There is apparently a new EU law (whether pending or actually passed to date I’m not sure) that will allow ANYONE who has been a legal resident of an EU member state for THREE (3) years to gain a new EU-wide permanent resident status which would allow them to live, work, study, travel, retire, etc throughout the entire EU.
My understanding of this is that such an EU permanent resident would no longer be subject to the 90/180 day limit for travelling within the EU (or Schengen area - not sure which).
It also means you would not have to wait for five years of PT residence followed by a successful citizenship application to have gained real freedom of movement within the EU.
I’m not saying that I would abandon the path to PT citizenship via the new special D2. But to my mind the special D2 is far preferable to having the old GV if indeed it effectively brings with it this added bonus of being regarded as a ‘normal’ resident of PT and not someone who got their residence via a GV. Because residence obtained via a GV is specifically excluded from this new EU permanent resident status.
To my mind if this goes through then this is massive!
After the good news, following weeks of worry, that the PT-GV is to be made into a special D2 entrepreneur visa - albeit with the same terms for investments, renewals, stay requirements, etc as under the GV - and I know we are still awaiting concrete clarification on this - I sincerely hope that being a resident under the special D2 (rather than under the old GV) will eventually also carry the added bonus that we will all be able to apply for the new EU residence after THREE (3) years of PT residence under the special D2.
If it transpires that this is the case then I will be applying for that EU residence on Day 1 of completing 3 years of PT residence.
I await with bated breath for final clarification on all these changes and what they may or may not eventually mean for obtaining an EU-wide permanent resident status after only 3 years.
There has been this thread on the subject - Proposed EU Long Term Residency Changes as Alternative to Portugal GV - #22 by PCERoman
… and this article - https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/meps-want-to-make-it-easier-for-third-country-citizens-to-obtain-eu-long-term-resident-status/