Business & Money | Saturday 24 June, 2017 5:25 am |

Awarded as the best Residency Program Globally 2015 and 2016, by the Global Residence Program Index (GRPI), and aimed at attracting overseas investment to Portugal, the Golden Visa is a very straightforward, simple and with clear legal rules.  The advantages of the program are unique for investors, allowing them, and their families, to freely travel, work, live and study in all Schengen countries. The program is also a fast track to reach citizenship, since after 6 years investors have the right to apply for the Portuguese passport.

 

Portugal also represents a safe harbour and a profitable market for real estate investors. The main reasons for the capital appreciation on Portuguese properties are: the low supply and huge demand for new properties, balanced pricing growth, political stability and low fluctuation of the euro, safe harbour with an amazing climate, gastronomy and hospitality for all nationalities.  The opportunities include developing, refurbishing or engaging in property trading.

 

Mr. Tiago Camara, COO of Topinvestorvisa said “So far, 97 per cent of Golden Visa program candidates are applying through investment in Portuguese real estate. Not only as the real estate route has one of the minimum investment requirements (€280.000), but also due to the great returns on investment investors are getting on properties in Portugal. Of the total 4,578 permits issued, 4,314 were on the basis of investment in property, 257 related to the transfer of capital and just seven concerned business activity that created new jobs. The cumulative total of investment entering the country as a result is €2.8bn, of which €2.53bn is for investment in property.”

 

“However, outside the many benefits Portuguese citizenship brings, there are also many benefits to investing in Portugal itself. Low supply and high demand is generating capital gains for real estate investors up to 12 per cent, every year, especially in the major cities like Lisbon, Oporto and Algarve. When choosing to invest in properties that can easily generate high return on investment with rentals, investors have also to benefit from limit exposure to market and capitalize their investments with an entry-exit strategy that pays high returns in every move,” he added,

Portugal is set to participate in the International Real Estate & Investment Show (IREIS 2017) to attract investors from the UAE amid steady growth in the country’s real estate market. The 9th edition of the exhibition, which will be held on 2-4 November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), brings investors and business leaders together in the biggest B2C-focused platform in Abu Dhabi.

 

With the support of the Embassy of Portugal in the UAE, Portugal’s leading property developers and residency & citizenship consultants will join together to offer great value investment and citizenship opportunities to investors from the UAE and from different parts of the world who are looking for European Emigration.

 

Antoine Georges, organiser of IREIS 2017 said, “We are delighted to showcase Portugal’s top notch housing facilities and investment opportunities in the biggest real estate and investment show in Abu Dhabi. The thriving growth of the real estate industry in Portugal has portrayed a sustainable recovery after more than three years of depression in the market. This is the right time to start considering investments in Portugal”

 

The upcoming 9th edition of the International Real Estate & Investment Show is expected to draw the participation of more than 125 exhibitors from 30 countries, as well as over 15,000 investors and real estate brokers. IREIS is a perfect consumer platform (B2C) to meet individual & institutional investors, real estate agents & brokers and channel partners from around the world especially UAE, Saudi, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Canada, Morocco, Lebanon, US and UK.  Drawing the participation of 92 exhibitors from 24 countries and 8,521 investors from 73 nationalities, IREIS 2016 edition created sales volumes of over US$180 million.