According to data from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), the Residence Permits for Investment Activities (ARI), first launched in October 2012, raised almost €5 billion (€4,911,263,689.42) after seven years, with the acquisition of properties amounting to €4,433,605,566.52.


Of the total amount raised, investment from China accounted for more than half (51 percent), out of a total of 4,424 ARI allocated. In the case of Brazil, 844 ‘golden’ visas were granted during the programme.


Investment of Turkish origin amounted to €200 million (370 ARI) and Russian to €198.7 million (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 invested, with the concession of 318 ARI.
In October, investment through ‘golden’ visas fell 19 percent compared to the same period in 2018, to €59.9 million. Compared to September, the investment obtained increased by 23.7 percent.


In the first 10 months of the year, investment totalled €661 million, 0.8 percent less than in the same period of 2018.
Between January and October, Chinese investment totalled €196.1 million, 10.8 percent less than the same period last year, while Brazil’s investment fell 23 percent to €142.9 million, and Turkey’s investment fell by half, in year-on-year terms, to €40.6 million.


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