Golden Visas for Entrepreneurs and Startups: How to Launch Your Business Abroad
The world is a big place, and there’s no better way to experience it than by launching your own business abroad. Whether you're an entrepreneur who wants to take on the world or a startup looking for your first office outside of the U.S., here's how to get started:
Golden Visas are a great way to launch your business abroad.
Golden Visas are a great way to launch your business abroad.
They're also a good way to get started in a new country, expand your business and diversify your portfolio.
What is a Golden Visa?
Golden Visas are a great way to launch your business abroad. Golden Visas can be issued by European countries to foreign investors who want to start or buy a business in their country. These types of visas are also known as investment visas or entrepreneur visas, depending on the country that issues them.
Which European countries offer Golden Visas?
There are a number of European countries that offer Golden Visas, but only a few are worth considering. Spain, Portugal and Cyprus are three countries that offer entrepreneur visas for foreign investors who want to start their own business in the country or invest in an existing one. Greece also offers entrepreneur visas through its Hellenic Entrepreneurship Program (HEP).
In addition to these four countries' entrepreneur programs, Malta offers startups with up to 49 employees access to its Startup Visa program--this means you can obtain permanent residence status if your company meets certain criteria within five years after receiving approval from the government agency.
What are the requirements for a Golden Visa?
In order to obtain a Golden Visa, you must meet the following requirements:
Invest at least EUR 500,000 (or its equivalent in a different currency) for real estate or business investments in Portugal.
Remain in Portugal for at least six months per year for a period of five consecutive years.
Be tax compliant and pay taxes on your income from sources outside Portugal at no less than 10% over the period of five years after obtaining residence status through this program. You should also maintain this level of compliance during your stay in Portugal as well as when you leave it (in case you return to live there later).
You can also apply for permanent residence if you meet all these conditions within three years of receiving temporary residence status through this program; however, unlike with temporary residency permits, there is no requirement here regarding employment or capital investment amounts--you just need to show that you've lived legally inside Europe's Schengen Area (which includes most countries except Belarus) since January 1st 2016
How can an entrepreneur apply for a Golden Visa?
Most countries require the applicant to be a permanent resident and have been in the country for at least five years. In some cases, this period can be reduced to three years if you invest more than 1 million euros in real estate (or 2 million euros if your company is headquartered in Portugal).
There are two main paths to obtaining a Golden Visa:
Investing directly in real estate or businesses registered in Portugal; or
Investing through an investment fund that has been authorized by Portugal's government (this process takes less time than investing directly).
We hope that you are excited to launch your business abroad. We know how difficult it can be to navigate the world of visas and immigration, but with the right information, you can make sure that your application is successful!
