Portugal D7 Visa: complete guide for Passive Income Visa

The D7 visa, also known as the Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa, allows non-EU citizens to travel to Portugal and apply for a residence permit. It's a popular choice for people who want to enjoy life in Portugal without needing to find a job or run a business there.

This visa is ideal for financially independent individuals, such as retirees or investors, who have a reliable income from outside Portugal. This income might come from pensions, rental properties, dividends, or other investments.

To qualify, you need to show that your income meets a threshold linked to Portugal’s minimum wage. In 2026, Portugal’s minimum monthly wage is €920[1], so to be eligible you must prove an annual income of at least €11,040. If the minimum wage increases in future years, the minimum required income for the D7 visa will rise accordingly.

Most people apply for the D7 Visa because they want to live in Portugal long-term. Many aim to stay long enough to eventually apply for Portuguese citizenship. The visa is not designed for people planning to take up a job or start a company right away.

The key facts about the D7 Visa:

1. Purpose: Lets you enter Portugal in order to apply for a residence permit.
2. Entries allowed: Two.
3. Visa duration: Valid for 4 months.
4. Processing time: Usually issued within 60 days after you submit all the required paperwork.
5. Work status: The visa itself does not give you permission to work. However, once you get your residence permit, you are allowed to take up employment in Portugal if you choose.

The D7 Visa is backed by Portuguese immigration laws:

• Article 58, paragraph 1 of Law No. 23/2007 from July 4th, 2007[2];
• Article 24, paragraph d of Resolution No. 84/2007 from November 5th, 2007.

The Portugal Passive Income Visa provides a straightforward path to relocating, enables family members to join under the same framework, and creates favourable conditions for building a stable life in Portugal without the need for active employment.

1. Visa-free travel across Europe. Once you get a residence permit through the Portugal Passive Income Visa, you can travel without a visa to other countries in the European Union and Schengen Area[3]. This makes it easy to explore much of Europe while living in Portugal.

2. Easy permit extensions. The initial residence permit is valid for 2 years, and you can renew it for another 3 years if you continue to meet the basic requirements — like maintaining your income and spending enough time in Portugal.

3. Residency for family members. Your immediate family can join you in Portugal. That includes your spouse, children, parents, and even siblings — as long as they are financially dependent on you. They can all apply for residence permits under the family reunification program.

4. Path to permanent residency or citizenship. After 5 years of being a Portuguese resident, you can apply for either permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship. The countdown starts on the application date for the first residence permit.

Therefore, Portugal offers one of the shortest paths to naturalisation in the EU. For comparison, countries like Spain and Italy require you to live there for 10 years before you can apply for citizenship.

5. Tax optimisation. Portugal has a progressive income tax system, with rates starting at 12.5%. In 2026, the national minimum wage is set to rise to €920 a month, and the IRS “subsistence minimum” can effectively reduce income tax to zero for many low earners, with the 2026 State Budget setting it at €12,880 per year. 

Since Portugal’s long stay visa rules use the minimum wage as the reference for “means of subsistence”, a D7 applicant who only meets the minimum income level may end up paying little or no Portuguese income tax, depending on the type of income, deductions, and whether they become a Portuguese tax resident.

To qualify for the Portugal D7 Visa, you must meet a number of financial, legal, and administrative requirements. These ensure that you can support yourself in Portugal and comply with immigration regulations.

Confirming income

To begin with, applicants must demonstrate a steady passive income that exceeds the Portuguese minimum wage. As of January 1st, 2026, that means showing at least €920 per month, or €11,040 annually. This ensures that you can meet the cost of living in Portugal without needing local employment.

If you’re planning to bring family members, you’ll need to demonstrate additional monthly income. For a spouse or a dependent parent, you must show 50% of the main applicant’s required income — that is, an extra €460 per month. For each dependent child, you need to prove 30% more — or €276 per month.

The simplest way to confirm your financial eligibility is by submitting recent bank statements.

Confirming kinship

When applying with family, you’ll have to prove your relationship to each accompanying person. Eligible relatives include:

• legally married spouse or long-term partner; 
• children under the age of 18;
• dependent children up to age 21 who are in full-time education; 
• dependent parents.

To verify these relationships, you’ll need official documentation — such as a marriage certificate, birth certificates, or legal documents confirming dependency or guardianship. These documents should be current, officially translated into Portuguese or English if required, and may need to be legalised or apostilled depending on where they were issued.

Presenting a clean criminal record

Applicants aged 16 and over must submit a recent criminal record certificate or background check from their current country of residence. If you’ve lived in any other country for more than a year, you’ll also need a report from there. These certificates must be issued within the past 3 months and appropriately legalised.

While a completely clean record is preferred, a minor or non-violent criminal record won’t automatically disqualify you. Each case is considered individually.

