Investment from Portugal's gold visa scheme totalled some 838.5 million euros in 2018, down 0.6 percent from some 844.1 million euros registered in the previous year, according to statistical data of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) on Wednesday.

Investment from China, which has long led the list by nationality, was down 11.3 percent last year from 306.3 million euros registered in 2017 to 271.6 million euros.

A total of 485 gold visas were granted in 2018 compared to 538 the previous year.

Since the launch of the gold visa scheme in October 2012, a total of 6,962 permits have been issued.

The gold visa scheme, officially called Investment Residency Authorization (ARI), is a fast-track residency visa scheme for large-scale investors.

ARIs are available to non-European Union residents, who either buy real estate in Portugal worth 500,000 euros, or 350,000 euros if the property is 30 years old, or make capital transfers of 1 million euros, less if certain cultural or commercial investment criteria are fulfilled.