The Law, translated
Laws can look hard to parse, but the ones behind the Golden Visa are often easy to read. For your own comfort, we have gathered the main legal framework in one place, in the original Portuguese and in English.
Six texts behind one route
Choose a text to read it article by article.
The Immigration Act and its regulation, the Ministry of Culture's rules for approving projects, the list of low-density territories, the fee table and, further down the road, the Nationality Law. Each page shows the articles that matter for a donor, the official Portuguese beside our English, and one plain line on what each article means for you.
1
Lei n.º 23/2007, de 4 de julhoThe Immigration ActWhat the route is, who qualifies, renewals, permanent residence, cancellation and family.Read the text →
2
Decreto Regulamentar n.º 84/2007, de 5 de novembro (Secção IV)The Golden Visa regulationThe 20% reduction, the stay requirement, the five-year clock, the documents and the renewal rules.Read the text →
3
Despacho n.º 2360/2017, de 20 de março (Regulamento da emissão da declaração que atesta a transferência efetiva de capital para efeitos de autorização de residência para atividade de investimento no setor cultural)GEPAC's approval rulesHow the Ministry of Culture appraises a project before any donor commits, and what GEPAC declares.Read the text →
4
Portaria n.º 208/2017, de 13 de julhoThe low-density territoriesThe territories where the cultural donation is €200,000 instead of €250,000.Read the text →
5
Portaria n.º 307/2023, de 13 de outubroThe fees regulationThe fee table for Golden Visa permits, renewals and permanent residence, updated every 1 March.Read the text →
6
Lei n.º 37/81, de 3 de outubro (Lei da Nacionalidade)The Nationality LawCitizenship after 10 years of legal residence: the requirements and how residence is counted.Read the text →
Most asked
The provisions donors ask about most.
- Renewal of a donation: only changes attributable to you countDecreto Regulamentar 84/2007, Art. 65.º-E
- €250,000, or €200,000 in low-density territoriesLei 23/2007, Art. 3.º
- 7 days in the first year, 14 in each two-year periodDecreto Regulamentar 84/2007, Art. 65.º-C
- When a permit can be cancelledLei 23/2007, Art. 85.º
- How a project is appraised before you commitDespacho 2360/2017, Art. 6.º
- Citizenship after 10 years of legal residenceLei da Nacionalidade, Art. 6.º
Free guide
The Complete Guide to Portugal's Donation Golden Visa
The route, the costs, donation vs fund, and the projects. Free.
- How the route works, and what changed in 2026
- Government fees, with a family-of-four example
- GEPAC's figures, and the projects
How to read these pages
Only the Portuguese text has legal force.
The Portuguese text is reproduced from the consolidated versions published in Diário da República, as dated on each page. Numbers that the law has revoked are left out, and excerpts are marked. The English is our translation, made for your information. Where a provision answers a common question, the page links to our frequently asked questions, and the projects these rules apply to are on our projects page.
Sources: Lei 23/2007 · Decreto Regulamentar 84/2007 · Despacho 2360/2017 · Portaria 208/2017 · Portaria 307/2023 · Lei 37/81 (Nationality Law), Diário da República. Links checked 10 October 2026.