On December 9, a delegation including Ms. Sonia Pereira, former Director of the Portuguese Immigration and Asylum Agency (AIMA), and Mr. André Miranda, founding partner of the Pinto Ribeiro law firm, visited Worldway Group. They were warmly received by Ms. Li Ma, Vice President of Worldway Group, and other senior executives. The two parties engaged in an in-depth discussion on Portuguese immigration policies and current market trends, and conducted a friendly and comprehensive exchange regarding Portuguese fund-based investment immigration.
During the meeting, Ms. Li Ma, Vice President of Worldway Group, extended a warm welcome to the delegation from the Portuguese Immigration Agency (AIMA). She introduced to Ms. Sonia Pereira and her team the history of the Worldway Group, its leading position in the investment immigration industry, and its successful experience and achievements in promoting Portuguese investment immigration. This includes successfully helping numerous Chinese investors obtain residency and citizenship, as well as assisting them with property investment in Portugal. At the same time, she expressed gratitude for the support the Portuguese government has previously provided to Worldway in promoting Portuguese investment immigration.
Ms. Sonia Pereira, former Director of the Portuguese Immigration Agency (AIMA), stated that she was very pleased to visit Worldway and spoke highly of the group's outstanding performance in the European investment immigration sector, as well as its tireless efforts and significant contributions to promoting the Portuguese investment immigration program. Furthermore, she praised Worldway for being the first to promote the Portuguese Golden Residence program in China and for the excellent achievements it has attained. At the end of the meeting, the two sides discussed how to further optimize the Portuguese investment immigration process, improve approval efficiency, and how to address market changes, while also exploring possibilities for future cooperation. Ms. Li Ma expressed her anticipation for collaborating with the Portuguese Immigration Agency to jointly promote the development of the Portuguese investment immigration program in the Chinese market. Worldway Group will continue to adhere to the philosophy of "integrity-based, customer-first" to provide high-quality services to more clients interested in immigrating to Portugal, assisting them in starting a new chapter of their lives in Portugal. After the meeting, both sides took group photos in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere.
Group photo of Ms. Li Ma, Vice President of Worldway Group, Ms. Sonia Pereira, former Director of the Portuguese Immigration Agency (AIMA), and Mr. André Miranda, founding partner of the Pinto Ribeiro law firm.
During this meeting, Worldway raised questions directly to Ms. Sonia Pereira, former Director of the AIMA, and Mr. André Miranda, founding partner of the Pinto Ribeiro law firm, regarding hot topics of concern for clients interested in Portuguese immigration, and received exclusive authoritative answers! This provided Worldway's investors with the latest first-hand information on Portuguese immigration.
1. With the EU calling for the suspension of "Golden Visas" in 2025, will the Portuguese government terminate the policy?
Since its launch in 2012, the Portuguese Golden Residence program has been strongly supported by the government. The stability of the policy has been verified over time, and it has brought numerous positive impacts to the Portuguese economy. Therefore, the Portuguese government will continue to support this policy.
2. After AIMA replaced SEF, will the approval time for Portuguese immigration applicants be accelerated?
Since 2023, AIMA officially took over the Portuguese Golden Residence business, replacing the previous SEF. Additionally, starting from September 2024, AIMA has adopted a series of measures, including recruiting new staff, to effectively alleviate the backlog of immigration applications by increasing personnel and using other methods, successfully shortening the waiting time for immigration applicants. Currently, AIMA's work efficiency has significantly improved, with case processing volume increasing from 800 cases per day to 5,000 cases per day. Among the 400,000 pending cases, half have been effectively resolved. It is expected that all backlogged applications will be processed by June next year.
3. Naturalization in Portugal is hailed as a convenient path to an EU passport. Is it really possible to apply after only 5 years?
Yes, according to the latest nationality law implemented on April 1 of this year. On January 4, 2024, the Portuguese Parliament formally passed the amendment to the new "Nationality Law," adding Article 4 to Article 15 of the "Nationality Law": when calculating the legal residence period stipulated by this law, the time elapsed from the moment of applying for a temporary residence permit counts as the legal residence period. In addition, according to the naturalization application requirements, there are two ways for applicants to reach the Portuguese language A2 level: one is by taking an exam, and the other is by completing 150 hours of Portuguese language courses.
