European Citizenship
The Golden Visa program launched by the Portuguese Authorities in 2012 is a fast track for investors to obtain a fully valid residency permit in Portugal and consequently free access to the vast majority of European and Schengen area countries.
Aimed at attracting foreign investment to Portugal after the economic crisis, the Golden Visa is a very straightforward and flexible program, with simple and clear legal requirements.
With extremely reduced minimum stay requirements, the Portuguese Golden Visa is clearly one of the most attractive residency programs for investors in the world.
Residence Permit for Investment Activities (ARI) known as “Golden Visa”
The Golden Visa mechanism allows third country nationals to apply for a temporary residence permit to conduct an investment activity with residence visa waiver to enter national territory.
Aimed at attracting foreign investment to Portugal after the economic crisis, the Golden Visa is a very straightforward and flexible program, with simple and clear legal requirements.
With extremely reduced minimum stay requirements, the Portuguese Golden Visa is clearly one of the most attractive residency programs for investors in the world.
Residence Permit for Investment Activities (ARI) known as “Golden Visa”
The Golden Visa mechanism allows third country nationals to apply for a temporary residence permit to conduct an investment activity with residence visa waiver to enter national territory.
A Golden Visa is a residence permit for non-EU nationals who want to live in Europe or travel freely within the Schengen area, i.e. Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
The advantages that Portugal’s Golden Visa provides make it one of the most attractive worldwide:
• Possibility to live, invest and work in Europe.
• Travel freely throughout the Schengen area without the need for a visa or passport.
• Payment of taxes with the same conditions as any other European citizen.
Access to the European Health System.
• Children/young people can apply for the free education system. They are also able to study at European Universities as European citizens.
• Family reunion for direct family members (ascendants and descendants).
• Apply for Portuguese nationality after six years.
•Reduced period of mandatory stay in the reduced country, of only 7 – 14 days per year.
The advantages that Portugal’s Golden Visa provides make it one of the most attractive worldwide:
• Possibility to live, invest and work in Europe.
• Travel freely throughout the Schengen area without the need for a visa or passport.
• Payment of taxes with the same conditions as any other European citizen.
Access to the European Health System.
• Children/young people can apply for the free education system. They are also able to study at European Universities as European citizens.
• Family reunion for direct family members (ascendants and descendants).
• Apply for Portuguese nationality after six years.
•Reduced period of mandatory stay in the reduced country, of only 7 – 14 days per year.
Advantages of Golden Visa:
Eligibility
To be eligible for this residence permit, your investment in Portugal must meet one of three requirements:
Considering the exceptional investment conditions Portugal offers, it’s naturally a very popular destination for Real Estate investment. The Golden Residence Permit Program has attracted over 2500 investors so far, which reflects on a total investment value in Portugal that exceeds (in real estate investment alone) 1 billion euros, focused especially among Chinese, Brazilian, Russian, South African, and Lebanese natives.
What is the Residence Permit for Investment (ARI) or Golden Visa?
Property purchase:
• Minimum investment: €500,000.
• If the property you purchase is in an urban regeneration area or was built more than 30 years ago, the minimum investment is €350,000.
• You are required to purchase at least one property.
• Co-ownership is possible.
• You are free to use, rent or lease the property.
• Minimum investment: €500,000.
• If the property you purchase is in an urban regeneration area or was built more than 30 years ago, the minimum investment is €350,000.
• You are required to purchase at least one property.
• Co-ownership is possible.
• You are free to use, rent or lease the property.
Transfer of funds:
• Transfer of funds to a Portuguese financial institution or the purchase of shares in companies, in an amount of at least €1,000,000.
• Transfer of funds to national scientific and technological endeavours, in an amount of at least €350,000.
• Transfer of funds to support artistic endeavours or the protection or upkeep of national cultural heritage, in an amount of at least €250,000.
• Transfer of funds to investment funds specialized in the capitalization of SMEs, in an amount of at least €500,000.
• Transfer of funds to a Portuguese financial institution or the purchase of shares in companies, in an amount of at least €1,000,000.
• Transfer of funds to national scientific and technological endeavours, in an amount of at least €350,000.
• Transfer of funds to support artistic endeavours or the protection or upkeep of national cultural heritage, in an amount of at least €250,000.
• Transfer of funds to investment funds specialized in the capitalization of SMEs, in an amount of at least €500,000.
Job creation:
• Creation of at least 10 jobs.
• No requirements regarding minimum investment.
• No requirements regarding the business sector.
• Compliance with social security obligations is mandatory.
• These investments may be eligible for subsidies, incentives and/or other benefits.
• Creation of at least 10 jobs.
• No requirements regarding minimum investment.
• No requirements regarding the business sector.
• Compliance with social security obligations is mandatory.
• These investments may be eligible for subsidies, incentives and/or other benefits.
Documents & Requirements
• Valid Passport and Schengen Visa;
• Valid travel document and medical insurance for EU / Portugal;
• Updated property documents showing ownership of property;
• Proof of means of income and proof of address;
• Accommodation;
• Absence of criminal conviction and of interdiction to enter the country;
• Absence of notice from the Portuguese Immigration Authorities or Schengen Services;
• Declaration from the investor confirming compliance with the investment requirements;
• Valid travel document and medical insurance for EU / Portugal;
• Updated property documents showing ownership of property;
• Proof of means of income and proof of address;
• Accommodation;
• Absence of criminal conviction and of interdiction to enter the country;
• Absence of notice from the Portuguese Immigration Authorities or Schengen Services;
• Declaration from the investor confirming compliance with the investment requirements;
Vintage Place Invest Services
Vintage Place provides all the services you need to obtain a Golden Visa. These include:
1.Assistance in preparing all the documents you need to include in your application for a Golden Visa for you and your family, and subsequent application follow-up.
