| LLC | PLC | Free Zone LLC | Golden Visa LLC | Rep Office | Branch Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Name | Lda | SA | Madeira IBC/ Santa Maria FTZ | Empresa Golden Visa | Escritório de Representação | Sucursal |
| Company Setup Time | 5 days | 10 days | 10 days | 10 days | 10 days | 10 days |
| Bank Account Opening | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 5 days |
| Government Grants Available | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Government Contracts Bidding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Limited Liability | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Client Required to Travel | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry | Inquiry |
Corporate Structure Explained
Portuguese Limited Liability Company (Lda)
- This entity requires one director and one shareholder. Both can be of any nationality. Corporate shareholders and directors are allowed. The establishment of an LLC in Portugal requires a share capital of at least € 1.
- The company is not obliged to undergo an annual audit process if two of the three thresholds have been reached in the last years. Total assets below 1.5 million Euros. Total revenue below 3 million. Less than 50 approximately .
Portuguese Public Limited Company (SA)
- A share capital of EUR 50,000 is required to form a PLC. It requires one director or five shareholders who may be of any nationality. This entity must appoint at least two directors unless its share capital is less than 120,000. This type of entity is recommended for clients who wish to raise a substantial amount of funding to support their business expansion in Portugal or companies who intend to have their companies introduced on the Lisboa Stock Exchange or an EU stock exchange. All PLCs are required to perform an annual audit.
European Stock Corporation (Sociedad europeia)
- This type of business allows the incorporation of two companies located in the EU as a European Stock Corporation. This is advantageous because they are exempt from setting up a complex subsidiary network based on different national laws. It requires a minimum share capital of € 120,000.
Branch (Sucursal)
- The scope of the operation is defined by the parent company. The office will have its own independent management team.
Representative Office (Escritório de Representação)
- This type of entity can freely engage in market research and support the parent company’s business activities. The representative office in Portugal is not allowed to conduct any production related activities or direct commercial activities.