"There is currently no Russian citizen with an assigned Residence Permit for Investment who is on the list of sanctioned persons," Santos Silva told Lusa, referring that this was the result of cross-referencing information with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The official added that "there is a citizen who is part of the list of those sanctioned and who was in the process of applying for a golden visa and this process was suspended".

"We have cautiously suspended the processing of any golden visa applications by Russian citizens as, as we have approved a dynamic sanctions regime, it is wise to suspend the analysis of any application submitted by a person of Russian nationality as a matter of prudence," he stressed.

On Saturday, speaking to CNN Portugal, Augusto Santos Silva announced that the Foreigners and Borders Service [SEF] had already suspended "the consideration of any application dossier for residence permits for investment, commonly known as golden visas, of Russian citizens ”.