Portugal D7 Visa Requirements 2026: Get Assistance & Check Eligibility

What is the D7 Visa?

The D7 allows anyone with passive income—pensions, US Social Security, rental income, dividends—to obtain residency in Portugal and live here full-time. You get access to the public healthcare system, affordable schools, the beaches, and a lower cost of living, plus a path to citizenship after ten years.

The threshold is one of the lowest in Europe: in 2026, an individual needs €920 in passive income per month (~$1,043), plus sufficient savings. You’ll also need proof of accommodation in Portugal and a clean criminal record.

This page breaks down every requirement.

At a glance

Best for

✔ Retirees with pension or Social Security income
✔ Investors earning dividends
✔ Property owners with rental income
✔ Authors & creatives receiving royalties

Not ideal for:
✖ Remote workers and freelancers—see the D8 instead

What you’ll need

D7 Visa: The Main Requirements

A checklist of the main requirements for a D7 application in 2026. Note: each consulate and VFS office can have its own variation. For example, some require 12 months of travel insurance, others six, and others four.

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Personal eligibility & legal

Age & nationality

The main applicant must be 18+. The D7 is for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens—EU passport holders don’t need a visa to live in Portugal.

Apply from the country where you live

You apply at the Portuguese consulate or VFS Global center that covers the country where you legally live, which isn’t necessarily your country of citizenship. If you live somewhere you’re not a citizen, you’ll also need proof of legal residence there, such as a US green card or a residence permit. Find your consulate.

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You can’t apply from Portugal

A lot of people plan to fly to Portugal as tourists and apply once they’re here. The D7 doesn’t work that way. You need the visa in your passport before you move, and you get it from the consulate that covers the country where you live.

Clean criminal record

You’ll need a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality, plus one from anywhere you’ve lived for 1+ year. These need to be apostilled (Hague Convention countries) or legalized by a Portuguese consulate (non-Hague) and recent—typically issued within the last 90 days. US applicants are usually asked specifically for an FBI report. Have something on your record? Read our guide to applying with a criminal record.

Authorize a Portuguese criminal-record check

A separate signed form letting Portuguese authorities check for any Portuguese criminal record. Almost always a formality for first-time applicants.

Income & savings—the D7 core

Sufficient passive income

You need stable passive income (equivalent to €920/month for an individual). Typical passive income sources include retirement income (state and private pensions, US Social Security, 401(k)s), rental income, dividends, etc. Couples and families need more—see the Family section below for exact figures.

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“Passive” income, not active

The D7 is for people living off income they don’t have to actively work for: pensions, rental income, dividends, royalties, interest, annuities. Salary, freelance fees, and remote-work income don’t qualify on their own—that’s the D8‘s territory. Mixing both can work, but the passive component on its own must meet the threshold.

Savings (means of sustenance)

On top of monthly income, the main applicant needs bank savings of at least €11,040—roughly 12 months of the minimum wage. This shows you can cover yourself if your income drops temporarily.

If you apply as a family, each additional person adds to that total: a spouse or long-term partner needs an extra 50% of the main applicant’s amount, and each dependent child needs an extra 30% of the main applicant’s amount.

Supporting financial evidence

Back up the income figures with paperwork: pension statements, rental contracts and rental statements, dividend/interest records, brokerage statements, 6–12 months of bank statements showing the income hitting your account, and tax returns. Consulates check that the numbers in your statements match what you’ve claimed.

Documents & paperwork

Valid passport

At least 6 months of validity beyond the 120-day visa, with 2 blank pages. Renew it before applying if it’s close to expiring.

Application form & photos

The completed National Visa application form (current version from your local consulate) plus 2 passport photos per applicant in the EU size (35 × 45 mm).

Personal statement / motivation letter

A short letter (1–2 pages) covering who you are, your sources of income, why Portugal, where you plan to live, and how you’ll integrate. Consulate officers read these—a vague personal statement weakens an otherwise strong file.

Family documents (if applying with dependents)

Marriage certificate for spouses (apostilled), birth certificates for children (apostilled), and proof of unmarried partnership (2+ years of cohabitation evidence) where relevant. If only one parent is applying with a child, you’ll need the other parent’s consent.

Translations

Documents in Portuguese never need translating, and English documents usually don’t. Documents in other languages generally need a certified translation into Portuguese, and a few consulates have their own rules, so check with yours before you pay for translations.

