My wife and I are planning to obtain a Portugese Golden Visa (real estate option) in the coming months. We do not intend to permanently reside in Portugal for the time being.
We have two children, currently aged 2 and 4.
I searched these forums and cannot find a clear answer on a few items.
For the minimum visit requirement, do all 4 of us need to satisfy it? Only the adult applicants? Only the main applicant?
When we’re eligible to apply for citizenship in 5 years, our kids will be 7 and 9. Can they obtain citizenship at that time, or must they wait until they’re 18? If they can, what is required (e.g. a language test)?
Everyone is required to visit for minimum period of days per year. For the kids under 18 its a complicated situation. There is some discussion of this somewhere but you’d be best off asking your lawyer to discuss in detailed the different scenarios. Again, if you read the shiny brochures they make it seem very straightforward, but the marketing is very oversimplified for kids. The reality is much more of a minefield in my understanding.
With respect to kids, the clear answer is “it depends”.
There is no hard set of requirements defined in law or regs for the naturalization of children in the general case. It depends on the specific situation you envision as of the point in time when you apply. There are some specific guidelines for specific situations.
Basically, it boils down to the “ties” thing - how tied both you and they are to the country.
Anything further, you probably need to consult a lawyer since even lawyers can have at least somewhat differing experiences and opinions on the matter.
@susanayang wrote some excellent posts on this, and they should turn up in search. Some of us have debated as well.