Following the last announcement of Portugal’s Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, announcing officially the closure of the Portugal Golden Visa scheme in the coming weeks, Step Global will be hosting its last Portugal Golden Visa informational seminar this coming Saturday, May 13, to help interested applicants obtain a Portugal Golden Visa and European Passport. The coveted United States EB-5 Visa Program and Canada Start-Up Visa Program will also be presented on the same day.
What is the EU Portugal Golden Visa?
The Portugal’s Residence Permit for Investment (ARI) program, commonly known as the Portugal Golden Visa, was introduced in 2012 and is one of the preferred residency by investment programs in the world. Foreigners can obtain the Golden Visa through the purchase of a real estate property starting at EUR 280,000, provided that they stay in or visit anywhere in Portugal on average seven days a year over a five-year period to maintain their Golden visa status.
Why consider the Portugal Golden Visa?
There are many reasons why people want to invest in the Portugal Golden Visa. The diverse culture, pleasant Mediterranean climate, beautiful architecture, low-cost of living, delicious food and friendly people are what draw people to this quickly growing economy. It is also an ideal location for those looking for a holiday home. The Portugal Golden Visa allows investors to secure EU residency within a short time frame, providing visa-free travel across the EU and Schengen Zone, access to high-quality schooling at relatively lower fees, and offering an abundance of social security and healthcare benefits.
Preeya Malik, Licensed Lawyer and Managing Director of Step Global says “Most UAE residents highly appreciate the quality of life offered in cities like Doha or Dubai and are not willing to obtain a second citizenship or replace their current passport with a more powerful one if it requires them to relocate permanently. As a result, the Portugal Golden Visa is the ideal option since it has a minimum physical requirement of only a few days per year to maintain their Golden Visa status and also be able to eventually obtain an EU passport.”
Can you still apply for the Portugal Golden Visa?
An official statement made by the Portuguese government on April 16th has confirmed that all applications submitted before the official closing of the program (when the proposed bill becomes law) will be considered and processed as usual. The proposed bill is expected to become law in mid-June, meaning that applications for Portugal Golden Visas will no longer be accepted after that date. This makes it crucial for those looking to get the Portugal Golden Visa to act quickly so that they don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Which other programs will be presented on that day?
Every individual and family has a different immigration goal with different needs. Some wish for the freedom to travel, while others are looking toward countries offering high-quality and prestigious higher education to their children. Business owners may be seeking a more desirable tax regime, and others yet simply want social security and safety. Step Global has selected the top investment immigration programs globally, which provide only the best benefits to its clientele in the region. Along with the Portugal Golden Visa Seminar, two other programs will be presented on that same day: the U.S. EB-5 Visa Program and the Canada Start Up Visa Program.
US EB-5 Visa Program
The United States EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is an old program which was introduced in 1990 to stimulate the US economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Under the US EB-5 program, investors must invest $800,000 USD in a government approved EB-5 project. The investor, the investor’s spouse, and any children under the age of 21 may receive in exchange for their investment, a US green card. The capital invested is refunded to the applicant approximately after five years from the date of the investment and if the investor has spent 2.5 out of 5 years in the United States, they may also apply for US citizenship and passport.
The main motive for UAE residents to apply for this program is education or future career growth for their children. With the U.S. having the highest number of top universities in the world, many families in the MENA region want their children to pursue their education in one of these prestigious schools. By holding a green card, students can considerably increase their chances of acceptance in competitive US programs, avail resident tuition rates which at times are one-fourth that of international tuition rates and obtain an array of scholarships and government grants which are unavailable to international students. Once the child graduates with a US degree, holding a green card opens the doors to employment opportunities at leading companies as obtaining an H1-B visa through the lottery draw, or even securing employer sponsorship has become more and more difficult – even if an individual graduates from a top US university.
Canada Start Up Visa Program
The Canada Start-up Visa (SUV) Program is a federal government direct permanent residency program promoting entrepreneurship and employment in Canada. The program has a total cost of CAD $195,000 inclusive of investment and fees, placing it even lower cost-wise than some of the most well-known residency by investment programs in the world. Through this route, the investor, the investor’s spouse, and any number of children under the age of 22 can be included on a single application for Canadian permanent residency.
The superior social benefits, multiculturalism, and Canada’s high level of education along with the safety of the country and its thriving economy, have contributed to the program’s popularity. The benefits of being a permanent resident of Canada include the right to live, work, and study in the country, as well as having access to social benefits such as social security or universal free healthcare – an important benefit for those looking to eventually retire.
The program is geared towards experienced entrepreneurs who may have had successful start-ups abroad and would now like to enter the Canadian market with the same business plans. For those individuals with skills and experience in their own field of work, may be pooled as participating members of a Start-Up idea, thus, qualifying through their profile and minimum investment amount rather than through an innovative business idea of their own.
After living three years in Canada, a permanent resident may apply for citizenship and a Canadian passport.
How to Begin Your Immigration Journey?
Immigration is a very personal matter. Step Global, a leading full-service investment immigration firm in the GCC with over 13 years of experience in the investment immigration industry has been putting clients at the forefront of its business. How do we do that? We listen to the main needs of our clients in order to orient them towards the program that suits them best. We only provide advisory and consultancy on the best immigration by investment programs available which allows us to constantly stay updated with the latest regulatory changes in this fast-changing environment. We operate with ethics and transparency, thus helping our clients to pursue their immigration journey with peace of mind.
Come meet the Step Global licensed lawyers for exclusive seminars on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Le Meridien City Center Doha. The Step Global licensed lawyers, including award-winning Managing Director Preeya Malik, will be in-person to welcome you at the Portugal Golden Visa Seminar at 3 PM, the US EB-5 Green Card Seminar at 5 PM, and the Canada Start Up Visa Seminar at 6:30 PM.
Registration starts today! Due to heavy demand and limited seats, contact the Step Global team now to reserve your session seat before all slots are booked by emailing [email protected] or calling +971 4 770 7825 or contact us by WhatsApp at +971 55 138 0579.
