The Easiest Pathway to a Permanent Life in Europe.
Lately, all anyone talks about is Portugal!
That’s understandable. Not only is it a beautiful country with amazing culture and cuisine… it’s also one of the most expat-friendly countries in the European Union. Its Golden Visa program is justifiably famous as one of the fastest and easiest routes to residency in the region.
Surprisingly, however, many potential expats aren’t exactly clear on what Portugal is… its history, the language, how it’s different from neighboring Spain, and so on.
Here’s why Portugal is unique… and why it’s the perfect place to gain a foothold in the European Union.
Plenty of Americans are familiar with Hispanic culture—after all, it dominates practically every bit of the Western Hemisphere to the South. Portuguese culture often gets lumped in with this, but it’s quite distinct.
Portugal’s unique culture and language started in Roman times. The Romans created two provinces wedged between an inland mountain range and the Atlantic. Over the centuries, a combination of geography and politics kept the people who lived there isolated from the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. So, whereas Spanish was heavily influenced by languages other than Latin, Portuguese is the closest thing to Latin spoken today.
Language isn’t the only thing that makes Portugal distinct from its bigger neighbour.
Spain is a land of expansive farms. Portugal is mainly about the sea. Portuguese fishermen have been plying the waters of the northwestern Atlantic for thousands of years—there is even evidence that they may have set foot in North America long before Columbus!
The Portuguese were such good sailors, in fact, that they established a global empire… including the biggest Portuguese-speaking country in the world, Brazil.
It’s what came after Portugal’s empire that makes it such an attractive country for potential expats. For a variety of reasons, Portugal never really developed a robust industrial economy, and fell behind the rest of Europe. By the early 20th century, Portugal was quite a poor country by European standards. Political turmoil kept it that way right up until the 1970s.
In 1974, however, the country re-established a stable democracy. Since then, the country has developed rapidly…
Successive Portuguese governments have tended to focus on the tourism sector to promote economic growth. With gorgeous coastlines, stunning mountains and valleys, a mild climate—and lots of low-cost land and housing—Portugal’s leaders eventually realized that they could really get their economy going by opening the doors to expats.
After the global financial crisis of 2008, Portugal’s property market was in trouble. That’s why the country was the first in Europe to create a Golden Visa based on residential investment. By buying or renovating a home for a minimum of €250,000, foreigners could get a long-term residence permit that allowed them to live anywhere in the EU… without ever having to reapply for a visa.
Eventually the housing market recovered, and in early 2023, the government announced it would begin pulling back on the residential Golden Visa option. (You still have an opportunity to grab one of the last remaining Golden Visas. Learn how here.) That’s led a lot of folks to believe that Portugal is no longer a land of opportunity for potential expats.
But they have it backwards. The property-based Golden Visa was designed to address an economic problem—a weak housing market—and when that problem was solved, the government decided to change it. But Portugal still wants to attract foreign investment and expats.
That’s precisely why the Portuguese government is doubling down on other visa categories. It continues to offer digital nomad, independent means, and retiree visas. Unlike the property-based Golden Visa, these programs assume that the visa holder will want to live in Portugal, not just own property there. From the Portuguese perspective, that’s even better… since it means expats will be bringing in money that gets spent in the domestic economy, boosting growth and creating jobs.
I don’t see these programs going anywhere anytime soon. The Portuguese government has managed its visa programs with intelligence and foresight. In the 2020s, its welcome mat is still out…
So, take it from me, a confirmed Lusophile: Portugal is still one of the best options for anyone looking to establish a life outside the U.S., especially one inside the European Union. Whether you’re drawn to the country by its food, its natural beauty, its culture or something else, there’s a visa category that will keep you there.
Moreover, even if you don’t claim one of Portugal’s last remaining Golden Visas, there are other countries in Europe, including Greece, that still have Golden Visas available for those who act soon.
Not signed up to Jeff’s Field Notes?
Sign up for FREE by entering your email in the box below and you’ll get his latest insights and analysis delivered direct to your inbox every day (you can unsubscribe at any time). Plus, when you sign up now, you’ll receive a FREE report and bonus video on how to get a second passport. Simply enter your email below to get started.
