Portugal Golden Visa Statistics - January 2023 Update

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Portugal’s Golden Visa Program — also known as the Residence Permit Program — is a five-year residency-by-investment scheme for non-EU nationals. The scheme 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 extremely popular among investors.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of Portugal Golden Visa data and statistics, showcasing just how international and renowned the scheme is among non-EU citizens.

Important Note about Portugal Golden Visa Statistics in 2022

The Portugal Golden Visa Program underwent significant changes in January 2022. Specifically, several investment routes to residency changed, namely the popular real estate investment option in Portugal’s popular urban locations, as well as the minimum amounts required to invest in investment funds and capital transfer.

Portugal’s Golden Visa changes are considered to change the investment landscape in the country, diversifying investments to Portugal’s low-density locations and to its autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira islands. For more information on what’s changed concerning real estate options, consult our guide on Portugal Golden Visa Low-Density Investment areas.

Check out the latest changes to the Portugal Golden Visa Program here.

Portugal Golden Visa Numbers for December 2022

In December 2022, 151 residence permits were authorized by SEF. 105 authorized golden visas were for the real estate investment category, 46 permits were issued for the capital transfer investment option, and 0 permits were issued for the job creation category.
In December 2022, 25 permits were issued to people of Chinese nationality, 24 permits were issued to people of American nationality, and 21 permits were issued to people of British nationality.
A total of 192 family members were rewarded with residence permits.
Portugal’s Golden Visa Program saw a whopping €79 164 626,20 in December 2022 with investments.

The Portugal Golden Visa €350,000 renovations option has become more and more popular in recent years. Meanwhile, the venture capital/investment fund option is also proving popular, particularly in the face of Portugal Golden Visa changes, which has blocked investors from buying a property in urban cities like Lisbon and Porto from January 2022, along with other investment route changes. While buying a €500,000 property continues to hold esteem, it’s predicted that other investment routes will continue to grow in popularity, particularly the Portugal investment fund golden visa option.

Interested to know more about the investment routes the Portugal Golden Visa offers? Check out our guide on how to invest in Portugal for citizenship.

Portugal Golden Visa All-Time Facts and Statistics

Since October 2012, over €6 754 091 807,50 in funds was invested for the Portugal Golden Visa.
Since October 2012, €6 041 821 029,91 was attributed to a real estate investment.
11,535 investors and 18,809 family members have benefited from the Portugal Golden Visa.
10,593, 92 percent of Golden Visa Portugal applications, were done through a real estate investment.
920 Golden Visas were granted for Capital Transfer investors.
A Portuguese passport grants you visa-free travel to 172 countries.
In 2022, in terms of top residency-by-investment programs, Portugal is recognized for offering the best program in the world.
While the Chinese remain the largest single-applicant cohort, their share of the program is decreasing as other nationalities are applying for the program too.

Portugal Golden Visa data related to the program

The minimum age to apply for the Golden Visa is 18 years old
To apply for Portuguese citizenship via the Golden Visa, the person must hold their investment for five years at least
7 days on average is the minimum stay that the applicant must spend in Portugal to maintain the Golden Visa in the first year, followed by 14 days in the subsequent years (consecutively or non-consecutively) in Portugal.
20 percent is the value of the reduced tax rate for those who participate in the Non-Habitual Resident Tax Regime.
26 is the number of European countries belonging to the Schengen Zone to which the Golden Visa holder receives free access
90 days is the maximum processing time for the Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal Golden Visa data related to cost

Investment requirements for the Portugal Golden Visa:

Applicants can only buy residential real estate in designated interior areas of Portugal worth at least €500,000 or €350,000 if investing in a rehabilitation project. If the residential property is located in a designated ‘low-density’ area, then a 20 percent discount applies.
Investors can purchase commercial real estate anywhere in the country worth at least €500,000 or €350,000 if investing in a commercial rehabilitation project. If the commercial property is located in a designated ‘low-density’ area, then a 20 percent discount applies.
Investors can buy residential and commercial real estate anywhere in Portugal’s autonomous islands of Madeira and Azores, worth at least €500,000 or €350,000 if investing in a rehabilitation project.
The capital transfer requirement amount is €1.5 million.
The investment fund minimum subscription requirement is €500,000
An investment in scientific research of €500,000
An investment into an existing Portugal-registered business of €500,000
An investment of €250,000 in cultural production.
Arts donation of €250,000.

