What to expect for golden visa program of Portugal in 2025: Predictions & key developments

Lisbon: In 2025, an increasing demand is expected for Portugal’s Golden Visa Program from North America as well as the United Kingdom.

The demand from the Asian market is expected to remain consistent throughout 2025.

In 2025, authorities in Portugal are aiming to streamline the processing of applications to meet the surge in demand for the Golden Visa Program.

Increased demand from North America and the United Kingdom, consistent demand from Asian markets, more significant market awareness and enhanced processing to meet the increasing demand are among the key predictions for Portugal’s Golden Visa Program for 2025.

The Residency by Investment Scheme of Portugal offers residency to nationals from non-EU countries in exchange for financial investments made in this country, Schengen.News reports.

The most famous option in Portugal’s Golden Visa Program was real estate investment. However, this route was terminated in October 2023 to better manage the housing crisis.

Yet, other options available through the Golden Visa program continue to attract a large number of foreigners.

According to a report from Imi Daily, investors from North America and the UK are particularly attracted to the investment fund option.

However, other options, in addition to fund investments, are also very famous, including investments in donations for the arts or cultural heritage, the creation of ten jobs, and scientific research.

Figures from the Association of Americans Resident Overseas provided in November 2024 revealed that in November 2023, more than 5.4 million Americans were living abroad, with a significant number of them choosing European countries such as France, Germany and Spain.

Nonetheless, when it comes to acquiring residency and citizenship in EU countries, Portugal is among the most sought-after European countries, particularly due to its Golden Visa Program.

The increase in demand for Portugal’s Residency by Investment Program was driven by the election of Donald Trump as the new President of the US and other social and economic factors.

As for Britons, the interest in Portugal’s Golden Visa Program continues to remain high. This came particularly after the exit of the UK from the European Union.

Increased demand is also noted in the Eastern market, particularly in China. The figures from Imi Daily for 2023 revealed that in addition to Americans, nationals of China and Britain were also among the top beneficiaries of Portugal’s Golden Visa Program.

Authorities in Portugal are also working to streamline the processing of applications in order to meet the ongoing surge in demand for the Golden Visa Program.

Long waiting times have left hundreds of applicants for Portugal’s Residency by Investment scheme in limbo, according to a report provided in October 2023.

The same revealed that due to long visa processing times, some applicants regret the decision to invest in Portugal in exchange for obtaining a golden visa. As a result, authorities in Portugal have intensified their efforts to accelerate this process.