Sorry for the radio silence in October… in between getting married, an extended honeymoon and catching up on emails, it´s been difficult keeping up with everything! But I’m now back in the office and as always, sharing the latest news with you from here in Portugal.
The wedding was perfect – the rain stopped just as everyone arrived and started again as soon as it finished – we were very lucky! We thought the day was ruined when we woke up, but it was amazing, and all our guests had a great time. The venue was incredible, just outside of Lisbon in Estoril, at Forte de Cruz.
A couple of pics below 🙂
But, back to reality now – so much has been happening whilst I’ve been away. There are a few snapshots below, but I’ll be covering everything on my November webinar next week, including –
Portugal Golden Visa latest
Government announcements
New qualifying investments in Portugal
Latest awards and news
What the US election means for Portugal
How to get free Portuguese lessons with your visa!
As always, feel free to drop in and say hello, also a chance to fire any questions at me during a live Q&A. To request the zoom link to join just click here.
AIMA clears 250,000 processes in one year
The Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum (AIMA) completed 250,000 administrative processes in one year related to residence visas, family reunifications or investment residence permits (ARI).
The government has committed to concluding all pending visa applications by the 2nd of June 2025. The Council of Ministers has decided to create a special Task Force for this purpose – very welcome news for all. This gives us an updated ETA for all new applications to be completed within approx. 6-9 months.
US Elections – quiet before the storm
With the results of this week’s election, we expect a busy end to the year with US citizens being the No1 nationality for new applications in 2023. As the dust settles, many will be looking to move forward with their life / family / retirement planning, having been sat on the sidelines over resent months pending the outcome.
If you would like to applyahead of the crowd, now may be the time to book a consultation and we can start by applying for your Portugal tax number and bank account.
There will be a live webinar for US nationals considering a move to Europe this month. My colleague Jacob will be covering everything money related, as aUS expat living in Europe.
Live Webinar – 20th November – Click Here
For any questions regarding the use of US retirement accounts for the Golden Visa, I can direct you to a US based firm to assist with this. There is a continued demand from my US clients on this topic, allowing them to keep the investment funds within the retirement accounts, for US tax purposes.
Holborn shines at the Investment Awards
The Holborn Assets group won seven prestigious awards at the 2024 Investment International Awards, with the Holborn Passport division won two awards, highlighting our commitment to excellence in the citizenship services sector.
On the way back from our honeymoon, we flew via Dubai and attended the Holborn quarterly award ceremony. Luckily, we had some space in our suitcases, with personally picking up three awards from 150+ global consultants –
- Global Citizenship by Investment Consultant – First place
- Global Financial Adviser – First place
- Global Country Manager – First place
Simplified path to learning Portuguese for an EU passport
The thought of passing a language exam for some (including me!) can be quite daunting. To achieve citizenship in Portugal, one must understand the language to an A2 level. The good news being, that there is now an alternative route which involves completing a certain amount of study time, without the need to pass a test. It’s designed for learners who prefer a guided experience without the pressure of a final exam. Please ask for more details, also about our extended services for free lessons.
Minimum capital required for Portugal Golden Visa Investments – 325,000 EUR
Investors continue to qualify for the Golden Visa whilst minimising their own capital outlay. At the time of writing, it remains possible for investors to qualify for the visa with 325,000 EUR of their own capital.
Although a minimum investment of 500,000 EUR is required by law, investors can draw an upfront return of 101,000 EUR and request an optional loan of 74,000 EUR.
Naturally, a lower capital outlay can have added benefits, especially for those looking to release capital from other investments.
There are an increasing number of investments in Portugal for investors to choose from. You will have access to Portugal’s fund directory and be able to select the fund manager of your choice during the process.
Get in touch
Don’t forget to register for the webinar above, but If you´re unable to attend, or would like a personal discussion, please ask me for availability, alternatively you’re welcome to access my diary here.
In the meantime, always feel free to ask if any questions and I’ll continue to share important information with you this year, keeping you up to speed with any changes here in Portugal.
I hope you found this update helpful, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.
