Visa comparison
D7 vs Golden Visa: Which Residency Visa is Right for You?
Two of Portugal’s most popular routes to residency — built for very different people. Here’s how they actually compare, in plain English.
I Want to Move to Portugal
The short answer
The D7 is for people who have passive income and want to actually live in Portugal.
The Golden Visa is for people who have €500,000+ spare capital and want EU residency without moving. Both lead to permanent residency in 5 years and citizenship in 10.
Side by side
How they compare
D7 Visa
The passive-income route
Golden Visa
The investment route
Best for
Retirees and anyone with steady passive income who wants to live in Portugal
Investors who want EU residency without relocating — a foothold in Europe
Up-front requirement
Show €920/month (~around $1,070) in passive income, plus €11,040 in savings
€500,000 in qualifying funds, or a €250,000 cultural-heritage donation
Income type
Passive only — pensions, US Social Security, rental income, dividends, royalties
Irrelevant — qualification is by capital, not income
Physical stay
Most of the year — effectively full-time, with limited absences allowed
~7 days a year on average — among the lightest in Europe
Tax residency
Yes — Portugal becomes your tax home; worldwide income declared here (dual-tax treaties prevent double taxation)
Avoidable — you can keep your existing tax residence
Capital tied up
None — no investment required
€500k locked in qualifying funds for the duration; investment routes return capital, donation routes don’t
Path to citizenship
Permanent residency at 5 years; eligible for citizenship at 10 (A2 Portuguese required)
Same — 5 years to permanent residency, 10 years to citizenship
Typical legal fees
€1,000–€3,000 per person
Often €10,000+ per person — the process is more complex
Application process
Apply at a Portuguese consulate from your home country, then AIMA appointment after arrival
Make the qualifying investment first, then AIMA in Portugal — longer and more paperwork
The verdict
Which is right for you?
Choose the D7 if…
- You have reliable passive income — a pension, rental income or dividends
- You actually want to live in Portugal, full-time
- You don’t have €500,000 in spare capital to tie up
- You want the most affordable route to EU residency
Choose the Golden Visa if…
- You have €500,000+ in capital you can deploy or commit to a fund
- You want EU residency but aren’t ready (or don’t want) to relocate
- You’d rather keep your current tax residency than become Portuguese tax-resident
- Spending around a week a year in Portugal suits your life
A few honest notes
Worth knowing before you decide
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The Golden Visa’s rules keep moving
The real-estate route was removed in 2023, and processing now runs through AIMA’s backlog. If certainty matters to you, factor in that the rules may change again — the D7 has been more stable.
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The “either/or” is sometimes wrong
If you have both the capital and the passive income, the choice often comes down to whether you want to live here or just hold residency. People in their working years sometimes start on the Golden Visa and convert later; retirees almost always pick the D7.
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Citizenship is the same on both
Both routes lead to a Portuguese passport at 10 years. The Golden Visa doesn’t fast-track citizenship — both require the same A2 Portuguese language test and the same wait.
Common questions
FAQ
The D7 is generally faster, despite backlogs. The Golden Visa historically has had a long backlog of several years, but this has now been reduced to around 18 months.
This is potentially possible, but don’t forget you can move to Portugal full-time on a Golden Visa if you wish (or just spend the minimal time). After 5 years, some people opt for “regular” permanent residency instead of the more flexible Golden Visa permanent residency.
Still narrowing it down?
Take the 60-second eligibility quiz and we’ll point you at the right visa for your situation.
Thinking about Moving to Portugal?