Portugal Golden Visa Update: What You Can’t Afford to Miss (September 2025)
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Portugal’s Golden Visa landscape keeps evolving. This September 2025 update covers multi‑year delays, new immigration law, digital rollout, and citizenship reform risks — what investors should know today.
As the Golden Visa becomes more legally and administratively complex, staying informed is no longer optional. From record backlogs and fresh legal reforms to the promise of a full digital portal next year—this September 2025 update is your essential guide for navigating uncertainty in Portugal’s investor residency path.
Quick Highlights
Topic | Latest |
|---|---|
Immigration law passed | Parliament approved a revised bill after veto, adjusting family reunification rules. |
Permit delays | Residence permit appointments delayed up to 6 months past D visa expiry. |
Processing time | Golden Visa averages ~39.6 months processing/delivery time. |
Visa issuance surge | 4,987 Golden Visas granted in 2024 (+72% YoY). |
Digital portal coming | Full online Golden Visa system launches Jan 2026. |
Citizenship reform under review | Proposed shift to 10-year naturalisation faces constitutional pushback. |
Six‑Month Queues & No D Visa Extensions
Many Golden Visa applicants now wait up to six months just to schedule their Temporary Residence Permit appointment—often beyond the 120-day D visa window.
Since there’s no formal extension mechanism for D visas, these delays lead to travel lockouts—applicants can’t exit or re-enter Portugal while waiting.
Backlog Escalates Processing Times
The average Golden Visa application now takes nearly 3.3 years (39.6 months) for completion.
Many attribute the long wait to the transition from SEF to AIMA, resource constraints, and surging demand.
New Immigration Law Passed
After the President’s veto, Parliament passed a revised immigration bill on September 30, 2025. Changes include a softened approach to family reunification: couples with a one-year relationship can apply earlier, and dependents with disabilities benefit from relaxed rules.
Citizenship Reform Under Fire
A controversial proposal to extend naturalisation from 5 to 10 years continues to draw legal challenges. Judiciary bodies have warned that punitive nationality revocation (for crimes) risks creating unequal classes of citizens.
AIMA will roll out a fully digital Golden Visa portal in January 2026. Features will include online forms, payment, and integrated biometric scheduling post‑approval.
Ongoing and renewal cases will stay on the legacy system to reduce risks during migration.
Submit under current rules while possible
File your dossier under the 5-year / existing system before controversial changes are enacted.Prepare for delays in mobility
Don’t plan travel until your residence permit is finalized; assume D visa can’t be extended.Use litigation leverage
Constitutional court protections (e.g. on family reunification) may strengthen your bargaining position.Track the digital platform rollout
Cases initiated after Jan 2026 will go into the new system—timing matters.Stay legally current
The citizenship proposal is volatile; rely on counsel to assess whether your case is protected by transitional or grandfathering clauses.
See our Portugal Golden Visa Complete Guide for eligibility, route options, and FAQs.
For side-by-side comparisons, check Portugal vs Other European RBI Programs.
Don’t let administrative logjams or legal shifts stall your Golden Visa ambitions. At GVFP, we monitor every development and help clients lock in compliance and competitive positioning. Schedule a review now.
Is the Golden Visa program being canceled?
No — it remains active. Some investment routes (e.g. real estate, capital transfer) were removed earlier; further changes are proposed but not yet law.Will the 10‑year citizenship rule apply to my case?
It’s not confirmed. The reform is contested and may include transitional protections or exemptions—but nothing is guaranteed.Can I travel while waiting for my permit?
Typically no. With D visa limitations and appointment delays, many get stuck in Portugal until residence permit issuance.Are family reunification rights safe?
Largely yes. Recent judicial rulings have preserved existing protections for Golden Visa family rights.Will the digital rollout speed up processing?
That’s the goal—but initial phases will be limited to new cases; carry‑over and renewal cases remain on the old system.
Tariq El-Asad
Founder at goldenvisafundsportugal.com
Tariq El-Asad has worked with the Golden Visa program since 2014 and launched GoldennVisaFundsPortugal.com in 2021.
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