Europe is not just an opportunity, it is the opportunity, and right now, the door is wider open than it has ever been in history.
Millions of talented, ambitious, and brilliant professionals across the world are desperately searching for their pathway into one of the greatest economic blocs on the planet, and the franchise Partners who position themselves as that pathway today will build businesses of extraordinary scale, extraordinary income, and extraordinary impact for decades to come.
The EU Blue Card is the weapon our franchise Partners carry into that market, a single, unified residence and work permit available across 25 of the 27 EU member states that gives highly qualified professionals from outside the European Union the legal right to live and work in Europe, travel freely across the EU, bring their families, access the same rights and social benefits as EU citizens, change employers after just 12 months, and apply for permanent residency in as little as 21 months. One permit. Twenty-five countries. Millions of life-changing opportunities.
But the Blue Card is just the foundation. Every single EU country has its own additional national work permit pathways, each one a commercial opportunity in its own right, and Rapturous franchise Partners have the knowledge, the expertise, and the full support of our specialist team behind them for every single one.
The European talent market is exploding. The demand for skilled international professionals has never been higher. And the Partners who move first will own it.
An investment of €500,000 into a qualifying Private Equity investment fund or Venture Capital fund within Portugal will gain a golden visa residency permit for a family including dependent children. Although other methods are available including creating jobs or charitable donation (see FAQ below) the fund route is the only passive investment option offering clients a potential return on investment.
There are certain costs to consider in addition to the investment amount for the golden visa. They include:
In addition to the investment and fees applicants will need to open a Portuguese bank account. Investors are required to have a clean criminal record, full health insurance and to submit their applications along with full biometrics. This requires one visit to Portugal at the application stage.
The Golden Visa can be renewed at two-year intervals providing the applicant spends two weeks in the country every two years and maintains their investment.
Germany is the engine of the European economy, the most powerful, the most productive, and the most in-demand professional destination in all of Europe, and it is absolutely hungry for the kind of world-class talent our franchise Partners deliver every single day.
The EU Blue Card in Germany requires a gross annual salary of just €50,700 for standard occupations, reduced to an even more accessible €45,934 for shortage professions including IT, healthcare, and engineering, and in one of the most exciting recent developments, IT specialists can now qualify based on professional experience alone, even without a university degree, blowing the doors open for an entirely new category of talented clients our Partners can now serve.
Permanent residency in Germany is achievable in as little as 21 months for Blue Card holders with B1 German language skills, making Germany one of the fastest routes to European settlement available anywhere in the world, and one of the most commercially powerful services any franchise Partner can put in front of a client.
Austria is one of the most prosperous, stable, and genuinely beautiful countries in the world, and its Red-White-Red Card is one of the most flexible, accessible, and commercially powerful work permits in all of Europe, covering very highly qualified workers, skilled workers in shortage occupations, key workers, graduates of Austrian universities, self-employed key workers, and start-up founders, giving our franchise Partners an almost unlimited pool of eligible clients to serve.
Issued for 24 months with a clear, structured pathway to permanent residency after five years, Austria requires a fixed income of just €1,110.26 per month for singles and €1,751.56 for couples, thresholds that make this one of the most accessible high-quality European markets available, and the lifestyle, the stability, and the standard of living that come with it are simply extraordinary.
Belgium is not just a country, it is the capital of Europe itself, home to the headquarters of the EU, NATO, hundreds of global institutions, and one of the most dynamic and internationally connected economies on the continent. For our franchise Partners, Belgium represents one of the most commercially prestigious and financially rewarding European markets available.
The Belgian Highly Skilled Permit requires a gross annual salary of €53,220 in 2026, with EU Blue Card holders requiring €68,815 and executives €88,790, salary levels that reflect the extraordinary earning potential Belgium offers the talented professionals our Partners serve.
Belgium’s three-region system across Wallonia, Brussels, and Flanders means expert guidance is essential, and our franchise Partners deliver exactly that, turning complexity into competitive advantage.
Bulgaria is one of Europe’s most exciting and underestimated emerging markets, a rapidly growing technology sector, one of the lowest costs of living in the EU, and some of the most accessible Blue Card salary thresholds on the continent, making it one of the most commercially attractive and easiest entry points into European professional life available to any of our franchise Partners’ clients.
With significant labour shortages across IT, engineering, and healthcare, and a government actively seeking skilled international talent, Bulgaria represents a genuinely outstanding opportunity for franchise Partners looking to place ambitious clients into a European market that is growing faster than almost anywhere else on the continent. Permanent residency is achievable after five years of continuous legal residence.
