Everything you need to know: D7 Visa Portugal☀️🇵🇹

Did you know that Portugal is becoming one of the favorite destinations to live in? This is due to its climate, people, beaches, cities, and the fact that it is more affordable than other destinations. Aware of this, the Portuguese government has the well-known passive income residency authorization, known as the digital nomad visa.

What is the D7 Visa Portugal?

The D7 Visa is aimed at people from countries outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland who wish to retire or live and work in Portugal provided they have sufficient and stable financial means. 

Benefits D7 Visa Portugal 🍀

The D7 Visa Portugal will give you the right to live, work and/or study in Portugal, in addition to:

• Being able to travel around the Schengen space without the need for visas;
• Education; 
• Health care;
• Possibility to opt after 5 years of residence for permanent residence and nationality;
• Opting for the non-habitual resident tax regime (RNH);

Who can accompany the main applicant and benefit from the D7 Visa Portugal? 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

• Spouse or partner
• Minor or incapacitated children
• Children over the age of majority who are economically dependent 
• Ascendants who are economically dependent

👉 Requirements

As with the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa, the most important requirement for this visa is to have sufficient financial means to support yourself during the period of residence. In the case of Portugal, the D7 visa will allow you to work. However, you will have to demonstrate the necessary financial requirements. Therefore, the key requirement for the program is to have one or more sources of stable passive income, i.e. income derived from fixed income investments, royalties, monthly pension payments, retirement annuities, company dividends, as well as income derived from rental of movable or immovable property.

In addition, you will need to demonstrate that your passive income has been stable for 6 months or more and will continue to be stable.

The minimum amounts required for the D7 Visa Portugal application will depend on how many are applying for the visa:

– Main applicant: €705/month, which is equivalent to the minimum wage (annual amount: €8,460).

– Accompanying family members: €353/month, equivalent to 50% of the minimum wage (annual amount: €4.230).

– Accompanying family members under 18 years: 30% of the minimum wage per person, i.e. €212/month (annual amount: €2,538).

#LuxtonTip, we advise you, as far as possible, to submit double the minimum amounts as it will give more solidity to your application (covering the period of the initial 2 years of residence). 

Procedure to obtain the D7 Visa Portugal ✈️

The process to obtain the D7 Visa Portugal consists of 2 phases: 1) Obtaining the visa itself and; 2) obtaining the residence authorization. The first phase is processed in your country of residence, and the second in Portugal. Below we explain the documentation that you will have to present in each phase.

Phase 1: Processing of the D7 Visa Portugal 📑

To apply for the D7 Visa Portugal, you must request an appointment at the consulate of your place of residence and present at least the following documents:

• Valid passport (at least 10 months).
• 2 passport-size photographs
• Travel medical insurance with coverage in Portugal
• Criminal record certificate from your country of residence
• Proof of accommodation in Portugal (title deed or rental contract) of long duration (minimum 12 months)
• Sufficient financial means for the main applicant and companions in a Portuguese bank account
• Documentation proving regular income (pensions, rents, dividends, etc.)
• Portuguese Tax Identification Number (“NIF”).

We recommend: Open a Portuguese bank account and as a personal applicant deposit a minimum of 12,500 €. 

Please note that it is essential to contact the consulate of your place of residence prior to applying for the D7 Visa Portugal as some of the requirements might differ from one place to another.

The consulate will issue a double entry residence visa valid for 4 months so that you can travel to Portugal and apply for the residence permit. 

Phase 2: Residence permit 🪪

Once you are in Portugal, you must get an appointment with the SEF to apply for the residence permit.

• The documentation to be submitted is as follows:
• Passport with the visa issued by the Portuguese consulate in your country of origin.
• Proof of sufficient financial means
• Proof of accommodation
• Medical insurance
• NIF

The residence permit will have a duration of 2 years. At the end of the second year, it will be renewed for a period of 3 years (if you continue to meet the requirements). After that, you may choose to continue renewing the permit for 3-year periods or apply for permanent residence. 

⚠️In order to maintain the D7 Visa Portugal, you will need to meet a minimum stay in Portugal. The minimum time you must stay in Portugal is 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months.

📅 Time frame

The processing of the first phase (visa application) can take 2-4 months.

The appointment at the SEF when you arrive in Portugal will depend on where you apply. Offices in large cities such as Lisbon and Porto can take up to 3 months. After the appointment and approval, the office will send the residence card to your address in Portugal within approximately 3 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions about the D7 Visa Portugal

– How much does it cost to apply for the D7 Visa Portugal?

The issuance fees are as follows:

• D7 visa application fees usually cost approximately €90*.
• For your Residence Permit, around 160,00 €*.

* This above fee can be modified at any time by the responsible authorities.

– Can I get tax benefits?

If you have the D7 Visa Portugal, you are entitled to benefit from the NHR (the non-habitual resident tax regime). The NHR is a tax regime with numerous incentives for foreigners resident in Portugal who receive their income from abroad.

– When will I be eligible for a Portuguese passport?

After 5 years of residence in Portugal, you will be eligible to apply for Portuguese nationality. In another post, we will explain all the requirements. However, it is important to keep in mind that you will have to demonstrate a minimum A2 level of Portuguese.

Looking for more alternatives? If you are an investor, you could opt for the Golden Visa Portugal.