Golden visa still available during covid-19?

Hello-I am based in the USA and am interested in the Golden Visa program.
I am wondering if anyone currently is going thru the process and if applications
are still being accepted/processed?
I am thinking of going the route of purchasing property in the Albufeira area.
Does anyone have recommendations for immigration lawyers, property lawyers, realtors etc
in this area?
Thanks!
Michael

Residence permit for investment activity (ARI/Golden Visa) in Portugal

This programme was established in 2012 and is still available  :) 
Only in July 2020, 12 of the 108 Portuguese Gold Visas were granted to US citizens, as you can see in monthly statistics in SEF website.

While this process isn't very complicated, it does involve gathering a lot of documentation - both in Portugal and in your country of origin. You may collect all the needed documents and apply for Portugal's Golden Visa on your own directly to SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, Portuguese Immigration and Border Service) website.

But it would be beneficial and much faster to use local professionals that help you with preparing documentation, providing attorney services and to follow your needs during the whole period of your temporary residence. These professionals can be:

- Lawyers working with Golden Visa requests

- Real State Agencies, some of which normally have skilled professionals, including lawyers, that know the local property market and laws and can advise you on the best investments available in the market.

In this forum we can't suggest a specific Lawyer or just one Real State Agency that handles with this process. But if anyone can suggest one, please feel free to do so by sending you a private message.

__________

If you want to apply directly to SEF, please check these links:

1. This website has useful, updated and detailed info:

https://nomadgate.com/portugal-golden-visa-guide/

Here you will find:

- History of the Portuguese Golden Visa

- Requirements for obtaining the Golden Visa
    - Who is eligible for the Golden Visa?
    - Which requirements do you need to meet?
    - What are the available investment options?

- 2020 Golden Visa changes
    - Will the changes impact existing investments?
    - What to do about the uncertainty?

- The application and renewal process

- How to prepare and apply for the Portuguese Golden Visa
   - Getting a NIF and opening a Portuguese bank account
   - Identifying and making your investment
        - The investment fund option
        - The Portuguese company option
        - The real estate option
    - Gathering documentation: here are the things you always need to gather for your application
    - Submitting the application: the easiest and safest option is to let your lawyer handle and guide you through the application process. However, if you insist on doing it yourself, all the steps are described in this section.

- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Portuguese Golden Visa


2. Portuguese Immigration and Border Service Website

https://www.sef.pt/en/pages/conteudo-de … spx?nID=21

Here you can apply your request, and know additional informations:
- What is requi​red
- Eligibility – Who may apply
- Where may I apply
- What is required to apply
- What is the cost
- Additional Information / Statistics about Golden Visas

__________

If you want a Lawyer, please search on Google "Golden Visa Portugal Lawyer", and choose one who is a Portuguese Certified Lawyer and specialized in procedures regarding the residence permit and legal assistance in investments in Portugal.

If you want a Real State Agency, these are some that can help you:
Eg.

https://portugalproperty.com/buying/gol … -portugal/https://portugalhomes.com/golden-visa-portugalhttps://portugalprime.com/golden-visa/https://cascaisrealestate.com/portugal-golden-visa/https://algarverealestate.com/legal-advice/golden-visa/

(...)

Thanks for the info!!!

Hello Michael,

yes it's still available although they had wanted to change some things this year but due to the COVID the procedure is still ongoing.

I have a real estate and relocation agency in the Algarve and we specialize with the following Portuguese bureaucratic procedures:

•Property purchase process
•Property document verifications
•Complete paperwork required to live in Portugal
•Golden Visas

***

Best regards and greetings from sunny Algarve.

Susie

Moderated by Diksha 3 years ago
Reason : The promotion of services is not allowed on the forum.
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct

Hi Michael/All

I would like to know if you received a reference of an agency to work with.
We have started the process of getting all documentation required to start and I saw that there is a list provided (narrows it down) but I would like to have a recommendation from someone that has first-hand experience and if possible to contact them to get their personal experience.
I think you need to message me directly

thanks

Hi Michael,

What few people do not know is that the Algarve has three levels of real estate Golden Visa, depending on which area and type of property you might be looking at:
€350K for urban redevelopment, €400K for low density coastal and €500K for everything else.

You should tailor your choice around your personal and investment goals, including what you intend to do after the 5 years.

Plenty of real estate agencies, ask us for suggestions and we have more than 60 with which we work across the entire Algarve- depending on area.

*** it's my number please contact with me

Moderated by Diksha 3 years ago
Reason : Please do not post your contact details on the forum for security reasons.
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct

Qasim, can you clarify what the contact would be about? What information do you need?

My 2 cents.  I've been trying to apply for one of these for nearly 2 years now.  The process is HORRENDOUS.  The documents required are impossible to obtain or expire before they are needed.  portugal totally does not want us there.  They want our money but once they get that, all bets are off.  Find a well run country with a well run process!  I wish I had.

Hi Fairhsa, Welcome.


These last 2 years have been difficult, with a pandemic, and a start of restructuring of the SEF, which led to huge delays. And a new regulation of the golden visas, which have been used improperly by many applicants..........


Why did you apply for a golden visa and not a standard D7 visa, for example?


Best Regards

@wmichael The GV program is a complete scam. Even if you get a first visa, it seems impossible to get appointments to renew. Go the D7 route instead.