Changes to golden visa scheme on hold due to coronavirus pandemic

Portugal’s golden visa scheme, which was due to be blocked for property purchase in the greater Lisbon and Porto areas from 2021, is to remain unaltered for now because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The changes are not a priority at the moment,” a source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Dinheiro Vivo.

The news has been welcomed by Luís Líma, president of the national association of real estate professionals (APEMIP), who believes that the government should “think again about moving forward with the alterations”.

“Nobody will emerge from this crisis unscathed and the country would really appreciate the millions of euros that it would receive” if the scheme remains open to people buying property in Lisbon and Porto, he told DV.

It is an opinion shared by many others in the property sector.