Golden Visa Portugal Through Investment Funds (2025)

The Portugal Residency by Investment program, widely known as the Portugal Golden Visa, has changed significantly in recent years. Since 2023, the real estate option has been discontinued, and the most popular route has become the Golden Visa through investment funds.

Choosing the Portugal investment visa via regulated funds offers investors a secure, transparent, and often profitable way to apply for residency permit — and later, Portuguese citizenship. While the term Golden Visa funds may sound complex, the process of investing in Portugal is straightforward with professional guidance and the wide range of qualified funds available.

In this article, we explain how the Portugal Golden Visa investment funds work, their main requirements and advantages, and why this has become the leading path for international investors.

Portugal Residency by Investment in Funds

How Much to Invest?

Currently, to obtain the Golden Visa Portugal through investment funds, investors must make a minimum contribution of €500,000 in fund units.

Minimum Investment Period

Requires a Five-Year Minimum Maturity

Criteria

The eligible funds must meet the following criteria:

• Be investment funds or venture capital funds aimed at capitalizing companies, in accordance with Portuguese legislation;
• Invest at least 60% of the amount in commercial companies headquartered in Portugal;
• Be regulated by the Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários (CMVM), the independent public entity that supervises and regulates the financial markets in Portugal.

💡 Important: funds regulated by the CMVM ensure greater legal security and transparency, making the process more reliable for foreign investors.

Fees

The estimated fees to be paid to the Portuguese government for an initial Golden Visa application for the investor and their spouse/partner:

• €618.60: fee for initial receipt and review of the Golden Visa application;
• €6,179.40: fee for issuance of the Golden Visa Residence Permit (per person).

For Golden Visa renewals, the following fees apply:

• €3.090,40: fee for issuance of the new Residence Permit (per person).
• €618.60: fee for receipt and review of the Golden Visa renewal application;

Average Processing Time in 2025

Currently, the average processing time is around 36 months. The processing time for Portugal’s Golden Visa has increased due to growing demand, reflecting the program’s appeal as a valuable opportunity for foreigners seeking mobility across Europe.

➡️ Continue below to explore eligible funds and the benefits of investing through the Golden Visa program.

How Do Golden Visa Investment Funds Work in Portugal?

An investment fund is a financial product that aggregates the interests of several investors in a specific theme. In practice, funds hold money from these investors, through the provision of quotas, with the objective of investing in a predefined strategy, managed by a management entity, under the regulation and supervision of the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).

Why Invest in Funds for the Golden Visa?

Investing in funds for the Golden Visa combines simplicity, security, and professional management. By choosing this modality, the investor does not need to directly manage the resources, as specialized entities administer the funds according to previously defined strategies. The diversification of assets and sectors reduces risks and offers consistent return opportunities, while CMVM regulation ensures reliability and transparency throughout the process.

1. Variety of Funds Eligible for the Golden Visa

There are currently several eligible fund options for the Golden Visa, catering to different investment profiles:

• Funds focused on the health sector: investing in clinics, hospitals, and private companies in the segment, a market that has been expanding since the post-pandemic period.
• Funds aimed at tourism and hospitality: with projects for the development of resorts and hotel chains, offering investors the possibility of participating in results and, in some cases, access to the projects themselves.
• Funds focused on wine and sustainability: directed toward wineries, forestry, and cork production, combining financial return with positive social and environmental impact.
• Funds for coworking spaces and flexible offices: which have attracted growing attention, given the expansion of the market and demand for modern work solutions. For more information on this segment, you can check our articles:
  • Major Investment Trend in Portugal: Flexible Workspaces,
  • Growth of the Coworking Market: Analysis for Investors,
  • Flex Space Fund: Investment in the Coworking Market in Portugal.

Contact our consultants and discover the Golden Visa eligible investment funds recommended by Atlantic Bridge.

2. Attractive Profitability and Strong Currency

The expected annual profitability varies depending on the type of assets and their greater or lesser risk appetite. However, on average, these products show quite attractive returns: between 3% and 7% p.a.

Additionally, it is worth noting that this is an investment made in a strong and relatively stable currency, which implies a low risk of asset devaluation due to exchange rate fluctuations.

3. Less Bureaucracy

Making the investment basically requires the investor to have a NIF (Portuguese taxpayer number) and a bank account in Portugal. The management companies have extensive experience dealing with foreign investors, which makes the process agile and straightforward.

Proof of investment is provided through a declaration issued by the management entity, confirming the subscription of quotas, which also speeds up the documentation process.

With the support of Atlantic Bridge, the entire procedure can be conducted efficiently, allowing the investor to focus on the strategic aspects of their investment.

4. Professional Capital Management

The management entities oversee the invested capital. This means that the investor does not need to worry about the direct management of their investment, as there are specialists responsible for this.

5. Costs and Taxes

Finally, it is also worth highlighting the advantage of reduced costs with transactions and taxes arising from the investment, when compared to a traditional real estate investment:

• No brokerage fees;
• No taxes payable on the realization and maintenance of the investment (especially IMT and IMI, when compared to a real estate asset).

Advantages of the Golden Visa Portugal

The Golden Visa Portugal has been considered the most advantageous program in the world in this category. In addition to the benefits of investing in a country experiencing strong economic growth and expansion, the program guarantees a series of advantages for the applicant and their family:

• Possibility of applying for Portuguese citizenship after a 5-year investment period;
• Allows, but does not require, residency in Portugal;
• Offers a broad family reunification concept;
• Authorizes work in the country;
• Grants access to Portuguese public healthcare and education;
• Freedom to travel to 191 countries worldwide without a visa;
• Access to one of the best passports in the world: the Portuguese passport.

Tailor-Made: Find Out Which Fund is Best for Your Golden Visa

For those who want to invest in Portugal through the Golden Visa to obtain European citizenship, this is an extremely attractive path. Investment in funds has gained prominence due to its simplicity, professional management, and security. In addition to the possibility of recovering the invested capital after five years, with profitability, this modality paves the way for residency and, later, Portuguese citizenship, establishing itself as a strategic option for investors from different parts of the world.

If you want to invest in Portugal Golden Visa funds, our consultants at Atlantic Bridge offer complete guidance, tax support, and assistance in submitting the application, ensuring security and peace of mind throughout the process.

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