My Story 
First an introduction to myself. My name is Nick Woodward and I work as a Wealth Manager in Hong Kong, having left the UK for what was then a British colony in 1994. I have also recently been granted Portuguese Residency while remaining for the time being based in Hong Kong, and the reason for setting up this website is to let other UK nationals know that there is still time to secure your future EU citizenship rights before Brexit is finalized on Dec 31, 2020.
Where To Go Next?
As much as I love being in Asia, advancing age and changing circumstances meant planning for the next stage in life was increasingly pressing and it became ever more apparent that would most likely mean relocating to another country. At the same time I was getting enquiries from clients who were also asking themselves the same questions and so the research began to find the best and most flexible solution going forward.
First location. Easiest option of course would be to return to the UK, and as a UK national, that will always remain on the table, but isn’t currently my preferred choice, so for now let’s call it the backup. After spending 25+ years away, I was keen to explore other areas and Europe seemed to be good choice. I will admit I’ve not travelled much in the region, and it would take less than the fingers on one hand to count the number of countries there I’ve actually visited. So, which to choose? The more I looked into it, the more I started to gravitate towards Portugal. A previous short visit had left a lasting impression; the food, the culture, the people, and let’s be fair, the weather. There was a time I wouldn’t have needed to make a definitive decision straight away – I could live, work, travel with almost unlimited freedom around the continent using my British Passport. Then came Brexit. Without going into the politics, in this respect everything has changed and benefits I’ve always taken for granted, would soon be taken away.
The Administrative Challenge
I also looked into how I would go about getting everything into place ready for my eventual move – specifically the administrative requirements to become a legal resident. Ideally I wanted to start making plans now, spend more time travelling the region, and seek to relocate at some point in the future as yet determined. My initial research showed that most companies offering immigration services were looking to target non-EU nationals who could acquire a Portugal residency through the Golden Visa program. This requires purchase of property or investment, and is a fairly intensive ongoing process for five years until you can apply for permanent residence and/or Portuguese passport. Also, as the UK is still technically part of the EU until December 31, 2020, I wouldn’t be able to go down that route until 2021. This left me in a bit of a quandary.
In February this year, a client put me in touch with Golden Visa Portugal Ltd which could not have been more timely. What if there was a way that I could achieve Portuguese residency without having to buy a property? Didn’t involve re-applying every couple of years? And most importantly, the fees were far, far cheaper? Sounds too good to be true? I did my research and while all that was explained to me made sense, the proof would be in the pudding.
In March, I visited Portugal, and armed with some basic paperwork prepared beforehand, and accompanied by the excellent lawyer provided throughout the process, within 24 hours of arrival I had a Portuguese Residency Certificate and a local bank account. It really was that easy. Now, and I can’t stress this enough, there are so many horror stories of bungled applications and exorbitant, spiraling legal and accounting costs to tell me I’d have been very lucky indeed to have arranged it all myself and for everything to have gone so smoothly. And I’ll be honest and admit, I really thought that it couldn’t be that straightforward. But it really was.
Becoming An EU Citizen (Or Not Losing What I Had)
Of course, this Residency Certificate means I am now an EU citizen, with all the restriction free travel benefits that this brings, so ultimately in the future if I decide that my base will be elsewhere in Europe, I will always retain that option. In my case, I can’t imagine choosing anywhere else, but it’s nice to know if I decide Italy or France or Spain hold more attraction, then no problem.
For anyone considering retirement, looking to endow their children with the same work and study options that we had, or just wishing to keep future options open without huge financial outlay, I can’t recommend this course of action enough. At worst, it’s an insurance policy for the future. At best, it’s a life changing decision for you and your family. And whatever your reason for doing this, I can thoroughly recommend Golden Visa Portugal Ltd, based in Hong Kong and Portugal, as the perfect team to help you through the process.
