China investors dominate Portugal visa offer

[LISBON] The Chinese accounted for almost 80 per cent of the investors who have obtained visas to live in Portugal through a programme that encourages foreign investment in the country's battered real estate market.

A total of 318 visas have been issued under a plan that offers residence permits to property buyers, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Francisca Seabra.

Of those, 248 went to Chinese nationals compared with 15 for Russians, the next biggest group. Angolans and Brazilians collected nine visas each since the programme began in October last year, she said.