Best Digital Nomad Visa Programs
Our travel experts rank the best digital nomad visa programs currently available and tell you which to avoid.
Written By:
Jakus EloffFact Checked By:
Richard NathanAre you looking to settle down or start a new life in Portugal, then the Portugal D7 Visa is for you. Here we will discuss everything there is to know about Portugal’s D7 visa, its requirements, and the D7 residency permit.
In This Post We’ll Look At:
What Is A D7 Visa?
Who Can Apply For The D7 Visa?
What Are The Benefits Of A Portugal D7 Visa?
What Are The General Requirements Before You Apply For A D7 Visa?
What Are The Minimum Passive Income Requirements?
What Are The Documents Required For The Application Process?
What Is The D7 Application Process - Step-By-Step Instructions
What Is The General Time Frame?
What Is The Cost Of The Portuguese D7 Visa?
Finally, We’ll Look At Some Frequently Asked Questions
If you are unsure whether Portugal's D7 visa is best suited to your needs you can consult our comprehensive Guide On Portugal's Visas to determine which visa is perfect for you.
The D7 Visa, also known as the Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa, was introduced in 2007 by the Portuguese government, allowing non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens to apply for temporary residency in Portugal. It is used to obtain a permanent residency permit and eventually citizenship.
The D7 visa allows applicants and their family members legal residence in Portugal. It is intended to attract wealthy foreigners to boost Portugal's economy. The D7 visa is most commonly used to complete Portugal's Golden Visa Program.
The D7 visa is also sometimes used by freelancers looking to make Portugal their base of operations. However, to accomplish this, you'll need to earn a minimum wage as determined by the Portuguese Government. For more information on how to do this, you can read our post on Getting a Digital Nomad Visa for Portugal.
Anyone can apply for a D7 Visa as long as they meet the minimum passive income requirements. We’ll discuss the minimum income requirements later in this post.
After one year, residents can renew their D7 visa for two successive periods of two years, equaling a total of 5 years. After 5 years, applicants can obtain a permanent residence permit, provided they still meet the relevant requirements.
Successful applicants are required to stay in Portugal for a minimum of 183 uninterrupted days per year. You can also opt to stay in Portugal for 8 months with various breaks within the year.
You can now save over 30 hours, and use Atlys to apply for a Portugal D7 Visa.
Although the D7 visa is known as a Retirement Visa, anyone can apply for it. As long as you are above the age of 18, eligible, and meet the visa requirements, the program is open to you no matter your country of origin. What are the benefits of a Portugal D7 Visa?
If you want to use Portugal's D7 visa specifically to retire, we suggest you take a look at our dedicated Portugal Retirement Visa Guide.
Visa-free travel to the entire Schengen area for up to 90 days out of every 180 days.
Thanks to the fast and easy application process, you can obtain Portuguese residency for your family in as little as 4 - 5 months.
Gain access to the National Health Service Care
Gain access to protection from the Portuguese Law and Legal System
Enjoy a preferential tax rate with the Portuguese Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) Program.
Conduct any professional activity as an independent professional
Conduct any professional activity as an independent professional
Gain access to the National Education Service, schools, and vocational training in Portugal
Apply for citizenship after 5 years.
If you have a residency for 1 year your newborn babies can become Portuguese citizens.
You will need to acquire a Portuguese tax number. It can be done remotely by a power of attorney without you entering Portugal. Without a Portuguese tax number, you can't carry out any fiscal activities in the country. It's the easiest & cheapest to use Bordr.
Once you have a NIF, you can open a Portuguese bank account remotely. Single applicants must ensure they have a minimum of €7 000 deposited in their bank account. Married couples are required to have a minimum amount of €10 500+ deposited into their bank account. To open a bank account, we recommend using Bordr.
To obtain a Portuguese residency visa, you will need to prove that you are financially stable and can provide for yourself (and your spouse if relevant) while staying in Portugal. The Portuguese immigration authorities will request that you provide all relevant documents (recurring income, or significant savings, or a combination of the two) as proof.
More on income requirements are below.
You are required to secure adequate accommodation before you travel to Portugal. Although you do not need to buy property, you need to have a long-term rental lease (minimum 12 months).
The primary applicant, including any dependents, must have comprehensive EU-wide health insurance. Take note that the medical cover must be paid for in advance (12 months). Each applicant must have minimum medical insurance worth €30 000.
Without a clean criminal record, your application will be unsuccessful. Ensure that you obtain your criminal record in time before you start the application process.
You must stay in Portugal for a minimum of 183 days every year. Or not be absent for more than 6 months, or you can also opt to live a total of 8 months in Portugal with various breaks within the year.
For your D7 Visa application to be successful, you need to provide proof of your financial stability. Your passive income must be able to support you fully, without you relying on your salary income. Although there is no minimum requirement for your net worth, Portuguese immigrant authorities may ask that you submit proof of your additional savings.
Passive income that is considered eligible includes:
Pension
Real estate
Transferable equity
Royalties
Intellectual property
Earnings from long term, fixed-rate financial investment
Dividends are accepted, provided that you do not work for the company
For your application to be approved, you need to satisfy the minimum passive income requirements. We recommend treating this as an absolute minimum requirement.
Single applicants need to generate and provide proof of a passive derived income of at least €635 per month or €7 260 per year.
When applying for the D7 Visa as a married couple, the minimum passive income generated increases by 50%. An additional €318+ per month is required, equaling a monthly passive income of €1 271 per married couple (or €15 252 per year).
The minimum passive income required for children under 18 equals €190.50 per month or a yearly amount of €2 286. This amount is equivalent to around 30% of the primary applicant's total required passive income.
Applicants who have financially dependent parents can apply for their parent's dependency residency status. Applicants must house and support them fully (meaning you or your spouse's parents have to live with you). You can only apply after you have moved and settled.
Documents needed to apply can vary between different countries.
To make the process easier, ensure that you have these documents:
A passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the expiry date of the D7 Visa.
2 colored passport photos. These must be recent photos.
Medical insurance that provides coverage in Portugal (Or an affidavit that states you will have Medical insurance 90 days before arrival).
Clean criminal record document.
Proof of accommodation (rental agreement, property deed, or property loan agreement).
Proof that you have sufficient finance for your stay in Portugal.
Documentary evidence of regular passive income.
A declaration outlining your motivation for seeking residency in Portugal.
We highly recommend that you acquire these documents before starting your application process, as it may become a tedious process if you are not well prepared.
Remember that a D7 visa is a temporary resident permit used to obtain a permanent residency permit, and eventually citizenship.
Complete your application form, submit it online to the Portuguese consultant, and schedule an interview date. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the date can be well in the future. Ensure that you are flexible enough to attend the interview.
Book your flight ticket to Portugal and ensure that it is bookable. Remember to have all your documents before your flight, as you will have to submit them at your interview.
Once you have arrived at your interview, you will need to submit all the supporting documents in person (including a copy of your plane ticket and police clearance). During the interview, they might ask a range of questions regarding your motivation to move, financial stability, and other personal information.
After your visa application is approved, you will be issued a 90-day temporary visa. You are expected to travel to Portugal within 4 months (D7 Visa is valid for 4 months).
Once you arrive in Portugal, you need to apply to SEF to start your D7 residency process.
Afterward, you will travel to your appointment with SEF. You are required to submit your supporting documents once more (check that you have up-to-date police clearance as it might have expired during the application process). During this appointment, your biometric data will also be captured.
Once you have your D7 visa your residency permit will be valid for 1 year and can be renewed for an additional 2 years (it can be renewed twice, equaling a total of 5 years). After 5 years, you can apply for permanent residency and Portuguese citizenship, provided that you are eligible and meet the requirements.
We highly recommend that you find a specialist to help you acquire all the documents necessary. It will speed up the process as the specialist will know what is required and can take up to a month.
The Visa application can take up to 60 days. It might take longer depending on if you have submitted the correct documents, if not, you will need to appear in person to correct any mistakes, hand in missing documents, or clarify any issues which can cause delays in your visa approval.
Once you arrive in Portugal, you need to apply to SEF and start the residency permit process.
The time it takes to make an appointment can vary due to the demand in certain locations. It may take up to 120 days for high-demand locations (for example, Lisbon) whereas other locations that are less popular, can take up to 15 days to schedule an appointment (the countryside).
The cost regarding legal fees is relatively low. It can range from €50 - €300 per applicant (may change in the future). The majority of costs will be for flight tickets, relocation, health insurance, accommodation, and so on.
A D7 visa is a temporary residency permit that is used to obtain a D7 residence permit.
You do not need to buy or own property in Portugal to qualify for the D7 visa. However, during your application process, you will need to provide proof of accommodation. A rental agreement should suffice.
A D7 Visa is a temporary residence permit used to obtain a D7 residency permit. This process can take up to 3 - 4 months. If you fail to submit the correct documents, it might take longer. Also, due to the COVID - 19 lockdown and travel restrictions, you can expect the process to take up to 6 months.
Once your application is successful, your D7 visa is valid for 4 months. Take note that you need to apply for your D7 residency permit within these 4 months.
You can apply for your D7 visa in your home country at the Portuguese consulate or embassy.
For your residency permit, you need to travel to Portugal and apply to SEF and schedule an appointment to start your application. For more information, you can consult our complete guide on how to get permanent residency in Portugal.
