15 Changes and Trends in Portugal’s Immigration System in 2022
In this comprehensive overview, Sara Sousa Rebolo and Miguel Silva outline what to look out for in Portugal’s immigration system in 2022.
Often described as a hybrid between Portugal’s other popular means-based visas, the Golden Visa and the D7 Visa, the HQA gives third-country nationals the opportunity to establish their own company in Portugal by investing EUR 175,000 (an amount that includes business formation costs and visa application fees) in their new business. The business must take part in a government-approved incubator program for the first three years but there are no job-creation or business performance requirements.
As with the Golden Visa, physical presence requirements are minimal and passive-type investments are permitted. Application processing times, however, are far shorter than for the Golden Visa.
This program page is sponsored by
Apparcel Uriarte Attorneys at Law
Program Type | Active Investor Visa |
Time to citizenship | 5-6 years |
Time to permanent residency | 5 years |
Minimum investment | EUR 175,000 |
Physical presence requirement | Not specified (but at least a week a year recommended for purposes of eventual naturalization) |
Application processing time | 1-2 months |
Citizenship grants visa-free travel to | 187 destinations, including Schengen countries and the US |
Contribution types available | Business Investment |
General program requirements
Applicants must establish a new corporation in Portugal into which they must invest EUR 175,000. Furthermore, applicants must obtain the support of an HQA business incubator.
All application fees and company formation costs are included in the EUR 175,000 investment.
The startup founder must participate in one of the government-approved business incubators for at least three years. The applicant is free to take a hands-off approach by appointing managers to handle day-to-day operations.
Applicants may include their spouses and up to two other dependents in their applications.
Program benefits
Requirements to qualify for citizenship
The initial HQA visa is valid for four months. After receiving approval, the applicant must travel to Portugal to obtain their two-year HQA residence permit. After two years, applicants can extend their residence permits by a further three years.
After five years of residency, the applicant may apply for permanent residency, as well as citizenship. Prospective citizens must command basic Portuguese.
Legislation upon which this program is based:
Portugal’s Immigration Act, Article 61(A) and 90 of REPSAE
No statistics available yet for this program.
. | Name | Expert based in | Areas of expertise | Program you'd like help with | Service language(s) | Get Started |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adriano Vieira | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, Spanish, French, Portuguese | |||
Alex Ingrim | 🇮🇹 Florence | Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning | Greece Golden Visa Italy Elective Residency Visa Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa United States EB-5 | English | ||
André Gonçalves | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Portuguese | ||
Ariane Real | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, Spanish, Portuguese | |||
Calvin Mazlumyan | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Canada Startup Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Philippines Special Investor Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Singapore Entrepass Spain Golden Visa Thailand Elite Residence Program Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, French, Spanish, Turkish | |||
Christina Georgaki | 🇬🇷 Thessaloniki | Greece Golden Visa; Greece FIP | English, Greek | |||
David Lesperance | 🇵🇱 Gdynia | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment, US Expatriation, International Tax and Wealth Planning, Family Office Advisory | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Cayman Islands Investor Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Gibraltar Category 2 HNWI Residence Greece FIP Visa Ireland Independent Means (Stamp 0) Italy Elective Residency Visa Jersey High Value Residency Portugal D7 Visa Canada Startup Visa Panama Business Investor Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa Hungarian Citizenship by Descent Irish Citizenship by Descent Italian Citizenship by Descent Latvian Citizenship by Descent Polish Citizenship by Descent | English | ||
Ekaterina Mavrenkova | 🇨🇭 Zürich | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, Russian | |||
Elena Ruda | 🇦🇹 Vienna | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Russian, German | |||
Eric G. Major | 🇬🇧 London | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Germany Self-Employment Visa Guernsey Investor & Entrepreneur Residency United States EB-5 | English, French | ||
Geoffrey DuBoulay | 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Saint Lucia CIP | English | ||
George Ganey | 🇺🇸 Washington DC | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | United States EB-5 United States E2 Visa | English, Spanish, Catalan | ||
Güvenç Ketenci | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 United States E2 UAE Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Turkish | ||
Hakan Cortelek | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, Turkish | ||
Hannah Ma | 🇸🇬 Singapore | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Australia BIIP Investor Streams Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malaysia M2H Visa Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal D7 Visa Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Singapore Entrepass South Korea Investor Visa Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa Thailand Elite Residence Program Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Chinese | ||
Imad Elbitar | 🇹🇷 Istanbul | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Nicaragua Investor PR Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Uruguay Independent Means Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Arabic, German | |||
Jasmin Lopez | 🇲🇽 Mexico City | Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Italy Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Nicaragua Investor PR Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Uruguay Independent Means Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Spanish | |||
Kemal Nicholson | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa | English | |||
Kevin Hosam | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Barbados SERP Program Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Barbados Welcome Stamp Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Uruguay Independent Means Visa Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Cambodia My 2nd Home Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Malaysia M2H Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Laszlo Kiss | 🇲🇹 Malta | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 United States E2 UAE Golden Visa Austria Independent Means Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Hungarian | |||
