Why Portugal?

June 3, 2025: “Why Portugal?” That’s usually the second question I get when I tell people we’re setting up a place in Europe and aiming for a European passport.

We are going Portugal not to retire – but to rewire.

The very first question, of course, is just “Why?“

The First Question: Why?

Well, it’s simple: we’ve loved our time in Europe—friendly people, a kaleidoscope of languages and cultures, and yes, the food and wine are as good as they say. It’s also just familiar enough to feel manageable if you’re a little bold.

We’ve been seriously considering the idea of a European residence for about four years. But we had so many other bucket-list destinations we wanted to hit first: a U.S. road trip, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Egypt, a safari… The timing never felt quite right.

Fast forward to today, and we’ve checked off a good portion of that list. Europe still rises to the top. And as I mentioned in our first post on this topic, I’ve been looking to re-engage in something meaningful. I’ve found that spark in Europe’s thriving tech startup scene. Now feels like the right time to make a move.

The Second Question: “Why Portugal?”

We researched over a dozen residency options across Europe and beyond. Portugal came out as the clear winner—not just for the visa structure, but for its lifestyle, values, and overall livability.

Here were our core criteria:

1. Citizenship – A clear path to dual citizenship and a second passport (in addition to our US one)
2. Family – Options for family members to join if they ever choose to do so
3. Financials – Sensible taxes and fees, and a way to diversify and grow capital
4. Lifestyle – Freedom to travel, with no employment requirement
5. Livability – Great climate, friendly people, good cost of living, and political stability

Residency Options We Considered

We reviewed a wide range of programs. Here’s a summary of the most relevant—and why most didn’t make the cut:

1. Portugal Golden Visa – Winner! Meets all our criteria. More on the details in a future post.
2. Portugal D7 Visa – Dismissed. This “passive income” visa offers a path to citizenship but restricts international travel during the 5-year residency. Great for retirees who plan to stay put—less ideal for travelers like us.
3. Portugal D8 Visa – Dismissed. This “digital nomad” visa is fantastic for those who want to work remotely. But since I’m not looking for a job (and this blog, charming as it is, won’t pay the bills – no ads, remember! 😉), it wasn’t the right fit.
4. Croatia – Dismissed. We absolutely love Croatia, as many of you know from our travels! While a temporary visa is relatively easy, gaining residency or citizenship is much harder. The best path we found required a business startup (employing 3 + yourself) with a minimum investment of $50k. After 5 years of living there, you could apply for permanent residency. Critically for us, Croatia does not allow dual citizenship.
5. Spanish Golden Visa – Dismissed. This program expired in April 2025. It was primarily based on property purchase, which proved highly unpopular with locals due to housing shortages. Furthermore, the program would have required us to renounce our US citizenship to obtain Spanish citizenship – a non-starter for us.
6. Irish Retirement Visa – Dismissed. No path to citizenship and requires full-time residence. That would curtail our travel plans.
7. Greek Golden Visa – Dismissed. Temporary residency only. Citizenship requires 7 years of tax residency and fluency in Greek—plus renouncing your U.S. passport. That’s a pass for us.
8. Italy Golden Visa – Dismissed. A very long path to citizenship through tax residency. You’d need to live and pay taxes in Italy for 10 years before you could apply for citizenship.  
9. Turkey Golden Visa – Dismissed. Our primary concern here was the political climate. With an authoritarian president changing the constitution to eliminate term limits and ongoing curtailment of speech and other liberties, it wasn’t the stable environment we sought.
10. Malta Golden Visa – Dismissed. Expensive and in legal limbo. The full citizenship path exceeds €2 million and has drawn criticism from the EU. Program currently suspended.
11. France – Dismissed.  We love France, but it is difficult to get permanent residence and citizenship.  Our best bet was to create or acquire at least 30% of a business – and be very fluent in French.  Mon Dieu, c’est pas facile.

Other Global Options We Researched

We also broadened our horizons beyond Europe:

• Various Caribbean Countries – Dismissed. This was a lifestyle and liveability decision for us. While many people adore the Caribbean, we personally find the post-colonial culture unappealing. To each their own!
• Australia – Dismissed. If you’re aged 18-30, you can get a renewable work/holiday visa, which allows you to see the country while Australia gains low-cost, educated labor. However, for those older, it’s far more difficult. Unless you have the experience and skills for a high-paying, highly qualified, employer-sponsored role, options are extremely limited.  And I didn’t want a job!
• New Zealand Active Investor Plus – Dismissed. New Zealand is beautiful, and the people wonderful. But the investment requirement was quite high. New Zealand’s new Active Investor Plus program (starting April 1, 2025) requires a minimum investment of $5m NZD (~ $3m USD) in higher-risk “Growth” investments that must be held for at least three years. That’s a big hill of beans!

So, Portugal!

So, Portugal checks all the boxes.  We visited in 2024 and found that it offers:

• A stable, welcoming country with an innovation-friendly environment
• Strong visa programs with a path to EU citizenship
• Excellent lifestyle and climate
• Low geopolitical risk and high livability

It’s a country that aligns with our values, interests, and future plans. We’re excited to take the next step!

And Back to the Tech Side…

That very journey of exploring global options also serendipitously led me to Dealflow.eu, a standout platform connecting EU-funded startups with vital capital and customers. I’m thrilled to have joined their advisory board to help scale early-stage, deep tech ventures – and I’m already seeing incredibly promising opportunities. More to follow on this exciting front soon!

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