Home link

The Portuguese Golden Visa is one of the most popular options for non-EU citizens looking to secure long term access to Europe. Incredibly flexible and offering the holder the chance to take advantage of a range of beneficial tax schemes, the Portuguese Golden Visa is a great investment.

If you’ve looked into the benefits of a Portuguese Golden Visa and decided it’s the right option for you, the next thing you’ll need to do is prepare your documents for submission. As with any visa application process, preparation is key. Having the right documents in the right format will help to prevent unnecessary delays and ensure your visa is issued as quickly as possible.

Here, we take an in-depth look at the Golden Visa documents you’ll need to provide and how you’ll need to prepare them for submission.

 

Golden Visa Document Requirements

The exact documents required for your Golden Visa application will depend on your country of origin. In most cases, the Golden Visa program documents required include:

STEP ONE – List of Documents to Open Bank Account in Portugal

  •   Copy of Passport
  •   Copy of Taxpayer number (From the country your taxes are being paid)
  •   Proof of Address (Utility bills or bank statement, issued in the last 6 months)
  •   Proof of Employment (Last salary receipt, company declaration or work contract issued in the last 6 months)
  •   Information about other nationalities. (If applicable)
  •   Education background
  •   Civil status and marriage regime (If applicable) 
  •   NIF (Portuguese tax number) if you don’t have a NIF, it can be acquired through the Portuguese bank

 

All of the documents must be validated. Verification of the genuineness of the documents and signatures, to make it valid in Portugal. If your country is part of the Apostille Convention of Hague Treaty you should request authentication by the Apostille Stamp. If your country is NOT part of the Apostille Convention of the Hague Treaty you should request authentication in the Portuguese Embassy. Please find below more information on the Hague Convention. 

STEP TWO – List of Documents Needed to Apply for the Portuguese Golden Visa

  •   Golden Visa application form fully completed, signed and dated
  •   A copy of your passport (this must be valid at the time of submission)
  •   Proof of your qualifying investment
  •   Declaration from your Portuguese bank confirming the transfer of funds (where applicable)
  •   Proof of Portuguese health insurance
  •   Certified copy of the criminal certificate or a Police clearance letter from your country of origin
  •   A completed form authorising SEF to access your Portuguese criminal records
  •   Declaration confirming compliance with the investment requirements
  •   Documents showing a good standing with the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority and Social Security system.
  •   A receipt showing that you have paid the application processing fee

 

In most cases, these documents need to have been issued no more than 180 days before your application is submitted. However, the police clearance letter or criminal certificate needs to be issued no more than 90 days before you apply for the visa.

 

How to Prepare Golden Visa Documents

All of the documents you submit for your golden visa application need to be apostilled and translated. Getting documents apostilled essentially means getting them certified. As they stand, your documents are recognised in your home country, but aren’t seen as official paperwork in other places. Getting them apostilled verifies your documents are genuine and makes them suitable for submission with your visa application.

The process of getting documents apostilled isn’t always easy, and in some cases, can take a number of weeks. The process is carried out by official governmental departments, so you’ll need to get in touch with the office that takes care of certification in your home country.

If you live in the US, this will be your local Secretary of State. If you’re a resident of another non-EU country, you should get in touch with your local government office or embassy to learn more about the process.

The job of an apostille is to verify documents according to the rules set out in the Hague Convention. An apostille can only verify original documents, so you won’t be able to use any copies. The apostille will certify that the documents you submit are valid. Once they have checked the paperwork, they will either stamp it or add a verification document to show it’s genuine. 

You will need to get all of your official documents apostilled. If you are using a Power of Attorney, this needs to be notarised before being certified. Most countries charge a set fee per document for this service. In the US, it’s around $20.00 per apostille requested. The process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to complete.

When applying for a Portuguese Golden Visa, this process needs to be done no more than three months before submitting your documents.

 

Translating Your Golden Visa Documents

Once you have all of your documents apostilled, you’ll need to get them all translated, including the apostille statement itself. Translations need to be carried out by an official translator in order to be valid, and this can also take a period of weeks to complete. Therefore, it is important to allow plenty of time to have all of your documents translated.

There are a number of translation services available online. Alternatively, you can ask your lawyer, or your country’s embassy in Portugal, for help finding a suitable professional. You’ll find a list of embassies in Portugal here that can either help you with translation or point you in the right direction.

As part of the Portugal Golden Visa process, Planeur is available to discuss the preparation of your documents to ensure your application runs smoothly. We offer expert advice to help secure your Golden Visa and guide you through the application. Contact Planeur today to find out about the services we offer and to discuss your requirements.