Portugal vs Italy: Golden Visa Programmes Compared
The lowest qualifying amount is €250,000 in Portugal and €250,000 in Italy. Here is how the two programmes differ on time in the country, the path to citizenship and processing, side by side.
At a glance
| Portugal | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Golden Residence Permit Programme (ARI) | Investor Visa for Italy (visto per investitori) |
| Status | Running since 2012 and still open; property routes were replaced by regulated funds in 2023 | Structurally unchanged since 2017; suspended for Russian and Belarusian nationals |
| Lowest qualifying amount | €250,000 | €250,000 |
| Time you must spend there | 7 days in year one, 14 days per later 2-year period | No minimum stay set |
| Route to citizenship | Permanent residence at 5 years; citizenship at 10, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals | 10 years of actual legal residence |
| Typical processing | Commonly 12-36 months amid AIMA backlogs | Nulla osta often weeks; visa and permit add months |
| Main routes |
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Which is cheaper, Portugal or Italy?
The lowest qualifying amount is €250,000 in Portugal and €250,000 in Italy. The cheapest route is not always the practical one: some low-entry routes are donations or contributions you never get back, while others are investments that can lose value independently of the permit. Add government fees, legal costs and, where relevant, family members before comparing totals.
How much time do you have to spend in each?
Portugal: 7 days in year one, 14 days per later 2-year period. Italy: No minimum stay set. A permit that asks for little time in the country is convenient, but a path to citizenship usually depends on genuinely living there.
Which leads to citizenship?
Portugal: Permanent residence at 5 years; citizenship at 10, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals. Italy: 10 years of actual legal residence. Naturalisation rules are set separately from the investment programme and can change while you are part of the way through.
The biggest caveat for each
Portugal: Citizenship now takes ten years, or seven for EU and CPLP nationals, and the May 2026 law counts that period from permit issuance rather than filing, so AIMA backlogs lengthen the wait; some investors have complained to the Ombudsman and threatened lawsuits, and no court had ruled as of September 2026. Permanent residence at five years is unaffected.
Italy: The permit is easy to hold from abroad, but only real registered residence in Italy counts toward the ten-year naturalisation requirement.
More programme comparisons
Information reflects our own independent research as understood in September 2026. These rules change often and differ by nationality. Plain Investor does not sell or advise on any programme. This is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice; check the official government source and a licensed immigration lawyer before committing money.