September 28th, 2023 at 05:29 pm
Retirement Visa for Portugal
Retirement to Portugal is becoming more and more popular because of the country’s sunny weather, excellent healthcare system, relatively inexpensive cost of living, and recent revisions to its tax laws. However, obtaining a retirement visa is probably necessary if you wish to retire in Portugal and do not currently hold an EU passport.
Portugal, sometimes known as the “gateway to Europe,” is fortunate to have among of the laxest visa policies among all EU nations.
In Portugal, How Can You Retire?
You will need to apply for a visa in order to retire in Portugal if you are not a citizen of the EU. There are two most common visa paths that let you live in Portugal as an elderly resident:
A retirement-related visa
For non-EU nationals who wish to live in Portugal without working and who have a reliable source of income (such as pensions, savings, etc.), this national (residency) visa is granted.
Golden Visa
If you invest at least €500,000 in real estate in Portugal, you may be eligible to apply for this kind of visa. Compared to a standard retirement visa, the residency requirements for the Golden Visa are typically far more lenient.
Qualifications for a Portugal Retirement Visa
The following paperwork is required in order to apply for a retirement visa to Portugal:
- Your identification card. At least another six months must pass before it expires.
- Two current, passport-size photos of yourself that comply with Schengen regulations.
- Application form for a tourist visa (residence permit) to Portugal. The application form is available for download on the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
- Evidence of funds. For the duration of your intended stay in Portugal, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, either through savings, a pension, or other legal sources of income.
- Evidence of accommodations. You must demonstrate that you will have a place to reside when you relocate to Portugal. Examples of this include rented apartments or properties you have bought.
- Insurance for health. Prior to relocating to Portugal, you must obtain travel health insurance or an international health insurance plan for expats. After you relocate, you have two options: you can keep up your foreign insurance coverage or sign up for a local provider’s health insurance.
- Certificates of birth and marriage, as needed.
- Clearance from criminal history. It must not have been brought against you any offense that carries a minimum sentence of one year in jail or confinement.
- Whatever more paperwork that the SEF or the Embassy may require.
Guidelines for Documentation
- You must submit only documents in either Portuguese or English. If they aren’t, you ought to have a qualified translator translate them and have them notarized.
- Apostille stamps or the Portuguese Embassy may be required for the legalization of certain papers, such as civil documents.
Requesting a Retirement Visa for Portugal
The following steps are involved in applying for a retirement visa for Portugal:
- Speak with the representative of the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate in your region. Find out where, in accordance with your residence, you must submit your visa application.
- Schedule a time to have your application submitted.
- Gather the necessary documentation.
- Fill out the application for a visa. You might be able to pay the application cost on the day you submit your application, rather than any earlier.
- Present the documentation on the scheduled date of the appointment. You might be able to apply by mail if the embassy or consulate is located in a different nation than your home country. You’ll hear from the appropriate visa officials.
Await the application’s processing.
- Should the result be favorable: The personnel of the Embassy or Consulate will affix a retirement visa to your passport. The visa is valid for travel to Portugal.
- To apply for your residency permit when you arrive in Portugal, schedule a meeting with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF).
Upon receiving your visa, the Embassy or Consulate may automatically schedule an appointment and inquire about your intended date of travel to Portugal.
Retirement Visa Fee for Portugal
You will need to pay multiple costs in order to apply for a retirement visa for Portugal.
- The Embassy/Consulate charges a price of €90 for national visas.
- The SEF will need €83 to process the application for a resident permit.
- A €72 residence permit is required.
Portugal Retirement Golden Visa
Although it is more expensive, the Golden Visa offers a quicker and simpler method to live and retire in Portugal. You would need to invest in one of the following in order to obtain a Golden Visa:
- Buy real estate for at least €500,000.
- Purchase a property in a Portuguese urban redevelopment region for at least €350,000 as part of a scheme approved by the SEF.
- Send at least €1 million as a capital transfer.
- Make an investment in or buy shares in a Portuguese company for at least €1 million.
- Offer ten or more new positions
- Make a minimum donation of €350,000 to support scientific or technological research in Portuguese research institutes.
- Make a minimum donation of €250,000 to aid in the restoration of national heritage or the arts.
Because the SEF has established a unique application webpage, the application procedure for a Golden Visa for Portugal differs from that of a standard retirement visa.
The length of a retirement visa for Portugal
The first year that your retirement residence permit in Portugal is valid is when you get it. It is refundable twice, for a total of two years per renewal, for a maximum of five years. You can seek permanent residency in Portugal after five years, provided you fulfill all other requirements.
Can I Use My Retirement Visa to Obtain Permanent Residency in Portugal?
This is possible if you have a valid temporary residence visa, pay income tax, and have not been convicted of a crime for at least five years prior to applying for a permanent residence permit. In order to obtain a permanent residency visa, you have to have been in the country for at least half of the year.