Worldway Lisbon News: Data released by Global Blue, a company specializing in tourism financial services, shows that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Portugal in 2014 increased by 70% year-on-year. It is expected that the number of Chinese tourists to Portugal will exceed 100,000 in 2015.
Last year, each Chinese tourist spent an average of 935 euros in Portugal, making them one of the strongest consumer groups in the country, surpassing tourists from Angola and Russia. This year, China also participated in the Lisbon Tourism Exchange for the first time, demonstrating China's interest in the Portuguese tourism market.
Worldway immigration experts state: At the same time, Chinese investors seeking to purchase property and immigrate to Portugal have continued their enthusiasm from last year. As one of the established developed countries that completed capitalist industrialization early, Portugal, having entered the post-industrial era, enjoys stable economic development and a beautiful environment, making it one of the most livable countries in the world. During the "Age of Discovery," the capital, Lisbon, was an international center for economic trade, and it has now become a well-developed European port city. Following the recent depreciation of the euro, Lisbon real estate has been highly sought after by wealthy Chinese individuals.
At the end of 2012, Portugal launched the "Golden Residence Permit Program," allowing citizens of non-EU countries to apply for permanent residency in Portugal by either creating 10 direct jobs in Portugal or purchasing property worth 500,000 euros or more. Among these, the project of purchasing property in Portugal for 500,000 euros is undoubtedly the most attractive to Chinese investors.
According to data provided by the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF), as of March 31, 2015, 2,290 people had successfully obtained the Portuguese Golden Visa, bringing a total investment of 1.36 billion euros to Portugal. The main group of property buyers comes from China, totaling 1,840 people, accounting for approximately 80.3% of the total. Among all investors, Chinese investors continue to hold an absolute leading position, with their share never falling below 80%, and they continue to maintain an excellent record of zero failed cases, which demonstrates the high recognition and high demand for the Portuguese project among Chinese investors.
Worldway immigration experts point out: On February 23, 2015, Portuguese Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas officially announced the proposed amendments to the "Golden Residence" investment immigration policy, which will be officially promulgated after approval. This proposal not only standardizes the approval process for the "Golden Residence" but also broadens investment methods and increases investment incentives. The reform of the "Golden Residence" act marks that the Portuguese project will become more mature, standardized, and stable, and it will become one of the preferred property-purchase immigration projects for investors from China and around the world.
Worldway senior European immigration experts remind investors to note that although the threshold for the current Portuguese property-purchase immigration project is relatively low, this does not mean that this advantage will last indefinitely. In other words, once the number of applicants surges, Portugal will inevitably make adjustments to its investment immigration policy. Therefore, it is suggested that investors who intend to immigrate to Portugal should seize the opportunity and act early.
