Portugal Golden Visa for US Investors in 2026 – Funds, Tax & 5-Year Citizenship Strategy

Golden Visa Explorer Investments Editorial Team
Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT
Portugal Golden Visa, US Investors, CMVM Funds

US investors are increasingly using the Portugal Golden Visa as a regulated CMVM-supervised fund allocation and a medium-term route to EU residency and potential citizenship. Discover how the €500k fund route, low physical presence and tax planning can fit into a 2026 Plan B strategy.

The Portugal Golden Visa has quietly become one of the most strategic tools for US investors who want to diversify capital, secure an EU residency foothold and keep a credible path to a second passport open.

In 2026 the flagship route is a €500,000 subscription into a CMVM-regulated investment fund. These funds are licensed, audited and supervised by Portugal’s securities regulator, making the Golden Visa feel far closer to a conventional private equity allocation than a one-off property purchase.

For US families, the program combines a low physical presence requirement (often summarised as around seven days per year) with a typical five-year residency horizon before a citizenship application can be considered, subject to language and legal requirements. This allows investors to maintain their primary base in the United States while quietly building an EU “Plan B”.

This article explains why the program appeals to US investors, how CMVM-regulated funds work, the key eligibility requirements, a high-level timeline from investment to potential citizenship and the main tax considerations to discuss with cross-border advisers.