Portugal: Golden Visas – China invests €2.5B in last 7 years

The Chinese investment raised through gold visas totalled 2.529 billion euros in the seven years of the program, while the Brazilian was 678.6 million euros, according to data from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF).

Launched in October 2012, the Residence Permits for Investment Activities (ARI) raised almost five billion euros (4,911,263,689.42 euros) after seven years, with the acquisition of properties amounting to 4,433,605,566.52 euros.

Of the total amount raised, investment from China accounted for more than half (51%), out of a total of 4,424 ARI allocated.

In the case of Brazil, 844 gold visas were granted during the programme.

Investment of Turkish origin amounted to 200 million euros (370 ARI) and Russian to 198.7 million euros (290 ARI).

South Africa is part of the group of the five main nationalities that invested in Portugal through this instrument, with 194.6 million euros invested, with the concession of 318 ARI.

In October, investment through gold visas fell 19% compared to the same period in 2018, to 59.9 million euros.

Compared to September, the investment obtained increased by 23.7%.

In the first 10 months of the year, investment totalled 661 million euros, 0.8% less than in the same period of 2018.

Between January and October, Chinese investment totalled 196.1 million euros, 10.8% less than the same period last year, while Brazil’s investment fell 23% to 142.9 million euros, and Turkey’s investment fell by half, in year-on-year terms, to 40.6 million euros.

The United States (with 39.3 million euros) and Russia (31.3 million euros) are the other two countries that invested the most through gold visas in 2019.