Croatia joined the Schengen Area in 2023 and has immediately become one of the most sought-after and exciting European destinations for skilled international professionals, combining a breathtaking Adriatic coastline, a warm Mediterranean culture, and a rapidly
growing economy with significant labour shortages across IT, engineering, tourism, and healthcare that are creating extraordinary opportunities for our franchise Partners every single day.
For clients who want to build a career in one of Europe’s most beautiful and rapidly developing countries, Croatia is an extraordinary proposition, and our franchise Partners are the people who make it possible. Permanent residency is achievable after five years of continuous legal residence.
Cyprus is one of the most strategically valuable and commercially exciting European opportunities available to our franchise Partners, an English-speaking, Mediterranean EU member state with a thriving financial services, technology, and shipping sector, and a government that is actively and enthusiastically welcoming skilled international professionals through a straightforward, accessible work permit process.
For clients who want the full benefits of European Union membership combined with the comfort of an English-speaking environment and a lifestyle that is genuinely extraordinary, Cyprus is one of the most compelling propositions in our entire portfolio. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
The Czech Republic has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the entire EU, just 2.8% — and acute, urgent labour shortages across IT, engineering, healthcare, and manufacturing that have created an extraordinary, almost insatiable demand for exactly the kind of skilled international talent our franchise Partners deliver.
The Employee Card programme is issuing over 70,000 permits annually, projected to surge to 85,000 in 2026, serving as both a work and residence permit and providing a clear, structured pathway to permanent residency. The Czech Republic is one of Europe’s most digitally advanced immigration systems, with processing times being dramatically reduced and a thriving economy that rewards skilled professionals exceptionally well. Permanent residency is achievable in as little as two years in specific cases.
Estonia is unlike any other country in Europe, the most digitally advanced nation on the planet, the birthplace of Skype, Wise, and dozens of world-changing technology companies, and a government that has built one of the most progressive, efficient, and internationally welcoming immigration systems in the world. Work permit applications are processed with extraordinary speed, making Estonia one of the fastest and most accessible European markets for skilled international professionals, particularly in technology, where demand is absolutely relentless.
For ambitious tech professionals among our franchise Partners’ clients, Estonia is not just a destination, it is a launching pad into one of the world’s most exciting professional ecosystems, with permanent residency achievable after five years.
Finland is consistently rated one of the happiest, most educated, and most technologically advanced countries in the world, and it is desperately hungry for skilled international professionals across IT, healthcare, and engineering, with labour shortages so significant that the government has introduced a dedicated three-month unemployment buffer specifically to make Finland more attractive for international talent.
With an income threshold of just €1,600 per month for work-based residence permits and permanent residency achievable after just four years, with Finnish citizenship available after six years, Finland is one of the most accessible, most rewarding, and most genuinely life-enhancing European destinations our franchise Partners can offer their clients.
France has undergone a complete transformation and is now one of the most dynamic, progressive, and internationally welcoming economies in the world for skilled talent, home to Station F, the world’s largest startup campus, a government committed to attracting the planet’s finest professionals, and the powerful Talent Passport programme that is turning France into the talent capital of Europe.
The Talent Passport is a four-year renewable permit with a minimum gross annual salary of approximately €39,582, absolutely no labour market test, and processing guaranteed within just 30 days, making France one of the fastest, most accessible, and most commercially exciting European markets available to our franchise Partners. Permanent residency is achievable after five years, and for clients who dream of living in one of the world’s greatest countries, France is simply impossible to resist.
Greece is one of the most extraordinary countries in the world, ancient, beautiful, warm, welcoming, and now one of the most commercially exciting and accessible European talent markets available, with a government actively seeking skilled international professionals across IT, tourism, healthcare, and maritime industries and labour shortages that are creating outstanding opportunities for our franchise Partners every single day.
For clients who want to build a professional life in a country that offers an unparalleled quality of life, a Mediterranean climate, a rich cultural heritage, and the full benefits of European Union membership, Greece is one of the most compelling and emotionally powerful propositions in our entire portfolio. Permanent residency is achievable after five years of continuous legal residence.
Hungary is one of Central Europe’s fastest-growing economies and most strategically positioned talent markets, a thriving hub for automotive, manufacturing, technology, and business services with a government that has committed to attracting skilled international professionals and a work permit process that is becoming increasingly streamlined and accessible.
