What is a Portugal D7 visa, and who can benefit from getting it
The D7 visa is also known as the Retirement or the Passive Income Visa. Its holders can come to Portugal and get a residence permit. This path is suitable for financially independent cosmopolitans who confirm a stable income — at least €760 a month.
Typically, D7 visa applicants come to Portugal not to find a job or start a business but to live in a European country for as long as necessary for obtaining citizenship.
Key facts about the Portugal D7 visa
Allows to enter the territory of Portugal to apply for a residence permit
Valid for two entries into the country
The validity period is 4 months
Issued within 60 days from the date of documents submission
To get the D7 visa, an applicant needs to prove income and the ability to support themselves and their family.
The Portugal Passive Income Visa and the residence permit for financially independent persons are regulated by paragraph 1 of Article 58 of Law No. 23/2007 dated 07/04/2007 and paragraph d of Article 24 of Resolution No. 84/2007 dated 05/11/2007. The law applies to citizens of countries that are not members of the EU who get a stable high income from any kind of property abroad.
The Portugal D7 visa does not give the right to work in Portugal officially, but if the applicant later obtains a residence permit, this restriction will be lifted.
Conditions of getting a Portugal D7 visa: income requirements, purchasing property and moving to the country
💰 Confirm income. The applicant’s passive income should exceed the cost of living in Portugal, which is €760 per month, or €9,120 per year. If a person plans to move with his family, a minimum of half the living wage is added for a spouse or a parent and 30% of the living wage is added for each child.
| Applicant | Monthly income | Yearly income |
| Main applicant | €760 | €9,120 |
| Spouse | €380 | €4,560 |
| Child under 18 | €228 | €2,736 |
The easiest way to prove income is to provide a bank statement. Income can be earned by leasing property, as profits from business, intellectual property, securities, and pensions.
🏠 Purchase or rent a residential property in Portugal. The applicant needs to have their own or long-term rented apartment or villa. There are no requirements for the minimum cost. The main thing is that there is a signed lease or sale agreement and documents confirming payments under the agreement, e.g. bank statements. The applicant can book rooms at a hotel or use services like Airbnb.
🛋️ Move to the country. To maintain a residence permit, the applicant must spend 183 days a year in the country. In this way, the D7 visa differs from the Golden Visa program, under which you have to contribute money to the country's economy and live there a week every year.
Benefits of the Portugal Passive Income Visa
Visa-free travel to European countries. Holders of a Portugal residence permit do not need to obtain visas to travel within the European Union or the Schengen area.
Extension of the residence permit. The residence permit is issued for two years and can be extended for three years if the applicant confirms compliance with the requirements.
Residence permits for the whole family. A spouse and dependent close relatives such as minor children, siblings, and parents can obtain residence permits for family reunification.
Opportunity to obtain permanent residence or citizenship. A foreigner can apply for a permanent residence permit in Portugal or for its citizenship after five years of living in the country.
Portugal offers one of the fastest routes to naturalization in the European Union. For example, In Spain or Italy you can apply for a passport only after ten years of residing in the country.
Dual citizenship. Portugal allows dual citizenship. A foreigner is not obliged to renounce up his home country's passport.
Obtaining the D7 Visa and the residence permit: a step-by-step procedure
- Registration with the Portuguese tax office, obtaining a NIF number.
- Purchase or rent a residential property.
- Submission of documents for a D7 visa to a Portuguese consulate in the country of origin.
- Entry to Portugal with a D7 visa within four months after getting it.
- Registration with the Portuguese Migration Service (SEF) in order to apply for a residence permit. Application is submitted by appointment.
- Obtaining a residence permit. Once the application is approved, the residence permit is mailed to a registered address in Portugal within one or two months
Documents required to apply for the D7 visa:
- a visa application form;
- an international passport;
- two colour photos;
- a health insurance policy;
- confirmation of no criminal convictions from the applicant’s country of residence;
- a confirmation of an owned or rented housing in Portugal — title documents for real estate or a long-term lease agreement are accepted;
- confirmation of sufficient means for living;
- a proof of kinship for family members: a marriage certificate, a birth certificate;
- a document on the registration of NIF, a Portuguese taxpayer number.
How to move to Portugal and how fast you can do it via the D7 visa
Costs of getting a Portugal D7 visa
Buying or renting a home in Portugal. Real estate in Portugal is cheaper than in neighbouring EU countries. The average house price in Portugal is €1,100 per 1 m², while in Spain, house prices are at the level of €1,800 per 1 m².
