Portugal’s Golden Visa program is a five-year residency-by-investment scheme for citizens outside the European Union. The residence permit program grants qualifying investors and their family members the right to live, work, and study in Portugal and permits free movement in Europe’s Schengen Area.
To date, Portugal Golden Visa statistics show the program to be top-rated among investors. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Portuguese Golden Visa statistics as released by AIMA, when available. It showcases how international and renowned the scheme is among non-EU nationals and what the program’s future holds.
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⚠️ Portugal Nationality Law Changes 2025
On June 23, 2025, the Portuguese Government announced plans to amend the Nationality Law and the legal framework governing immigration. The proposals have passed the plenary vote on October 28, 2025, which marks a significant step forward in the legislative process.
Among the measures under discussion are an increase in the residence requirement for nationality from five years to ten years – seven years for nationals of CPLP and EU countries – and a change to how residency time is calculated, so that the clock would start when residency is issued rather than when the application is submitted.
These changes are not yet law. They must still undergo Presidential review. At that stage, the President may promulgate the law, issue a veto, or request a review by the Constitutional Court. The final text may still be amended, including any transitional provisions or possible grandfathering rules, but they might not be enacted because the law is not final until its promulgated.
For the latest information regarding these changes, read Portugal Nationality and Citizenship Changes 2025
Portugal Golden Visa Statistics for 2024
According to AIMA’s latest Migration and Asylum Report, released in October 2025, it reveals that 2,081 Autorização de Residência para Investimento (ARI, or informally the Portugal Golden Visa) residence permits were issued during 2024, along with 2,909 family-reunification permits tied to Portugal Golden Visa investors.
Therefore, out of 218,332 total residence titles issued, Golden Visa approvals represented less than one percent of all applications.
For data relating to 2024’s Golden Visa applications, nationalities, and investment routes, AIMA stopped making that information available in 2023.
Portugal Golden Visa Statistics for 2023
According to AIMA, by the end of 2023, a total of 4,455 applicants had applied for the Golden Visa Portugal program. Of those, 2,901 were the main applicants, and 1,554 resident permits were issued for accompanying family members.
Nationality breakdown for 2023
According to Portugal’s Golden Visa stats from the 2023 report, the top nationalities to apply for the Portugal Golden Visa are as follows:
- 567 permits were issued to people of American nationality
- 306 permits were issued to people of Chinese nationality
- 234 permits were issued to people of United Kingdom nationality
- 219 permits were issued to people of Brazilian nationality
- 199 permits were issued to people of Indian nationality
Investment breakdown for 2023
In 2023, the program received a substantial €70,895,742 in investments. The total investment in real estate property purchasing was €50,076,668.39, and the total investment in capital transfer was €20,819,074.00.
Here’s a breakdown of the investments for the Golden Visa in Portugal for 2023:
- 99 applicants made a real estate investment
- 49 for properties valued at €400,000 or more
- 50 for renovated properties valued at €280,000 or more
- 57 applicants chose capital transfer or venture capital
- 50 for Portuguese investment funds
The Portugal Golden Visa Investment Fund option is also proving popular, particularly in the face of changes to the program. Since January 2022, investors have been blocked from buying real estate in urban cities such as Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve region, along with other investment route changes.
All-Time Portugal Golden Visa Statistics: 2012-2023
Golden Visa statistics for 2022
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 1,281
- Family-reunification permits: 1,588
- Total investment: €654,292,327.91
Top nationalities
- United States – 216
- China – 213
- Brazil – 109
- India – 83
- South Africa – 79
Golden Visa statistics for 2021
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 865
- Family-reunification permits: 1,171
- Total investment: €460,816,183.84
Top nationalities
- China – 270
- United States – 101
- Brazil – 70
- Russia – 65
- India – 34
Golden Visa statistics for 2020
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 1,182
- Family-reunification permits: 2,043
- Total investment: €646,729,464.80
Top nationalities
- China – 296
- Brazil – 126
- United States – 75
- South Africa – 74
- Turkey – 72
Golden Visa statistics for 2019
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 1,245
- Family-reunification permits: 2,192
- Total investment: €742,455,053.29
Top nationalities
- China – 394
- Brazil – 210
- Turkey – 85
- United States – 65
- Russia – 53
Golden Visa statistics for 2018
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 1,409
- Family-reunification permits: 2,500
- Total investment: €838,532,935.27
Top nationalities
- China – 485
- Turkey – 188
- Brazil – 180
- South Africa – 57
- Vietnam – 55
Golden Visa statistics for 2017
- Residency permits issued (main applicants): 1,351
- Family-reunification permits: 2,678
- Total investment: €844,088,897.7
Top nationalities
- China – 538
- Brazil – 226
- South Africa – 81
- Turkey – 78
- Russia – 47
| Year | Main Applicants | Family Reunification |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 494 | 576 |
| 2014 | 1,526 | 2,395 |
| 2015 | 766 | 1,322 |
| 2016 | 1,414 | 2,344 |
| 2017 | 1,351 | 2,678 |
| 2018 | 1,409 | 2,500 |
| 2019 | 1,245 | 2,192 |
| 2020 | 1,182 | 2,043 |
| 2021 | 865 | 1,171 |
| 2022 | 1,281 | 1,588 |
| 2023 | 2,901 | 1,554 |
| 2024 | 2,081 | 2,909 |
Portugal Golden Visa Approval Rates
Including available data for 2024, the total breakdown is:
- Portugal has issued Golden Visas for 17,700 main applicants
- 24,887 residence permits were issued for family members who accompanied the Golden Visa holders as their dependents
Top Nationalities
Over the years, the Portuguese Golden Visa program has attracted investors from around the globe.
Since the program’s start, China has had the largest number of applicants. However, despite Chinese nationals still being the majority, their share of the program is decreasing as investors from other nationalities, such as Brazil and the United States, have also been applying.
The program is also becoming increasingly popular in other countries, such as South Africa and Turkey. The table below provides a clear representation of the highest number of applicants for the Golden Visa program in Portugal.
In a departure from previous years, AIMA didn’t provide any granular details on 2023’s Golden Visa investment types or the value of all the investments into the country.
However, the Golden Visa scheme has attracted significant investments, totaling €7,318,438,201 at the end of 2023, and 11,3834 residence permits have been issued for real estate investment, 1,312 visas were granted for Capital Transfer investors, and 23 residence permits were issued for people who created ten or more jobs.
The chart below displays the breakdown of investment types applicants have pursued from 2012, including the last data for real estate investments and venture capital funds.
Why choose Global Citizen Solutions for your Portugal Golden Visa?
- Global approach by local experts: A team of experienced local case executives, immigration lawyers, and investment specialists based in Portugal.
- Independent service:We are not a marketing agency for any projects. You will access all eligible routes for the Golden Visa, with over 40 vetted qualifying investment options, so you can decide on the best option for you.
- 100% approval rate: We have the unique distinction of never having had a Golden Visa case rejected and have helped hundreds of clients from more than 35 countries.
- All-encompassing solution: Our dedicated onboarding and immigration teams will assist you throughout the process and beyond with a single channel of communication.
- Transparency: Our fees are clear and detailed, covering the entire process with no hidden costs.
- Privacy: Your personal data is stored within a GDPR-compliant database on a secure SSL-encrypted server.
To see the full list of reasons why to work with Global Citizen Solutions for your Portugal Golden Visa, you can find out more here: Why Work with Global Citizen Solutions for Your Golden Visa Portugal Application?
