1- Currently, Schengen visa is not given for biometrics due to Covid?! only national visa is offered. Does this visa allow travel to all other European countries as well or not?
2- Does the residency status allow work in other European countries or only citizenship allows for that?
3- Was there a cabinet decision yesterday to limit the GV? Is this is effective for all new applications?
Hi, I’m new to the community, so please point me to where I might find more info if my questions have already been asked/discussed.
I’m considering working with Mercan/RAG for Portugal GV. Everything looks legit, but am wondering what additional due diligence might be recommended?
Everything looks legit, but I’m wondering how to cross check legitimacy? Reviewing the various suggestions in this article, none of the funds have the same “one-stop shop” convenience, and the prices/fees seem reasonable. Compellingly, it seems like it should be an advantage to have in-house lawyers/accountants experienced with the process and the investment house, but there could be a potential conflict of interest if I run into problems or my $$$ evaporates somehow. Am I being too paranoid?
Anyone have any experience/feedback working with Mercan/RAG?
Thanks in advance,
Brian
You need to provide them with the criminal records of the country you mention when obtaining your Portuguese tax identification number. The country of Citizenship and tax residence (utility bill provided to obtain you NIF). There is not way for them to know were you lived all your life.
Thanks for the feedback.
A- What “public entity” are you referring to? For example, if someone wants to work in Germany what do they have to do?
B- What is involved in obtaining another European country residency when holding Portuguese residency?
A- Tax Authority and Social Security. If you want to work in Germany you will have to check the laws foreseen in that country.
B- You need to comply with the laws of the European Country to obtain residency there.
Correction: There is no European law which limits the ability to hold both.
Thanks.
Based on what you said, the clear answer I think is Portugal’s temporary residency is not a guarantee for obtaining any other European country residency or being able to work there. That has to be done on it’s own merits and decided by laws of each and every European country variably.
Furthermore, other European countries will have a more streamlined approach or eve an obligation to allow relocation of *citizens of Portugal to their countries but the same does not extend to *residents of Portugal.
So, in nutshell, Portugal temporary residency (GV) is not a quick pathway (wait 5-7 years first) to other European countries.
correct. 
Hello everyone. I had a question regarding the stay requirements.
Now that the first residency card is issued for a 2 year period (instead of 1 year), does that in turn change the stay requirements? Is it still required that the holder stay 7 days in year 1?
No, I believe it’s 14 days within the first 2 years. My understanding is that to renew the card, you need to stay on average of 7 days per year. Since the first card is good for 2 years, like renewals, you’ll just be evaluated on that 2 year period.
Hello,
@tkrunning hank you for very comprehensive information. I have one question:
With a Golden Visa, as a Portugese resident, does a person have permission to stay long term in Schengen country, not just traveling through. We can stay 90 days visa free with US passports, but can we stay, let’s say 6 month or a year with Portuguese GV?
Portuguese GV is a visa that lets you stay in Portugal. If you want to stay in another country long term, depends on how long, you have to get a visa from that country.
Thank you,
Yes, i have the same question. I am not looking to stay in one county outside Portugal, was thinking about moving around.
Thanks Again 
@tkrunning There an error in the article. It says the Portugal Gateway fund has a minimum 350,000 EUR investment but it’s actually only 100,000 EUR. I’ve confirmed the amount with Gavin the fund manager and the management regulations.
Then they need to update their public-facing documents; the term sheet on their web site still shows 350k. It’s one reason I ignored them. (That 5% setup fee doesn’t help either.)
Yea good point. Just emailed Gavin the fund manager to let him know.
You remember correctly that GV holders don’t have the same physical requirements for permanent residency as other visa holders. I remember that to be true as well. (Had to look for the article that I read awhile back and found it!) The article also provide the link to the law in Portuguese.
The link you provided didn’t work.
Here is a screenshot of what they posted. I suspect you are correct since it was also my recollection.
In general, I think there is a fair amount of misinformation.
Oh, weird. I can still click on the link. Regarding minimum stay, the article says,
Permanent residence, no minimum period
“The permanent residence permit was created only for holders of ‘gold’ visas, and these are exempt from the requirement of a minimum stay of two months a year in Portugal,” attorney José Miguel Albuquerque, associate at PLMJ Law Firm, told Portuguese news agency Lusa.
“The regulatory decree exempts [from the rule of a minimum stay of two months], but does not conclude anything,” he added about the minimum requirements for staying in Portugal.
The gold visa programme is now five years old, and the first people to receive one back then have now passed a minimum period that allows them to advance with the application for a permanent residence permit in Portugal.
According to the lawyer, the law will grant a permanent residence permit to holders of golden visas if they continue to invest in Portugal.
That is to say, they maintain their investment and the “in return they are exempted from the periods of residence”, explained José Miguel Albuquerque.
Well, that is a bit contradictory. This attorney is discussing two different things - the temporary 2 year stays, and permanent residence. He is actually conflating the two concepts so this adds even more confusion and mystery…
The “if they continue to invest…” language is a bit worrisome. For physical real estate maybe that isn’t a huge problem, but for the funds it would practically require you to pursue citizenship because the funds have a fixed lifespan in most cases of 6-10 years.
I did get your link to work and I found a few troubling provisions.
Article 65b
Minimum time requirement for investment activity
The minimum time requirement of five years for the maintenance of the investment activity shall be counted from the date of granting the residence permit.
I pointed this out in another thread but worth repeating. If your investment fund closed in January 2021 and runs for 5 years, and your biometrics is not until 2022 (very real possibility), your investment period of 5 years starts in mid 2022 (when the residence permit is granted) and thus goes to mid 2027. Your investment fund could be closed out by then and you would no longer comply with Article 65b.
Article 65c
Minimum periods of stay
For the purpose of renewing a residence permit, applicant citizens referred to in Article 90a of Law No 23/2007of 4 July, in their current wording, shall comply with the following minimum periods of residence:
(a) 7 days, followed or interpolated, in the 1st year;
(b) 14 days, followed or interpolated, in subsequent two-year periods.
I believe this is what the lawyer is referring to in the article you quoted. This really has nothing to do with permanent residency and is only about continuously extending the 2 year short term visas under the GV.
