Aizen
Investment opportunities in Portugal and Golden visa
Portugal is a member state of the European Union, is located in southwestern Europe, and has a population of 10.31 million. Portugal’s capital city is Lisbon, its strategic location has turned it into one of the most influential cities due to its domination of the Atlantic.
Portugal is led by Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa who took office on March 9, 2016. It is a politically stable country with a left-wing government, and a Socialist Party.
Since 1974, Portugal has been among the top-developed countries to have a high human development index.
Investment opportunities in Portugal
In a world plagued by wars and numerous conflicts, Portugal appears to be a place that is secure, away from geopolitical conflicts, attached to Europe, and offering an excellent quality of life. The population consists of a largely homogeneous Mediterranean community, with a minority of people of various origins (Brazil, Cape Verde, England, Romania, etc..), many of whom emigrated during decolonization.
In addition to attracting retirees seeking peace and tax benefits, Portugal also attracts entrepreneurs. In 2015, the unemployment rate was around 12.4%, and today, despite the various crises including the Covid-19 Pandemic, the unemployment rate in Portugal has fallen to 5.7% (compared to 7.62% in March 2021). The unemployment rate continues to decline, which allows the economy to record strong growth.
The country offers many advantages for those who wish to invest or undertake opportunities there. The first advantage is taxation. For foreigners with NHR status (non-habitual residents), the tax rate is either 10 or 20% for high-value-added activities, and in some cases, there may be a total exemption on income taxation.
Additionally, the ease of doing business in Portugal is exceptional thanks to the “Empresa na Hora” service. You can set up your business in one hour. This service allows you to create a company by filling out a few forms and going to a single office.
Another advantage is that the cost of labor is quite low, especially for highly qualified employees. The average hourly cost of labor is €16, less than half of that observed in the eurozone (€32.80). At the same time, the minimum wage in Portugal is €822 gross per month (compared to €1603 in France and €1125 in Spain).
Other reasons such as the cost of living, the climate, security, infrastructure quality, and education level can also be considered major assets.
Portugal's location is very strategic for developing international trade because it is at the entrance to Europe and Portugal's relations with Portuguese-speaking countries (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique) are excellent.
Golden visa
The Golden Visa is a residence permit granted to foreigners who wish to invest in Portugal. It offers its holder the right to enter and stay free in the territory. It is not a "visa" as such because it allows you to obtain a temporary residence permit for investment activity. It is granted for 2 years and can be renewed provided that the investment is maintained.
Here are some investment methods:
Acquisition of a property or properties that are at least €500,000. OR the acquisition of a property or properties of at least €350,000 built more than 30 years ago that are subject to work or are in an urban rehabilitation area.
Creation of at least 10 jobs.
The transfer of the capital of at least 1 million euros;
Transfer of capital of at least €350,000 to finance scientific research activities, integrated into the national scientific and technological system.
Transfer of capital of at least €250,000 for investment or support for artistic production, or the recovery or maintenance of national cultural heritage
The Golden visa allows you to:
Reside and work in Portugal freely.
Enter Portugal without needing a residence visa.
Travel in the Schengen area without needing a visa.
Apply for the acquisition of Portuguese nationality by naturalization.
Have the possibility of family reunification.
How to get the Golden visa?
To obtain the Golden visa, several eligibility conditions are necessary:
A clean criminal record.
Be a citizen of a non-EU country.
A valid passport.
Proof of the tax identification number of the country of origin or tax residence.
A recent certificate of non-debt.
Proof of health insurance.
An affidavit of the applicant committing to respect the obligations of the exercise of the investment activity.
Payment of the ARI request analysis fee (€514.80).
etc.
There is a minimum time required of 5 years to maintain the investment, starting from the date of granting the residence permit. After these 5 years, the investor can request either Portuguese nationality or a permanent residence permit without needing to maintain investment activity.
Bibliography:
https://getgoldenvisa.com/fr/portugal-programme-golden-visa-le-guide-definitif
https://www.tagusproperty.com/fr/visa-dore-portugal-conditions-obtention-golden-visa/
Antas da Cunha Ecija - Golden visa
https://www.casavergao.com/vivre-au-portugal-guide/avantages-vie-portugal/comment-creer-entreprise/
https://www.retraitesansfrontieres.fr/destinations/portugal/benefices/