Yes, a D7 visa is the first step that will lead to permanent residency and citizenship. After you have stayed in Portugal for 5 years you can apply for citizenship, provided that you are eligible and meet the requirements.
Yes, provided that they meet all requirements, especially the passive income requirements.
Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, although this program is popular amongst wealthy retirees.
You are eligible if you:
Are a non-EU citizen
Have a clean criminal record
Meet the passive income requirements
Have proof of accommodation in Portugal
Are willing to spend at least 16 months in Portugal during your first 2 years of relocating
Have sufficient funds to support yourself in Portugal
No. Anyone can apply for the D7 visa as long as they meet the requirements and their source of passive income is stable and expected to stay stable over a long time.
No, the cost of living is relatively low compared to the quality of life in Portugal.
A NIF number is your legal tax number in Portugal. Without a NIF you will not be able to carry out any fiscal activities in Portugal.
NHR stands for Non-Habitual Resident. It is a Portugal tax program that offers foreigners reduced tax rates and in some cases, exemption from tax.
The Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) is a security service within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI). For the purpose of this article, the SEF is responsible for all activities related to migratory movements. If you wish to apply for a Residence visa in Portugal you need to schedule an appointment with SEF.
SEF has a pre-booking system that allows you to schedule appointments either by telephone or online. It is required that you attend your appointment in person. Remember that you are starting a new application for a Residence permit, therefore you will need to have all required documents before your interview.
It is possible to reschedule your appointment, but we advise that you plan ahead of time so that it is not needed.
The biggest difference is the amount of time that you are allowed to stay in Portugal. With a Portugal Schengen Visa it is limited to 90 days. That's why the Schengen visa is easier and cheaper to obtain.
The best time to visit Portugal depends largely on what you'll want to experience while you are there. For more information, you can check out our Best Time To Visit Portugal. For more Portugal travel tips you can also read our guide on The Best Places To Visit While In Portugal
A D7 visa is a temporary residency permit that is used to obtain a D7 residence permit.
You do not need to buy or own property in Portugal to qualify for the D7 visa. However, during your application process, you will need to provide proof of accommodation. A rental agreement should suffice.
A D7 Visa is a temporary residence permit used to obtain a D7 residency permit. This process can take up to 3 - 4 months. If you fail to submit the correct documents, it might take longer. Also, due to the COVID - 19 lockdown and travel restrictions, you can expect the process to take up to 6 months.
Once your application is successful, your D7 visa is valid for 4 months. Take note that you need to apply for your D7 residency permit within these 4 months.
You can apply for your D7 visa in your home country at the Portuguese consulate or embassy.
For your residency permit, you need to travel to Portugal and apply to SEF and schedule an appointment to start your application. For more information, you can consult our complete guide on how to get permanent residency in Portugal.
Yes, a D7 visa is the first step that will lead to permanent residency and citizenship. After you have stayed in Portugal for 5 years you can apply for citizenship, provided that you are eligible and meet the requirements.
Yes, provided that they meet all requirements, especially the passive income requirements.
Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, although this program is popular amongst wealthy retirees.
You are eligible if you:
Are a non-EU citizen
Have a clean criminal record
Meet the passive income requirements
Have proof of accommodation in Portugal
Are willing to spend at least 16 months in Portugal during your first 2 years of relocating
Have sufficient funds to support yourself in Portugal
No. Anyone can apply for the D7 visa as long as they meet the requirements and their source of passive income is stable and expected to stay stable over a long time.
No, the cost of living is relatively low compared to the quality of life in Portugal.
A NIF number is your legal tax number in Portugal. Without a NIF you will not be able to carry out any fiscal activities in Portugal.
NHR stands for Non-Habitual Resident. It is a Portugal tax program that offers foreigners reduced tax rates and in some cases, exemption from tax.
The Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) is a security service within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI). For the purpose of this article, the SEF is responsible for all activities related to migratory movements. If you wish to apply for a Residence visa in Portugal you need to schedule an appointment with SEF.
SEF has a pre-booking system that allows you to schedule appointments either by telephone or online. It is required that you attend your appointment in person. Remember that you are starting a new application for a Residence permit, therefore you will need to have all required documents before your interview.
It is possible to reschedule your appointment, but we advise that you plan ahead of time so that it is not needed.
The biggest difference is the amount of time that you are allowed to stay in Portugal. With a Portugal Schengen Visa it is limited to 90 days. That's why the Schengen visa is easier and cheaper to obtain.
The best time to visit Portugal depends largely on what you'll want to experience while you are there. For more information, you can check out our Best Time To Visit Portugal. For more Portugal travel tips you can also read our guide on The Best Places To Visit While In Portugal
Our travel experts rank the best digital nomad visa programs currently available and tell you which to avoid.