2. Assistance and support throughout the investment process (property sale agreement and deed, subsequent registration, business incorporation under Portuguese law, transfer of capital, business acquisitions).
3. Assistance in renewing your residence permit during the first five years and applying for citizenship if required.
1.Assistance in preparing all the documents you need to include in your application for a Golden Visa for you and your family, and subsequent application follow-up.
2. Assistance and support throughout the investment process (property sale agreement and deed, subsequent registration, business incorporation under Portuguese law, transfer of capital, business acquisitions).
3. Assistance in renewing your residence permit during the first five years and applying for citizenship if required.
A tax assessment is a review of your tax liability based on treaties that Portugal has with other nations and its current tax system.
Our clients have benefited from our Portuguese fiscal lawyers proven expertise every time.
Several important reforms carried out over recent years have successfully put Portugal on the map for tax competitiveness regarding inward investment.
Ask us how this service can save you worldwide taxes.
Source of worldwide income
Determining the source of income is of critical importance in the Portuguese territorial system, as source often determines whether or not the income is taxed.
Source of worldwide income is where the income is considered to arise under the relevant tax system. The manner of determining the source of worldwide income is generally dependent on the nature of income.
Our clients have benefited from our Portuguese fiscal lawyers proven expertise every time.
Several important reforms carried out over recent years have successfully put Portugal on the map for tax competitiveness regarding inward investment.
Ask us how this service can save you worldwide taxes.
Source of worldwide income
Determining the source of income is of critical importance in the Portuguese territorial system, as source often determines whether or not the income is taxed.
Source of worldwide income is where the income is considered to arise under the relevant tax system. The manner of determining the source of worldwide income is generally dependent on the nature of income.
Portugal’s Non-habitual Resident – NHR
What is non-habitual residency?
Introduced in 2009 by the Portuguese government to attract ‘high value’ industries and individuals, NHR is effectively a tax holiday for your first ten years living in the country.
If employed in Portugal, non-habitual residents can benefit from a flat 20% income tax rate – a significant reduction on the usual scale rates that reach up to 48%. You can qualify for this rate if you work in one of the pre-defined ‘high value-added’ scientific, artistic or technical professions.
Crucially, the NHR regime can be also be highly beneficial for retirees and other expatriates, as it offers the opportunity to receive foreign income – including pensions – completely tax-free.
• Tax-free pension income
• No double taxation for pension incomes or for employment and self-employment income obtained abroad.
• Tax-free foreign income
• Most income from a foreign source is exempt from Portuguese taxation for 10 consecutive years, as is income that is taxable in another country.
This means that expatriates can potentially receive their pensions, rental income, capital gains on real estate, interest, dividends and non-Portuguese employment income tax-free.
You may escape Portuguese taxation under the NHR scheme because they are taxable in your home country (according to Portugal’s double tax treaty with many countries).
In our experience, most expatriates can save money in tax by moving to Portugal.
We’ve found that our clients who have chosen to retire in Portugal enjoy particularly favourable tax treatment on their investments and assets.
If employed in Portugal, non-habitual residents can benefit from a flat 20% income tax rate – a significant reduction on the usual scale rates that reach up to 48%. You can qualify for this rate if you work in one of the pre-defined ‘high value-added’ scientific, artistic or technical professions.
Crucially, the NHR regime can be also be highly beneficial for retirees and other expatriates, as it offers the opportunity to receive foreign income – including pensions – completely tax-free.
• Tax-free pension income
• No double taxation for pension incomes or for employment and self-employment income obtained abroad.
• Tax-free foreign income
• Most income from a foreign source is exempt from Portuguese taxation for 10 consecutive years, as is income that is taxable in another country.
This means that expatriates can potentially receive their pensions, rental income, capital gains on real estate, interest, dividends and non-Portuguese employment income tax-free.
You may escape Portuguese taxation under the NHR scheme because they are taxable in your home country (according to Portugal’s double tax treaty with many countries).
In our experience, most expatriates can save money in tax by moving to Portugal.
We’ve found that our clients who have chosen to retire in Portugal enjoy particularly favourable tax treatment on their investments and assets.
Tax Assessment
• Income from the performance of services (e.g., wages) is generally treated as arising where the services are performed.
• Financing income (e.g., interest, dividends) is generally treated as arising where the user of the financing resides.
• Income related to use of tangible property (e.g., rents) is generally treated as arising where the property is situated.
• Income related to use of intangible property (e.g., royalties) is generally treated as arising where the property is used.
• Gains on sale of realty are generally treated as arising where the property is situated.
Tax treaties exist between Portugal and many countries on a bilateral basis to prevent double taxation
Double taxation means taxes levied twice on the same income, profit, capital gain, inheritance or other item.
Ask us how this service can save you worldwide taxes.
• Financing income (e.g., interest, dividends) is generally treated as arising where the user of the financing resides.
• Income related to use of tangible property (e.g., rents) is generally treated as arising where the property is situated.
• Income related to use of intangible property (e.g., royalties) is generally treated as arising where the property is used.
• Gains on sale of realty are generally treated as arising where the property is situated.
Tax treaties exist between Portugal and many countries on a bilateral basis to prevent double taxation
Double taxation means taxes levied twice on the same income, profit, capital gain, inheritance or other item.
Ask us how this service can save you worldwide taxes.
For residents of the CIS countries, more information on the link.
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