Portugal Golden Visa costs in 2026: a complete breakdown

Key facts at a glance

Table 1: Portugal Golden Visa (ARI) government fees per applicant, from AIMA’s fee table under Portaria 307/2023, checked 9 November 2026.

The qualifying fund investment is EUR 500,000 under Law 23/2007, art. 3(1)(d)(vii); it remains your asset rather than a cost.

What is the qualifying investment for the Portugal Golden Visa?

The core options in 2026 are:

• Investment funds: from €500,000. A subscription to one or more CMVM-regulated qualifying funds. It is the route most of our clients use, and is covered in detail in our fund route guide.
• Cultural and heritage support: from €250,000. A donation route supporting qualifying cultural projects. Cheaper at entry, but a donation rather than an investment, so nothing is returned at the end.
• Scientific research and company routes also exist at €500,000, though they suit a narrower set of applicants.

Unlike a fee, the fund investment remains your asset. Your net cost there is the difference between what you put in and what you eventually take out, after fund fees and performance. Our guide to Portugal Golden Visa fund fees sets out what those fees are and what a 5% distribution commission costs over a six-year hold.

How much are the Portugal Golden Visa government fees?

Portugal Golden Visa government fees are charged by AIMA per person, including children, at two main points (figures as at 9 November 2026):

• On application: an application analysis fee €632.10 per applicant at AIMA’s digital-channel rate (€842.80 at the standard rate).
• On approval: a residence permit issuance fee of €6,314.20 per applicant at the digital-channel rate (€8,418.90 standard), the single largest fee in the process.
• On each renewal: renewal fees of €3,157.80 per applicant per cycle at the digital-channel rate (€4,210.30 standard). Family members pay the same as the main applicant.

For a family of four, government fees alone therefore run to €27,785.20 at the digital-channel rate (€37,046.80 standard) for analysis and card issuance, before renewals. The analysis fee is paid on submission, before any decision is made, which is one more reason to submit a clean, complete file.

How much are legal and advisory fees for the Portugal Golden Visa?

Most applicants engage a Portuguese immigration lawyer and an advisory firm to structure the process. Legal fees vary with family size and complexity, but a competitive full-service arrangement typically runs to five figures for a family across the initial application. When comparing quotes, check what is included: renewals, family reunification, NIF and bank account support, and document handling are sometimes priced separately.

At Citizenship360 our fee proposals are itemised, so you can see exactly what each stage costs and compare like with like.

What fund and incidental costs should you budget for?

• Fund fees. Subscription fees, annual management fees and performance fees are set by each fund and affect your net return rather than your visa. See our guide to Portugal Golden Visa fund fees, including where to find them and what a 5% commission costs.
• Documents. Apostilles, certified translations and criminal record certificates for each applicant, typically a few hundred euros per person.
• NIF and banking. Fiscal representation and account opening, often bundled into legal packages.
• Travel. At least one trip to Portugal for biometrics, and the modest ongoing stay requirement of seven days in the first year, then fourteen days in each subsequent two-year period.

Timing of these costs follows the application stages, which we walk through in our processing times guide.

Corrected 2 November 2026: an earlier version described the Portugal Golden Visa stay requirement as seven days a year. The rule is seven days in the first year and fourteen days in each subsequent two-year period (Article 65-C of Regulatory Decree 84/2007).

What does a Portugal Golden Visa cost in total in 2026?

For a single applicant on the Portugal Golden Visa fund route, a realistic budget as at 9 November 2026 is the €500,000 investment plus €6,946.30 in government fees to first card at the digital-channel rate (€9,261.70 standard), alongside legal, document and fund costs. For families, multiply the per-applicant government fees, not the investment: one qualifying investment covers a spouse, children under 18, unmarried dependent children aged 18 to 25 in education and parents who are financially dependent on you (the test for parents is dependency, not age).

Whether that spend is justified depends on what you are buying: EU residence with minimal stay obligations, Schengen mobility, family coverage and a path to Portuguese citizenship under the 2026 nationality rules. For many families it compares favourably with the alternatives, as our Portugal vs Greece comparison shows.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Investment migration rules and tax rules change frequently and depend on your personal circumstances. Figures are correct as at the date shown and should be confirmed before you act. Speak to a qualified adviser, and contact Citizenship360 for guidance specific to your situation.

Sources

• AIMA, Tabela de Taxas under Portaria 307/2023 of 13 October (version published 1 March 2026), section 3, residence permits for investment activity: aima.gov.pt. Checked 9 November 2026.
• AIMA, Autorização de Residência para Investimento, Art. 90.º-A (investment routes and eligible family members): aima.gov.pt. Checked 9 November 2026.
• Regulatory Decree 84/2007, art. 65-C (minimum stay). Checked 2 November 2026.