Renting or buying a place to live in Portugal 

Another key requirement is demonstrating where you’ll live in Portugal. This can be done by showing a long-term rental contract or proof that you own property. The lease must last at least 12 months and clearly state the full address, rental terms, and names of tenants. You’ll also need to provide evidence of payments — such as receipts or bank transfers.

Although temporary lodging like hotels or Airbnb may be accepted during the initial visa process, you must secure a more permanent home before your residence permit is approved.

Opening a Portuguese bank account and transferring funds

Before submitting your application, you’ll need to get a Portuguese tax ID number, known as a NIF[4], and open a local bank account. Into that account, you must transfer enough money to cover one full year of living expenses, at least €11,040 for the main applicant.

If you’re including family, the required savings increase: €5,520 for a spouse and €3,312 per dependent child. This money proves you can live comfortably without needing public support.

Taking out travel and health insurance

You must also have travel and health insurance when applying. Your travel insurance must be valid for the entire duration of your visa. At your immigration appointment, you’ll need health insurance that’s valid for at least 1 year, provides a minimum of €30,000 in medical coverage, and includes care within Portugal or the Schengen Area.

After receiving your residence permit, you can enroll in Portugal’s public healthcare system, known as the SNS. This enrollment is essential for renewing your permit in the future.

Submitting biometric data

Once in Portugal, you’ll attend an appointment with the immigration office to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a photograph. These are used to issue your residence card.

Moving to the country

To maintain your residence permit, you must actually live in Portugal. This is a key difference between the D7 Visa and Portugal’s Golden Visa, which requires far less time in the country and is geared toward investors.

The D7 Visa has become especially attractive for Americans looking to retire in Europe. It offers an affordable path to residency without the need to invest large sums of money. As long as you can demonstrate stable income, secure housing, and a clean legal and financial record, the D7 Visa can be a great gateway to living in Portugal.

The key requirement for the Portugal D7 Visa is that your income must come from passive sources — in other words, earnings that do not require active daily work.

Pensions 

Pensions are among the most widely accepted forms of income for the D7 Visa. This includes both public and private retirement pensions, whether from a government, an employer, or a private pension fund. Many retirees use this as their primary proof of financial independence.

Rental income

If you own property and rent it out — whether residential or commercial — this income qualifies as passive income. You’ll need to provide lease agreements and bank statements or tax returns that show regular rent payments being received[5].

Dividends

Earnings from investments in stocks or mutual funds that pay out dividends are also eligible. These payments must be consistent and well-documented, often supported by brokerage statements and tax filings.

Dividends received from a company in which the applicant is a shareholder qualify as well.

Royalties

If you receive royalties from books, music, patents, or other intellectual property, this too counts as passive income. Again, you’ll need documentation showing the source and frequency of these payments.

Interest from savings or investments

Regular interest earned from savings accounts, bonds, or other financial instruments may also qualify. Proof of this income might include bank statements or investment account summaries.

Cryptocurrency and digital assets

Income from crypto assets is a gray area. Portuguese authorities do not explicitly exclude crypto income, especially if it’s derived from long-term holdings or staking rewards. 

However, because of the volatility and evolving regulations around cryptocurrencies, applicants should approach this source with caution. It’s crucial to demonstrate that any crypto-derived income is stable, predictable, and well-documented.

Applying for a D7 Visa and relocating to Portugal involves several types of costs. These include housing expenses, government fees, and other legal or administrative charges.

Housing costs 

One of the main expenses when applying for a D7 Visa is securing a place to live in Portugal. You can either buy or rent property, and fortunately, real estate prices in Portugal are generally more affordable than in many other Western European countries.

If you prefer to rent, the average monthly cost for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from €800 to 1,000, depending on the city and neighborhood.

If you choose to buy rather than rent, the average cost to buy property in Portugal is around €2,750 per square meter, and there are additional registration and legal costs involved in the property purchase. These include:

• stamp duty;
• real estate agent’s commission;
• legal fees;
• notary and registration fees.

Altogether, these costs typically amount to 9—10% of the property’s purchase price.

Government fees 

To apply for and receive the D7 Visa and residence permit, you’ll need to pay a range of state fees. These include:

• visa application fee;
• residence permit application fee;
• residence permit issuance fee.

The total cost is around €200—300 per person.

To apply for the D7 Visa, you will need the following documents[6]:

1. Completed visa application form.
2. Valid international passport.
3. Two recent colour photographs.
4. Valid health insurance policy.
5. Criminal record certificate from your country of residence.
6. Proof of accommodation in Portugal — either property ownership documents or a long-term rental agreement.
7. Proof of sufficient financial means to support yourself.
8. Proof of family relationships, if applicable, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
9. Proof of registration for a Portuguese tax identification number.