For our franchise Partners, Hungary represents an outstanding commercial opportunity, a market with significant labour shortages, a growing employer base actively seeking international talent, and a clear, structured pathway to permanent residency after three years for Blue Card holders and five years on standard routes, giving our clients one of the fastest European settlement pathways in Central Europe.
Ireland is one of the world’s greatest success stories, a small island that has become one of the most dynamic, innovative, and internationally connected economies on the planet, home to the European headquarters of Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and hundreds of the world’s most powerful companies, all of them actively and urgently seeking exactly the kind of skilled talent our franchise Partners deliver.
The Critical Skills Employment Permit requires an annual salary of just €38,000 for roles on the Critical Skills Occupation List, or €64,000 for any other eligible domain, with a two-year job offer and one of the most English-friendly immigration processes in all of Europe. For clients who want to build a career in the English-speaking heart of the EU technology economy, Ireland is simply an extraordinary proposition. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Italy is the third largest economy in the Eurozone, a country of extraordinary beauty, extraordinary culture, and extraordinary professional opportunity, and it has just committed to issuing nearly 500,000 work permits between 2026 and 2028, signalling to the world that Italy is more open, more ambitious, and more hungry for international talent than at any point in its modern history.
The EU Blue Card requires a minimum gross annual salary of just €24,789 and is completely exempt from the annual quota caps — meaning applications can be submitted year-round with no risk of missing a window, making Italy one of the most accessible and commercially exciting European Blue Card markets available to our franchise Partners. With significant labour shortages across IT, healthcare, engineering, and hospitality, the demand for the talented clients our Partners deliver is absolutely extraordinary. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Latvia is one of Europe’s most dynamic and fastest-growing economies, a thriving hub for IT, logistics, financial services, and technology, with a government that has made attracting skilled international talent a national priority and labour shortages that have created one of the most commercially exciting employer markets in the entire Baltic region.
For our franchise Partners, Latvia represents a genuinely outstanding opportunity, an accessible, progressive, and rapidly growing European market where the demand for skilled international professionals is outpacing supply at an extraordinary rate, and where our Partners can build an exceptional business placing talented clients into careers and lives that will change everything for them. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Lithuania has one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU and one of the most efficient and accessible immigration systems on the continent, with work permit processing times of just 30 days, making it one of the fastest European markets for placing skilled international professionals. The technology sector in particular is booming, with Lithuanian companies and multinational employers alike desperately seeking world-class IT talent.
For franchise Partners who want to deliver results for their clients quickly, Lithuania is one of the most powerful and commercially exciting European markets in our entire portfolio — a country that is growing fast, hiring fast, and rewarding the talented professionals our Partners deliver exceptionally well. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Luxembourg is extraordinary, the wealthiest country in Europe by GDP per capita, the financial capital of the continent, home to the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, and hundreds of the world’s most powerful financial institutions, and one of the most financially rewarding professional destinations on the planet for skilled international talent.
For our franchise Partners, Luxembourg represents one of the most commercially prestigious and financially exceptional European opportunities available, a market where average salaries are among the highest in the world, where demand for skilled international professionals is constant and growing, and where our clients can build professional lives of extraordinary financial security and quality. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Malta is one of the most extraordinary and commercially exciting European opportunities available to our franchise Partners, a warm, English-speaking, Mediterranean EU member state with a thriving iGaming, financial services, and technology sector, a government that is actively welcoming skilled international professionals, and a quality of life that is genuinely unparalleled.
For clients who want the full benefits of European Union membership in an English-speaking environment, with year-round sunshine, a safe and welcoming society, and a growing professional economy, Malta is one of the most emotionally compelling and commercially powerful propositions in our entire portfolio. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
The Netherlands is one of the most internationally open, progressive, and commercially exciting economies in all of Europe, and the Highly Skilled Migrant Permit is one of the most accessible and powerful skilled worker pathways on the continent, requiring just a three-month employment contract and offering processing times of just two weeks for recognised sponsors.
Salary thresholds of €5,008 per month for those 30 and over, €3,672 for those under 30, and a reduced criterion of €2,631 in eligible cases make the Netherlands one of the most commercially accessible European markets for our franchise Partners, and with one of the world’s highest standards of living, an extraordinarily international business culture, and English spoken virtually everywhere, the Netherlands is a proposition that clients find genuinely impossible to resist. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Poland is one of the most remarkable economic success stories in modern European history, a country that has transformed itself into one of Europe’s most dynamic, fastest-growing, and most commercially exciting economies, with a massive and rapidly expanding technology, manufacturing, and business services sector that is creating extraordinary demand for skilled international professionals.
