FAQ
1. What are the advantages of a Portuguese passport?
Portugal is a member of the European Union, and its citizens can work, study, live, and do business freely in any EU member state. Holder of a Portuguese passport enjoy visa-free travel to 186 countries/regions around the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
2. Does an investment into a fund qualify for Golden Visa?
Yes. However, the fund and fund managers must be registered with and supervised by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). Additionally, they are supervised by the Central Bank of Portugal and the Central Bank of the European Union. At least 60% of the fund’s investments must be in commercial companies headquartered in Portugal, to promote the Portuguese economy and employment.
3. When did the Golden Visa through fund investment program begin?
Fund investment methods existed with other investment methods when the Gold Residency Project Act was promulgated in 2012. Initially, the Act required an investment of 500,000 euros in funds or 1 million euros in deposits. At that time, the policy details were not announced.
In January 2018, the Portuguese Immigration Agency (SEF) officially announced the details of the fund investment method, and clarified the investment amount as well as compliance requirements, which made the fund investment method feasible.
4. Can investors open a Portuguese bank account and how long does it take?
Yes. If the relevant account opening form is signed under the witness of a Portuguese lawyer, the account can be opened in 1 hour, with access to online banking features.
5. What is the source of funds requirements?
The Immigration Bureau does not have strict requirements on the source of funds, usually it is sufficient to provide the applicant's personal and family information. For Portuguese bank account opening and fund subscription, the investor needs to provide some explanation and evidence of source of wealth.
6. How much time does the entire application cycle take?
It usually takes 1-2 months for investors to complete the fund purchase procedures after opening a Portuguese bank account. After submitting the application documents, the Portuguese Immigration Bureau stipulates that the approval will be completed within 90 days. In all, it takes approximately 5-12 months from the beginning of the application to obtaining the golden residence visa.
7. Can investors suspend their investment activities during the investment cycle?
According to the Portuguese Immigration Act, investors cannot stop investing halfway. If the investor personally suspends the investment, the applicant’s residence permit will be effected. That said, UPC will process redemptions in accordance with the investment agreement.
8. In addition to the capital of the investment fund, are there other expenses?
Administrative fees, immigration lawyer fees, immigration application fees, filing fees, etc.
9. If a client invests in a fund and is rejected, will the fund be refunded?
Our investment prioritizes risk control (investment risk and immigration risk). We will pre-screen all investors for eligibility for legal fee is paid to an attorney to start the process. The attorney will then verify the client's information again and provide supplementary comments. If the client's information is found to be unsuitable, the case will not be accepted, and attorney fees will not be charged until the client passes preliminary review. If a client who has passed the pre-screening but is ultimately rejected due to non-client-related reasons, the fund will refund investment capital as soon as feasible.