Golden visas for Indians in 2025–26 – and why Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit & €500k fund route stand out

1. What is a golden visa – and how is it different from citizenship by investment?

A golden visa is a residence permit that a country grants in exchange for a qualifying investment – often real estate, government bonds, local businesses or regulated funds. For Indian investors and their families, that residence permit usually comes with the right to live, work, study and access healthcare in that country.

A citizenship-by-investment program, by contrast, offers a direct path to a passport. Some golden visa regimes – including Portugal and Greece – allow investors to apply for citizenship after a number of years of residence, but the first step remains a residence card, not a passport.

For many Indian families, golden visas are primarily about flexibility, security and education: a Plan B for uncertain times, easier international travel, access to global schools and universities, and a different long-term tax and lifestyle mix.

2. Three budget tiers for Indians: from Mauritius to Singapore

The golden visa market now spans a wide range of investment levels. A simplified way to think about it is in three tiers (approximate ranges in Indian rupees, based on public information and historic data – always check current figures before acting):

1) Under ~Rs60 lakh

At the lower band, Mauritius has long been popular among Indians with its combination of Indian diaspora, English usage and beach lifestyle. Other European “independent means” routes (like certain Austrian residence paths) may also sit in this broad order of magnitude but often come with strict non-employment and presence rules.

2) Middle band – roughly Rs2–5 crore

This is where most European residence-by-investment options cluster. Greece and Italy have property and investor visas, the UAE offers 5–10 year visas for qualifying property and business investments, and countries like Portugal operate their Golden Residence Permit with routes via investment funds or specific categories such as cultural support.

3) Upper tier – over ~Rs7 crore

At the top end, the US EB-5 program, New Zealand Active Investor Plus, Hong Kong capital investment schemes and Singapore’s Global Investor Program all require multi-crore commitments, often with specific job creation, business or managed fund conditions.

Against this backdrop, Portugal sits in the middle band in euro terms, but offers something unusual: EU and Schengen access plus a credible path to long-term residence and potential citizenship – via an economy that, as The Economist highlighted in 2025, has been one of the strongest performers among advanced nations.

3. Why Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit stands out in 2025–26

“Portugal is not just another sunny destination. It is an EU country with a strong tourism engine, improved public finances and a track record of welcoming global families.”

Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit Program sits at the intersection of four things Indian investors care about:

• EU and Schengen access for the family via a single structure;
• A lifestyle mix of safety, climate and education that appeals across generations;
• A growing private equity and real-asset fund ecosystem built around regulated managers such as Explorer Investments;
• The possibility, subject to future rules and residency compliance, of eventual long-term residence or citizenship.

On the real-economy side, Portugal has become a global tourism powerhouse. The Algarve, Madeira and Lisbon collect repeated World Travel Awards “Oscars” for beaches, islands and hospitality – interlinked with the hotels, branded residences and lifestyle assets that private equity funds target.

4. How the €500,000 Portugal Golden Visa fund route works

Under today’s framework, the flagship path for many international families – including Indians – is the €500,000 subscription to a qualifying, CMVM-regulated investment fund. In simple terms:

• You invest at least €500,000 into an eligible Portuguese fund;
• The fund is supervised by Portugal’s securities regulator (CMVM);
• Your subscription can be used as the qualifying Golden Visa investment for you and, subject to the rules, your family;
• The fund typically invests in real assets and operating companies in Portugal.

Our core article Portugal Golden Visa & Private Equity – Explorer Investments Guide 2026 explains how Explorer structures private equity strategies that make sense on their own merits, with Golden Visa compatibility layered on top.

For the operational side – NIF, Portuguese bank account, subscription, application and biometrics – use the Portugal Golden Visa Fund Route Application Checklist (2026) as a practical reference with your legal team.

5. Portugal vs UAE and Greece for Indian investors

In conversations with Indian families, three names appear again and again: UAE, Greece and Portugal. Each plays a different role in a global plan:

UAE – business hub in the Gulf

The UAE Golden Visa offers 5–10 year residence for qualifying property, business or talent profiles. It is attractive for entrepreneurs and executives who want a tax-efficient, business-focused base in the Middle East, but it is not an EU jurisdiction.

Greece – property-heavy, EU and Schengen access

Greece’s golden visa has historically centred on property investments, with multiple tiers depending on location and asset type. It offers Schengen access and EU residence, but the market is very property-driven and recent rule changes have increased minimum amounts in prime areas.

Portugal – fund-based, EU lifestyle and diversification

Portugal’s difference lies in the pivot towards CMVM-regulated investment funds, a strong tourism and export story, and a culture that has already absorbed large expat communities from the UK, US, Brazil, Middle East and Asia. Our comparative article Portugal Golden Visa vs Greece (2025–26) looks in more detail at how the two EU programmes compete.

For a broader view across continents, read The Era of Global Golden Visas – Portugal Fund Route vs Other Programs, which compares Europe, North America, the Gulf and Asia from an investor’s perspective.

6. Investor profiles: how Indians use Portugal funds in practice

The patterns we see among Indian investors often mirror those described in our guides for UK and US investors – but with an Indian twist:

• Education-led strategies, where Portugal becomes a base for children’s European studies and internships;
• Business-owner diversification, where Indian entrepreneurs allocate part of their net worth into euro assets;
• Multi-jurisdiction plans, combining the UAE for business with Portugal for EU lifestyle and mobility.

Opinion pieces like Maria Campos Silva’s view on why global families choose Portugal give you a sense of how Explorer sees these flows from inside the fund manager’s seat.

It is equally important to understand the risks and common mistakes. Before taking any decision, read 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Investing in a Portugal Golden Visa Private Equity Fund – especially if this is your first exposure to private equity or cross-border funds.

7. Next steps – turning a global comparison into a Portugal plan

Golden visas now exist at almost every price point, from Mauritius coastal apartments to US and Singapore investor passes. For many Indian families, however, the sweet spot is an EU base with lifestyle, education and long-term optionality – backed by a serious investment in a growing economy.

Portugal’s Golden Residence Permit, especially through the €500,000 CMVM-regulated fund route, has emerged as one of the most compelling ways to do that. But like any private equity investment, capital is at risk and decisions should be taken only after detailed independent advice in India and Portugal.

Use this article together with our dedicated private equity and Golden Visa resources to structure a disciplined process – and then sit down with your advisers to see whether a Portugal + Explorer Investments allocation fits your family’s next decade.

Whether you are exploring the Portugal Golden Visa for EU residency or you simply want to allocate capital to private equity funds in Portugal, our Investor Relations team can help. We will walk you through CMVM-regulated fund options, clarify how they work for residency and for pure investment, and coordinate with trusted immigration and tax advisers. Schedule your confidential, no-obligation strategy call today.

André Bandeira

ab@explorerinvestments.com

Maria Campos Silva

mcs@explorerinvestments.com

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