Follow European Immigration and Portuguese Immigration: As immigration through property investment in Europe continues to heat up, the popularity of Portuguese immigration is also rising. According to the latest data released by the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service today, a total of 1,441 Golden Visas had been issued as of August 31, 2014. Among them, Chinese investors received 1,159 visas (accounting for 80.43%). This figure continues to be updated.
In October 2012, considering the practical needs of middle-aged families to care for the elderly and raise children, Portugal promoted the "Golden Residence Permit Program" which "benefits three generations": non-EU citizens who purchase property in Portugal worth more than 500,000 euros can have their parents and children quickly obtain Portuguese residency. Within five years of obtaining Portuguese residency, one only needs to stay for an average of 7 days per year; after five years, one can apply for permanent residency, and after six years, one can apply for citizenship.
Experts state that since the launch of the immigration policy over a year ago, various benefits have made Portugal a popular immigration destination.
In 2012, only 2 people obtained a Golden Residence; in 2013, there were 494; and in 2014, there were 945, showing exponential growth. The total investment amount is 870 million euros (of which 792 million was invested in property, accounting for 91%). Among these, 1,366 visas were issued to investors who purchased property (accounting for 94.79%), with Chinese investors receiving 1,159 visas (80.43%), followed by Russia with 46, Brazil with 41, South Africa with 35, and Lebanon with 26.
The Portuguese immigration policy is flexible and has a relatively low threshold. Once investors obtain Portuguese residency, they can travel freely within the 26 Schengen countries, which is equivalent to obtaining a European green card and a global passport. In terms of living environment, Portugal's beautiful coastline and year-round warm and humid climate are also highly attractive to investors. An important point is that Portugal allows for three generations—parents, children, and the applicant—to immigrate together, which is unique globally.
From the perspective of the real estate investment market, Portugal's real estate is already in a mature and stable stage with sound laws and rigorous transactions, making property investment in Portugal highly secure. Portuguese property prices are currently at an ultra-low level, and the real estate market began to recover slightly at the end of last year.
Experts suggest that now is a good time to buy at the bottom of the market. Investors who are still waiting and watching should follow the current trend and apply early to avoid missing the best investment opportunity.
