According to reports compiled by Worldway Immigration: The Portuguese Golden Visa program, which requires a minimum investment of 500,000 euros in real estate, has been favored by Chinese investors since its implementation in late 2012. Statistics show that as of May 5, 2014, a total of 894 foreign families had obtained Portuguese residence permits through this policy, with over 2,000 additional families having successfully completed property purchases. Among these, 732 Chinese families have been granted visas, accounting for 80% of the total. Data also indicates that only 2 families received this visa in 2012, rising significantly to 492 families in 2013, while 400 families have already obtained visas in the first five months of 2014 alone.
Worldway Immigration experts state that the trend of purchasing property in Portugal to obtain residency continues to rise, and the number of families receiving Portuguese Golden Residence permits in 2014 could potentially increase several-fold. Furthermore, given Portugal's small land area and high population density, it is unlikely that this immigration policy will be maintained as a long-term fundamental state policy. With the Portuguese economy gradually recovering, the threshold for the property investment residency program may be raised in the future. As the number of applicants surges, not only will processing wait times increase, but additional restrictive conditions may be imposed on applicants, investment thresholds could be raised, and the program could eventually be closed entirely. Therefore, investors interested in immigrating to Portugal are advised to act as early as possible.
