Portugal Golden Visa program has long been one of Europe’s most popular residency-by-investment options. It allows investors and their families to acquire European residency while enjoying the beautiful landscapes, high quality of life, and tax benefits.
In late 2024, the Portuguese Immigration Office (AIMA) introduced significant changes to the application submission process, which will benefit potential candidates. These changes are intended to improve the efficiency of the process, as well as to respond to growing interest in the program and make it more attractive in the residency by investment market.
In this article, we will explain the specifics of these changes, how they affect new applicants, and what steps investors need to take to get their Golden Visa under the new system. Whether considering investment funds, business, or any other acceptable route, these changes make Portugal a more attractive place for investors and high-net-worth individuals.
Major Program Updates in the Golden Visa Program
The Portuguese Immigration Office (AIMA) announced new changes in the procedure for the analysis and appointment of the Investor Residence Authorization (ARI) application. The updates, which are effective in late 2024, will also prioritize older requests and introduce electronic processing of Golden Visa applications.
Pending applications must now be finalized by the applicant and their legal representatives on the ARI portal before a request for Residence Authorisation. Applications with a status of “under review” or “accepted” have been updated to “awaiting submission” to permit document updates and process completion. If applicants are notified, they are told to file new documents, renew their validity, and, if necessary, submit certified copies.
Updating ARI Applications on the Portal
- Submit all required documents as per paragraph 16 of Article 65-D of Decree-Law no. 84/2007. Documents must be valid, legalized (if issued abroad), translated into Portuguese or English, and preferably certified. Uncertified documents require the originals to be presented during the in-person appointment.
- Upload documents for both investors and their family members.
- Ensure each document does not exceed 2MB, and split files if needed.
Step-by-Step Process:
- Choosing the investment option
- Signing all the documents required
- Opening a bank account in Portugal
- Preparing and legalizing your documents in the origin country
- Making the final investment
- Filling the digital application, uploading all the documents including investment proof, and paying analysis fees
- Notification to book an appointment, and choosing a date to visit Portugal
- Visiting Portugal for the interview at the Immigration Office, and paying the Residence Card Issuance fee
- Analysis period of the application by AIMA
- Issuance of the Golden Visa Card
Required Documents:
- Main Applicant:
- Passport, criminal record, proof of address, health insurance, tax return declaration, tax number of the origin country, and work certificates.
- Proof of investment and financial documentation.
- Family Members:
- Passports, criminal records (for those over 16), health insurance, proof of family ties (e.g., birth/marriage certificates), proof of being economically dependent, and proof of address.
Appointments
- Once the application is updated, AIMA will automatically schedule an in-person appointment at a service center in chronological order of updates.
- Appointments will begin on January 15, 2025, and must be held between 30 to 90 days after scheduling.
- Rescheduling will be available for the second half of 2025 in justified and documented cases of inability to attend.
- Depending on flow management and family size, applicants may not be able to select their preferred service center.
In-Person Appointment
- Biometric data will be collected, and the applicant’s presence in Portuguese territory will be verified.
- Applicants must present the initial application form, passport, and any uncertified documents submitted on the portal for verification.
Payment of Fees
- All fees related to the process must be paid during the in-person appointment.
- Payments are accepted only via card (TPA), and prior authorization from the relevant banking authority may be required if needed.
Important Notes:
- All documents must be legalized/apostilled and in English or Portuguese.
- The investor must personally handle biometric collection in Portugal.
- Investment must be in the investor’s name with capital transferred from abroad.
- Processing times depend on Immigration Office workload and external factors
- Procedures and fees are subject to change by public entities.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Who is affected by these updates?
All ongoing applications that hadn’t completed biometric collection in person before AIMA and new applications were submitted after the policy change.
- How can I know that my application is under the “awaiting submission” status?
Applicants can access their files through https://ari.sef.pt/ using the email registered and password automatically provided by the system at the moment of the application submission. A legal representative can access it through their general legal access and update you accordingly.
- What are the application Statutes?
Awaiting Payment Confirmation: The application was filled out, but the analysis fee charged by AIMA has not yet been paid.
Awaiting Submission: The application can be amended and uploaded.
Awaiting Analysis: The application is blocked, and no changes can be made, while AIMA does not analyze it and notifies for further steps.
Under Analysis: AIMA is reviewing the application.
Application Accepted: successful analytics, and biometrics appointment scheduled.
Transferred to SIISEF: Biometrics completed; residency card issuance underway.
- What are the changes in the new process?
In the previous process, applicants used to:
- Submit the application online with mandatory documents, including simple scans of legalized/apostilled documents, translated into Portuguese.
- Pay the Analysis Fee.
- First analysis period.
- Receive notification of admission.
- Book a biometrics appointment.
- Attend the biometrics appointment to provide data and submit updated and original documents.
- The second analysis period for validating physical paperwork submitted during the biometrics appointment.
- Receive notification of approval.
