Regarding immigration, I have been thinking about it for over a decade, and with the help of WorldWay, I have finally fulfilled this long-cherished wish today. More than ten years ago, some friends around me were going through the immigration process. I also had the idea of going out to see the world, but at the time, my husband was not very interested in investment immigration, so I was the only one enthusiastic about it. It wasn't until a good friend immigrated to the United States last year that, encouraged and influenced by her, the desire buried deep in my heart sprouted again.
Considering the food safety and environmental pollution issues that occasionally arise in China, we were truly worried about the health of the next generation. More importantly, there was the issue of our children's education: our two sons are in high school and will be studying in the UK in a few years. But what about after they return from studying abroad? Will they be able to find a satisfying job? How should we plan for the future? These became questions we had to think about.
So, I brought up the subject of immigration to my husband again. He stated that we must have a full understanding of the destination country and its policies beforehand. At first, I thought of the United States. However, my husband did not like the U.S. much, mainly because of the long-standing, unresolved issue of gun control. Shortly after, an old business friend recommended Portugal and the WorldWay immigration agency to us. Portugal was not initially on our list of immigration destinations. This was because there was not much news about Portugal in China, mostly limited to football-related news. Moreover, in my and my husband's impression, European countries did not have open investment and property purchase immigration policies, and the thresholds were too high, which is why we had overlooked Europe.
My husband and I searched for a large amount of information about Portugal online and also contacted an old classmate who had been living in Spain for many years, gaining a good understanding of Portugal's economy, society, politics, culture, and education. Gradually, we grew to love the country's comfortable pace of life, beautiful natural environment, and sound welfare and legal systems. Regarding Portugal's immigration policy, we consulted WorldWay, and all the questions we encountered were answered promptly and in detail by our consultant, Ms. Xiong. After reviewing many of WorldWay's client property purchase cases, we decided to sign a contract with them to prepare for a site visit to Portugal, as an on-site inspection is an essential part of the property purchase immigration process.
My husband also listed his reasons for liking the Portuguese property investment immigration program: Portugal is an EU member state and a Schengen Agreement country, so after obtaining a Portuguese Golden Residence Permit, one can travel freely across Europe without a visa; after obtaining citizenship, one possesses EU citizenship; the Portuguese Golden Residence Act supports property investment, making real estate investment more stable with controllable risks; the application cycle for the Golden Residence Permit is also very short. About two months after purchasing a property, one can be approved and receive the Golden Residence Permit, avoiding the suffering of long waiting periods.
In late April, we went to Portugal for an on-site inspection. As soon as we stepped onto Portuguese soil, we were attracted by its azure sky and quaint streets, feeling refreshed and relaxed, and the fatigue of the journey instantly dissipated. During our first two days in Portugal, accompanied by WorldWay staff, we inspected properties in the center of Lisbon. The quality of the houses was very good, many of which were old houses with a strong European flavor. Later, we learned that many European cities have well-preserved ancient buildings that contain historical and cultural charm. These are also one of the types of properties that property-buying immigrants and investors flock to.
For the last two days, my husband and I decided to look at the suburbs of the city. Finally, we chose a villa in a golf resort south of Lisbon. Not far from the resort is Portugal's largest natural forest reserve, and nearby is the winding silver beach. Most of the villas in the resort come with private small gardens and swimming pools, with a total price of about 805,000 Euros. Moreover, most of them have already been sold to Northern Europeans, especially the British, with only 10 units left. During the site visit, we also found that many villas were already occupied. As it is an international community, the resort is fully equipped with international schools, community clinics, supermarkets, and banks. What excited us even more was that the 805,000 Euros included decoration, and you can freely choose the decoration materials within the range they provide, including all furniture, appliances, etc. The law firm that assisted us with the property purchase and immigration was also very diligent and responsible. Opening a Portuguese tax number, bank account, and the signing and notarization of the pre-sale contract were all completed in half a day. This is the reason for the efficiency that allowed us to receive the approval letter for the Portuguese Golden Residence Permit one month after purchasing the property.
This trip to the Portuguese capital left a deep impression on me. The streets of Lisbon are clean and tidy, and the ancient buildings are well-arranged. The city is not large, yet it does not feel crowded. As everyone has heard, all of Europe advocates a slow-paced life, and Portugal is no exception. Coffee shops can be seen everywhere on street corners. Coffee is the favorite drink of the Portuguese. In their spare time, they enjoy a cup leisurely, accompanied by the blue sky and the silver coast, making life comfortable and romantic.
Restaurants are also lined up one after another, and business is quite good. It is said that most Lisbon residents choose to dine out on weekends, so it is even more crowded on weekends. Portugal has a lot of delicacies, and Portuguese egg tarts and wine are world-famous. With the vast Atlantic Ocean to the west of Spain, seafood is naturally indispensable, and it is high-quality and inexpensive. The food and water safety standards are very high, so you can enjoy the authentic food here with peace of mind. The Portuguese are warm and hospitable. Every time we took a taxi, the driver would kindly chat with us in English, introducing the scenic spots and beautiful scenery along the way. Most Portuguese people understand English. Therefore, for foreigners going to Portugal, as long as they know a little English, living there is not a problem.
Due to time constraints, our itinerary was limited, and there were still many places we wanted to go but could not visit. The beauty of this country also needs to be experienced and understood by walking and seeing it for yourself.