Update
Can you still get Portugal’s Golden Visa by buying property?
No. AIMA's current list of investment routes does not include real estate. Here is what does qualify, and what to check before committing capital.
Many websites still say you can get Portuguese residence by buying a flat. You cannot. The official list published by AIMA, the agency that runs the program, does not include real estate.
What does qualify
- Jobs: create at least 10 jobs.
- Scientific research: at least €500,000 into research activities of qualifying institutions.
- Arts and heritage: at least €250,000 to support artistic production or recover and maintain national cultural heritage, through the entities the law lists.
- Investment funds: at least €500,000 in non-real-estate funds set up under Portuguese law, with a maturity of at least 5 years and at least 60% invested in Portuguese companies.
- Company: at least €500,000 to create or capitalise a Portuguese company, with the job conditions the law sets, for at least 3 years.
Why the funds route needs care
AIMA states the investment cannot be directed, directly or indirectly, at real estate. Before you commit, check the fund’s maturity, its 60% Portuguese allocation and its documentation. A fund marketed as a “Golden Visa fund” is not automatically compliant.
If you already hold a property-based permit
Permits granted under the earlier rules remain subject to the conditions on which they were granted. Check your renewal requirements well before the date.
The practical stay rule
AIMA states that holders can live and work in Portugal provided they stay at least 7 days in the first year and at least 14 days in each following period.
Details, documents and family rules are on our Portugal program page.
Sources
Last verified against the sources below on 11 October 2026. Programs change; always confirm the current rules before investing. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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