I’m considering dropping my application and not attending my biometrics appointment. I’d like to hear from those choosing to stay with the golden visa program why they’re choosing to stay in it and continue with the process after the constitutional courts ruling. Thank you.
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I already have my card which only expires mid 2027 so I’m waiting to see what parliament does.
If I had a biometrics appointment soon I might try to delay it. Cheaper to pay a doctor for a medical excuse to postpone the appointment than to pay thousands for a visa you may never use?
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I’ll be staying in the program regardless of what ultimately ends up happening for the sole reason that I don’t have an alternate option. I think the odds are pretty good that we’ll end up with some legal framework under which we can sue, but the worst case scenario is still somewhat acceptable because I’m relatively young. If I were older or less affluent, the math might be different for me.
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I am sure each person’s considerations depend on the status of their cards but here is my two cents…
- I would be happy living in Portugal and thus if I am too old to obtain a passport but have been living in Portugal, that will be fine with me. Am starting to see the passport as a “nice to have” but not necessary.
- My five year anniversary from application is next August. Am betting Parliament may not have enacted a law by that time and I can apply. Have the language certificate so just waiting for the time to pass.
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The main reason? I’m in a closed end fund and the 6k fee for a main applicant isn’t an issue. If I were in a fully open fund I would absolutely delay biometrics until this is sorted out.
With that being said I went into this fully anticipating the 5 years being extended and additional language/citizenship requirements, and I was fully aware that it would be done by saying the residency program was different than the citizenship program. What I hadn’t anticipated was the retroactive nature of not counting the timeline from application date as well as the effectiveness of lawsuits basically evaporating. I also hadn’t expected the extent and nature of anti-immigrant comments coming from so many politicians. I do think there is still the possibility of a successful lawsuit on the legitimate expectations front when it comes time for that, but I also expect more bad news before then. I’m also young enough to weather the additional wait if needed.
Lastly, there really aren’t any other options of starting a citizenship clock without physically moving to another country that officially allows dual citizenship, which right now I can’t do.
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Easy for parliament to kill that too though. Now we know there’s no protection against retroactivity.
You could need 10 years legal residence and 1800 days physical presence.
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@kay Thank you for eloquently writing my exact situation.
My bio is Feb 9 and I’m preparing as if I will go, but my bookings are refundable and I’m still on the fence. I may postpone. There are so many emotional and practical considerations and the timing makes the decision so difficult.
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We don’t know anything yet. Nothing has changed.
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We know that
- Parliament was already willing to pass a retroactive law.
- While the TC struck down the law in some aspects, they did not rule the retroactive part unconstitutional.
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Only staying because this was originally meant as a path to EU citizenship for my child who is currently a toddler. If I had older children, if I was older, or if I urgently needed to relocate, I’d be looking at other options. As is, I’m waiting to see whether it even makes sense to keep my husband and toddler on the application. Or just continue solo and try to get citizenship then file for reunification. Lots to be decided in the next few months as things become more clear (until they inevitably change again).
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While I don’t disagree to some extent, I still think that legitimate expectation point is possible down the line. Maybe not for everything, but certainly for something. I could end up being completely wrong too, but I’m hoping not. Being as the plan was to live in Portugal at some point, it isn’t too much different from the others on our other list of possibilities.
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I shared my reasoning in a similar thread a couple of days ago and I find myself returning to it again and again. Aside from all the issues I mentioned in my other post, I keep thinking about how politicians and ordinary people view immigration and immigrants today especially on social media, and how those attitudes might change for the worse over the next ten years.
Seeing immigrants, particularly Golden Visa applicants, increasingly portrayed as the source of broader problems in Portugal is alarming to me. It makes me stop and reflect if this is really the future I want to have for myself and my wife, and is it worth the stress, headaches, and financial commitment that come with it?
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I’m staying. I have a GV in-hand and I’ll renew next year.
PT GV is among a small group non-resident visa - I think that’s valuable in it’s own right.
I enjoy living in PT, if I move I’ll retain my GV.
Technically the GV only gives access to PT but if you manage well you can spend a fair amount of time in the rest of schengen without difficulty.
If I actually wanted to live full-time in another EU country there are plenty of full-time resident visas available.
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I’m really on the fence. We just moved to Portugal full time because it was a now-or-never moment with our kids—our school in Porto wouldn’t accept them next year if we waited. We applied in March 2023 under the real estate route, and the main applicant’s biometrics are scheduled on February 13.
Now we’re in limbo because of our children’s ages. If there’s no grandfathering, we’ll likely switch to a D7, settle here long term, and give up the hope that the kids will be able to obtain citizenship (they’re currently 15 and 16). We’re also hoping my husband’s U.S.-based work won’t require him to be in the States more than the allowed time.
But if grandfathering does apply, then pulling out of the process would mean we made a huge mistake.
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Hi Maggie, I’m not certain, but I thought you had to apply for a D7 outside the country. Hopefully you have have been told something ‘official’ instead of what some guy on a forum thinks. 
Hi DrNBC,
It’s a bit of a dance, but our plan would be to apply once we’re back in the U.S. this summer. We’re pursuing student visas for the kids, and since they’re minors, we could also apply through them if we decide to forgo the ARI. That path would at least allow us to leave Portugal without any compliance issues, and then apply from the U.S. during summer break.
I’ve been following your other thread as well, and we’re in a similar position—we also bought an old villa in a small village. I understand the challenges you’re navigating and can really appreciate the need for a clear exit strategy, best of luck to you!
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There should be no problem with your children’s ages if y’all stay on GV.
Hi Tommy,
If there’s no grandfathering, they would be 25 and 26 by then—likely finished with university—plus another 2–3 years for the citizenship process itself. Wouldn’t that mean they’ve aged out by that point? I would be thrilled to be wrong.
After 5 years of card if they have A2 Portuguese they can switch to GV Permanent Residence. At this point their residence rights become independent of yours so there is no longer any issue of “aging out”.
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If you are going to renovate, I’d strongly recommend underfloor heating and capoto insulation. Seems like those are the only 2 things that can make or break one’s comfort level in these older villas. Good luck! 