For our franchise Partners, Poland represents one of the most exciting and commercially powerful Central European opportunities available, a huge market, significant labour shortages across multiple sectors, an increasingly streamlined immigration process, and a country that is growing so fast that the demand for the talented clients our Partners deliver is simply extraordinary. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Portugal has become one of the most sought-after countries in the entire world for skilled international professionals, consistently ranking as one of the most liveable, affordable, beautiful, and opportunity-rich European nations, with a government that is rolling out the welcome mat for the world’s finest talent in a way that no other EU country comes close to matching.
The Highly Qualified Activity Visa covers IT professionals, directors, scientists, engineers, PhD students, and legal and cultural experts, requiring a work contract with a salary of at least 1.5 times the national gross annual average. The benefits are extraordinary, full EU freedom of movement, family reunification, access to Portugal’s world-class public services, and Portuguese citizenship after just five years of legal residence, followed by one of the most powerful passports in the world. For any client who has ever dreamed of a life in southern Europe, Portugal is the proposition that makes that dream real.
Romania is one of Europe’s most exciting and fastest-growing emerging markets, a country with a rapidly expanding technology sector, significant investment from multinational companies, and labour shortages that have created one of the most commercially accessible and opportunity-rich professional markets in Eastern Europe. The EU Blue Card is available alongside national work permits, and for franchise Partners looking to serve ambitious clients seeking their first European foothold, Romania represents an extraordinary and underserved commercial opportunity. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Slovakia is a thriving, strategically positioned Central European economy, a powerhouse for automotive, manufacturing, and technology, with significant labour shortages, a highly educated workforce, and a government that is actively and enthusiastically seeking skilled international professionals. For our franchise Partners, Slovakia represents a genuinely outstanding and largely untapped commercial opportunity, a growing market, an accessible immigration process, and a country that rewards skilled international talent exceptionally well. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Slovenia is one of Europe’s most underappreciated and genuinely extraordinary countries, a small, prosperous, and breathtakingly beautiful nation strategically positioned at the crossroads of Western and Central Europe, with a highly educated workforce, a thriving technology sector, and a government committed to attracting the world’s best talent. For clients who want to build a career in one of Europe’s most liveable, most beautiful, and most progressive countries, Slovenia is an extraordinary and deeply compelling proposition. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Spain is one of the most exciting, most dynamic, and most financially compelling European destinations for skilled international talent in the world right now, and our franchise Partners have every reason to be absolutely ecstatic about what Spain offers their clients. Visa decisions are notified within just ten working days, residence permits are completed within 20 days, and Spain’s landmark Startup Law offers a flat 24% income tax rate for the first six full years, making Spain not just one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, but one of the most financially extraordinary. Permanent residency is achievable after five years.
Sweden is one of the world’s most advanced, most progressive, and most internationally welcoming economies, home to Spotify, IKEA, Volvo, and Ericsson, and a country that has just made its EU Blue Card one of the most accessible and flexible on the continent, reducing the minimum salary threshold to 1.25 times the average gross annual salary and the minimum contract length to just six months.
Blue Card holders in Sweden can now change employers with a simple notification, no new permit required, giving our franchise Partners’ clients a level of professional freedom and flexibility that is genuinely extraordinary. With universal healthcare, free higher education, and a quality of life that is consistently ranked among the highest in the world, Sweden is a proposition that sells itself. Permanent residency is achievable after four years.
The benefits of Portugal’s Golden Visa scheme have helped establish it as arguably the world’s foremost residency by investment program. They include:
From 2012 through to 2023 it was possible to invest in real estate in Portugal to gain the golden visa. That all changed in October 2023 when a new law was passed introducing new rules. The law now restricts inward investment to direct company investment (creating jobs) or through Private Equity or Venture Capital Funds. Such funds must be registered under legislation in Portugal. They can not be invested in real estate and must have a minimum maturity of five years. 60% of the fund must be invested in companies with a head office in Portugal. We act as an introducer to regulated Fund Managers but we do not provide investment advice. Please read our disclaimer.
A few examples of qualifying Fund Investments for residency and citizenship investment in Portugal. For advice and details on each of these please contact us for an introduction to the relevant fund manager who is regulated to give advice on these. We have also written a general guide to Private Equity investing in Portugal.
Investment in this Agrobusiness fund qualifies for Portugal's new Golden Visa programme.
Portugal | €500,000
Previously it was possible to invest through real estate. That is no longer the case. Now investment must be through either:
Investing €500,000 through a Private Equity or Venture Capital Fund: These are funds regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). Such funds are managed by a regulated Fund Manager. Funds can not be invested in real estate.
