Portugal rolls out new golden visa scheme for non-EU nationals

06 Jun 2024 CW Team

The golden visa program has attracted over 7.3 billion euros ($7.94 billion) in funds since its inception. However, critics argue that it has exacerbated housing issues and has undergone multiple revisions in recent years. To obtain a visa, purchasing real estate, previously a favoured route for foreigners is no longer an option. Instead, they can invest in funds, contribute to cultural or research initiatives, or create jobs.

We haven't altered the current scheme but have introduced these two forms of solidarity visa, Leitao Amaro stated in a telephone interview following the Portuguese government's announcement of its new plan, which includes tightening certain immigration regulations. One form will encourage foreigners seeking residency to invest in affordable homes for local purchase or rental, while the other will focus on constructing accommodation for migrants in need or funding integration projects.

Portugal is home to approximately 800,000 migrants, nearly double the figure from a decade ago. Despite their significant economic contributions, migrants often face precarious employment and lower wages. Many struggle to secure housing, leading to homelessness or overcrowded living conditions, exacerbated by soaring rents and property prices, partly due to a tourism boom in cities like Lisbon and Porto.

To qualify for the existing golden visa program, applicants must transfer between 250,000 to 500,000 euros, depending on their chosen investment. Leitao Amaro mentioned that the government has yet to determine the investment threshold for the new solidarity visa but stressed it would need to be lower than other options to incentivise investor participation. (Source: ET)

Portugal is planning to adapt its golden visa program to enable affluent foreigners seeking residency rights to invest in affordable housing for locals or accommodation for migrants, according to Antonio Leitao Amaro, the cabinet affairs minister. Referred to as a solidarity visa, this new initiative will complement the existing program, which has granted non-EU nationals the right to reside in Portugal since 2012 in exchange for investment. The golden visa program has attracted over 7.3 billion euros ($7.94 billion) in funds since its inception. However, critics argue that it has exacerbated housing issues and has undergone multiple revisions in recent years. To obtain a visa, purchasing real estate, previously a favoured route for foreigners is no longer an option. Instead, they can invest in funds, contribute to cultural or research initiatives, or create jobs. We haven't altered the current scheme but have introduced these two forms of solidarity visa, Leitao Amaro stated in a telephone interview following the Portuguese government's announcement of its new plan, which includes tightening certain immigration regulations. One form will encourage foreigners seeking residency to invest in affordable homes for local purchase or rental, while the other will focus on constructing accommodation for migrants in need or funding integration projects. Portugal is home to approximately 800,000 migrants, nearly double the figure from a decade ago. Despite their significant economic contributions, migrants often face precarious employment and lower wages. Many struggle to secure housing, leading to homelessness or overcrowded living conditions, exacerbated by soaring rents and property prices, partly due to a tourism boom in cities like Lisbon and Porto. To qualify for the existing golden visa program, applicants must transfer between 250,000 to 500,000 euros, depending on their chosen investment. Leitao Amaro mentioned that the government has yet to determine the investment threshold for the new solidarity visa but stressed it would need to be lower than other options to incentivise investor participation. (Source: ET)

Real Estate

06 Apr 2026

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..

Real Estate

06 Apr 2026

India Real Estate Shifts to Institutional Capital

India’s real estate sector is undergoing a structural transformation, evolving from family-funded models into a globally integrated and institutionalised asset class, as highlighted at EXCELERATE 2026 organised by NAREDCO Maharashtra NextGen in Mumbai.The event saw participation from over 750 delegates, including investors, policymakers and industry leaders, who discussed the sector’s rapid evolution driven by urbanisation, regulatory transparency and innovative financing tools such as REITs and SM REITs.Dr Niranjan Hiranandani emphasised that urbanisation is expected to rise from 35 per c..

Real Estate

06 Apr 2026

Dubai Q1 Property Sales Rise 23.4% in Value

Dubai’s real estate market recorded 47,996 sales transactions worth AED 176.7 billion in Q1 2026, marking a 5.5 per cent year-on-year rise in volume and a 23.4 per cent increase in value. As per a report by fäm Properties, the off-plan segment remained the key driver, accounting for 70 per cent of transaction volume and 71 per cent of total value, underlining the strong momentum of new project launches across the emirate.Data from DXBinteract showed that off-plan sales in March alone reached 10,303 transactions worth AED31.2 billion, up 5.4 per cent in volume and 8.9 per cent in value over ..