What is the best immigration route for South American investors looking to move to Portugal?

If you intend to move to Portugal with your family, the best route would be to invest in real estate and apply for a temporary residence under the ARI/Golden Visa program. The Portuguese Residence Program for Investment Purposes integrates several different types of investments that qualify for an application. Investment amounts may reduce by 20% if the investment is made in a low density territory. Such investments enable you and your family members to apply for a temporary residence in Portugal, which can be renewed every two years. After five years of residence, you and your family will become eligible to apply for either a permanent residence or even the Portuguese citizenship. Regarding the fact that you speak the Portuguese language and live in a country that used to be a Portuguese colony, it would only give you an advantage when applying for the Portuguese citizenship; as for residence purposes, there doesn’t exist any kind of ease by fulfilling that criteria.

There are no advantages on the language issue. If you are looking for a passport to have free circulation in the Schengen area, then the best way would be to apply for the golden visa.

The Portugal residency program is open to all third country citizens who make an investment.