Portuguese setup

NIF (Portuguese tax number)

You’ll need a NIF to open a Portuguese bank account, sign a lease, and submit the application. Most applicants get one remotely before they apply, through a fiscal representative, a lawyer, or an online service. Once you’ve moved, update your NIF address to Portugal so you’re registered as a tax resident; at that point, you normally no longer need a fiscal representative.

Get your NIF

NISS (Portuguese social security number)

You’ll need a NISS or proof you don’t require one. However, this isn’t required until your AIMA appointment, which takes place in Portugal after you move.

Portuguese bank account

You need a Portuguese bank account in your name with the required savings deposited. Wise, Revolut, and other electronic money institutions (EMIs) are usually not accepted as a substitute. Several Portuguese banks open accounts remotely for non-residents—Millennium BCP and Novo Banco are common picks.

Open a bank account

Proof of accommodation in Portugal

A 12-month rental contract, property deeds, or a notarized term of responsibility from someone hosting you. Short-term Airbnb bookings rarely qualify, and hotel reservations almost never do. A few consulates accept 6-month bookings, but they’re the exception.

Find a 12-month rental

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Accommodation is one of the biggest hurdles

In practice, most people end up renting somewhere for 12 months. Once they arrive, they then decide whether to stay in that place (some leases can be broken a third of the way through) or whether to rent or even buy somewhere else. See our accommodation guide for more info.

Travel & ongoing

Travel insurance

Insurance with at least €30,000 in hospitalization coverage and repatriation. Some consulates ask for 4–6 months of coverage; others increasingly require a full 12. Match what your specific consulate asks for.

Get travel insurance

Health insurance (for your AIMA appointment)

You don’t need this to apply, but you’ll usually be asked for proof of health coverage at your AIMA appointment. Registration with the public health service (SNS) can count, but most people can’t register until they have their residence permit, which comes after the appointment. Some people get by with their travel insurance, but in practice, most need a private health insurance policy. Arrange it before your appointment.

Get health insurance

Proposed flight itinerary

Some consulates want to see a planned or booked flight to Portugal. Refundable tickets or held bookings are the safe approach—don’t lock in non-refundable flights before your visa is approved. If you fly into another Schengen country first (say, connecting through Paris or Madrid), your passport won’t be stamped in Portugal, so you’ll need to file an entry declaration (declaração de entrada) with AIMA within 3 working days of arriving.

AIMA biometrics appointment in Portugal

After your visa is issued and you arrive in Portugal, you have to attend a biometrics appointment with AIMA to convert the visa into your 2-year residence permit. Bring originals of every document, plus proof of health insurance. Appointment availability is the biggest source of delays—once you have a travel date, book immediately.

Passive income requirements

What counts as passive income?

✓ Counts as passive income

State or private pensions
US Social Security
Rental income (usually counted gross, not net of mortgage)
Dividends and other investment income
Interest on savings (must be ongoing and recurring)
Royalties—books, music, software

✗ Doesn’t count

Freelancing income—use the D8 instead
Salary from a remote job—also the D8
Savings alone—must generate ongoing passive income (e.g., interest)

Quick rules of thumb

You receive retirement or other passive income and want to live in Portugal full-time → D7
You’re a remote worker or freelancer and want to live here full-time → D8
Want a foot in the door or a Plan B without moving now → Golden Visa

For the full breakdowns: D7 vs D8 · D7 vs Golden Visa · Pros & Cons of Portugal’s D7 Visa

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Don’t qualify?

It may be possible to apply for the D7 with savings if those savings are converted into a passive income stream (e.g., an annuity, rental property, dividend-paying investments, or interest). In some cases, if you’re close to retirement, savings may be enough to qualify you initially. In any case, talk to us and we’ll see if we can help.

Requirements for bringing family

Which family members can you include?

Each additional person raises the passive income and savings requirements for a D7 visa application. If you don’t meet the requirements for additional family members, it is possible for them to submit a separate visa application using their own income.

Spouse or partner

Married, civil-partnered, or long-term unmarried partners can be added. For unmarried partners you’ll usually need 2+ years at the same address, with paper evidence (shared bills, both on the lease).

Adds 50% of the main applicant’s income and savings requirements

Dependent children

Under-18s are added easily. Children 18 to around 24 can be included if they’re in full-time education; older children, or those not studying, normally need to apply with their own separate visa.

Adds 30% of the main applicant’s income and savings requirements

Dependent parents

Can be included if they’re physically or financially dependent on you. If they have their own passive income (e.g., retirement income), they’ll usually apply for their own D7 visa.

