The D7 visa allows those with passive income (e.g. pensions, US social security, rental income) to obtain residency in Portugal and live here full-time.
And not only do you get to enjoy Portugal’s beautiful beaches, lower cost of living, and safety, but you also benefit from access to the public healthcare system and affordable education as well.
The best part? In 2026, an individual only needs €920 per month to qualify.
The D7 Visa Is Best For
✔ Retirees with pension income
✔ Investors earning dividends
✔ Property owners with rental income
✔ People with passive investment income
Not ideal for:
✖ Remote workers & Freelancers
Benefits of Living in Portugal
🏥 Public healthcare: Portugal has a universal public healthcare system (SNS), and many expats also choose affordable private insurance for faster access to specialists.
💰 Low cost of living: Everyday expenses are generally lower than most Western countries, especially if you live outside Lisbon and The Algarve1.
🌐 English widely spoken: Especially in Lisbon, the Algarve, and coastal areas.
🔒 Safe and stable: Portugal is consistently ranked among the world’s safest countries, with low violent crime and a stable society.
💼 Work or start a business: Under a visa like the D7, you can legally work for an employer, freelance, or set up a business in Portugal.
🛂 Path to residency & citizenship: Portugal provides a clear route from temporary residency to permanent residency and Portuguese citizenship. This would then allow you to move to other countries in the EU/EEA and Switzerland.
🎓 Affordable education: Public schools are free and higher education is very affordable.
D7 Visa Requirements
The following are the main requirements for a D7 application. However, it is important to realize that different countries and even the consulates or VFS Offices within each country, have their own unique requirements.
Key Requirements
☐ Main applicant is 18+
☐ Criminal record check (apostilled/translated if required)2
☐ Proof of accommodation in Portugal (e.g. rental lease, property deeds, or terms of responsibility form) 3.
Financial Requirements
☐ National Visa application form
☐ Sufficient passive income: e.g. €920/month for an individual in 2026
☐ Sufficient means of sustenance (savings) (e.g. €11,040 for an individual) in 2026
☐ Supporting evidence (e.g. bank statements, retirement income documentation, rental contracts, etc.)
Additional Requirements
☐ Authorization for a criminal record check in Portugal
☐ Personal statement
☐ Portuguese NIF number (tax number)
☐ Portuguese bank account 4
☐ Valid passport (6+ months validity beyond the 120-day visa, 2 blank pages)
☐ Completed D7 application form and 2 passport photos (EU-sized)
☐ Travel insurance with €30,000 hospitalization cover and repatriation 5
Optional Requirements
☐ Proposed flight itinerary or ticket 6
☐ Marriage certificate (if applying as a couple) and children’s birth certificates (if applying as a family) 7
Whats Counts As Passive Income
✔️ State or Private Pensions
✔️ US Social Security
✔️ Rental income 8
✔️ Dividends and other investment income
✔️ Interest 9
✔️ Royalties (e.g. books, music, software)
What Doesn’t
✖️ Freelancing Income 10
✖️ Income from a remote job 11
✖️ Savings (that don’t generate passive income such as interest)
Which Family Members Can You Include?
The D7 allows you to include certain family members (dependents) on your application. You can also bring them to Portugal on the D6 Visa later if they’re unable to move to Portugal at the same time as you. Note: each additional person means additional passive income and savings.
Spouse/Partner
It’s possible to add a spouse or long-term unmarried partner to a D7 application.
For unmarried partners, you’ll typically need to have lived at the same address for 3+ years and have paper evidence of this, such as shared bills or both names on the lease or mortgage.
Dependent Children
Children under the age of 18 can be easily added to a D7 application.
Dependent children between 18 and around 24 and in full-time education can normally be added. If your child isn’t studying or is older than that, they will normally need to submit a separate visa application.
Dependent Parents
Dependent parents can be added if you can show that they’re physically or financially dependent on you.
If they have their own passive income (such as retirement income), they would normally submit their own visa application rather than apply as your dependent.
Income Requirements for Families
Monthly passive income |
Savings Requirement |
|
|---|---|---|
Single Person |
€920 p/month |
€11,040 |
Couple |
€1,380 p/month |
€16,560 |
Each Dependent Child |
€276 p/month |
€3,312 |
Each Dependent Parent |
€460 p/month |
€5,520 |
⚠️ Note: Only one person’s income is considered for a D7 application. If one person doesn’t have enough for additional dependents, check to see if you would qualify with two separate applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a bit of a gray area but unless your permit specifically says otherwise, there shouldn’t be an issue with you working remotely or in Portugal. See a discussion on working on the D7 visa here.
You will be spending more than 183 days per year in Portugal and this will be your main home, some more than likely the answer is yes. Portugal has dual tax agreements with most countries (including the US, Canada, and UK) which prevents you from being taxed twice.
There’s no language requirement for the visa application, but if you apply for Permanent Residency or Portuguese citizenship you will need to show at least an A2 level of Portuguese. Don’t worry: this is the second-most basic level. You only need a pass mark of 55% or more in the exam or, alternatively, you can sit a 150-hour approved course.
No, you can live anywhere in Portugal. This includes Madeira and the Azores.
Minor offences are often fine, but more serious crimes (especially those punishable by more than one year in prison under Portuguese law) are likely to cause problems and may mean you visa application is rejected. See our guide to moving to Portugal with a criminal record.