4. Why are more and more Americans applying for Portuguese Golden Residence status?
Between 2021 and 2023, American families topped the list for three consecutive years. This is mainly attributed to Portugal's advantages in security, cost of living, pleasant climate, and social welfare system. In addition, Portugal's education system has also attracted many families. Portugal can provide high-quality educational resources, including international schools and bilingual programs, all of which offer families more options. Portugal's healthcare system is also highly acclaimed, providing residents with comprehensive and efficient medical services. These factors combined have made Portugal a favorite for American families.
5. How does the renewal and scheduling for the Portuguese Golden Residence card work?
For applicants who have already obtained a Portuguese Golden Residence card, the immigration office has not yet opened renewal applications. Many clients have cards that are expired or about to expire and are worried about how to handle this. Currently, the validity of all cards has been automatically extended until June 30, 2025. With AIMA's full transition to electronic office systems, online renewal applications are expected to reopen by the middle of next year, which will significantly improve efficiency.
Worldway Group, a Top 500 Asian brand, has been focused on investment immigration for over 20 years. As an active promoter of European investment immigration projects, it effectively facilitates the development of European investment immigration in a direction beneficial to investors. Worldway has been deeply involved in the European investment immigration industry for many years, possesses a spirit of innovation, dares to be an industry pioneer, and uses professional, excellent business capabilities and comprehensive, perfect services to drive industry development. Through good government interactions, it opens a convenient channel for investors to enter European countries, helping many families realize their European dreams. Worldway—an active promoter of European investment immigration projects—is the professional immigration agency that introduced the "Portuguese Golden Residence program" to China.
▪ In 2013, Worldway became one of the first immigration agencies in China to promote the Portuguese Golden Residence program;
▪ On September 4, 2012, the Portuguese Ministry of Internal Affairs officially proposed the "Golden Residence program." At the end of 2012, the President of Portugal and government officials met with Worldway senior management to discuss details of the Golden Residence bill; ▪ In April 2013, Worldway, in conjunction with the Portuguese Embassy in China, held the "Portuguese Golden Residence Program Launch Ceremony," introducing the Portuguese Golden Residence program to China; ▪ In 2013, Worldway launched and organized the "2013 European Immigration Year" nationwide, and held China's Europe-themed "European Property Exhibition" in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Qingdao, creating a wave of European investment immigration across China; ▪ For many years, Worldway has maintained friendly interactions with the Portuguese government, and Worldway Group senior executives have successively met with the Portuguese President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to China, and other dignitaries. As an active promoter of European investment immigration projects, Worldway has a professional European immigration documentation team with over 13 years of service, making it your trusted choice for processing Portuguese immigration.
Against the backdrop of tightening European immigration policies, Worldway would like to remind all investors to take action as soon as possible to seize the initiative, leverage the benefits of current policies, and fulfill your European dreams early! For a long time, the Portuguese immigration project has stood out in the immigration market with its low entry threshold and rich added value, receiving significant attention and favor from Chinese investors. Whether you are a family that values your children's education, someone pursuing a high-quality lifestyle, a retirement planner, or an investment enthusiast, Portugal is an ideal choice for you. Now is a great time to immigrate to Portugal, and we recommend that investors interested in immigrating to Portugal seize this opportunity! Currently, the Portuguese fund investment immigration project is a simple, fast, and safe immigration path. The application conditions are simple, with no requirements for language, education, or business background, and the investment can be completed without needing to land. One application allows three generations to immigrate with fast approval. As a member of the EU, Schengen Area, and NATO, holding a Portuguese residence permit allows you to travel freely through 29 Schengen countries. After obtaining Portuguese Golden Residence status, you only need to reside for an average of 14 days every two years, and you can apply for naturalization five years after submitting your immigration application, obtaining an EU passport.
For detailed inquiries, please contact Mainland China at: 400-138-2929, or Hong Kong Customer Service Center at: (852)2802 8798