Adds an estimated 50% of the main applicant’s income and savings requirements

Income & savings, by household

Household	EUR official	USD approx.	GBP approx.	CAD approx.
Monthly passive income
Single applicant	€920	$1,043	£786	CA$1,482
Couple	€1,380	$1,565	£1,180	CA$2,224
+ each dependent child	€276	$313	£236	CA$445
+ each dependent parent	€460	$522	£393	CA$741
Savings (≈ 12 months of income)
Single applicant	€11,040	$12,522	£9,437	CA$17,789
Couple	€16,560	$18,782	£14,155	CA$26,683
+ each dependent child	€3,312	$3,756	£2,831	CA$5,337
+ each dependent parent	€5,520	$6,261	£4,718	CA$8,894

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Only one person’s income counts

For a D7 application, only the main applicant’s income is considered. If one person doesn’t reach the threshold for a family, check whether two separate applications work better.

What you get in return

The benefits of living here

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Healthcare & education

Universal public healthcare (SNS), free public schools, and affordable higher education. Private insurance is affordable if you want faster access to specialists.

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Lower cost of living

Day-to-day expenses are lower than in most Western countries—especially outside Lisbon and the Algarve. Big savings for anyone coming from London, California, or New York.

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English widely spoken

Especially in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and the coastal towns. You can handle daily life without Portuguese; you’ll want some for citizenship later.

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Safe and stable

Consistently ranked among the world’s safest countries, with low violent crime and a stable democracy.

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You can still work

Unlike many residency visas, the D7 lets you legally work for an employer, freelance, or set up a business in Portugal—passive income just has to cover the threshold.

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Path to an EU passport

Permanent residency after 5 years, citizenship after 10. Citizenship means an EU passport—the right to live, work, and travel freely across all 27 EU states.

The journey

How the D7 application actually works

The high-level flow, from gathering documents to receiving your residence permit. Individual experiences vary by consulate and how busy AIMA is.

Gather documents

Proof of passive income, proof of savings, Portuguese bank account, NIF, criminal record checks, etc. Most people hire a lawyer at this stage to make sure they gather the correct documents.

Submit & interview

File at your consulate or VFS office. Most applicants attend a short in-person interview in their country of residence.

Wait ~60 days

Decision usually comes within 60 days, sometimes longer if additional checks are needed (or if there’s a backlog).

Move on 120-day visa

Approved: a 120-day visa goes in your passport. Move to Portugal and attend your AIMA appointment (usually within 120 days, can be longer).

Receive residency

Following a successful appointment, AIMA converts the visa into a 2-year residence permit. After that, you renew it for 3 years at a time. Once you have your card, register with the SNS at your local health center (centro de saúde). At year 5 you can apply for permanent residency (renewed every 5 years) instead, and for citizenship at year 10.

Getting help

Do you need a lawyer for the D7?

No. There’s no legal requirement to use a lawyer or relocation firm, and some people handle the whole application themselves. In practice, though, most people get some help, and it’s usually money well spent. D7 applications get delayed or rejected for avoidable reasons: a rental contract the consulate won’t accept, a missing apostille, bank statements that don’t match the income you’ve claimed, or a criminal record certificate that’s expired by the time you submit.

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Do it yourself

Cost: just the official fees. Works best if your income is simple (a single pension, say) and you’re comfortable chasing paperwork and consulate rules on your own.

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Document check

Cost: around €1,000. You prepare the application, and a professional reviews the whole file before you submit, flagging anything likely to cause a delay or rejection.

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Work with a lawyer

Cost: typically €1,500–€4,000 per person. A lawyer guides you through the process from start to finish, often including your NIF, bank account, and AIMA appointment. Worth it for couples, families, or anyone with complicated income.

Not sure which you need? Book a consultation and we’ll help you work out what makes sense for your situation.

Book a consultation

Physical stay requirements

How much time do I need to spend in Portugal?

During temporary residency (the first five years) you can be outside Portugal for up to 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months per permit. The initial permit lasts two years; the next one lasts three.

Split evenly, that’s roughly 4 months outside Portugal each year in years 1–2, and a little over 3 months each year in years 3–5.

After five years you can apply for permanent residency, which is far less restrictive—up to 2.5 years outside Portugal in any 3-year window, with no more than 24 months in a row. Once you hold Portuguese citizenship, there are no stay requirements at all.

There are exemptions to the stay requirements if you need to travel for work or health reasons.

