We all dream of the day we finally get to clock out of work one last time and enter into retirement. Majority of our daydreams are made up of how we’ll be spending our golden years – with the most popular fantasy being a lavish house near the coast with balmy year-round weather. That dream can become reality if you decide to retire in the idyllic European country of Portugal.

The Algarve region of Portugal is consistently named the top location for retiring expats on nearly every list. In fact, the Live and Invest Overseas annual index of the best places to retire abroad has just given Portugal the number one ranking for 2020. Portugal offers the best of both worlds for prospective retirees – first-world comforts and a high standard of living at an affordable rate – that sees you living the life of luxury you’ve worked so hard to earn over the years.

But to retire in Portugal as a non-European Union national, you’ll first have to become a permanent resident. This is easily done through Portugal’s Golden Visa Program that offers foreign investors legal Portuguese residency through investment.

Here, we will discuss why investing in a Portugal Golden Visa is the ultimate retirement plan for you.

What is the Portuguese Golden Visa Program?

Before we jump into all the reasons why high-net-worth individuals are keen to invest in a Portuguese Golden Visa for their future retirement, it is worth learning more about the residency by investment program and what it entails.

Launched in October 2012, the Portugal Golden Visa program is a legal naturalization process based on the law that invites foreign investors from non-EU countries to obtain fully-valid residence permits in Portugal for themselves and their families, with a pathway to citizenship.

The Portugal Golden Visa program consists of a few simple steps and requires applicants to be at least 18 years of age, in good health, possess no criminal record, have conformed investment sources and successfully pass due diligence checks. Individuals can apply as single applicants or as a family. Eligible family members include the spouse of the main applicant and children (biological or adopted) under 18 years of age. Parents and children older than 18 years old can be included in the application if they are dependent on the main applicant.

In a timeframe of 6 months, successful applicants will receive their residency permit and will gain the right to live, work, travel and study in Portugal, with visa-free access to the Schengen Areas. As well as gain access to Portugal’s healthcare and consumer rights.

If all the minimum criteria are met, applicants to the Portugal Residency by Investment program are required to purchase property in Portugal or make an alternative investment into the country – such as job creation or investing in a small local business – before the application can be filed.

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Successful candidates who meet all the requirements, have made the necessary investment and are granted residency permits will have to visit Portugal for 7 days per year for 5 years to fulfil residency requirements.

Now that you know what the Portugal Golden Visa program is, here are the top reasons why it is a great investment opportunity for your future retirement:

High Quality of Life, Low Cost of Living

Arguably, the main reason why so many people retire in Portugal is due to the country’s high standard of living that provides all first-world comforts and conveniences at an affordable cost. The cost of living in Portugal is on average 30% lower than in any other country in Western Europe – one of the lowest in the region. When compared to other EU nations like Germany, France and the Netherlands, Portugal’s cost of living is relatively economical yet still manages to offer world-class healthcare, quality education, warm weather, beautiful architecture, delicious food, pristine beaches and so much more in return. Retiring in Portugal is to reward yourself with paradise after so many years of hard work.

Spend Your Golden Years Travelling Europe

When you eventually retire, you’ll have a lot more time on your hands. This would be the perfect time to tick off all the items on your bucket list that you’ve been putting off over the years. And we can be sure that travelling in Europe is one of them.

As a resident of Portugal, you are also recognised as a resident of the European Union. Portuguese Golden Visa residents will be able to travel freely without restrictions throughout the entire Schengen Area. This means that you’ll be able to visit all 28 EU member states and explore all that the region has to offer without any hassles.

After 5 years, Golden Visa residents will be eligible for citizenship, so as long as they have spent 7 days per year in Portugal, learnt Portuguese up to a basic level, and maintained their investment obligations. If granted citizenship, individuals can apply for an EU passport which provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to over 185 countries and territories, including the USA, Canada and Australia – which opens the door to even more travel opportunities for you to enjoy during retirement.

Health & Safety

When choosing to retire in Portugal, you will have absolute peace of mind when it comes to your health and safety. Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world. To be more specific, it is the third safest country according to the 2020 Global Peace Index. In addition to its safety, security and stability, Portugal’s healthcare system is truly one of international standards and is ranked by WHO as the 12th best among United Nations-member countries. As an added benefit, Portugal is known to be a very diplomatic nation that maintains good relationships with almost every country in the world – which makes for a peaceful society and a stable economy.

Own Property in Paradise

We mentioned earlier that to retire in Portugal, you will need to obtain residency through the country’s Golden Visa program. One of the beneficial aspects of the program’s application process is that it requires individuals to make an investment in either real estate or in an alternative source to qualify for residency. We would suggest purchasing property as an investment. This way you will already have a home to move into when you decide to retire. Not to mention that a real estate investment is always a smart move as it is an asset that will only appreciate in value over time due to its location in one of Europe’s premier tourist destinations.

Book a Free Consultation

Before applying to any Citizenship & Residency by Investment program, individuals must ensure that they are rendering the services of a government authorized agent and advisor like Savory & Partners. The internet is rife with fraudulent companies offering scams that promise citizenship within an implausible timeframe and at an impossibly low price. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.

Savory & Partners is a government-approved agency that specializes in high-net-worth individuals applying to any Citizenship & Residency by Investment program. We are a British Authorised Agent with decades of experience who has helped over 1,100 families obtain second citizenship.

If you would like to secure your future retirement plan by applying to the Portugal Golden Visa program or would like to learn more about the other European residency through investment programs on offer, then contact us today for a free online consultation and one of our agents will happily aid you in your endeavours.

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The Ultimate Retirement Plan: Investing in a Portugal Golden Visa