This is a residency visa, so it allows you to spend 365 days if you wish. You will need to renew the D7, but renewals are straightforward once you’re living in Portugal.
You don’t need to have a residency in Portugal to buy property here, so you can purchase a property before moving if you wish. Note: that buying a property doesn’t automatically grant you residency here: you would also need to apply for residency (e.g. through the D7) to be able to live here.
You can usually appeal or re-apply. A good lawyer can help figure out what went wrong (often documentation, timing, or insufficient income) and fix it. However, it’s better to work with a good lawyer beforehand as appeals can be time-consuming and costly.
Physical Stay Requirements
During the temporary residency period (first five years) you can be outside of Portugal for six consecutive months or eight non-consecutive months per permit validity.
The initial permit is granted for two years and the second permit is granted for three years.
This means if you split the time evenly across each year, you can spend four months outside of Portugal during each of the first two years and a little over 3 months outside Portugal during the next three years.
After five years, you can apply for Permanent Residency which is significantly less restrictive, allowing you to spend up to three years outside of Portugal. Once you obtain Portuguese citizenship, there are no physical stay requirements.
It’s worth noting that there are exemptions, for example if you need to travel for work or health reasons.
Residency Stage |
Maximum Time Abroad (Consecutive) |
Maximum Time Abroad (Total) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Temporary Residency – First 2 Years |
6 months |
8 months |
If split evenly, you can spend 8 months of the year in Portugal and 4 months outside. |
Temporary Residency – Next 3 Years |
6 months |
8 months |
If split evenly, you can spend around 9 months in Portugal and 3 months outside. |
Permanent Residency (after 5 years) |
24 months |
30 months within a 3-year cycle |
If split evenly, you can spend almost 2.5 years outside of Portugal within a 3-year period. |
Alternative Visa Options
The D7 visa is the most popular option due to the minimal income requirements but if you don’t qualify for this visa, the Digital Nomad Visa (D8) is worth considering if you can work remotely or freelance.
See our: comparison of the D7 and D8
If you aren’t ready to move to Portugal yet, or don’t know if you’ll ever want to move, the Golden Visa offers the benefits of residency in Portugal without the physical stay requirements
D7 (This Visa) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Income Requirement |
€920 p/month (+ €11,040 in savings) |
None (focus is investment) |
€3,680 p/month (+ €11,040 in savings) |
Income Type |
Passive Income such as pensions, US Social Security, rental income, dividends, royalties |
No income required – investment only |
Salary from a remote job or freelancing income |
Investment Required |
No |
Yes (€500k investemnt or €250k donation) |
No |
Physical Stay |
Majority of the year in Portugal |
~7 days/year on average |
Majority of the year in Portugal |
Tax Residency |
Yes |
Avoidable |
Yes |
Typical Legal Fees |
~€1,000–€3,000 per person |
Often €10,000+ per person |
~€1,000–€3,000 per person |
Quick Tips:
- If you’re a retiree or investor with passive income and want to live full-time in Portugal → D7.
- If you’re a remote worker / freelancer with active income and want to live full-time in Portugal → Digital Nomad Visa.
- If you want a “foot in the door” or “backup plan” and don’t want to move to Portugal now → Golden Visa.
Further Reading
We have a ton of articles about the D7 visa on Portugalist.
🔗 Accommodation options for the D7 Visa
🔗 What insurance for I need for my D7 Visa?
🔗 What Are the Pros & Cons Of Portugal’s D7 Visa?
🔗 What Are The Stay Requirements for Portugal’s D7 Visa?
🔗 Can You Apply for the D7 Visa With Just Savings?
🔗 How to Apply for the D7 With Rental Income
🔗 Portugal’s D7 VS Digital Nomad Visa
🔗 What Counts as Passive Income for Portugal’s D7 Visa?
Footnotes & Sources
- Those coming from HCOL places like London, California, and New York will see the biggest differences in cost of living. However, even though the cost of living has increased, Portugal still offers significant value for the lifestyle (sunshine, beaches, and laid-back culture) it offers
- Minor offenses punishable for up to one year in Portugal are allowed: https://www.portugalist.com/portugal-criminal-record/. If you’ve lived in other countries for more than a year, you will normally require a criminal record check from that country as well.
- Typically a lease should be for 12 months and registered with Finanças, however, some consulates accept 6-month leases and even Airbnb or vacation rental accommodation
- This must be a Portuguese bank; Wise and only Euro banks are typically not accepted
- Normally, you only need travel insurance to cover you for the first 120 days in Portugal (before your AIMA appointment). However, some consulates now ask for 12 months of travel insurance: https://www.portugalist.com/insurance-d7-visa/
- Some consulates ask for this. It is recommended you purchase a refundable ticket if you’re unsure of your dates
- In some consulates, copies are allowed. Check if these need to be notarized or apostilled
- This is normally taken as the overall rental income (gross), rather any profit after expenses such as a mortgage (net)
- You would need to show that your earn interest on an ongoing basis and that this can continue to support you so your savings aren’t treated as a lump sum
- Previously freelancing income was accepted, but with the introduction of the D8, this is rarely the case.
- Previously a salary from a remote job was accepted, but with the introduction of the D8, this is rarely the case.
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