Portugal ranking statistics

Portugal is ranked first as the best country in Europe for expats
6th safest country in the world, according to the 2022 Global Peace Index
Ranked number one in the world for its best master’s degree in information management
Ranked number one as the best travel destination in Europe
Ranked 5th as the safest country in Europe
Portugal ranks 4th in terms of its passport benefits for nomads and global citizens
Portugal is in fifth place as the world’s most powerful passport, alongside Austria and the Netherlands
Portugal is ranked 6th in terms of being one of the cheapest countries in Europe
Portugal is ranked 9th in terms of the country with the lowest organized crimes
Portugal comes in 10th place in the ranking of the world’s best democracies
Portugal is ranked as 11th in terms of being one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world
Ranked as 12th for having the best healthcare system in the world
Ranked 17th in terms of the quality of life it provides to its residents
Ranked 21st in terms of its infrastructure quality
Portugal ranks in 21st place for its life expectancy standards
Portugal comes in 27th place for its quality of education
Portugal comes in 28th place for its institutional transparency

Portugal socio-economic facts

Population of 10.31 million people as of 2021
Active population of 5.2 million based in Portugal
There are 1.4 million youths in Portugal (under 15 years old)
There are 6.6 million people in Portugal between the ages of 15 and 64 years old
Over 2.2 million people in Portugal are elderly (over 64 years)
The number of companies that opened in Portugal in 2021 was more than 34,466, an 8.2 percent increase from the previous year
In 2021, Portugal’s GDP per capita stands at USD 249.9
Portugal has an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent as of August 2022
€822.50 is the minimum wage in Portugal
The demographic density of Portugal is 115.4 inhabitants/km²

Portugal geographical facts

92212 km² is the total extension of Portugal
6.3 million kilometers is the length of the coast of Portugal
+3 hours is the time zone in relation to Brasília
276 is the number of sunny days in Portugal, considered one of the sunniest countries in the world
7 is the number of regions in Portugal
18 is the number of districts in Portugal, in addition to 2 autonomous regions
308 is the number of municipalities in Portugal
3092 is the number of parishes in Portugal.

Portugal structure statistics

3100 kilometers is the length of the highways in Portugal
2600 kilometers is the length of the railways in Portugal
10 is the number of airports in Portugal
14 is the number of ports in Portugal
5735 is the number of educational establishments in Portugal
225 is the number of hospitals in Portugal.
3 percent is the mortality rate in Portugal during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, it was the first country to receive a safe travel status, a seal that guarantees security for tourists visiting the country.

Learn more about the Portugal Golden Visa

Intrigued about the Portugal Golden Visa scheme but are unsure where to start?

Check out our helpful Ultimate Guide to the Portugal Golden Visa.

Take a look at our Portugal Golden Visa Ultimate Guide by local experts

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How Global Citizen Solutions Can Assist

Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique consultancy firm with years of experience delivering bespoke residence and citizenship-by-investment solutions for international families.

With offices worldwide and an experienced, hands-on team, we help clients from around the world acquire Portugal Golden Visas or homes while diversifying their portfolio with robust investments.

If you have a question related to Portugal Golden Visa facts, speak to one of our consultants so we can understand your objectives and help you move forward onto a path of success.

Golden Visa 2022 Statistics Sources

Frequently Asked Questions About Portugal Golden Visa Statistics

How many people have applied for the Portugal Golden Visa since the program started?

Since 2012, over 11,535 residence permits have been awarded to foreign investors, with 18,809 family members enjoying Golden Visa family benefits.

What country has invested the most in the Portugal Golden Visa?

According to Portugal Golden Visa statistics obtained from Portugal SEF, China remains the main country in which residence permits are granted. As of June 2021, China is the leading force behind Portugal’s Golden Visa investments, with 44 percent being attributed to contributions already. This is supported by data published by Investment Migration Insider.

According to Portugal Golden Visa data, what's the most popular investment option?

Buying a €500,000 property continues to be the main investment route applicants take for the Portugal Golden Visa, with roughly 90 percent of all investments originating from the real estate investment option. However, this is set to change, since, from January 2022, investors can no longer buy residential properties in urban centers of Portugal, like Lisbon or Porto for example. Other investment routes will also be altered or revoked.

Industry experts predict that this new legislation is going to diversify investors’ choices, prompting more to apply for other investment routes like investing in golden visa investment funds or investing in low-density areas of Portugal.