The Portugal 280K Investment Option for the Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal has a rich cultural heritage, and its diverse history can be seen throughout the country, from the city of seven hills, Lisbon, to the sandy white beaches in Cascais. Aside from the stunning natural landscapes, the country is safe, has a great climate, a stable economy, an attractive real estate market, and a warm and welcoming population. Portugal also has one of the most attractive Golden Visa Programs in the world.

As part of this program, foreign investors can obtain residency in the country by making a real estate investment. In this case, the minimum investment amount must be €280,000 to qualify for the program. Additionally, the property needs to be at least thirty years old, be a rehabilitation project, and be situated in a low-density area in Portugal. 

Important: You must remember that Portugal is ending its Golden Visa Program. To know more, and for the latest updates, you can read our article: Portugal is Ending its Golden Visa Program. The key takeaway is that if you are contemplating applying for the program, you should do so now. 

Alongside this, do note that if you are planning to invest in real estate in popular areas like Lisbon, Porto, or most cities along the coast, you can only invest in commercial properties following the changes that came into play in January 2022. Residential property needs to be located in an interior area. 

You can consult this article to have a clear picture of the difference between interior and low-density areas: Low Density & Interior Eligible Areas for the Portugal Golden Visa 2023.

Securing the Portugal Golden Visa Through Real Estate Acquisition

Portugal’s Golden Visa Program has often been selected as one of the world’s best residency by investment programs in the world. Here is a list of ten indicators that reports often take into account when evaluating the best residency by investment programs worldwide. 

1. Citizenship requirements
2. Financial requirements
3. Compliance
4. Quality of life
5. Processing time and quality of processing
6. Time to citizenship
7. Reputation
8. Visa-free access
9. Taxation
10. Total Costs

280K Investment Option for the Portugal Golden Visa
Under the Portugal Golden Visa, there are various investment options that you can consider. But if you want to invest the minimum amount in real estate and obtain residency, then the investment amount is 280K. But you should also keep in mind which areas of Portugal will provide you with the best yields should if you are considering renting out your property and securing a return on your investment. 

The 280K option is only applicable to rehabilitation projects located in low-density areas in Portugal. You can identify low-density areas in Portugal by their population. For instance, if an area has less than 100 residents per square meter, then the region can be considered a low-density area. In addition to this, if the gross domestic product per capita is less than 75 percent, then the area can be called a low-density area.

The main objective of this option is to attract foreign investors to invest in underdeveloped areas of the country. With the influx of more investments, these areas have the potential to develop exponentially.

Popular Low-Density Areas in Portugal

There are various low-density areas in Portugal that are popular among tourists as well as foreign real estate investors. These areas include Branganca, Vila Real, Viseu, Guarda, Covilha, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Evora, Alentejo, Beja, Santarém, and Portimao. For real estate investment in residential properties in Portugal, it must be located in low-density areas.

Benefits of Low-Density Areas

• Low-density areas are great for foreign investors as they give them an affordable option to qualify for Portugal’s Golden Visa.
• Many of these areas are located away from the hustle and bustle of the city. They are a great place to live in peace and quiet.
• Low-density areas can provide a peaceful and calm life, which is perfect for retirees.

Low-density Areas in Portugal

The following areas in Portugal are considered low density areas:

Águeda – União das freguesias de Belazaima do Chão, Castanheira do Vouga e Agadão, União das freguesias do Préstimo e Macieira de Alcoba

Amarante – Ansiães, Candemil, Gouveia (São Simão), Jazente, Rebordelo, Salvador do Monte, União das freguesias de Aboadela, Sanche e Várzea, União das freguesias de Olo e Canadelo, União das freguesias de Bustelo, Carneiro e Carvalho de Rei, Vila Chã do Marão

Amares – Bouro (Santa Marta), Goães, União das freguesias de Caldelas, Sequeiros e Paranhos, União das freguesias de Vilela, Seramil e Paredes Secas

Caminha – Dem, União das freguesias de Arga (Baixo, Cima e São João)

Castelo de Paiva – União das freguesias de Gondar e Orbacém, Real, União das Freguesias da Raiva, Pedorido e Paraíso

Condeixa-a-Nova – Furadouro

Guimarães – União das freguesias de Arosa e Castelões

Loulé – Alte, Ameixial, Salir, União de freguesias de Querença, Tôr e Benafim

Marco de Canaveses – Várzea, Aliviada e Folhada

Ourém- Espite, União das freguesias de Matas e Cercal, União das freguesias de Freixianda, Ribeira do Fárrio e Formigais, União das freguesias de Rio de Couros e Casal dos Bernardos

Pombal- Abiul, Anais

Ponte de Lima – Ardegão, Freixo e Mato, Associação de freguesias do Vale do Neiva, Bárrio e Cepões, Beiral do Lima, Boalhosa, Cabaços e Fojo Lobal, Cabração e Moreira do Lima, Calheiros, Estorãos, Friastelas. Gemieira, Gondufe, Labruja, Labrujó, Rendufe e Vilar do Monte, Navió e Vitorino dos Piães, Poiares, Serdedelo

Porto de Mós – São Bento

Santarém- União das freguesias de Casével e Vaqueiros

Silves – São Marcos da Serra

Tavira – Cachopo, Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo

Tomar – Olalhas, Sabacheira, União das freguesias de Além da Ribeira e Pedreira, União das freguesias de Casais e Alviobeira, União das freguesias de Serra e Junceira

Vale de Cambra- Arões, Junqueira

Valença – Boivão, Fontoura, União das freguesias de Gondomil e Safins, União das freguesias de São Julião e Silva

Goldcrest – Portugal Real Estate

Goldcrest is a local buyer’s agent situated in Portugal. The expert team at Goldcrest specializes in providing insightful and strategic advice about real estate in Portugal. From sourcing the property to completing all formalities of property acquisition, Goldcrest helps foreign investors in obtaining a property in some of Portugal’s finest locations.

You can reach out to us here.

For more information, you can visit the following articles:

• Invest in Portugal and Get Citizenship – The Ultimate Guide

• Low Density & Interior Eligible Areas for the Portugal Golden Visa 2023