Source: Naomi Buchanan (Investopedia) As reported in an article written by Naomi Buchanan (Investopedia), OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman last week became the first recipient of Indonesia’s “golden visa,” joining other wealthy American tech moguls in paying to upgrade his immigration status in other countries. But it’s not just the ultra-wealthy taking the opportunity to purchase a passport or visa. Golden visas can vary greatly in terms of cost but more accessible options do exist in parts of the EU, including Malta, Greece and Portugal. Of course, as well covered by us recently, options ..read more

The latest update on timing for the much anticipated new “Mais Habitação” law to come into effect, is the second week of October. Working back from that date we estimate that leaves investors with approximately 2 weeks to take advantage of this last remaining window to purchase property in Portugal, for Golden Visa eligibility. We have a handful of attractive options remaining, including a prime working space investment in central Lisbon, that recently became available. Talk to us today for more details on the timing and implication of this new law, and opportunities we have to beat the deadli ..read more

According to an article published in Bloomberg this week, visa programmes in Portugal and Europe, that offer EU residency and a path to citizenship via property investment, are in strong demand, despite calls from the EU to end them. Recent developments in Portugal highlight the controversial nature of the topic, with the President seeking to end the Golden Visa program, after being in place for more than a decade. Whilst the programme is set to remain, it will drop its residency-via-real estate investment option and increase its minimum investment amount to €500,000, from €350,000. Similarly ..read more

Good news for anyone still contemplating Portugal’s Golden Visa, by means of property investment: Portugal’s President yesterday vetoed the “Mais Habitação” (more housing bill), which means investors have an additional month to continue with the Golden Visa programme, with opportunities starting at €280,000. As we’ve flagged for some time, once the bill is eventually approved, the property component of the Golden Visa program, which currently allows investments from as low as €280,000, will be discontinued. The Golden Visa programme will continue but new investment routes will primarily involv ..read more

Research from experts at Moving to Spain conclude that Portugal, Spain and Italy are the best places in Europe, to retire. Analysts reviewed the cost of living, health care, average apartment prices, average annual sunshine hours, retirement visas, percentage of populations aged 65 and above, life expectancy, total blue flag sites, and global peace index scores, to arrive at this conclusion. With a total score of 7.31 out of 10, both Spain and Italy came in just behind Portugal, with a high score of 7.83. This is what Moving to Spain had to say about each of the top three countries: Portugal ..read more

Source: The Portugal News   A new study by Engel & Völkers has highlighted the top three regions that create the most interest from property investors. The demand for housing in Portugal continues to grow and there are areas that, for various reasons, arouse more interest from investors – both national and foreign. This is the case of tourist destinations, such as Lisbon, Comporta-Melides and the Algarve, which stand out as the most sought-after regions for investment, according to the Market Report released by Engel & Völkers (E&V). Lisbon “The city of Lisbon is now ..read more

US investors were relatively late to the game, for Portugal. Early demand for the country’s highly attractive Golden Visa programme was driven primarily from Asia, especially Greater China. However, various US domestic “push” factors and a growing realisation of the exceptional lifestyle offering of Portugal, have given rise to a dramatic increase in US citizens choosing Portugal as their first-choice European move. Residency by Investment options have become more restricted in Portugal but despite mounting political pressure, the Golden Visa programme is set to continue, albeit in more limite ..read more

If you’ve been thinking about a move from the US, then it seems you’re not alone. Between controversial decisions on abortion rights, gun violence, racial tensions and more, many Americans have had enough and are thinking about moving abroad to other countries, including European favourites, Portugal, Spain and Italy. The site International Living – a leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities – has recently witnessed a surge in traffic with people searching for a number of “move to” terms – with top search volume coming under the phrase “how to mov ..read more

Portugal was the third fastest-growing country in the European Union in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Eurostat data. Only Ireland and Latvia recorded a higher GDP progression compared to the previous quarter. Credits: PA; Author: PA; The Portuguese economy grew by 0.2% in the last three months of the year compared to the previous quarter, as economists had anticipated, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). For the year as a whole, the country grew by 6.7%, thus missing the Executive’s target, which had revised its estimates upwards, in ..read more

  Decision taken “to avoid long queues” and “extremely congested telephone lines” Months of agony suffered by foreign residents battling to renew visas with SEF (foreigners and borders agency) have finally seen a new approach: renewals have moved online. That doesn’t mean people cannot (try to) access SEF’s ‘in-person’ services. It simply gives those who have spent fruitless hours attempting to now have an alternative. The announcement came last night, during evening news bulletins, in which it was stressed that this is the first time ‘golden visas’ have been included ..read more