An IMGW News Report
Portugal is addressing significant delays in its golden visa application process by speeding up processing times, following criticism that tarnished the image of one of Europe’s most sought-after residency-by-investment programmes. The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has announced plans to overhaul the system by replacing its paper-based application process with a more efficient digital platform. Currently, between 45,000 and 50,000 applications are awaiting review. Under the new system, applicants will be able to transition their pending applications online.
This move aims to clear the extensive backlog, which has left many waiting years to schedule their mandatory biometric appointments. These delays have led several investors to take legal action, demanding quicker processing times. Under the revamped system, AIMA will automatically schedule biometric appointments within 30 to 90 days of receiving an online application, and it will also accept documents in English, Spanish, and French without requiring translation into Portuguese.
Since its inception in 2012, Portugal’s Golden Visa programme has raised over €7 billion, attracting mainly Chinese, Brazilian, and US nationals. The programme offers residency to non-Europeans who make a qualifying investment, such as a minimum €500,000 in eligible funds. Applicants are only required to spend around seven days a year in the country, making it an attractive option for those seeking flexibility and a European residency status.
The delays in processing were exacerbated by the surge in immigration following the Covid-19 pandemic, which has more than doubled the foreign population in Portugal to a record one million. While Portugal ended its real estate-based Golden Visa option in 2023, it still offers fast-track residency through alternative investments, such as eligible funds.
Meanwhile, other EU countries are facing similar pressures. Greece, for example, is experiencing record high demand for its golden visa programme, with applications soaring and causing significant delays, as seen in recent reports. As the competition for residency-by-investment programmes heats up, Portugal’s efforts to streamline its system put it in a strong position to maintain its attractiveness, especially compared to other European nations.
If you’re interested in other IMGW News articles on this subject, we recommend checking out the following:
- Guaranteed Buybacks Under Scrutiny: Portugal Investigates Golden Visa Fund Practices
- Portugal Moves to Grant Nationality to Stateless Individuals
- Housing Prices Soar: Portugal in the Global Top 20 as Protests Erupt Over Affordability
- Over 1.4 Million Seek Portuguese Citizenship, But Delays Mount
