I would like recommendations for companies that provide consultancy services for obtaining the Golden Visa in Portugal via investment funds. My expectation is to receive full support from the beginning to the end of the process.
In my research, I found the following options and have contacted them:
Ancor Capital Partners
Henley & Partners
Nacionalidade Portuguesa
Recently, I also contacted these three companies and am awaiting a response:
Global Citizen Solutions
Get Golden Visa
La Vida Golden Visas
My question is if anyone knows these companies and what their experience has been throughout the process. Besides these, are there other companies that are market references?
Hiring a consultancy firm is not recommended.
They will be just an extra layer of complexity and confusion syphoning your money and paying random subcontractors to do the legal legwork.
You instead should hire a PT-based legal firm directly, there are plenty of recommendations on this forum for good lawyers in PT.
All I can say dear doomguy is that Portugal Golden Visa application is a sure shot way to impending doom for any applicant. I would suggest you to explore alternate means and jurisdictions than Portugal GV. I have experience with 2 of the firms you listed above and I 100% agree with Tommy’s assessment. If u still proceed, best of luck in your journey ahead.
I have been very impressed with Global Citizen Solutions. They had the most thorough website and good reviews and I am doing the GV fund investment route.
Communication has been excellent and they have been prompt and helped with great checklists and staying on each item that they need. They got my tax ID number, just got all the bank out stuff opened for me. Went with Bison Bank. They set up all the interviews with the investment funds.
I am impressed. I wouldn’t do this without a firm helping; and I have ZERO complaints about global citizen solutions so far. Very happy.
I know this is a long process but we are moving forward with it as we don’t plan to go over to Portugal for several years.
If you are just starting out, I really do wish you well! But as a word of caution, please check at least the following thread for potential pitfalls ahead: Global Citizen Solutions vs. Henley & Partners.
There are pitfalls every step of the way, and if you do not ask the right questions and make appropriate decisions on your own, it could cost you years in time and thousands of Euros in money. Please check this forum for very helpful warnings and advice.
I think if I were using a consultant, I’d want to examine which investment funds they were showing me. I don’t know whether they take an introducer commission from the funds, and I’d worry that influenced their selection. For example, would they suggest an open ended fund like BPI Portugal, which (as far as I can tell) doesn’t pay any finders fees to third parties?
Nothing impressive about Nif and bank account. Lawfirm must open it if they want to earn money from you. After your money is transferred to the fund, it is gonna be an interesting part.
How does your lawfirm help you in getting pre-approval/secure appointments for biometric/proceed lawsuit if necessary…? We will see their true color very soon.
I do not have any law firm to recommend. So far, I only use 01 law firm which is the one from beginning until now. Since I have tried only 1 law firm, I do not feel confident enough to recommend to others. To make a fair comparison, one needs to experience at least 2-3 law firms.
You can search my previous posts. I have already shared my experience. I am at the step of trying to renew my resident card which is about to expire this year.
I will never understand the lack of posts like this. Why write an entire post, not include the name of the firm you are happy with/ then tell others to spend time searching your post history. Just say the firm you are happy with, it will help hundreds who see this in the future trying to make a decision like the rest of us
I’m very happy with this firm, they handled my successful court case over delay in my application. I have also seen this firm recommended by others: https://www.nsmadvogados.pt/en/
Can I ask you a question about that firm? Do they respond to your emails in what you would consider a reasonable fashion? They are also my firm, and I wonder if it is just my contact person, or just the way they are.
Yes, they do respond on email, perhaps next day I would say.
I also have the WhatsApp of my contact and we message that way directly - generally same day.
So I would say they are very responsive
That’s very good to know - thanks! As just a typical exchange, I emailed a question to my contact there last Tuesday, sent a reminder ping on Thursday, then end of the day on Friday, and still nothing. I don’t have a WhatsApp contact - I’m wondering if I should get that, and also if I should elevate this (but to who?? I have no idea). It feels like shouting into the void at this point.
Just a post script to our DM’S on this…
It’s doesn’t make it right, but many professionals took a long weekend last week and will again next or take the whole week off - yesterday was a Public holiday & Thursday too - there are street parties throughout Lisbon each evening I expect very little will happen this week either.
I agree with Mr Gunn. Do not use a firm that packages everything. Obtain a NIF using a small accounting firm and register with their address. Don’t pay much for this. Open your own account with a bank that has modern digital services. Bison were very helpful with opening a base account though they are an investment bank. You can use them for your GV investment. Later you can open an account elsewhere for day to day transactions. We used MBCP. Use a large law firm to apply for your GV. If for no other reason than that they have junior resources who are assigned to spend all day looking for registration and renewal appointments. Do your own research on funds. Talk to them by video. Make your own choice. Later, when you are maybe looking to buy a home, write a Portuguese will, whatever, you can choose a local lawyer near the property. You don’t need a big firm for that.
I am contemplating filing a lawsuit so doing some research.
Soon it will be 90 business days since I attended my biometrics appointment. My application is still in the analysing stage. I require my residence card to travel for work so this is very frustrating. If I do not receive my card on day 90, I want to be ready to file my court papers.
Any advice on which lawyers or law firms to use will be much appreciated
I expect very little will happen this week either.