Portugal’s golden visa no longer accepts real estate. The property route closed in October 2023 under the Mais Habitação (More Housing) law, which also removed the property-fund option and the €1.5 million capital-transfer option. The programme itself continues through other routes, such as investment funds, company creation, job creation, scientific research and cultural donations, and it asks for a very short minimum stay: an average of seven days in the first year and fourteen days in each later two-year period. Buying a home in Portugal does not give you residence, and in May 2026 a new law lengthened the residence needed for citizenship. This guide explains what changed, what remains and what it means for a property buyer. The details come from a single law-firm guide updated in October 2026 and should be checked against official sources. It is general information, not immigration advice.
What was the Portugal golden visa for real estate?
The residence-by-investment programme, which began in 2012, allowed non-EU investors to obtain a residence permit by buying property above a threshold or by making another qualifying investment. It was one of the best-known routes in Europe for foreign buyers because it needed very few days of stay. It brought a large share of foreign purchases of Portuguese homes, particularly in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve.
When did the real estate route end?
The route ended in October 2023 under the Mais Habitação law. The same law removed the investment in property funds and the €1.5 million capital transfer option. The programme was not suspended as a whole: applications through the remaining routes have continued. We found no source in this research that explains how pending real estate applications were handled, so if you filed before the change, ask a Portuguese immigration lawyer to check the rules that apply to your file.
What routes remain?
| Route | Minimum, per one 2026 law-firm guide | Approx. in £ / $ |
|---|---|---|
| Investment fund | €500,000, in a regulated fund with a maturity of at least five years, investing at least 60% in Portuguese companies and with no real estate exposure | ≈ £422,000 / $560,000 |
| Scientific research | €500,000 | ≈ £422,000 / $560,000 |
| Culture and heritage (non-refundable donation) | €250,000, or €200,000 in low-density areas | ≈ £211,000 / $280,000 |
| Company creation | €500,000 and at least five jobs created or maintained | ≈ £422,000 / $560,000 |
| Job creation | No minimum amount; at least ten full-time jobs, or eight in low-density areas | n/a |
Conversions are approximate and use the European Central Bank reference rates of 14 October 2026 (€1 = £0.844 = $1.120). Rates move every day.
The investment generally has to be held for at least five years. These are not real estate routes, and the amounts and conditions have changed several times, so check the current rules before you plan.
What are the stay and renewal rules?
A successful applicant gets a two-year residence permit, renewable for further two-year periods, as long as the investment is kept and the minimum stay is met. The stay requirement in the guide we read is an average of seven days in the first year and fourteen days in each later two-year period. After five years of legal residence, permanent residence becomes possible.
What changed for citizenship in 2026?
Organic Law 1/2026 was published on 18 May 2026 and took effect the next day. According to the guide, it raises the legal residence needed for naturalisation from five years to ten, or seven for EU and Portuguese-speaking-country nationals, with the clock running from the day the permit is issued. Applications filed on or before 18 May 2026 stay under the five-year rule. Naturalisation also requires an A2 level Portuguese language test. The guide adds that detailed implementing regulations were still awaited when it was written, so ask a lawyer for the current position before you plan around citizenship.
Can you still buy a home in Portugal?
Yes. Foreigners can buy and own property in Portugal on the same terms as citizens, as explained in our complete guide to buying in Portugal. The only thing that changed is that a purchase no longer comes with a residence right. You need a NIF to buy (see the NIF guide) and you pay the purchase taxes explained in the 2026 IMT article.
What are the residence options for property owners?
A buyer who wants to live in Portugal can look at the D7 visa for people with passive income, which we explain in our D7 guide, or at other visas for remote work, employment or business. None of them requires you to buy a home, and none is made easier by owning one, apart from the proof of accommodation. Treat housing and residence as separate decisions, and plan the visa and the purchase in the right order.
How does this compare with Spain?
Spain closed its real estate golden visa later, on 3 April 2025. See Spain golden visa has ended for what that means for buyers, and compare both in our Spain guide.
What are the common mistakes?
- Following old guides and agent brochures that still describe a real estate golden visa.
- Buying a home in the hope of residence and finding out afterwards that the route is closed.
- Choosing a fund or company route without checking the current rules and the fund’s regulation.
- Planning on a five-year citizenship timeline without checking the May 2026 law.
- Assuming that the short minimum stay applies to every visa.
What should you do next?
- Decide whether you want residence, a holiday home or both.
- If you want residence, compare the routes with a Portuguese immigration lawyer.
- Get your NIF and plan the purchase with the cost calculator.
- If you already hold a golden visa, check the renewal conditions before you sell or change the investment.
What should existing golden visa holders do?
- Check the investment is still held and documented for the five-year period.
- Keep the proof of the minimum stay for each period.
- Ask your lawyer about renewal conditions before you sell, change or refinance the investment.
- If you plan to apply for citizenship, ask which residence period applies to your filing date, since the May 2026 law changed it for new applications.
- Keep copies of every filing and every receipt from AIMA.
Why do old golden visa articles still circulate?
For more than a decade, the golden visa was one of the most advertised features of the Portuguese property market, and pages written before October 2023 still rank in search results. Agents also continue to mention it in brochures. Check the date of every source, and if a seller or agent offers a property as a path to residence, ask for the legal basis in writing and then ask your own lawyer. A promise that depends on a rule that no longer exists cannot be repaired after you buy.
What about Portuguese citizenship for property owners?
Owning a home does not give you a path to citizenship. Citizenship by naturalisation is linked to legal residence, language and other conditions, and the residence period was lengthened for new applications in May 2026. If citizenship is one of your goals, build the plan around a residence permit and the current naturalisation law, and then decide where you want to live, not around the purchase.
How much time would the old route have saved?
The old real estate route asked for very little time in Portugal compared with other residence permits, which is why it was popular with buyers who did not plan to live there. Other visas, such as the D7, ask for much longer stays, as explained in the D7 guide. That difference is the main practical change for property buyers who want residence.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still get a golden visa in Portugal by buying property?
No. The real estate route closed in October 2023 under the Mais Habitação law.
Is the Portugal golden visa still open?
The programme continues through other routes, such as investment funds, company creation, research and cultural donations.
How many days must I spend in Portugal under the golden visa?
The guide we read gives an average of seven days in the first year and fourteen days in each later two-year period.
Can I still buy property in Portugal as a non-EU citizen?
Yes. Foreigners can own property on the same terms as citizens, but it no longer gives a residence right.
Did the citizenship rules change in 2026?
According to the guide we checked, Organic Law 1/2026 raised the residence period for naturalisation to ten years, or seven for EU and Portuguese-speaking-country nationals, for applications filed after 18 May 2026.
Sources
Official sources (check these for the current rule):
- Diário da República: Mais Habitação law and Organic Law 1/2026
- AIMA: Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum
Also cross-checked against published guides, because practice varies between notaries, registries and banks:
- Connaught Law: Portugal golden visa 2026 after the real estate route ended
- National Law Review: Portugal ends the real estate investment visa programme
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, and your situation may differ. Confirm the figures with the tax authority and a qualified lawyer or tax adviser before you commit.
