Debunking Golden Visa Myths

Starting 2026, there has been a lot of speculation with Portugal golden visa program among foreign investors. We aim to dispel several myths associated with Portuguese GV program.

1. Myth: Real estate investment is still a path.
2. Fact: The option to buy property for residency ended in late 2023 along with bonds and bank deposit option also closed.
3. Myth: The Golden visa program ended.
4. Fact: It’s ongoing, just with changed investment types.
5. Myth: Portugal GV is a citizenship by investment program granting EU citizenship, with automatic passport.
6. Fact: Portugal is NOT St.Kitts. It is not a citizenship by investment program. It is only a visa for investment program granting residency and later a path to citizenship. No Automatic citizenship or passport. Yes, Portuguese residents given ordinary (non-expedited path) to nationality.
7. Myth: Opening a bank account is mandatory.
8. Fact: It is not obligatory, funds can be transferred directly to jumbo account or lawyer client account to speed up.
9. Myth: You can invest without a lawyer.
10. Fact: Lawyer is optional but hiring a local lawyer is crucial for proper immigration advice navigating complex requirements and avoiding issues.
11. Myth: You must live in Portugal full-time.
12. Fact: Only a minimal stay (around 7 days per year) is required to maintain residency.
13. Myth: Citizenship is guaranteed after 5 years.
14. Fact: Not guaranteed. You must apply, pass language/integration tests (A2 level), and meet all compliance; applications can be rejected. infact law is changing soon will increase citizenship time to 10+ years (rules may get stricter for foreigners looking for foreigners seeking citizenship)
15. Myth: Portugal golden visa waiting time is 2-3 years.
16. Fact: Currently the wait time has improved 12-18 months for new investors. AIMA is fast catching up with backlogs will be resolved entirely in 2026.
17. Myth: Language skills aren’t required for citizenship.
18. Fact: A2 level Portuguese proficiency is required for permanent residency and citizenship, so early preparation is key.
19. Myth: All family members are automatically included.
20. Fact: Dependents (family) must also meet specific criteria and age limit and undergo vetting.
21. Myth: Investment funds offer guaranteed returns/refunds.
22. Fact: As a rule, no Investment fund must not offer guaranteed returns or guaranteed buyback. Fund performance varies, and there’s risk; choosing funds with clear exit strategies and strong underlying assets is vital.
23. Myth: Switching funds is easy.
24. Fact: Switching funds mid-process can disrupt your application
25. Myth: Portugal golden visa investors are exempt from taxes.
26. Fact: Only non-residents are eligible for tax breaks. Please seek advice from a CPA or accountant.
27. Myth: Financing or Loans not eligible.
28. Fact: Loans or financing from outside Portugal is permitted (not allowed from inside Portugal)
29. Myth: Minimum Investment for Funds is starts EUR 500,000
30. Fact: It is possible to finance the fund getting EUR 200,000 as loan. The Minimum starts EUR 300,000 (instead of 500k) . Reach us for more details.
31. Myth: Hospitality funds invest in real estate.
32. Fact: False. To be compliant with golden visa, Hospitality funds are not allowed to directly or indirectly invest in real estate assets. The fund sources income from hotel operations and rentals from hotel/resorts.