Portugal's entrepreneur visa: a simplified path to residency in Europe

(This article was developed in conjunction with the portal) IMI Daily) 

After a year of much confusion surrounding the issue, Portugal's Golden Visa is once again in the spotlight. But during 2023, when no one knew what might happen with this program, many began exploring other residency and citizenship-by-investment options offered by Portugal.

While attention has primarily focused on HQA visas (for Highly Qualified Activities), Portugal's dynamic immigration regulatory framework has much more to offer. One such example is the Entrepreneur Visa.

Many people may already be familiar with the Portuguese D2 visa, but there are many misconceptions about what it entails. It's actually an umbrella term, encompassing a variety of work and temporary residence visas in Portugal. 

The Entrepreneur Visa is one of the best options for foreign investors. It has simpler processes and requirements compared to other options and is based on establishing a company in Portugal. There are no restrictions on business activity, job creation, or capital investment. It's the government's way of attracting more businesses to Portugal.

There is no minimum investment requirement for this visa. The amount only needs to be reasonable for the type of business you want to conduct. 

Successful applicants receive a two-year residence permit, renewable for three years at a time. The process is much faster than the Golden Visa and typically takes an average of five months.

On the other hand, the Entrepreneur Visa aligns perfectly with the new local regulatory landscape. This is because, following the government's recent decision to eliminate its Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime, a new version of this tax benefit was announced.

When the new law is passed, holders of this visa should be among the few categories of foreign investors who can benefit from the NHR regime.

Read the full article in English on IMI Daily