Sandra was recently interviewed by IN Corporate Magazine for their "Mulheres Inspiradoras" (Inspiring Women) feature, where she opened up about her journey from corporate and real estate law to founding SJF Immigration & Investments and what drives her work with clients navigating Portugal's Golden Visa, D7, D8 and D2 programmes.
The original interview was published in Portuguese on June 26, 2026. You can read it here.
Below is the English translation.
Sandra Jardim Fernandes: Helping People Build New Beginnings
Sandra Jardim Fernandes is a lawyer who has dedicated her professional life to Immigration Law and Foreign Investment. In 2022, she decided to create her own firm, SJF Immigration & Investments, to provide closer, more personalized and secure guidance to those who choose Portugal to live, invest, or start a new chapter in life.
The financial crisis had a profound impact on the real estate sector and many businesses, resulting in postponed projects and investments.
“I quickly realized that I wasn’t dealing only with corporate and real estate matters. People were genuinely distressed. Behind every case there were families, personal stories, hopes, and dreams. I came to understand that the true value of the law lies in preventing problems.”
This awareness of the human dimension behind every case led her, in 2013, to pursue a career focused on immigration law.
A Tailored Approach for Every Family
Through a friend, Sandra discovered the Golden Visa programme, which at the time was still relatively unknown in Portugal. The connection between investment, real estate and international mobility immediately sparked her interest and paved the way for her specialization in this field.
Over time, she felt the desire to build a project of her own. In 2022, she founded SJF Immigration & Investments, driven by the need to work more closely with her clients and become involved earlier in their decision-making process.
“I wanted to reach people before they had made their decision—to understand who they were, what they were looking for, and help them find the most suitable path.”
Today, she supports clients from many different nationalities who choose Portugal to live and invest through programmes such as the Golden Visa and D7, D8 and D2 residence visas. She believes that regardless of culture or origin, people’s motivations are remarkably similar.
“People think we are talking about visas. In reality, we are talking about life-changing decisions. Some are seeking security. Others want better opportunities for their children. Many simply want the freedom to choose. Ultimately, everyone is looking for the same things: security, opportunity and a better quality of life for the people they love.”
At first glance, law seemed an unlikely career path. During school, Sandra displayed a natural aptitude for the sciences, so her decision to study the humanities surprised some of her teachers.
The truth is that her passion never lay in mathematics or numbers. From an early age, she had a greater ambition: solving problems and finding answers to difficult situations - something that would later become one of her defining strengths.
“The law allowed me to combine those two dimensions. I wanted to work in areas where I could genuinely make a difference and help build solutions.”
After graduating from the Portuguese Catholic University in 1990, she returned to Madeira, where she was born, during a particularly challenging period for the economy, and began working in corporate and real estate law.
Leading Through Inspiration
Throughout her career, Sandra has been involved in leading teams and developing various projects. Even so, she has never identified with an authoritarian leadership style.
“I’ve never wanted to be the boss. I’ve always preferred to teach, mentor, explain a vision and build together, although I do enjoy inspiring people.”
Interestingly, most of her teams have been made up of women, and she says that helping them grow remains one of her greatest motivations.
“Identifying talent and watching it flourish is something that truly excites me. I admire how quickly women recognise challenges and find solutions. I enjoy thinking outside the box, looking ahead and discovering new ways of doing things together.”
As the mother of two daughters and a son, she highly values empathy, active listening and the ability to understand different perspectives.
An Inner Reconnection
If the first half of her life was marked by a relentless pursuit of results, the second half brought a new perspective.
“I realised I had spent far too much time focused on results, on my family, and too little time trusting myself. That was when everything began to change.”
A trip to Peru in 2018 became a defining moment. Meditation and self-awareness became part of her daily routine and essential tools for facing both professional and personal challenges.
“There isn’t a single day that I don’t begin with meditation. For me, it is mental hygiene. It helps me listen more carefully, make better decisions and stay fully present.”
That sense of calm is also reflected in the way she works with her clients.
“I work with life-changing decisions. Although my work is often associated with visas, residence permits and legal procedures, what I value most is the honesty, authenticity and genuine care that I bring to every client relationship.”
Portugal seen from the World
Sandra is a regular speaker at international conferences and has been a member of the Investment Migration Council for over a decade.
“It is essential to understand what is happening in other countries, what the international trends are, and how Portugal positions itself within that context.”
This month, she will once again be among the leading figures in her profession at the Investment Migration Forum 2026 in Paris, where professionals, specialists and institutional representatives from around the world will gather to discuss the future of international mobility and residence and citizenship programmes.
“It is important to listen to different perspectives and understand where the world is heading. The better we understand this landscape, the trends and the challenges that will shape the future of immigration, the better we can advise those who seek our guidance.”