Portugal Golden Visa for Venezuelan and Latin American investors:how to build a serious Plan B in Europe in 2026

Why Venezuelan & Latin American investors are building a Plan B in 2026

In recent years, demand for second residencies and passports from Latin America has surged. It is no longer just ultra-high-net-worth families in Caracas or Mexico City; upper-middle-class professionals in Bogotá, Lima and São Paulo are also quietly creating options abroad.

Typical triggers include:

• Currency devaluation and hard-currency controls;
• Fear of expropriation or punitive tax changes;
• Concerns about personal security and rule of law;
• Desire for stable education and healthcare for children.

For many Venezuelan families in particular, the idea of keeping all assets, business and passports dependent on a single system is now seen as too risky. The goal is not to abandon Latin America—but to make sure that if conditions deteriorate further, their options are not limited by a single passport or a single banking system.

Why Portugal, not just Miami or Madrid?

When Latin American families think of Plan B destinations, the first instinct is often Miami, Madrid or another Spanish-speaking hub. Portugal is less obvious – but strategically very powerful:

• Full EU access: Portuguese residency can lead to an EU passport, with the right to live and work across the bloc.
• Stable, rules-based environment: independent courts and constitutional oversight, especially important if you are used to discretionary rule-making.
• Multiple visa options: investment-based (Golden Visa) and income-based (D7, D8), so you can match the route to your profile.
• Cultural familiarity: Latin families often find the lifestyle, food and family culture surprisingly familiar, with many locals speaking English and Spanish.

In our article “Volatile World, Stable Plan B: Portugal’s Golden Visa in an Era of Geopolitical Risk”, we look at this broader geopolitical context in more detail.

How Portugal’s Golden Visa works today for Latin American investors

Portugal’s Golden Visa has evolved. The classic “buy an apartment in Lisbon and qualify” route is gone. The focus today is onfinancial investments, research, culture and job creation.

The most common options now include:

• Investment funds – typically starting at €500,000 into qualifying funds (often private equity or venture capital) regulated in Portugal.
• Cultural / heritage contributions – donations to approved cultural projects or institutions, usually at lower entry amounts but with no capital return.
• Research or innovation projects – supporting scientific or technological development.
• Business and job creation – investing in a Portuguese company that creates full-time local jobs.

“A Golden Visa investment is not a bank deposit. Capital is at risk and the real “return” is the residency framework and future options it unlocks for your family.”

For a deeper look at fund-based strategies, see our piece on Portugal Golden Visa private equity with Explorer Investments.

D7 vs D8 vs Golden Visa – which route fits your family?

Not every Venezuelan or Latin American investor needs a Golden Visa. In many cases, income-based visas are more logical:

D7 – passive income visa

Best for retirees and families with stable foreign income (pensions, investments, rentals). It assumes you will spend most of the year living in Portugal and become tax resident there.

D8 – digital nomad / remote work visa

Ideal for younger professionals who earn online or work remotely for foreign companies. It lets you move daily life to Portugal while keeping global clients and income streams.

Golden Visa – residency by investment

Makes sense when you:

• Cannot live in Portugal full-time (yet);
• Want a flexible Plan B while keeping business and life based in Latin America for now;
• Can comfortably allocate €500,000+ as long-term, higher-risk capital.

Many families combine approaches over time: for example, starting with a Golden Visa while children are in school in Latin America, then switching to a D7 or D8 later when they decide to relocate.

Managing risk: legal certainty, tax and banking

A Portugal strategy is not just about visas. It’s about how residency, tax and banking fit together:

• Legal certainty: Portugal’s courts have shown they are willing to protect good-faith applicants when rules change. This is critical for investors coming from unpredictable environments.
• Tax planning: whether you become tax resident in Portugal depends on how much time you spend there and where your “centre of vital interests” is. Cross-border tax advice is essential.
• Banking diversification: opening Portuguese and broader EU banking relationships can reduce dependence on any single local banking system.

None of this replaces local advice in Venezuela or elsewhere in Latin America. Think of Portugal as an extra pillar in your long-term stability plan, not a magic escape from every problem.

Practical next steps for Venezuelan & Latin American families

If you are considering Portugal as a Plan B, three steps usually make sense:

• Map your profile: income sources, liquidity, family ages, willingness to move and timeline.
• Choose a route: D7, D8 or Golden Visa – starting with the one that fits your reality today, not your “ideal” fantasy.
• Build your team: an immigration lawyer, a cross-border tax adviser and, for Golden Visa, a regulated investment manager.

The earlier you start, the more options you are likely to have. Rules can and do change. Your eligibility today is not guaranteed tomorrow.

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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