Since the Portuguese government launched the Golden Residence Visa in August 2012, many foreign immigrants have successfully immigrated to Portugal through property purchases. According to official documents from Portugal, as of February 2014, a total of 488 Chinese individuals have obtained the Golden Residence Visa. Experts indicate that the primary motivation for Chinese immigrants to Portugal is the education of their children.
The Golden Residence Visa is one of the measures taken by Portugal to attract significant foreign investment and alleviate domestic economic pressure. The policy states that foreign investors can obtain temporary residency in Portugal by purchasing property worth over 500,000 euros and maintaining ownership. After meeting certain residency conditions, immigrants can apply for permanent residency in the fifth year, and after holding the property for more than five years, they can choose to sell or transfer the property; after passing a basic Portuguese language exam, they can apply for Portuguese citizenship in the sixth year.
Another highly attractive point of this policy for investors is: one property purchase allows the whole family to immigrate. Relevant policies indicate that immigrants who purchase property in Portugal can bring other direct relatives to apply for immigration.
