What Americans Need to Know Before Investing in the Portuguese Golden Visa
Before you invest abroad, understand the U.S. tax, compliance, and enforcement risks no one else is required to tell you about.
Coming soon from Areia Global: a U.S. law firm based in Miami and Lisbon advising Americans on cross-border tax and estate planning.
This on-demand session walks you through the real compliance, reporting, and structuring issues behind the Portuguese Golden Visa, before you commit €500,000+ to a fund.
Offshore Funds Operate Under Different Rules, but the IRS Still Applies
A Portuguese Golden Visa fund can be fully licensed, audited, and compliant in Portugal, yet none of that protects a U.S. investor under American tax law.
Most funds aren’t registered with the SEC and have no duty to disclose U.S. tax consequences. If the required IRS information isn’t produced, the liability shifts entirely to the investor.
When the IRS reviews your return, it won’t care that your investment was offshore, only that your filings and disclosures are accurate. This masterclass shows how to bridge that gap before it becomes a problem.
Inside the Masterclass
We walk through what most Americans never hear before they invest. You’ll see how the IRS classifies every Portuguese fund as a Passive Foreign Investment Company, why that classification matters, and how a single missed election can double your tax rate.
We explain the difference between the default regime and a Qualified Electing Fund election, how “phantom income” arises, and what happens when your preparer asks for statements the fund doesn’t provide.
You’ll also learn why using a self-directed IRA or LLC can expose you to prohibited transactions and how to prevent small documentation lapses from becoming audit triggers.
What You’ll Take Away
Attendees will receive the Golden Visa U.S. Investor Briefing Pack: concise guides and checklists drawn from our advisory work. It covers what to confirm with your fund, how PFIC elections and Form 8621 actually work, and the FATCA and FBAR reporting that follows.
The pack also includes Choosing a Portuguese Golden Visa Fund: The U.S. Tax Considerations (2025 Edition), illustrating how different investment strategies change the U.S. tax outcome.
Why This Matters
Offshore investing shifts responsibility. Portuguese regulators protect investors under their laws. The IRS enforces yours. Between them lies a gap only you can close.
Once funds are wired and documents signed, most elections can’t be corrected. The time for structure and documentation is before you invest.
That’s why Americans abroad need U.S. tax counsel involved from the start, not after the first IRS letter arrives
About Areia Global
Areia Global Legal Advisors is a U.S. law firm based in Lisbon and Miami. We advise Americans on cross-border tax, compliance, and estate planning, with deep experience in PFIC reporting, FATCA, and offshore fund structures.
Our Golden Visa U.S. Tax Compliance Review breaks down your U.S. tax exposure and tax filing obligations so you can understand the tax impact of your investment and know how to comply with IRS’s filing rules.
Offshore compliance abroad doesn’t equal compliance at home. We make sure it does.
This masterclass is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice.