Visa comparison
D7 vs Digital Nomad Visa: which one are you?
Portugal’s two most popular residency visas for people who actually want to live here. They look similar — and they are — but they’re built for two very different kinds of income.
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The short answer
If your income is passive — pension, rental, dividends — you want the D7.
If your income is active — a remote salary or freelance work from outside Portugal — you want the D8. Everything else about them is broadly the same.
Side by side
How they compare
D7 Visa
For passive-income earners
D8 — Digital Nomad
For remote workers and freelancers
Best for
Retirees, landlords, anyone living off investments — not currently working for income
Workers with a remote salary or freelance income from clients outside Portugal
Income type
Passive — pensions, US Social Security, rental income, dividends, interest, royalties
Active — salary from a non-Portuguese employer, or freelance income from clients outside Portugal
Minimum monthly income
€920 (~around $1,052)
€3,680 (~around $4,208) — four times the D7
Savings required
≈ 12 months of income — €11,040 for an individual
Same — ≈ 12 months of income — €11,040 for an individual
Physical stay
Most of the year in Portugal — ~8 months/year
Same — ~8 months/year
Tax residency
Yes — Portuguese tax resident; worldwide income declared here
Same — Portuguese tax resident
Family included
Spouse / partner, dependent children & parents — +50% income per partner, +30% per child
Same model — +50% per partner, +30% per child (scaled to the higher D8 threshold)
Path to citizenship
Permanent residency at 5 years; citizenship at 10 (A2 Portuguese required)
Same — 5 and 10 years
Typical legal fees
€1,000–€3,000 per person
€1,000–€3,000 per person
Where the application stumbles
Consulates rejecting income types they don’t view as truly passive
Getting your employer to allow remote work from Portugal — many won’t, so people switch to contractor status or an Employer of Record
The verdict
Which is right for you?
Choose the D7 if…
- You’re retired or living off investments — pension, rental income, dividends, royalties
- You don’t have a remote job or freelance clients to lean on
- Your passive income is recurring and well-documented
Choose the D8 if…
- You work remotely for a non-Portuguese employer, or freelance for clients outside Portugal
- You earn at least €3,680/month (~around $4,208)
- Your employer is willing to let you work from Portugal — or you can move to contractor / EoR status
A few honest notes
Worth knowing before you choose
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The D8 income threshold is large
Four times the D7 is one of the higher digital-nomad thresholds in Europe. If you’re earning well it’s not a problem — but for many people the D7 (if their income happens to be passive) is the friendlier route.
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The D8 income must come from outside Portugal
If you switch to a Portuguese employer or take on Portuguese clients, you fall off the D8. People in this situation typically move to a D1 or D3 work visa, or set themselves up as a Portuguese contractor.
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The D7 no longer accepts remote-work or freelance income
Before the D8 existed, the D7 sometimes accepted active income. That’s now rare — if your income is from a remote job or freelance work, plan for the D8.
Common questions
FAQ
If you have sufficient passive income, most lawyers would advise you to apply for the D7 (you can normally still work remotely on this). However, the right route varies on a case by case basis.
In practice, they’re broadly the same — both apply through a Portuguese consulate, both take ~60 days for a decision after the appointment. However, it can depend on the consulate.
Once resident, your visa type matters less. Renewals are handled by AIMA based on the situation at the time. If your circumstances change (you retire on the D8, say) it can be addressed at renewal.
No. Both require 5 years for permanent residency and 10 years for citizenship, with the same A2 Portuguese language requirement.
Approval is about evidence, not visa choice. The D7 is sometimes refused for income types consulates don’t view as truly passive; the D8 is sometimes refused if the employer relationship looks borderline (e.g., the “employer” is a Portuguese company in disguise). Apply to the one your evidence cleanly supports.
Not sure which fits?
Take the 60-second eligibility quiz and we’ll tell you which visa your situation actually qualifies for.
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