Portugal is now one of the most desirable places in the whole Europe to global investors and families looking to have long-term stability. In 2024, the country issued 4,987 golden visas, increasing by 72 percent year-on-year and the most visas issued since the program was launched in 2012.
As we move into 2025-26, the investors are seeing residency by investment programs not merely as a means of relocating into a new country but as a means of long-term access, stability, and flexibility. Within Europe, the Portugal golden visa remains the most in demand program reflecting this change.
Global Wealth Migration is Accelerating in 2025-26
Along with the increased interest towards the Portugal residency by investment, the wealth migration tendencies cannot be disregarded. The growing political unrests, regulatory fluctuations, and economic uncertainties are causing the high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) to relocate and leave their home countries. One of the most significant instances of the same phenomenon is the shift in the UK non-dom tax regime that resulted in the exodus of approximately 10,000 millionaires out of the UK to low-tax havens like the UAE and Portugal.
Based on statistics of wealth migration of 2025, Portugal attracted about 14000+ millionaires in the country, which had a potential wealth of USD 8.1 billion. The key factor that attracts investors into Portugal is the high-quality of life and low-tax conditions in this country. The NHR 2.0 tax regime in Portugal provides a flat 20 percent tax system throughout 10 years on the qualified personal income and offers exemptions on most of the foreign sourced income.
Portugal Golden Visa News: Demand Remains Strong After Reforms
Despite recent changes and the real estate route abolished from the Portugal golden visa investment route in 2023, the demand for Portugal residency by investment program remains the same. The news and statistics strongly claim this and it shows that multiple investors have shifted their focus towards other investment pathways to qualify for Portuguese residency. These pathways include the Portugal golden visa investment funds route.
Over 77 percent of investor residency applications processed by the top firms in 2025 were in Portugal which serves as an indication of continued interest of investors in the program's credibility and long-term worth.
Portugal Residency by Investment Program: A Structured EU Pathway
The Portugal residency by investment provides non-EU nationals a 5-year residency permit that allows them to live and work in a well-developed country of Europe. The key advantage of the program is that it provides its investors with the privilege of travelling visa-free to Europe’s Schengen area including 29 countries.
According to Portugal's Immigration Authority data, in 2025, the state issued over 386,000 residence permits, which is 60 times higher than the amount in 2024, which demonstrates the appeal of Portugal to foreign residents.
Investment Funds: The Core of the Modern Portugal Golden Visa
Portugal Golden Visa Fund Route
The Portugal Golden Visa Funds is one of the prominent paths towards acquiring residency by investment. The investors through Portugal golden visa investment funds qualify for the program and secure residency in the heart of Europe. Among the investment funds for Portugal golden visa include the following:
Private equity funds
Venture capital fund
Innovation-focused funds
The Portuguese enterprise investment schemes
Investment Funds for Portugal Golden Visa: What Investors Look For
Most people including global families and investors, when assessing investment funds, consider the following aspects:
Governance and Fund regulatory compliance.
Diversification strategy and investment risk.
Track record of performance of the fund managers.
Investment period and the ability to exit easily.
Saad Ahsan Venture Capital Fund
One example of the evolving fund-based approach is the Saad Ahsan Venture Capital Fund that professionally managed and focused on supporting real business and economic activities in the country. The fund is collected and used in multiple sectors such as to create jobs, encourage innovation, and support long-term development in the country. Investors under the fund route can get residency in Portugal and in this way can align their residency goals with investment funds.
Portugal Golden Visa for Pakistani Applicants
Portugal is gaining attention from a lot of Pakistanis and the reasons are:
A legal and secure route to Portuguese residency.
The program allows family inclusion.
Access to high-quality healthcare and education.
High innovation in popular cities such as Lisbon and Porto.
Long-term planning and asset diversification.
The Role of Portugal Golden Visa Consultants
Professional guidance is also very essential to the investors who are interested in the Portuguese residency via a structured and legal path. The licensed Firms such as the Saad Ahsan support the applicants in the process by providing not only the immigration support to the applicants but also, the guidance regarding the investment. They assist the applicants to select the program that suits their objectives and needs.
Conclusion
The increased demand of Portugal golden visa in 2025-26 is a clear indication that mobility nowadays is a strategic element of global planning. There is more to it than seeking residency, investors are pursuing structured, credible and long-term legal access in stable jurisdictions.