Who Qualifies for the Portugal Golden Visa in 2026? Fund Routes Explained

For years, the headline was simple: buy property in Portugal, get a residence permit. That door is closed. Since October 2023, real estate no longer qualifies for the Portugal Golden Visa.

But here is what many people miss: the Golden Visa is still very much alive. It now rewards investors who back Portuguese companies, funds, jobs, science and culture. And it keeps the feature that made it famous: a minimal stay requirement. If you are a UAE-based investor wondering whether you still qualify in 2026, this is your clear, source-backed guide.

What changed in 2023

Portugal’s Lei n.º 56/2023 (the “Mais Habitação” housing package) amended the investment residence rules in the Foreigners’ Act. The key change: investments in real estate, directly or indirectly, no longer count. That means no property purchases and no capital transfers used for property.

Applications already filed under the older rules were handled under transitional provisions, but new applicants must use one of the remaining routes.

The routes still open in 2026

According to AIMA, the Portuguese immigration agency, the investment residence permit (ARI) can be obtained through these routes:

1. Investment funds: €500,000

The most popular route today. You subscribe at least €500,000 in units of Portuguese investment funds that are not real-estate funds, or venture capital funds. The fund must have a maturity of at least five years at the time of investment, and at least 60% of its value must be invested in companies with their head office in Portugal.

2. Company creation or capital increase: €500,000

You invest at least €500,000 to set up a commercial company with its head office in Portugal, creating five permanent jobs, or to increase the capital of an existing Portuguese company while creating at least five permanent jobs or keeping at least ten jobs (with at least five permanent) for three years.

3. Job creation

Create at least 10 jobs in Portugal. In low-density territories, the threshold is lower: 8 jobs.

4. Scientific research: €500,000

Transfer at least €500,000 to fund research activities carried out by public or private scientific research institutions that are part of Portugal’s national scientific and technological system.

5. Arts and cultural heritage: €250,000

Invest or donate at least €250,000 to support artistic production or the recovery or maintenance of national cultural heritage. Some official sources mention a reduced amount in low-density areas; the figures are not consistent across sources, so confirm before you plan around it.

Who can apply

You can generally consider the Golden Visa if you:

• are a non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss national;
• can make one of the qualifying investments with funds from a legal, documented source;
• have a clean criminal record;
• can keep the investment for at least five years.

There is no requirement to live in the UAE or anywhere specific; UAE residents of any eligible nationality can apply.

How the application works, step by step

1. Choose your route and check the source of your funds. Clear documentation of where the money comes from is essential.
2. Get a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and open a Portuguese bank account, which you need to make the investment.
3. Make the qualifying investment and keep the official proof, such as fund subscription documents or company records.
4. Register your application on AIMA’s ARI portal, upload your documents and pay the fees through the portal’s payment reference.
5. Attend your biometrics appointment in Portugal when AIMA schedules it.
6. Receive your residence permit, then keep the investment and the minimum stay to renew it.

The minimal stay: the feature investors love

The Golden Visa is famous for its light presence requirement. You need to spend on average:

• 7 days in Portugal in the first year;
• 14 days in each subsequent two-year period.

The first residence permit is valid for two years, then renewed, as long as you maintain the investment.

Family included

The Golden Visa covers family reunification. Eligible family members, such as a spouse or partner and dependent children, can obtain residence permits based on your investment.

The long game: residence and citizenship

Here is where 2026 brings an important change. Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, in force since May 2026, amended Portugal’s nationality law. The general residence period for naturalisation is now 10 years for most nationalities, and 7 years for nationals of EU and Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries.

What is still uncertain: how earlier residence time is counted, and how cases already pending are treated beyond the general rule that pending applications follow the old law. Anyone promising a “five-year passport” today should be asked to show the legal basis.

Is the Golden Visa right for you?

It suits investors who:

• want EU residence without relocating full-time;
• are comfortable with a five-year holding period;
• prefer professionally managed funds or building a real business in Portugal;
• value flexibility for their family.

If you want to actually move and live in Portugal, the D7 or D2 routes may cost less. The right answer depends on your goals.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still buy property and get a Golden Visa?

No. Since Lei 56/2023, direct or indirect real estate investments do not qualify for new applications.

Is the €500,000 fund route safe?

Every investment carries risk. Funds must meet legal criteria to qualify, but qualifying does not guarantee returns. Review fund documents and regulatory information carefully, and take independent financial advice.

How long does the process take?

Processing times at AIMA have varied widely in recent years. Plan for a lengthy process and check AIMA’s current updates.

Do I have to live in Portugal?

No. The minimum stay is 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each following two-year period.

Who decides, and how does Baker & Co help?

AIMA makes the decision. Our part: Straight answers on your best route, and an application prepared to the highest standard.

Related reading: Portugal citizenship by investment in 2026; Portugal D7 vs D8 visa; Portugal D2 visa requirements checklist; our Portugal Golden Visa service.

Sources

• AIMA, Autorização de Residência para Investimento (ARI), Art. 90.º-A: https://aima.gov.pt/pt/viver/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-investimento-art-90-o-a
• Lei n.º 56/2023, de 6 de outubro (Mais Habitação), Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/lei/56-2023-221792115
• Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners’ Act), Article 3 and Article 90.º-A, as amended, Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt
• Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 (nationality law amendment), Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt

Checked in October 2026. Investment thresholds and procedures can change; confirm current rules with AIMA before investing. This article is general information, not investment advice.