Now that the government is processing pending Golden Visa applications and scheduled appointments, will it be faster to apply through the investment fund option or the donation option?
Answers
Under Article 90-A of Law No. 23/2007, Golden Visa applications follow the same general administrative procedure, regardless of the qualifying investment route. The legal framework establishes no statutory priority or expedited review based on the chosen investment option. Therefore, neither investment funds nor eligible cultural donations offer a guaranteed advantage in terms of processing times.
Although the Portuguese authorities have introduced measures to address the backlog of pending applications and appointments, it remains difficult to predict when processing times will improve significantly. Actual timelines depend largely on AIMA's administrative capacity, the completeness of each application and the availability of appointments.
Investors should therefore choose their investment route based primarily on their financial objectives, risk profile and personal circumstances, rather than on expectations of faster immigration processing.
Portugal is making progress in tackling the Golden Visa backlog. In October 2026, the government reported that approximately 30,000 biometric appointments had been scheduled and 6,000 applications processed. While this is encouraging news for investors, there is still no officially confirmed timeline for how much faster applications will be processed or when the backlog will be cleared.
For prospective applicants, this is a good time to assess eligibility and prepare their applications carefully, rather than wait for processing times to improve further. Being well prepared can help avoid preventable delays, although it cannot guarantee faster approval.
Will it be faster to apply through the investment fund option or the donation option?
While AIMA does not officially prioritise one route over the other, the investment fund option can offer a practical advantage: certain funds use a jumbo account structure, eliminating the need for investors to open an individual Portuguese bank account to make their investment.
This can simplify the investment process, reduce administrative steps and help investors prepare their applications more efficiently. For applicants looking to avoid unnecessary delays, choosing a fund with this structure can therefore be an important practical consideration.
The investment fund route requires €500,000, while the qualifying cultural donation route starts at €200,000.
An investment fund offering a jumbo account facility can make the process simpler and potentially faster to prepare. The right choice is not just about the investment amount — it is also about finding the most efficient route for your circumstances.
Both options will be processed equally.
Portugal is making progress in addressing its Golden Visa backlog. However, there is no reliable evidence that processing times will improve significantly in the short term.
Neither investment funds nor cultural donations currently offer a proven processing advantage. The choice should depend on the investor’s objectives, risk tolerance and investment strategy, rather than an assumed difference in processing speed.
Applicants facing excessive delays have additional legal options. These include formal extrajudicial requests to AIMA and judicial proceedings to compel the administration to assess and conclude pending applications, where legally justified.
These measures can help move stalled cases forward. However, outcomes and timelines depend on the circumstances of each case.
Ultimately, the best strategy combines the right investment structure with a sound legal approach.
