What is the best visa option for non-EU families who want to settle in Portugal for good?

Answers

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  Tiago Gali Macedo

  NEXT/Gali Macedo & Associados

  November 08, 2021

  If your intention is to move to Portugal with your family, the best route would be to invest in real estate, by purchasing a property for you and your family to reside in, and apply for a temporary residence under the Golden Visa program. The Portuguese residence program for investment purposes integrates several different types of investments that qualify for an application. Among those, you can find: the purchase of property worth at least 500,000 euros; the purchase of property built more than 30 years ago or located in urban regeneration areas, worth at least 350,000 euros. The investment amount can be reduced by 20% if the investment is made in a low density territory. A specific list with all the territories that qualify for this “discount” does not exist. Therefore, before investing, the chosen area must be analyzed in order to understand if it qualifies under one of those requirements. Performing any of the above mentioned investments will 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, it would only give you an advantage when applying for the Portuguese citizenship, as for residence purposes there doesn’t exist any kind of easiness by fulfilling that criteria.

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  Pedro Viegas

  Kleya

  November 05, 2021

  The best visa option for a non-EU family to settle in Portugal is the golden visa, especially if you want to settle for good. There are no advantages for Portuguese speakers.

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  Barbara Pestana

  PaxLegal Law

  November 06, 2021

  There is a diversity of visas that may fit the most varied applicant profiles. Each visa has a specific purpose. The Golden Visa is intended for applicants who through an investment wish to obtain a residence permit in Portugal, without having to remain in the territory on a regular basis. The only obligations they have are to maintain the investment for a minimum period of five years and to remain in the country for a period of seven days for each year of validity of the residence card. This mandatory period of stay can be fulfilled continuously or interpolated. There are no benefits for citizens of countries that have Portuguese as their official language. For the applicant who intends to remain on a regular basis in Portugal (the rule, in a temporary residence, is that they cannot, at least unjustifiably, be absent from the country for more than six consecutive or eight interpolated months during the period of validity of the authorization; the applicant may choose to start the process at the Portuguese consulate of the country of residence in order to obtain one of the following visas, which will allow entrance into Portugal, where the applicant must complete the process (at the foreigners and borders service). Of these visas, I highlight the following, as I believe they are the ones in the end with a steadier character: D1 - If the applicant comes to Portugal to work as an employee; D2 - For the entrepreneurial applicant. It can be a service provider, consultant, self-employed, digital nomade, brunch of existing foreign business, etc; D3 - Intended for highly qualified professionals; D7 - Intended for retired people, stable passive income. In short, it is necessary to analyze the applicant's profile and choose the one that best suits each one. In any case, whatever the type of residence permit that will be granted, if the applicant registers as a fiscal resident in Portugal, and as long as they have not been taxed in Portugal as a resident in the previous five years, they may benefit from the non-habitual resident regime, a very favorable regime for its users with the application of rates that may vary between 10% to 28%, depending on the type of income.

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  Diogo Capela

  Lamares, Capela & Associados, Sociedade de Advogados

  November 25, 2021

  This depends on the type of activity you intend to have in Portugal and even on the income you currently have available. There are several types of residence permits, which accommodate various types of people (students, workers, retired people, etc.).

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  Sara Sousa Rebolo

  Prime Legal

  January 07, 2022

  There are several different options to relocate to Portugal: Golden Visa - recommended if the investment value is not an issue, makes sense to the applicant portfolio and there are adult children involved; D7 - for those on pension or holders of passive income; D2 - for those looking to start a business in Portugal or to provide freelance services; D1 - for those who already have a labor contract or a promise of a labor contract. For Brazilians, after getting their legal residence, they have the opportunity to request also a special status; Statute of Equal Rights and Duties: to enjoy the same rights and duties as Portuguese citizens, including under Portuguese criminal law; Equal Political Rights Statute: for those residing in Portugal for at least three years to receive recognition of the same political rights as the Portuguese, including the right to vote; Statute of Equal Rights and Duties and Political Rights: a combination of the two above, with the same requirements. It depends on the prior or simultaneous concession of the others to obtain the cumulative exercise of the above rights.