Portugal’s Prime Minister António Costa admitted Wednesday that his government is currently «evaluating» whether to maintain the measure that allows foreign citizens to obtain a residence permit if, for example, they make a large real estate investment.
«There are programs that we are currently evaluating and one of them is the ‘golden visa’,» said Costa, who believes that «it probably already fulfilled its function» and now «it is not justified,» according to statements picked up by the Lusa news agency.
The debate on passports or ‘golden’ visas within the EU has grown this year, following the invasion of Ukraine and the use that Russian oligarchs have traditionally made of a tool with which several member states aspire to attract investment.
In March, the European Parliament asked the European Commission for a specific plan to avoid subterfuge and, in the case of measures such as the Portuguese one, it proposed greater background checks on applicants and minimum requirements for residence and participation in the destination countries, as well as the obligation for Member States to draw up periodic reports.