Matías Apparcel | 🇨🇱 Santiago | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Portugal Golden Visa Portugal D7 Visa Portugal HQA Visa | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | ||
Melvin Warshaw | 🇺🇸 Boston | Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning, US Expatriation | United States EB-5 United States E2 | English | ||
Mona Shah | 🇺🇸 New York | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Grenada CIP Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Turkey CIP UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 | English | ||
Natalie Fridlender | 🇻🇳 Saigon (HCMC) | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Russia Golden Visa | English, Russian | ||
Nicolas Salerno | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Monaco Carte de Séjour Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 | English, French, Spanish | ||
Paul Williams | 🇬🇧 London | Antigua & Barbuda CIP, Dominica CIP, Grenada CIP, Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Cyprus Golden Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 Spain Golden Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP Canada Startup Visa | English | |||
Peter Dunn | 🇿🇦 Johannesburg | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Philippe May | 🇸🇬 Singapore | Citizenship by Descent, Residence and Citizenship by Investment, International Tax and Wealth Planning | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Anguilla Permanent Residency Program Australia BIIP Investor Streams Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence Barbados SERP Program Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program Cayman Islands Investor Visa Colombia Investor Visas M and R Greece Golden Visa Latvia Investor Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Barbados Welcome Stamp Paraguay Permanent Residency Program Uruguay Independent Means Visa Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity Cambodia My 2nd Home Canada Startup Visa Cyprus Golden Visa Malaysia M2H Visa Monaco Carte de Séjour Panama Business Investor Visa Panama Qualified Investor Visa Panama Rentista Retirado Visa Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, German, Chinese | ||
Rogelio Caceres | 🇺🇸 Miami | Bahamas Economic PR Canada Startup Visa Cayman Islands Investor Visa Costa Rica Investor Visa Czech Citizenship by Descent Hungary Citizenship by Descent Ireland Citizenship by Descent Italy Citizenship by Descent Latvia Citizenship by Descent Panama Qualified Investor Visa Poland Citizenship by Descent Portugal D7 Visa Singapore Entrepass Slovak Citizenship by Descent Spain Golden Visa Spain Non-Lucrative Visa UAE Golden Visa UAE Golden Visa United States E2 Visa United States EB-5 | English, Spanish | |||
Sam Bayat | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Grenada CIP Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Turkey CIP Malta MEIN Australia BIIP Investor Streams Cayman Islands Investor Visa Greece Golden Visa Malta Permanent Residence Program New Zealand Investor Visa Portugal Golden Visa Spain Golden Visa Canada Startup Visa United States EB-5 | English, French, Farsi | ||
Slava Apel | 🇨🇦 Toronto | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Canada Startup Visa | English, Russian, Romanian | ||
Troy Neel | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English | ||
Vito Magagnino | 🇨🇭 Zürich | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Austria Independent Means Visa Germany Self-Employment Visa Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP UAE Golden Visa UK Startup/Innovator Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, German, Italian | ||
Zaid Aldayriyeh | 🇦🇪 Dubai | Residence and Citizenship by Investment | Antigua & Barbuda CIP Dominica CIP Greece Golden Visa Grenada CIP Malta MEIN Malta Permanent Residence Program Portugal Golden Visa Saint Kitts & Nevis CIP Saint Lucia CIP Spain Golden Visa Turkey CIP UAE Golden Visa United States EB-5 Vanuatu DSP/REO/VCP | English, Arabic | ||
Name | Expert based in | Areas of expertise | Program you'd like help with | Service language(s) |
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In this comprehensive overview, Sara Sousa Rebolo and Miguel Silva outline what to look out for in Portugal’s immigration system in 2022.
A panel of nine experts on Portuguese immigration programs explain why HQA-visa approvals have more than doubled since before the pandemic.
As the rest of the world struggles to recover, the smart money is choosing Portugal’s HQA program,” says Laura Blumes.
The SEF is reorganizing and taking fewer appointments. Golden visa investors are being “pushed to the back of the line,” says Laura Blumes.
Programs that offer citizenship within months in exchange for investments or donations, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Programs that offer citizenship in exchange for investments following a 1-2 year period, with minor/no physical presence requirements.
Bulgaria Investor Program (discontinued)
Malta MEIN
Programs that offer residence permits within months in exchange for passive investments, with limited physical presence requirements.
Andorra Residence Without Lucrative Activity
Anguilla Permanent Residency Program
Australia BIIP Investor Streams
Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence
Barbados SERP Program
Bermuda Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) Program
Brazil Investor Visa (VIPER)
Cambodia My 2nd Home
Cayman Islands Investor Visa
Colombia Investor Visas M and R
Costa Rica Investor Visa
Curaçao Investor Permit Program
Cyprus Golden Visa
Georgia Investor Visas
Greece Golden Visa
Guernsey Investor & Entrepreneur Residency
Ireland Immigrant Investor Program (discontinued)
Italy Investor Visa
Latvia Investor Visa
Luxembourg Investor Visa
Malaysia M2H Visa
Malta Permanent Residence Program
Mauritius Permanent Residency Program
Monaco Carte de Séjour
Netherlands Investor Visa
New Zealand Investor Visa
Nicaragua Investor Permanent Residency Program
Panama Qualified Investor Visa
Philippines Special Investor Residence Permit
Portugal Golden Visa
Russia Investor Visa
South Korea Investor Visa
Spain Golden Visa
Taiwan Golden Visa (APRC Plum Blossom Card)
Thailand Elite Residence Program
UAE Golden Visa
UK Investor Visa (discontinued)
United States EB-5
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who can demonstrate income or personal wealth above a certain level, usually requiring that the holder not take up employment locally.
Argentina Rentista and Pensionado Residency
Austria Independent Means Visa
Barbados Welcome Stamp
Gibraltar Category 2 HNWI Residence
Greece FIP Visa
Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS)
Ireland Independent Means (Stamp 0)
Italy Elective Residency Visa
Jersey High Value Residency
Mexico Legal Residency Visa
Nicaragua Pensionado and Rentista Visas
Panama Rentista Retirado Visa
Paraguay Permanent Residency Program
Portugal D7 Visa
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Uruguay Independent Means Visa
Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who physically relocate to start and/or run a business. Startup and entrepreneur visas fall under this category.
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