Portugal golden visa: the 5 routes, AIMA fees and timeline
The Portugal golden visa is the residence permit for investment activity (ARI).
It lets nationals of non-EU countries, the United States included, live in Portugal without a residence visa, as long as they make one of the investments listed in the law and keep it for at least five years (source, source).
The five investment routes the law still allows
Law no. 56/2023 changed the ARI rules, and the law in force keeps five routes; subparagraphs i), iii) and iv) are repealed (source, source). AIMA warns that none of them can go, directly or indirectly, into real estate (source).
| Route | Minimum | In a low-density area |
|---|---|---|
| Creating jobs | 10 jobs | 8 jobs |
| Scientific research | €500,000 | €400,000 |
| Arts or cultural heritage | €250,000 | 20% less |
| Non-real-estate investment funds (5-year maturity, 60% in Portuguese companies) | €500,000 | — |
| Setting up a company with 5 permanent jobs, or adding capital to one | €500,000 | — |
Amounts: source; low-density reductions: source. For the arts route, AIMA’s page gives €220,000, which is not 20% off €250,000: check the figure with AIMA before you transfer anything.
How much it costs: AIMA’s fees
On top of the investment, AIMA charges for reviewing the application and for issuing the card. Its February 2026 fee table takes 25% off residence permit fees, and the discount also applies in person until the service moves online (source).
| Step | With the discount | Portaria no. 307/2023 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application review (first or renewal) | €632.10 | €842.80 |
| Granting the ARI | €6,314.20 | €8,418.90 |
| Renewing the ARI | €3,157.80 | €4,210.30 |
| Each reunited family member (grant / renewal) | €6,314.20 / €3,157.80 | €8,418.90 / €4,210.30 |
| Permanent ARI (grant / renewal) | €8,840.00 / €4,420.70 | €11,786.70 / €5,894.10 |
Amounts: source.
Time in Portugal and renewals
The ARI asks for a minimum stay of 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each year after that (source). The card is valid for two years from the date it is issued (source), and it is renewed for two-year periods as long as the investment stays in place (source).
You apply after entering Portugal legally: the law gives 90 days from your first entry to regularize your stay (source), and AIMA asks for proof of that entry (source).
From the golden visa to permanent residence and citizenship
After five years of temporary residence, with no prison sentence over one year, with means of support, housing and basic Portuguese, you can apply for permanent residence (source). For ARI holders, AIMA then issues a permanent residence permit for investment activity (source).
Citizenship is a separate route. Since Organic Law no. 1/2026, naturalization requires 10 years of legal residence for people who are not from a Portuguese-speaking or EU country, which includes Americans (source). The other routes are in the guide to Portuguese citizenship.
- Valid passport and proof of legal entry into Portugal
- International health insurance, or registration with the Portuguese health service
- Criminal record from your home country, issued less than 3 months earlier and translated into Portuguese
- NIF or an equivalent tax number
- No-debt statements from the tax office and Social Security, under 45 days old
- A letter from a bank in Portugal confirming the transfer
- Receipt for the review fee
The list is AIMA’s, and it asks for the criminal record to be certified by a Portuguese embassy or consulate (source).
Where to apply and who answers
The application starts with a mandatory online pre-registration on AIMA’s ARI portal (source). Questions go to AIMA’s contact center at +351 217 115 000, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Portugal time, or to [email protected] (source).
The golden visa is filed with AIMA in Portugal, starting with the pre-registration on the ARI portal: no consulate processes it.Questions people ask
The real questions people search about this procedure, with the short answer:
What is the Portugal golden visa?
It is the residence permit for investment activity (ARI), which AIMA grants to non-EU nationals who invest through one of the routes in the law (source).
How much is a golden visa in Portugal?
The minimum investment runs from €250,000 (arts and heritage) to €500,000 (research, funds or a company), or creating 10 jobs (source); AIMA also charges €632.10 to review the application and €6,314.20 to grant it (source).
Can I still buy property to get the golden visa?
No: AIMA says the investment cannot go, directly or indirectly, into real estate (source).
Is the Portugal golden visa worth it for citizenship?
Permanent residence takes five years (source); naturalization for an American takes 10 years of legal residence since Organic Law no. 1/2026 (source).