Chinese investment in golden visas surpasses 2,000 million and it represents 60% of the total
Since the programme was enforced, over two billion euros were invested by the Chinese in golden visas. In 2017, there was a 37% plunge in that investment, in comparison to 2016.
The accumulated Chinese investment until December in golden visas reached 2,060 million euros, which represents 60% of the amount gathered since the programme has been enforced, according to data from SEF (Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service).
Between 2013 and 2017, investment coming from China — the country that gathered the largest amount of residence permits for investment activities (ARI) — ascended to 2,060,879,791.06 euros, in a total of 3,588 golden visas. In accumulated terms — since golden visas started being granted, on October 8, 2012, until last December –, the total investment caught with the programme reached 3,411,265,842.39 euros. All in all, the Chinese investment weighted around 60% of the total amount raised.
In 2017, the Chinese investment totaled 306,397,093.97 euros (538 visas), which represents a 37% fall in comparison to 487,492,024.01 euros (848 visas) registered in the previous year. By far, the best year for Chinese investments was 2014, when the golden visas programme captured 710,996,841.80 euros (1,235 visas).
Accumulated investment in golden visas
On the other hand, the accumulated amount of Brazilian investment has risen to 400,252,098.21 euros, with a total of 473 visas granted between 2013 and 2017. Brazil, which takes second place in the golden visa programme, was responsible for 178,845,779.64 euros (226 visas) in 2017, more than in 2016 (117,795,095.93 euros, corresponding to 142 visas). Last year was considered the best year for capturing Brazilian investment in Portugal.
As for South Africa, the accumulated investment totaled 139,635,801.71 euros (218 visas). The best year for South African investment was 2017, when the amount raised reached 50,474,222.88 (81 visas). In comparison to 2016, the South African investment in Portugal from the golden visas programme rose 25.7%.
Last year, the investment by means of residence permits for investment activities (ARI) retrieved 3.4% in comparison to 2016, to 844,088,897.77 euros from 1,351 golden visas. From the total investment captured in 2017, requests for acquiring real estate assets continue to be the great source of income, accounting for 770,640,332,93 euros. From this amount, 743,699,901.22 euros correspond to the purchase of real estate assessed in at least 500 thousand euros and 26,940,431.71 euros come from the acquisition of real estate for urban regeneration, assessed in at least 350 thousand euros.
The capital transfer criteria raised 73,448,564.84 euros last year. In 2017, 1,351 golden visas were granted: 70 from capital transfer and two for creating at least 10 job positions. For having purchased properties, 1,279 visas were granted, from which 75 concerned urban rehabilitation. Since this instrument was created, intending to grab foreign investment, 5,553 visas have been granted: two in 2012; 494 in 2013; 1,526 in 2014; 766 in 2015; 1,414 in 2016 and 1,351 in 2017.
