Why You Need to Consider Applying for a Portuguese Citizenship
Portugal is one of the country’s best known for its lovely beaches and picturesque cities. Did you know that a lot of surveys suggest that people see Portugal as one of the best countries for freelancers as well as one of the best places to settle down in Europe?
If you’re interested in finding out what you need to consider before applying for Portuguese citizenship – you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go through important aspects of citizen application to know whether you’re eligible. Plus, we’ll give you some additional advice on preparing yourself for a life in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
The Benefits of Having a Portuguese Passport
The number of foreigners residing in Portugal grows by the year, and more than a thousand of them are applying every year. An important thing about owning a Portuguese passport is that you don’t have to renounce your current citizenship and are allowed to use both. That way you can easily travel around the world and use both passports at the same time. You will keep all the benefits that a resident entices and much more.
Portugal is a great opportunity for an ex-pat family or wants to get an EU passport that will enable them to travel freely within 27 European countries. In more than 185 countries worldwide, without a visa is one of the many perks of getting Portuguese papers. Portugal also offers a high-quality healthcare system and education that among the best in the whole EU.
With options to safely open up a company and place your business there, Portugal is buzzing with young people that want to build their companies and create a new life.
How to Get a Portuguese passport?
To be considered eligible to apply for a passport or Portuguese citizenship, you need to meet one or more of the criteria we’re about to mention.
If you get married to a Portuguese citizen and spend together more than three years, you immediately become eligible to apply for citizenship. Also, if you’re born abroad but your parents are Portuguese citizens, you have the right to become one yourself.
One of the options that allow you to get citizenship even if you’re not connected to Portugal through your ancestors is residency through investment scheme. Since it is known as the Portugal Golden Visa, it provides people with multiple investment routes when buying properties in the country, investing in venture capital, or rehabilitation projects.
Golden Visa Program
Golden Residence Permit program was established in 2012, and it offers a chance for non-EU applicants and their families a special residence permit in exchange for a 5-year investment in Portugal. All applicants have a few options: they can invest more than $350,000 into real estate that requires renovation. Afterward, applicants and their families need to stay in the country for at least two weeks every two years as the visa requires renewal in that timeframe.
However, if they decide to apply for citizenship, they’ll have to demonstrate how strongly they’re connected with Portugal through work as well as pass a basic language test. Once that’s over, you can expect that you’ll become a citizen of one of the most beautiful countries in Europe.
Benefits of Citizenship by Investment
Portugal allows investors to obtain citizenship without having to live in Portugal. This is one of the most important benefits that investors keep in mind when deciding where to invest their money as most EU countries require them to spend most of their time in the country. Portugal decided to ask visa applicants to stay only one week per year for at least five years before applying for citizenship.
With an attractive Non-Habitual Tax Regime, Portugal allows investors to enjoy significant reductions and exemptions from taxes. Investors that are willing to relocate their business to Portugal can have benefits for more than ten years while they’re growing their business model.
Many experts claim that Portugal created a sought-after destination for ex-pats. This revived their economy as they became one of the best destinations for freelancers, investors, company owners and many others. That’s why investing in Lisbon or Proto could give you great returns in a relatively brief period.
Another important thing about Portugal is that is still one of the cheapest countries in the EU, where average expenses are significantly lower than other countries. Also, you can buy a good-sized property for less than $300,000.
Additional Requirements
When you decide to apply for Portuguese citizenship, there are a few things you need to prepare in order to be accepted. The first document you ought to get is a clean criminal record certified by SEF that serves as proof of your legal residence in Portugal.
Next, you should have a clean health record as well as language proficiency. Once you collect all these documents, you’ll be allowed to proceed and continue the process of getting a visa.
How Long Does It Take to Get Citizenship?
Once you make your qualifying investment and have your Golden Visa approved, it takes up to five years to be eligible to apply for citizenship. The Portuguese language test should be taken at any time before the application.
When you send your papers, it might take up to six months before you get an answer, but once it arrives, you’ll officially become a citizen of one of the most beautiful European countries.
Plan and Enjoy Portuguese Way of Life
Ever wanted to become Portuguese, or you traveled around the country and fell in love with its nature? There are four ways to become a Portuguese citizen: by decent, by marriage, by investment or by nationalization.
If you want to become a Portuguese citizen, but you don’t have any legal ground to get it through your parents or spouse, one of the best options is to get a Golden Visa by investing a certain amount of money in buying or renting a property.
It should be noted that if you’re thinking of changing your nationality, you don’t have to worry because Portugal allows its citizens to keep their previous nationality and use both passports. That’s why it’s a perfect place to start a new business and a new life with your family.