- Card issuance fee payment
- Residency Card issuance
Following the updated Process, applicants should:
- Submit the application online with a complete set of documents, including certified copies of legalized/apostilled documents. English documents or certified translations are accepted.
- Pay the Analysis Fee.
- Undergo the analysis period.
- Receive acceptance and notification of the biometrics appointment.
- Attend the biometrics appointment to provide data, submit original documents (if uncertified copies were provided online), and pay the card issuance fee.
- Receive the residency card.
It is worth noting that required documents, formalities, and validity remain unchanged.
- I submitted my process very recently, shall I prepare new documents?
No new documents are required, If the applicant’s status changes to “awaiting submission” and all documents are valid. Your agent will resubmit the application with the same documents.
- Shall I upload documents by myself in the online platform?
No, your legal representative will handle the necessary diligence as before. You should not make any modifications to the platform under any circumstances.
- Which documents are requested from the Investor?
- Passport: Identification and signature page if a new passport has been issued since the original application.
- Criminal Record: Federal/national record for immigration purposes, in English or with certified translation into Portuguese or English, legalized by the Portuguese Consulate (or apostilled if applicable), from the country where the applicant has lived for over a year (valid for 90 days).
- Residence Permit/Visa: Certified copy of the foreign residency card, legalized by the Portuguese Consulate (or apostilled if applicable) if the applicant resides in a country different from their origin.
- Tax Number: Certified copy of the foreign tax number document, legalized by the Portuguese Consulate (or apostilled if applicable). If no tax number exists, the equivalent number (e.g., social security, ID) or an official document stating its non-existence is acceptable.
- My lawyer is requesting documents that I have never provided before. Is that normal?
Yes, while the document list remains the same, previously only mandatory documents were required at the online stage to save clients from the cost and bureaucracy of submitting them twice—for both the online and in-person stages. With the new procedure, all documents must now be submitted online.
- What do apostilled/legalized documents mean?
Apostilled and legalized documents authenticate the validity of documents for international use. An apostille is issued under the Hague Apostille Convention (1961) for use in member countries. Legalization is used for countries not part of the convention and involves multiple steps: certification by the issuing authority, authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and final legalization by the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
- Can I submit documents in English?
Yes. With the new proceeding, AIMA is accepting documents originally issued in English or certified translations into English.
- What is the validity of the documents?
Generally, all documents are valid for 6 months from the issuance date, except for the criminal record (valid for 90 days) and non-debt declarations (valid for 4 months).
- Can I submit family members’ documentation later?
Yes, but by doing so, you accept the risk of having appointments on different dates (and consequently, residence cards with different validity periods) and incurring additional costs for the necessary legal procedures.
- Can I add new family members?
Yes, you can add family members at any time.
- What happens if I do not comply with the resubmission?
If you do not comply with the resubmission, AIMA may declare your application abandoned, and you will need to restart the process under the current law, which has been in effect since October 2023.
- What happens if I mistakenly click on the “sent” button?
You will need to wait for AIMA’s response. While the outcome is uncertain, possible reactions include, notification of refusal (due to non-compliant, expired, or incomplete documents), status change to “awaiting submission” to allow proper document upload, and notification for a biometric appointment.
- Will I be asked to pay a new analysis fee?
No, the analysis fee paid during the original online submission remains valid.
- Is there any prior notice between the notification of the appointment and the appointment date?
According to AIMA notification, the appointment will be scheduled between 30 and 90 days after notification.
- Can I choose the office location where biometrics will be collected?
According to AIMA notification, applicants may not have the option to choose the service center.
- What happens if I cannot attend the scheduled appointment?
Only justified and documented cases will be rescheduled for the second half of 2025. We strongly recommend accepting the appointment given by AIMA, as rescheduling can be challenging, time-consuming, and bureaucratic.
- What should I bring to the in-person appointment at AIMA?
- Original passport(s)
- Proof of legal presence in Portuguese territory (full copy of the passport with visible border stamps or a declaration of entry, flight ticket if not flying directly to Portugal, valid visa if applicable)
- Originals of any uncertified documents submitted on the Golden Visa platform.
- Which payments are due at the appointment?
The residence permit issuance fee of €6,045.20 per person (or €8,060.20 per person if you haven’t uploaded certified documents and prefer to bring the originals).
- What is a TPA?
It stands for a standard payment terminal, commonly found in shops. It accepts debit cards from various banks, including foreign accounts, and supports major card networks such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
- Do I need to comply with the 7/14 days of presence in Portugal?
Not at this stage. This obligation begins only after the issuance of the residence card.
- For the biometric appointment, does only the main investor have to attend or do dependents under the GV application also need to attend?
All applicants, regardless of age, must attend.
- How many days should we plan to stay for the biometric collection?
One day should be enough, but we recommend staying an additional business day to account for any potential system issues.
This streamlined process aims to make the Golden Visa procedure more efficient, though it places greater emphasis on preparing complete documentation upfront.
Please visit contact us here for more information about Portugal Golden Visa, the new updates, and the document requirements.