Six years ago, I dreamed about getting an EU passport. Today, I'm a Portuguese resident, well on my way to becoming an EU citizen. My Portuguese citizenship is currently being processed, and although paperwork can take a very long time, I hope to have my Portuguese passport in the next year or two.
To explain, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I missed Europe and was itching to travel, so I started researching how I could get an EU passport. Dual citizenship can be beneficial for many reasons, but since birthright citizenship wasn't an option for me, I discovered the Golden Visa programs offered by many European countries. At the time, I felt Portugal was the most feasible, so I decided to give it a try.
Portugal's Golden Visa program was the most intriguing: I could invest as little as €280,000 in real estate or real estate projects, spend limited, specific amounts of time in Portugal each year for five years and then obtain Portuguese residency with a pathway to Portuguese citizenship. Although I could have completed the process on my own, I chose to work with a company called Mercan, investing €350,000 into the Renaissance Hotel Porto.
About six months after the initial investment, I obtained Portuguese residency in 2021. Then, I spent the required time to be eligible for citizenship (one week per year) and to keep my residency active. My citizenship paperwork was submitted and accepted in 2025, but due to a large backlog and program changes, it may take a while to be processed.
Mercan has been extremely helpful throughout the process, helping me obtain my Portuguese tax number, set up my bank account, prepare investment documents, complete SEF/AIMA filings, and complete biometrics. Part of the investment deal with Mercan is the mandatory buy-back. They buy back the original share of my investment at the original price once my full citizenship is approved.
My children are also eligible for residency and citizenship. I'm doing this not for tax purposes or financial gain, but rather to have the flexibility and opportunity to live and work in the EU, and to give my children that same versatility. In fact, thanks to my application, my children, parents, and spouse (should I have one), and my spouse's parents are eligible for the program.
Presently, my two children are going through the process as well. My older son, Dean, has completed most of the steps needed to get his residency — he just had his biometrics appointment in March. My younger son, Cooper, has just had his application approved and is on the path as well.
Changes to Portugal's Golden Visa program have made it more complicated. Investment levels have also changed, and citizenship via Portugal's Golden Visa program is no longer as simple as it once was. However, getting the residency itself is also more expensive — you'll now need a minimum capital investment of €500,000 in a Portuguese company, combined with specific employment requirements, to gain residency.
It's always good to discuss applying for these programs with a tax professional, lawyer, and/or financial adviser to see how EU and U.S. tax laws would apply to your particular situation. If you're considering EU residency, don't wait — requirements can change at any time, but if you've already submitted an application, in most cases, the former rules apply to you.
There are other paths to EU residency, such as Golden Visa programs through countries like Greece. However, there's no guarantee these programs will stick around. For example, Spain ended its Golden Visa program in 2025. If this is something you want, don't waste any more time if this is your dream.
