Portugal · Legal fees · Updated 2026-08-06
Portugal Golden Visa Lawyer Fees
Portugal golden visa lawyer fees are published in bands by the firms on this directory, so the figures below come from the firms themselves and update as listings change. Government fees are separate, set by law, and listed further down from the official AIMA table.
What firms publish, live from the directory
Of the 32 firms currently listed for Portugal golden-visa work, 15 publish a typical engagement range and 15 publish a consultation fee. Bands are in US dollars, as firms list them here. The middle published engagement range sits in the $5,000 - $10,000 band.
Typical engagement range
| Published band | Firms |
|---|---|
| < $2,000 | 0 |
| $2,000 - $5,000 | 7 |
| $5,000 - $10,000 | 6 |
| $10,000+ | 2 |
| Not published | 17 |
First consultation
| Published band | Firms |
|---|---|
| Free | 10 |
| < $100 | 5 |
| $100 - $250 | 0 |
| $250 - $500 | 0 |
| $500+ | 0 |
| Not published | 17 |
A band is what a firm chose to publish, not a quote. Use the Portugal directory to filter firms by fee band, or compare firms side by side including their published fees and response times.
Government fees are separate: the official AIMA table
Whatever a firm charges, AIMA's fees are set by law and paid per applicant. These are the applied amounts from AIMA's fee table under Portaria n.º 307/2023, in the consolidated version effective 1 March 2026:
| Step | Fee paid | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Reception and analysis of a concession or renewal request | €632.10 | Charged per applicant, on first applications and on renewals. |
| Concession of the ARI (initial approval) | €6,314.20 | Charged per applicant when the permit is approved. |
| Renewal of the ARI | €3,157.80 | The renewal line itself; the analysis fee above also applies. |
In practice that means the initial government cost is about €6,946.30 per applicant (analysis plus concession), and a full renewal about €3,789.90 per applicant, because the analysis fee is charged on renewal requests too. The higher figures you may see elsewhere (€842.80, €8,418.90, €4,210.30) are the pre-reduction statutory rates from the Portaria's base column, not what is charged. Always check the current AIMA table before filing.
Sources: AIMA fee-table update notice and Portaria n.º 307/2023, Diário da República.
What a legal fee usually covers, and what it usually does not
Usually included
- Eligibility and document review for the principal applicant
- Preparing and filing the AIMA application
- Tracking the application and responding to AIMA requests
- Support around the biometrics appointment
Often billed separately
- NIF (tax number) and Portuguese bank-account setup
- Certified translations, apostilles and notary work
- Each dependant's application
- Renewals every two years, and later permanent-residence or citizenship work
Firms package these differently, which is why two honest quotes can be thousands apart. The comparison that matters is the all-in figure for your family across the whole permit lifecycle, not the headline fee.
Six questions to ask before you sign
- Is the fee flat or hourly, and what exactly does it include in writing?
- What do you charge per dependant, including renewals?
- Are NIF, bank account, translations and apostilles included or extra?
- What are your fees for the two-year renewals over the whole holding period?
- Who does the work day to day, and are they a registered lawyer or an adviser?
- How do you invoice government fees, and will you show AIMA's receipts?
Compare fees firm by firm
The directory lists each firm's published fee bands with its verification status, languages and response time, and the comparison view puts up to four firms side by side.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Portugal Golden Visa lawyer cost?
There is no fixed market rate. Firms on this directory publish their typical engagement range in bands, and the live table on this page shows how many firms sit in each band, from under $2,000 to over $10,000 per engagement. The right way to read it: get quotes from two or three firms whose published range fits your budget, then compare what each engagement actually includes.
Are government fees included in the lawyer's fee?
Almost never. AIMA's government fees are separate and are set by law: €632.10 for the analysis of a concession or renewal request, €6,314.20 for the ARI concession, and €3,157.80 for the renewal step itself, per applicant, under the table effective 1 March 2026. A quote that does not separate legal fees from government fees is a reason to ask questions.
Do lawyers charge per family member?
Commonly, yes. Many firms quote a principal-applicant fee plus a smaller fee for each dependant, because each family member needs their own application, documents and AIMA fees. Ask for the all-in legal fee for your exact family composition, not just the headline figure.
Is a free first consultation normal?
It is common but not universal. The live consultation-fee table on this page shows how many firms publish a free first call versus a paid one. A paid consultation is not a red flag; an unwillingness to put fees in writing afterwards is.
What should the legal fee include?
Typically: reviewing your eligibility and documents, preparing and filing the AIMA application, tracking it, and supporting you through biometrics. Frequently billed separately: NIF and bank-account setup, certified translations and apostilles, renewals, and family reunification work. The page lists the questions that surface these differences before you sign.
Disclaimer. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice, and no figure here is a quote. Firm fee bands are self-published by the listed firms and change as listings change. Government fees follow AIMA's fee table under Portaria n.º 307/2023 (consolidated version effective 1 March 2026) and can change; confirm the current table before filing. Engage a licensed Portuguese immigration lawyer for advice on your situation. Last reviewed 2026-08-06.