For married couples or partners, a joint bank account is usually acceptable for confirming income and savings for Portugal’s D7 Visa. Consulates, Visa Facilitation Services, VFS centres, and Portuguese immigration authorities want to see that the funds belong to the family unit and that income is stable, regular and sufficient under the current rules.

Basic rules for joint accounts

If a couple wants to use a joint account, they can do so only if they have a properly legalised marriage certificate. That document will allow authorities to treat the balance and income on the account as common family funds. 

The certificate should be apostilled or otherwise legalised in line with the couple’s country of marriage and translated into Portuguese by a sworn translator, so that consular officers and AIMA staff can easily verify the relationship.

For the D7 Visa, spouses can rely on joint passive income such as pensions, rental payments or dividends credited to a shared account. As of 2026, a couple is expected to show at least €1,295 per month in passive income and a balance from €15,660 in a Portuguese bank account when applying for a residence permit, which confirms that they can support themselves without local employment. 

Accepted statement formats and how income is shown

When assessing a joint account, consulates and AIMA look for clear, standardised bank statements, so applicants should collect formal documents that show all essential details. 

The most common and acceptable formats for joint account statements include:

• standard monthly or quarterly bank statements for the last three to six months in PDF or paper form, containing the names of both account holders, the IBAN or account number, currency and bank logo;
• transaction histories that list regular income payments, such as pensions, salaries or rent, with clear descriptions of the payer and payment purpose;
• balance confirmations or reference letters from the bank stating the current account balance and account opening date, if the consulate or VFS centre includes this in its checklist.

Cards, contracts and joint accounts

Many couples use a joint account where only one spouse has a debit or credit card linked to the account, while the other uses online banking access or has no card at all. This structure is common and does not normally create problems, as long as the account itself is clearly joint and both names appear on the statements. 

The important point is that the name in the employment contract or pension certificate matches one of the account holders, so that authorities can link the income source to the account where the money is received.

Immigrant Invest lawyers review all joint account documents, marriage certificates and translations before submission and help clients request the right form of bank confirmation, which significantly reduces the risk of follow up questions or refusals based on financial documentation.

While the D7 Visa is relatively straightforward, certain common mistakes can lead to rejection. 

Insufficient or unclear proof of passive income. The financial documents submitted must clearly demonstrate a stable and regular income that meets Portugal’s minimum requirements. Inconsistencies or vague sources of income often raise concerns during the evaluation process.

Incomplete or incorrect documentation is another frequent cause of rejection. Missing health insurance, outdated criminal background checks, or unsigned application forms are common errors. 

At Immigrant Invest, every client receives a tailored list of required documents, specific to their situation. All official government forms are completed by our legal team, so applicants only need to review and sign them. This helps ensure applications are accurate, complete, and submitted without unnecessary delays.

One of the key conditions for keeping your D7 residence permit active is that you must actually live in Portugal for most of the year. If you spend too much time outside the country, you could risk losing your residency status.

The Portuguese immigration rules are very specific about how long you can be away from the country. If you hold a D7 Visa residence permit:

1. You cannot be outside Portugal for more than 6 consecutive months at a time.

2. You cannot spend more than 8 months in total outside of Portugal during the entire validity period of your residence permit.

In practical terms, this means the following:

1. If your residence permit is valid for 2 years, you must live in Portugal for at least 16 out of those 24 months.

2. If your permit is valid for 3 years, you need to spend at least 28 months in Portugal during that time.

These minimum stay requirements show that the D7 Visa is designed for long-term residents — not part-time visitors. Portugal wants to ensure that D7 visa holders are integrating into the country and contributing to local life.

After receiving a residence permit under the D7 Visa, investors can gradually move towards long term status in Portugal. 

Renew residence permit

When your initial 2-year permit is about to expire, you can apply to extend it for another 3 years. To do this, you’ll need to submit updated documents to the Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum of Portugal. 

The key requirement is to show that you still meet the visa’s financial criteria — that is, you continue to have sufficient passive income and savings to support yourself and any dependents.

After 5 years of legal residence in Portugal, you become eligible to apply for either permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship.

Obtain permanent residency

Permanent residency gives you the right to live in Portugal indefinitely. While the status is lifelong, the residence card itself must be renewed every 5 years. To qualify, you must show continued legal residency and prove your integration into Portuguese society.

Another key requirement is language proficiency. You’ll need to demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language at A2 level, which is a basic, beginner level. 

Apply for citizenship

To apply for citizenship by naturalisation, the requirements are similar to those for permanent residence, but with a few additional steps. You must:

1. Show basic knowledge of the Portuguese language — also at the A2 level.
2. Prove you have no serious criminal record in Portugal.
3. Demonstrate that you have been legally residing in the country for at least 5 years[7].

Once granted, Portuguese citizenship gives you the right to a Portuguese passport, as well as freedom to live, work, and travel throughout the European Union.

Income tax

Portugal’s personal income tax, called IRS, is progressive. In mainland Portugal, the general rates start at 12.5% and rise to 48%[8]. Very high taxable incomes may also pay an additional solidarity surcharge. 

Portugal does not have a simple tax-free allowance that automatically exempts the first part of everyone’s income. Instead, there is a subsistence minimum rule called mínimo de existência, designed so that people on very low incomes can end up owing little or even no IRS. With the minimum wage set to rise to €920 a month in 2026, this subsistence minimum is widely expected to be €12,880 per year. 

For the D7 Visa, the minimum income benchmark is commonly linked to the minimum wage. With €920 a month, the usual baseline for the main applicant is €11,040 per year. Families are often assessed using the standard percentages: 

• 100% for the first adult; 
• 50% for the second adult; 
• 30% per child.

It would put a couple with one child at about €19,872 per year. 

Because these amounts sit at the lower end of the tax scale, some D7 applicants may end up paying very little IRS. However, this is not automatic. The result depends on whether you become a Portuguese tax resident and, crucially, on the type of income you receive, since different categories of income can be taxed under different rules.

If you choose to live in Portugal’s island regions, you could pay even less: tax rates range from 11.6% in Madeira and 10.5% in the Azores.

Special tax regime

D7 Visa holders may qualify for certain tax benefits that can help reduce the amount of tax you pay. If you take up employment in specific qualified professions — particularly in areas such as scientific research, technology, innovation, and other fields that are considered strategic for Portugal’s economy — you may be eligible for a special flat tax rate of 20% on your Portuguese-sourced income.

Under this special tax regime, income earned outside of Portugal may be exempt from Portuguese taxation. The exact treatment depends on both the nature of the income and whether a relevant tax treaty is in place.

The Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers and freelancers who earn income from abroad to legally live and work in Portugal. Unlike the D7 Visa, which targets passive income earners, this visa is designed for those with active income — whether employed by a foreign company, self-employed, or running an online business.

To qualify, applicants must show a monthly income of at least €3,680, proving that they can support themselves without relying on the Portuguese job market.

The Golden Visa is another popular alternative for obtaining legal residency in Portugal. It’s specifically designed for non-EU investors who are willing to contribute to the Portuguese economy.

To qualify, applicants must make an eligible investment starting from €250,000. This can include options such as:

• purchasing units of an investment fund;
• starting a business and creating jobs in Portugal;
• investing in scientific research or technological innovation;
• supporting the preservation of Portuguese cultural heritage.

One of the main attractions of the Golden Visa is its flexibility. Unlike other visa types, it does not require you to live in Portugal full-time. You only need to spend an average of 7 days per year in the country to maintain your residency status.

The Portugal Global Talent D3 Visa is a newer route aimed at highly skilled professionals who are ready to collaborate with Portuguese universities through teaching, research or mentoring instead of relying on passive income or classic investment options. 

It is based on the Portugal Global Talent Residence visa, also called the Portugal D3 visa, and is suitable for applicants with:

• bachelor’s degree or higher, 
• three to five years of professional experience, 
• clean criminal record, 
• savings from €15,000, rented or owned accommodation in Portugal 
• health insurance with coverage of at least €35,000.

Unlike the D7 and D8 visas, the Portugal Global Talent Program does not require a minimum income but involves costs close to the Golden Visa: participation starts at €170,000 for a family of up to four, plus state fees and living expenses. In return, applicants receive a flexible residence permit and can include a spouse or partner, children and parents.

1. The D7 Visa suits non-EU citizens with stable passive income, like pensions, rent, or investments.
2. To meet the Portugal D7 visa requirements, you must demonstrate an annual income of at least €11,040, secure housing in Portugal, have valid health insurance, and provide a clean criminal record from your country of residence.
3. The D7 Visa leads to a 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 years, with permanent residency or citizenship possible after 5 years.
4. Family members such as spouses, children under 21, and parents can join, and you all gain visa-free travel within the Schengen Area.
5. Unlike the Golden Visa, the D7 doesn’t require large investments, making it budget-friendly.

1. Source: Minimum monthly wage — Government Portal
2. Source: D7 Visa law — Portaria n.º 1563/2007, de 11 de dezembro
3. Source: Schengen country list — European Commission
4. Source: Source: get NIF steps — ePortugal
5. Source: Passive income types — Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros
6. Source: Residency documents — Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros
7. Source: Naturalization law — Diário da República n.º 228/1981, Série I de 1981‑10‑03
8. Source: IRS tax rates — Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira