The investment volume made under Portugal’s “Gold” visa program jumped 131 percent in February to €89.3m compared to the previous month. In January, 144 applicants were assigned residence permits for investment activity (ARI), 136 granted for the purchase of property and eight for the transfer of capital. In February, 91 percent of the investment volume was employed on the purchase of real estate, while the transfer of capital totalled €8m. In these first two months of 2016, investment in ARI amounted to €127.8m, mostly for the purchase of real estate, with the transfer of capital totaling €10.8m. In all 209 visas were issued under the ‘Gold’ program, of which 198 were for the purchase of real estate, while ten were for the transfer of capital and for the creation of jobs. Taken by nationality, 143 went to Chinese nationals, 18 Brazilians, seven Russians, two South Africans and two Lebanese.