The average cost of renting a one-room apartment in Portugal ranges from €500 to €600 per month.
Registration of real estate. Taxes, including the stamp duty, agent's commission, legal and notary fees, amount to 9-10% of the property value.
State fees for getting a residence permit. The consular fee, visa application fee, and residence permit fees are about €300 per applicant. The applicant’s family members pay the same fees.
How to extend a Portugal residence permit and obtain citizenship
The D7 visa allows the holder to get a Portuguese residence permit for a period of two years, which can be extended to three years.
To extend the residence permit, a foreigner submits documents confirming sufficient income to the SEF.
A resident can apply for permanent residence or citizenship after five years of living in the country. Permanent residence is granted for life; the card itself must be renewed every five years. The applicant needs to confirm knowledge of the Portuguese language at level A2 — it is the elementary level which requires basic knowledge. Typically, it takes around 200 hours of studying to reach.
To apply for citizenship on a general basis, a resident needs to prove Portuguese language proficiency at the A2 international level and prove that they have no criminal record in Portugal.
Taxes for the D7 visa holders
A foreigner who lives in Portugal for 183 days a year becomes a tax resident — it means all their income is taxed in Portugal with its tax rates. But new residents are entitled to some benefits that help to optimise taxation.
Those who become Portuguese tax residents can apply for a special tax status — RNH (Residente Não Habitual, English version is NHR, Non-habitual Resident). This entitles its holder to tax benefits for ten years, including a reduced income tax rate of 20% on income earned in Portugal and 10% on a pension gotten abroad.
Financially independent persons are also exempt from taxes on income received outside of Portugal. They do not pay inheritance, gift or property taxes. They can transfer money to Portugal and abroad without commissions.
How to get a Portugal residence permit by investment
The Golden Residence Permit Program is an alternative way to obtain a residence permit in Portugal. Such a residence permit is called a golden visa. The program offers investment options starting with €250,000.
Purchase of real estate is the most popular option of the program. Investors can buy properties for themselves or for renting out. They can purchase any kind of real estate: commercial spaces, villas, apartments or even mansions with vineyards.
In addition to real estate, applicants can deposit money in a bank, open a business and create jobs in companies in Portugal, or invest in research activities or the preservation of cultural heritage.
Investors are attracted by the transparency of the procedure and the opportunity to obtain citizenship for the whole family in five years.
Comparison of Portugal Golden Visa and D7 visa
| Terms of getting the status | Golden visa | D7 visa |
| Investment amount | €250,000+ | Not defined |
| Registration time for a residence permit | 6-10 months | 4+ months |
| Mandatory residing in Portugal | 7 days a year | 183 days a year |
| Beneficial tax treatment | Yes | Yes |
Immigrant Invest provides support services for participation in the Golden Visa Program and getting a Portugal D7 visa. Lawyers help to prepare documents, conduct a preliminary Due Diligence check and accompany the applicant to the official bodies of Portugal.
Immigrant Invest works with a proven database of residential properties. Our real estate experts help to choose a property based on goals and investment amount.
Frequently asked questions
A Portugal D7 visa is also known as the Retirement Visa or the Passive Income Visa. It can be obtained by non-EU citizens with passive income in another country: rentals, dividends, interest, pension.
- Confirm that you have a stable income sufficient to live in the country.
- Buy or rent residential property in Portugal.
- Live in the country for at least 183 days a year.
To get the Portugal D7 visa, applicants collect all the needed documents and submit them to a Portugal consulate in their country of origin. The visa will be issued in two months after the submission of the documents.
Documents for the Portugal D7 visa shall be submitted to a Portuguese consulate in the country of the applicant’s origin. And to get a residence permit, they go to Portugal and submit documents to SEF — the Portuguese migration service.
Depends on the personal situation. We suggest using the table to compare the terms with the Golden Visa program.
The main difference between the D7 visa is the lack of investment in the country’s economy to obtain a residence permit. Given the long mandatory stay in the country, it is suitable for people planning to spend most of the year in Portugal.
- real estate leasing income;
- dividends on shares of legal entities;
- interests on bank deposits and securities;
- royalties for the transfer of copyright;
- pensions and insurance payments.
According to the Global Peace Index, Portugal is one of the five safest countries in the world. The state is relatively quickly emerging from the pandemic crisis. The flow of people who choose Portugal as a permanent place of residence is increasing.
Learn about the benefits of living in Portugal from our article.
