GOLDEN VISA

Golden Residence Permit Programme

Requirements:

  1. Venture Capital Fund Investment: Capital transfers of €500,000 or more for participation units in venture capital funds.
  2. Investment or donation in the arts or reconstruction of national cultural heritage with a donation of at least €250,000
  3. Scientific Research: Science or Technology research contribution of at least €500,000
  4. Creation of ten jobs: Creation and maintenance of ten jobs during the required period
  5. Share capital and job creation: Incorporation of a company or reinforcement of a company’s share capital, in either case with an investment of €500,000, combined with the creation of five or maintaining ten jobs (5 of them permanent)

Commitment:

  • Maintain the investment for a minimum of 5 years;
  • Remain in Portugal for periods that add to up to a minimum of 7 days per year.

Non-Habitual Residency

Non-habitual residents will be taxed at a flat rate of 20% in respect of employment income (Category A) and self-employment income (Category B) arising from high-value activities of a scientific, artistic or technical nature.

A tax exemption (with progression) on foreign-source income (e.g. professional income, rental income, capital gains, interest, dividends, as well as other investment income), provided certain conditions are met. In most cases, capital gains on the sale of securities are taxable at a flat rate of 28%.

A flat tax rate of 10% on pensions from a foreign source, as well as to other payments from pension funds and similar retirement schemes.

The Non-Habitual Residency tax regime is available to all individuals becoming tax resident in Portugal (if they were not Portuguese tax residents in the previous 5 years), and the status is granted for a period of 10 consecutive years.

In addition, non-Portuguese source income may be exempt under some specific conditions (eg, pensions, dividends and interest that may be taxable on the source State).

Start UP Visa

RESIDENCE VISA FOR ENTREPRENEURS

StartUP Visa is a residence visa for entrepreneurs, which aims to attract investment, talent and innovation capacity to Portugal. By investing and creating qualified employment, entrepreneurs can integrate a startup incubator in Portugal and benefit from all the incentives and support of the StartUP Portugal Program.

Who can apply?

Young entrepreneurs from all over the world who want to open an innovative company will have quick access to a residence visa that gives them the possibility to create or move their startup enterprise to Portugal.

Criteria:

International entrepreneurs wishing to access the StartUP Visa and obtain a residence and work visa must adhere to the following criteria:

  • Intend to develop business activities to produce innovative goods and services;
  • Open or relocate companies and/or projects focused on technology and knowledge, with a view to developing innovative products;
  • Have the potential to create qualified employment;
  • Have the potential to attain, 3 years after the incubation period, a turnover of at least € 325,000, or more than € 500,000 per annum.

SIFIDE II

The Tax Incentive System for Business Research and Development II (SIFIDE II), aims to support Research and Development activities related to the creation or improvement of a product, process, program or a piece of equipment, which shows a substantial improvement and which do not result solely from a simple use of the current state of the existing techniques.

Support:

This support allows the recovery of up to 82.5% of the R&D investment in the part that has not been the subject of financial contribution from the State in case of non-refund, carried out during the taxation periods from January to December.

  • Base Rate: Tax deduction applicable to total R & D expenditure in the current year – 32.5%;
  • Incremental rate: 50% increase in expenses compared to the average of the previous two years (maximum of 1.5M €).
  • For IRC taxpayers who are SMEs, who have not yet completed two years and did not benefit from the Incremental Rate, an increase of 15% is applied to the Base Rate (47.5%).

RFAI

Tax regime for investment promotion (Regime Fiscal de Apoio Ao Investimento or RFAI) applies until 31 December 2027 and establishes several tax incentives to investment realised within specific business sectors.

Support:

Among other incentives, companies that invest in certain regions can benefit from a deduction against CIT otherwise payable (capped at 50% of the CIT due) of 25% (for qualified investments lower than EUR 15 million) or 10% (for the part of qualified investments exceeding that limit) of the qualified investment. Companies are also able to carry forward any unused credit for ten years and may benefit from exemptions or reductions from IMT, IMI, and stamp tax on the acquisition of real estate for investment purposes. IMT exemptions are subject to the approval of the municipality where the real estate is located and where the investment is made.

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