Portugal has one of the most successful golden visa programs in Europe. Every year, thousands of people move to Portugal, and many of them choose to do it with a golden visa. Here’s what you need to know about the latest Portugal golden visa statistics, thanks to SEF (Portugal Immigration and Border Services.)

March 2022 Portugal Golden Visa Statistics

By the end of February 2022, 94 people were approved for their golden visas, and they had 100 accompanying family members on their applications. Which means a total of 194 people were approved to become Portuguese residents through the golden visa program.

Of the main applicants, 69 opted to invest in property to support their application, and the other 25 chose financial investments. All but one of the 25 applicants who chose the financial option chose Portuguese golden visa funds, and the remaining applicant opted for capital transfer.

Of the property investors, 28 chose to buy properties valued over 500,000 Euros, and 41 chose to purchase renovation properties valued at 350,000 Euros or more.

Collectively, this brought over 42 million Euros into the country.

2012 to 2022 Portugal Golden Visa Statistics

Since the golden visa program started in 2012, 10,422 main applicants and 17,426 accompanying family members have gained residence in Portugal thanks to the golden visa program.

Of those applicants, 9,729 opted for investment in real estate, while 693 opted for capital transfer to various funds and government approved investment vehicles. 20 residence permits were issued for people who created 10 or more jobs.

8.667 of the people who invested in property chose to purchase property valued at 500,000 Euros or more, and 1,131 chose to invest 350,000 or more in urban renovation projects.

Applicants who chose donations and financial methods to support their applications were divided as follows:

• 510 residence permits were the result of Capital Transfer to a Portuguese Bank
• 1 residence permit was supported by a donation to research projects
• 198 residencies were the result of an Investment Fund contribution
• 6 residence permits Capital Transfer that also created jobs
• 3 residence permits were supported by a donation to cultural heritage in Portugal

Since Portugal created the golden visa program, it has brought €6,189,950,701.18 into the country, which is proof that the country’s strategy of bolstering their economy through immigration is a sound one.

Portugal Golden Visa Applicant Nationalities

The Chinese have historically been the biggest proportion of applicants for the Portugal golden visa program, followed by Brazilians. However, the proportion of Chinese applicants has been dropping over time, as indicated in this chart:

January 2022 Portugal Golden Visa Changes

After ten very successful years, the Portuguese government decided to make some changes to the golden visa program. These changes came into effect in January 2022, and they include:

• Applicants who choose the Capital Transfer option now have to pay 1.5 million Euros, which is an increase of 500,000 from the previous amount of 1 million.
• Applicants who choose the investment fund option now need to invest 500,000 Euros instead of 350,000
• You can no longer buy residential property in Lisbon or Porto to support your application with property investment – you have to buy a home in a low-density part of the country
• You can no longer buy a home in the Algarve to support your application either
• You can still support your golden visa application through commercial property investment in Porto or Lisbon

The government of Portugal has made these changes primarily to bolster investment and immigration to less dense parts of Portugal. The good news is that there are many other cities, towns, and regions outside of the big cities to consider.

For people who have the means, immigration to Portugal through the golden visa program is a great option. It’s easier than other kinds of immigration, you can take your family with you when you move, and there is a clear pathway to citizenship in a few years.

So, if you’ve ever considered making southern Europe your home, and you have the money to invest, this might well be the immigration strategy for you.