Currently, several conditions must be met for a fund to be eligible for Golden Visa purposes:
- The fund cannot invest directly or indirectly in real estate.
- The investor must invest a minimum of €500,000 in one or several funds.
- The investment must be maintained for at least the duration of the Golden Visa.
- At least 60% of the capital of the fund must be invested in Portuguese companies.
- The funds must have a minimum maturity of 5 years.
- The fund must be registered with CMVM.
The exclusion of direct real estate investments may seem significant. However, it’s essential to note that funds focused on renovating properties for sale or lease no longer qualify, while sectors like tourism, agriculture, elder care, and student housing remain eligible. Traditional Private Equity Funds investing in SMEs or startups across various sectors are still firmly embedded within the Golden Visa framework.
Unfortunately, you cannot invest using Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Investments need to be made in Euros, using your Portuguese bank account.
Reald also Can you invest in Cryptocurrencies in order to obtain your Golden Visa?
You can sell your investment at any moment if you don´t need it for the Golden Visa program or for attaining the Portuguese citizenship.
A note for US investors who can use their IRA accounts to invest in some Portuguese funds that are eligible for the Golden Visa program. For those investors it is also important to smoothly navigate IRS requirements, particularly on the PIFC statements. Read also: Investment in Portugal´s Golden Visa Program using U.S. Retirement Accounts.
