The number of short-term visas issued by the Portuguese Consulate in Macau to invest in the European country declined 45.3 per cent year-on-year in 2015 to 98 visas from 179 visas in 2014. The information was revealed yesterday by Portuguese language public broadcaster TDM Radio. The short-term visas are the travel permits issued to foreign investors interested in obtaining Portuguese residency by making an investment in the country amounting to 500,000 euros (MOP4.4 million) or the creation of at least 10 jobs, also known as the Golden Visa scheme. Regarding the Golden Visa in 2015, Portuguese authorities approved 766 residence permits, a decline year-on-year of 49.8 per cent from 1,526 visas approved in 2014. Since the scheme was launched in 2012, some 2,853 Golden Visas have been approved. The scheme, however, was involved in a major corruption scandal involving Portuguese high officials. Of the 2,853 documents issued, around 79 per cent have been issued to Chinese citizens.
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