Recently, Mr. Fernando Moreira, former head of the digital reform project for visa issuance at the Portuguese Agency for Administrative Modernization, visited the Worldway Group and was warmly received by Ms. Li Ma, Senior Vice President of the Worldway Group. The two parties held an in-depth discussion on core issues such as the Portugal Golden Visa policy, the latest developments in the Nationality Law, and the processing speed of the immigration authorities.
Ms. Li Ma, Senior Vice President of the Worldway Group, with Mr. Fernando Moreira, former head of the digital reform project for visa issuance at the Portuguese Agency for Administrative Modernization
At the beginning of the meeting, Ms. Li Ma, Senior Vice President of the Worldway Group, introduced the development history of the Worldway Group to the visiting guests. She emphasized that in April 2013, the Worldway Group, in collaboration with the Embassy of Portugal in China, held the "Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program Launch Ceremony," introducing the program to China and becoming one of the first immigration agencies to promote it in the country. Over the years, the Worldway Group has continued to cultivate the field of identity planning, accompanying and witnessing multiple rounds of changes in the Portugal Golden Visa policy. Mr. Fernando Moreira and his delegation spoke highly of the Worldway Group's professional accumulation and long-term investment in the Chinese market.
Nationality Law: Constitutional Court Ruling
Policy Direction Becomes Clearer
During the meeting, the two parties focused on the Portuguese Constitutional Court's ruling on December 15, which declared certain provisions of the new Nationality Law unconstitutional. Mr. Fernando Moreira stated: This ruling once again reflects Portugal's high regard for human rights protection and the rule of law in immigration legislation as a democratic country. Next, the Parliament will revise and discuss the relevant provisions and submit them to the President for signature according to the established process.
Regarding the market's concern about whether the presidential election will affect the implementation of the Golden Visa and the Nationality Law, Mr. Fernando Moreira clearly stated: The presidential election will not have any impact on the Golden Visa policy. Since its implementation in 2012, the Golden Visa has long received support from the government and society, and has brought positive effects to the country in many aspects. The new Nationality Law is expected to be officially implemented by the middle of next year.
At the same time, he stated that this round of amendments to the Nationality Law will not add new requirements for language or residency for naturalization. Portugal will continue to maintain its advantage of having relatively friendly naturalization conditions and clear paths among EU countries.
Against the backdrop of many countries around the world successively tightening or closing investment immigration policies, Mr. Fernando Moreira believes that now is a key window for investors to conduct identity planning.
Portugal Golden Visa
Attractiveness Continues to Increase
Mr. Fernando Moreira specifically mentioned that Portugal has significant advantages in terms of policy stability, living environment, and overall livability. In terms of applicant structure: since 2021, U.S. applicants have become the mainstream group for the Portugal Golden Visa.
This trend indicates that global high-net-worth individuals, including Chinese investors, are increasingly valuing the long-term allocation of overseas identities and assets, and the international appeal of the Portugal Golden Visa continues to rise.
Immigration Bureau Approval Significantly Accelerated
Regarding the recent situation where a large number of applicants have received fingerprint notification letters, Mr. Fernando Moreira stated:
• The immigration bureau has fully introduced a digital processing workflow
• At the same time, by increasing staffing, the overall approval efficiency has been significantly improved
• It is expected that the scheduling issue will be fully resolved next year, and the processing rhythm will return to normal
In terms of specific operations: currently, fingerprint appointments are automatically assigned by the system, with the goal of avoiding concentration in popular cities and ensuring overall efficiency. Once the approval process is fully normalized, the arrangement for applicants to choose their own immigration office will be gradually restored. After fingerprinting, it is expected that the residence card can be obtained within 6-12 months.
In addition, the Golden Visa renewal process has also been digitized, and approval efficiency has significantly improved. Regarding nationality applications, the civil registry department has also begun to adopt an online processing workflow, and the subsequent approval speed is expected to improve accordingly.
Worldway Group Assists Investors
In Planning Portuguese Identity
This exchange, centered on the Nationality Law and immigration bureau reforms, released several clear and positive policy signals. The Worldway Group will continue to maintain communication with Portuguese officials and authoritative figures, delivering accurate and verifiable policy interpretations to clients at the first opportunity, helping investors grasp certainty and make sound choices amidst the changing global identity planning environment.
If you are interested in immigrating to Portugal, you can apply through the Portugal Fund Investment Immigration Program. Investors can invest from 500,000 Euros in funds to apply for Portugal Golden Residence status for three generations of their family.
In addition, you can also immigrate to Portugal through the Portugal Cultural and Artistic Donation Program. According to the law, applicants only need to invest 200,000 Euros to apply for Portugal Golden Residence status for three generations of their family, obtaining an EU passport conveniently at a low cost.
For more details on Portugal immigration, please contact Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong, China Customer Service Center: (852)2802 8798