugal visas and work permits
Portuguese visas can be broadly divided into 3 categories:
Schengen visas– Short-stay visas that are valid for a stay of up to 90 days. Such visas include seasonal work or general short-stay visas.
Temporary stay national visas– These are issued for a stay of up to 1 year. Every third-country national (except family members of Portuguese citizens and other EU/EFTA nations), when traveling to Portugal for more than 90 days but less than 1 year, requires a temporary stay visa.
Such visas include study and temporary work visas.
Long stay national visas– Popularly known as residency visas. These visas intend for a stay of more than a year. Some of the examples of long-stay visas include:
- Family reunion visa,
- study visa,
- D7 visa, and
- Golden Visa scheme
Let us understand the Portugal golden visa program to move to Portugal in detail.
Portugal golden visa
Portugal golden visa is a great option for those looking to obtain European residency for an investment. The main requirement is to invest in the country through:
- real estate acquisition,
- fund subscription,
- capital transfer
The family highly favors it as the program allows family inclusion. Talking of other benefits of obtaining a golden passport in Portugal, you can travel visa-free without further documentation within Schengen countries. In addition, just after five years of getting your Portugal golden visa, you can apply for Portugal citizenship.
Requirements to get a Portugal golden visa:
- You’ve paid the required fees
- You commit to the stay requirements
- You have a clean criminal record
- You’ve made a qualifying investment
A step-by-step guide to getting a golden visa in Portugal (application process)
The application process is very straightforward. A few necessary steps like investment, legal steps, and required documentation are required to get your golden visa. Checkout the below steps:
- Decide your investment type
The first step is to analyze the different investment options available and then decide on the one you wish to move forward with.
- Gather required documents
Gather all the required documents for the main applicant and other dependents. Considering all the translations, certifications, notarizing, and apostilles, this step gets a bit tiring. So, seek the support of a professional advisor to get through easily and efficiently.
- Get a NIF & open a bank account
Both tasks can be done within a day. Even your lawyers can complete them when you aren’t present in the country.
- Finalizing the investment
Now that you have decided on the investment type, pay up and lock in your investment.
- Submit pre-application
When you have made the qualifying investment, and all the paperwork is ready, submit a pre-application to SEF. It usually takes around two months from submission of documents to getting an appointment date.
- Schedule/attend SEF appointment
Once the analysis of documents is completed, SEF will offer a set of dates for the appointment. And you need to be physically present along with dependents on the same date. In addition, you are required to submit fingerprints further to make the application official.
- Get your golden visa.
Congratulations on receiving your golden visa residence cards. Each card is valid only for 2 years, after which you need to renew it to get a new card.
- Become a Portuguese citizen
Once you have renewed your card twice and completed a total duration of 5 years, you become eligible for citizenship or permanent residency in Portugal.
Endnote
The assured way to experience the European lifestyle is to move to Portugal. And we have briefly described the direct and the most effective way to move to Portugal.
Yes! Investment in Portugal Golden visa program is your ticket to a wide range of benefits, including permanent citizenship or residency for a maximum of 5 years.