Company Investment: Either by establishing your own company and creating 10 jobs or investing a minimum €500,000 in an existing company creating 5 jobs.
Family reunification is a key benefit. The main investor applying for the programme can include:
▪ A spouse or partner
▪ Children under 18 years old
▪ Dependent children over 18 years old, as long as they are unmarried and enrolled in full-time education
▪ Dependent parents of either spouse or partner, over 55 years old. No need to provide evidence of dependency if they are over 65 years old
▪ Siblings under 18 years old of either spouse or partner if legally under their supervision
Children over the age of 18 years old can be included, however, they must remain dependent for each year until citizenship is achieved. There is no official age limit for dependent children, but we would advise no older than around 22 or 23 years as they need to remain dependent for the five-to-six-year period following. In reality, it can be much harder to prove a 28 year old child is still dependent, unmarried and in full time education, although it is possible.
For the initial residency application, there is no language test required. The language test is only applicable when applying for Citizenship, so applicants have 5-6 years to prepare for this step. Anyone under the age of 10 years old does not need to take the language test. The language test is an A2 level (conversational level) and most of the test is in a multiple-choice format.
Unless you reside in Portugal for 183 days of the year or more, you will not be taxed on your worldwide income. As a non-tax resident, you only need to pay tax in Portugal if you earn any income in Portugal, for example, a rental return from your property. If you do choose to reside in Portugal, please note the previous Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) program is no longer available from 2024. This granted certain tax exemptions for overseas income tax for the first 10 years of residence. For overseas investors there is no tax on investment gains or investment income from funds in Portugal but such income may well be taxed in your home country as overseas income.
No. It must be purchased personally.
As a Portuguese resident, you can gain access to Portugal’s national health service (SNS), providing you are a fiscal resident.
However, as part of the Golden Visa application process, you must provide evidence of a private health insurance policy to be granted the residency visa. Price can vary depending on the individual’s health and any pre-existing conditions. If you are not residing in Portugal full time, as many Golden Visa holders will not be, we would advise continuing with a private healthcare policy.
Yes, you can. This is now the only passive investment route for the golden visa unless you want to be investing in a specific company, your own or an established business, that will create jobs. Programme rules and benefits remain the same whichever route.
If you are cohabiting with a long-term partner, sometimes referred to as a common-law partner, it is possible to apply for most of the European Golden Visa programmes under one joint application. In Portugal, unmarried couples who have been residing together for a minimum of 2 years are eligible to apply together, providing they can supply evidence of their relationship. Official documents confirming they share an address, have joint assets or evidence that they have children together would be sufficient to support the case. It is also possible for same-sex couples to apply together under the same application.
Since Portugal introduced their Golden Visa programme in 2012, at the time of writing over 12,000 main investors have now been approved for Portuguese residency, with over 18,000 family members also being accepted. The total revenue generated by the programme is over €5.3 billion.
The Golden Visa programme in Portugal is open to all non-EU Citizens. This now also includes British citizens, following Brexit. There are no non-EU citizens that are prohibited from applying, however, certain nationalities such as Iranian citizens and Russian citizens may find it difficult to open a Portuguese bank account, due to the EU’s banking compliance process. This is not to say it is not possible. If you have any concerns, please contact La Vida’s experts for more advice.
In theory, the only reason an application would be rejected is if an applicant has a criminal record, has been dishonest on the application, or has not fulfilled the minimum investment requirements. It is a document-driven process and Our advisors, and legal partners will work closely with you throughout the process to compile your file to ensure your application is successfully approved.
▪ Valid Passport, Schengen Visa and travel documents
▪ Investment certificate
▪ Declaration from a bank in Portugal confirming the transfer of the funds
▪ Absence of criminal conviction in Portugal and of interdiction to enter the country
▪ Criminal certificate from country of origin (absence of conviction of relevant crime)
▪ Absence of notice from the Portuguese Immigration Authorities or Schengen Services
▪ Declaration from the investor confirming compliance with
the investment requirements
In the early days of the program China was the dominant source country. Today it is the USA. The growth in the US market has been quite staggering. Over 40% of all investors through us are now from the US. Other popular source countries include Nigeria, Lebanon, India, South Africa, Turkey and since Brexit, the UK.
Since the rule changes in October 2023 qualification for the Portuguese Golden Visa can be through:
▪ Fund Subscription: Minimum €0.5m
▪ Company creation: With minimum 10 jobs created
▪ Donating a minimum €250,000 to national heritage.
