On February 12, 2021, with the law 14/2021, the Portuguese Government changed the regime of residence permits for investment activities in Portugal, more popularly known as “Golden Visa”, which created great discontent among the real estate sector and most importantly amongst the international clients looking to invest in Portugal.
The amendment that comes into force on the 1st of January 2022 limited the possible investment for the inland territories, excluding direct real estate investment in the large cities of Lisbon and Porto, with the exception of commercial properties that will continue to be covered by the program. The majority of real estate investments, namely residential, will no longer be eligible for investment in Lisbon and Porto, which was the greatest interest of international clients, not only for the beauty, but also for the income that these cities offered.
With this change, cities such as Alcácer do Sal are becoming quite popular for Golden Visa customers. Internationally, customers already seem to be looking at alternatives to Lisbon and Porto in order to invest and have their Golden Visa guaranteed. Alcácer do Sal, due to its proximity to Lisbon, Setúbal, the beaches of Comporta and, in the future, to the new airport south of the Tagus, will benefit greatly from this international demand.