A traditional Portuguese house in the Algarve

Residency stage	Max consecutive abroad	Max total abroad	What it means in practice
Temporary residency—first 2 years	6 months	8 months	About 8 months/year in Portugal, 4 months out
Temporary residency—next 3 years	6 months	8 months	About 9 months/year in Portugal, 3 months out
Permanent residency (after 5 years)	24 months	30 months per 3 years	Up to ~2.5 years outside Portugal in any 3-year window

Renewals

Keeping your residence permit

Your first residence permit lasts two years. After that, you renew it for three years at a time, or apply for permanent residency once you reach five years. Renewal isn’t automatic: you have to show you still qualify. Expect to provide the following.

Income that still meets the threshold

Your passive income needs to meet the requirement for the year you renew, and that figure rises whenever Portugal’s minimum wage does. Bring recent bank statements and proof of income, as you did for the original application.

Proof of address in Portugal

A rental contract, property deeds, or similar showing where you live now.

Tax and social security in order

Proof that you’re up to date with the tax office (Finanças) and Social Security, usually no-debt certificates (certidões de não dívida). This is one reason to register as a tax resident as soon as you arrive.

Time spent in Portugal

You’ll need to have stayed within the absence limits above. Long stretches abroad can put a renewal at risk.

Health coverage and criminal record check

Proof of health coverage (by now, usually your SNS registration) and authorization for a Portuguese criminal record check.

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Start early

Begin the renewal well before your card expires. AIMA backlogs can make renewals slow, and you don’t want your status in question while you wait.

The end goal

Does the D7 lead to citizenship?

Short answer

Yes—permanent residency after 5 years, Portuguese citizenship after 10.

Citizenship has its own separate requirements. Notably, you’ll need at least an A2 level of Portuguese—the second-most basic level, with a 55% pass mark. A 150-hour approved language course is an alternative to the exam.

The rules may tighten. A test on Portugal, its culture, and civic life is expected to be introduced, although it hasn’t been confirmed yet, and future applicants may need to show more evidence of ties to Portugal and integration. After ten years of living here, you’ll already have strong ties, but it’s worth checking the requirements as you approach year ten.

A hand holding a Portuguese passport in front of a blurred background resembling the colors of the Portuguese flag, green and red.

Common questions

D7 FAQ

Does the D7 lead to citizenship?

Yes. Permanent residency after 5 years; citizenship after 10.

If using rental income, should this be gross or net?

Authorities typically look at the gross income before any costs like a mortgage, insurance, property management costs, etc. However, if your net income (what’s left over) is very low and you have no other income sources, your application has a higher risk of rejection. Read more about applying for the D7 as a landlord.

How much does a D7 application cost?

This varies. We have a full breakdown of the costs involved in a D7 application.

Can I work on the D7 visa?

Yes, unless your permit specifically says otherwise. Read more.

Will I need to pay taxes in Portugal?

Almost certainly. Spending more than 183 days a year in Portugal makes you a tax resident, so your income will be taxed under Portuguese law. Tax treaties with the US, UK, and Canada prevent double taxation; however, income that isn’t taxed in your home country can still be taxable here. US Social Security, for example, is generally taxable in Portugal, although individual situations vary. Always speak to an experienced tax advisor.

Can I get the NHR tax regime on a D7?

Not anymore. The old Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime has closed to new applicants. Its replacement, IFICI (sometimes called NHR 2.0), is aimed at people working in specific fields such as research, tech, and startups. Pension and other passive income aren’t covered, so most D7 holders are taxed under Portugal’s standard rules. Plenty of older articles still promise D7 retirees a low flat tax rate, so treat those with caution and speak to a tax advisor.

Can I apply for the D7 from Portugal?

No. You apply from the country where you legally live, and you need the visa in your passport before you move. Find your consulate.

Do I need to speak Portuguese?

Not for the visa, but you’ll need A2 Portuguese for permanent residency and citizenship. A2 is the second-most basic level, with a 55% pass mark, or you can complete a 150-hour approved course instead.

Are there restrictions on where I can live?

No. Anywhere in Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores.

Can I apply with a criminal record?

Minor offenses are often fine; serious crimes (punishable by 1+ year in prison under Portuguese law) tend to cause problems. More on this.

What’s the maximum time I can spend in Portugal?

365 days. The D7 is a residency visa—you can be there full-time and renew the permit while resident.

Can I buy property on the D7?

You can buy property in Portugal without residency, so you could buy property before or after getting your residence permit. Buying doesn’t grant residency on its own; the D7 is still needed to live here.

What if my visa application is denied?

You can appeal or re-apply. Most rejections come down to documentation, timing, or insufficient income. A lawyer beforehand is cheaper than an appeal after.

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