▪ Investing a minimum €500,000 in Research & Development
▪ If you are interested in any of these options, please contact us for further details.
No it is not. The government were proposing to close the golden visa for future applications following an announcement in February 2023. Since then consultation with many interested parties in business have taken place. The final bill, put forward in the Portuguese Parliament on 19th July 2023, proposed keeping the Golden Visa program but ending the real estate route, that is the €280,000 and €350,000 options. This bill was passed and the legislation came into effect in October 2023. The main route to the Golden Visa is now Fund Investment, which is set at €500,000.
There are several residency visas available in Portugal. However they are not part of the Golden Visa and carry different benefits. They include the D2 Entrepreneur or Start up Visa, D3 Tech Visa, D7 Retirement Visa and D8 Digital Nomad Visa. These visas tend to require residency, ie living and becoming tax resident in Portugal. They are very different to the Golden Visa which for most investors is held as an option to reside with minimal requirement to visit.
After five years of holding a golden visa in Portugal the holder can apply for citizenship and if successful then a Portuguese passport can be applied for. The applicant would need to retain their golden visa investment.
It’s not possible for golden visa investors to get immediate citizenship through investment in Portugal. Citizenship is only possible after a period of residency. If the investor holds a golden visa, which is a type of residency visa, for five years then they can apply for Portuguese citizenship (which is EU citizenship). Recent legislation in 2024 means that the five year time period now begins at the point of application for the golden visa. This is a positive development for anyone in the process of waiting for their GV application to complete.
The Residence Permit for Investment (ARI) regime is the official name for the Portuguese Golden Visa. The legislation allows Nationals from outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland to obtain a temporary residence permit for investment activities in Portugal. Among the benefits it allows the granting of a Permanent Residence Authorisation under the terms of the Foreigners Law (Law no. 23/2007) and the acquisition of Portuguese nationality (citizenship), through naturalization under the Nationality Law (Law no. 37/81).
Unfortunately you can not invest with Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Investments need to be made in Fiat currency through the banking system and from a bank account opened in Portugal. It may be possible to pay some limitedamount of fees with Crypto.
The Residence Permit for Investment (ARI) (known as the golden visa) was launched in 2012. Since then, it has delivered €7.3bn in inward investment to the Portuguese economy. Chinese nationals were the dominant investors over this time period although in recent years this has switched towards the USA. In addition, Brazil, Turkey, Nigeria, Hong Kong and South Africa are also strong investors. Close on 85% of all investment (from 11383 main investors) was channelled into real estate until the change in the programme in 2023. A total of 723 investments were made into venture capital projects, 1312 by transferring capital and just 23 for creating ten jobs. These statistics will shift going forward from 2024 as real estate has been eliminated as a potential route.
There are still lengthy delays in processing golden visa applications in Portugal. One positive piece of news is the impending change to the citizenship laws. This will mean that wait times will count in the five year period before Portuguese citizenship can be applied for. The five year clock will start ticking from the point of application. The Portuguese Government has taken several steps to reduce the golden visa backlog by 50%.
Other residency routes exist as an alternative to the golden visa scheme. The Portugal HQA visa seeks entrepreneurs with a proven track record looking to start a business in the country through foreign investment. This may work for business people wishing to spend significant time in the country while establishing their new venture. The Portugal D7 visa requires the applicant to make Portugal their primary country of residence. Neither offers the flexibility of the portugal golden visa programme which is a passive programme allowing the golden visa holder to live elsewhere, having to visit Portugal for an average of just 7 days each year. Golden visa investors have far less restrictions on their lives than those on the D7 or HQA.
Twenty-five countries. Hundreds of work permit pathways. Millions of life-changing opportunities. And one team that knows every single one of them inside out, that is what our franchise Partners get when they choose Rapturous, and that is what makes the difference between a good business and an unstoppable one.
The European talent market is the single greatest commercial opportunity in international recruitment today, and the franchise Partners who have the right expertise, the right support, and the right network behind them will absolutely own it. Not some of it. All of it. Because when a client walks through the door of a Rapturous franchise Partner asking how to get to Europe, they are not walking away without an answer, they are walking away with a plan, a pathway, and a partner who will fight for them every single step of the way.
This is not just immigration advice. This is not just a consultation. This is the moment that changes everything, for your client, for their family, and for the business our franchise Partners are building. The demand is relentless, the opportunity is extraordinary, and the only question left is whether you are ready to be the person who delivers it.
©2026. Rapturous. All Rights Reserved.
