Portugal D7 Visa >> COMPLETE 2023 GUIDE + HOW TO APPLY

Sources: Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) & our recommended Portuguese D7 Expert Immigration Lawyer

The Portugal D7 Visa, or Portugal passive income visa, is an excellent option for any non-EU citizen looking to live in Portugal. It is also often used as a Portugal retirement visa. To qualify, you must show that you have reasonable passive income to support yourself. We’ll show you how to successfully apply for this popular Portuguese residency permit.

• What is the Portugal D7 Visa?
• What are the D7 Visa requirements in 2023?
• How to get the Portugal D7 Visa?
• What are the D7 application process and fees?
• What are the benefits of being a Portuguese resident on the D7 Visa?

A quality Portuguese Residency and Immigration lawyer will improve your chances of a successful application and save you time and effort. You can book a consultation with our expert D7 partner here.

Our expert Portuguese immigration law partner verified this information in April 2023.

What is the Portugal D7 Visa?

• The D7 Visa provides long-term Portuguese residency status to non-EU / EEA / Swiss citizens.
• It is a Passive Income Visa – you must show you have a minimum passive income and resources to provide for yourself during your stay. Please see the D7 financial minimums below.
• The Portuguese government introduced the visa in 2007 to give you the right to live, work, and study in Portugal.
• It is an excellent Portugal retirement visa option for anyone looking to retire in Portugal.
• After five years, it is a pathway to Portuguese citizenship and an EU passport.
• And, it is an opportunity to apply for Portugal’s Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax residency status and reduce your tax (potentially to 0%).

Who is eligible for the D7 Passive Income visa?

• This Portugal passive income visa program is open to non-EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens; there are no restricted countries. EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens can live in Portugal without a visa but must register.
• You can include dependent family members of the primary applicant for legal residency.
• Those able to meet the financial requirements (detailed below.)
• People willing to live in Portugal for at least four to six months per year.
• People who have no disqualifying crimes on their criminal record.
• Retirees can use the D7 as a retirement visa.

2023 Portugal D7 visa Passive income requirements

The minimum passive income required to obtain Portuguese residency with the D7 Visa is based on the minimum wage set by the Portuguese government.

The Portuguese government increased the 2023 minimum wage from €705 to €760, an increase of €55 per month.

New 2023 D7 visa minimum Passive Income requirement

• Lead applicant – €9,120 a year.
• Dependent adults – €4,560 a year each (50% of the minimum wage).
• Dependent children – €3,040 a year per child (30% of the minimum wage).

Expert D7 Visa Immigration Lawyer Advice on 2023 financial requirements

Important: Remember, SEF looks at the entire application when deciding to approve or reject. So, if your application is strong in one area, that may offset a weakness. Our recommended Portugal D7 Expert Immigration Partners have successfully managed many applications globally and understand where there is flexibility. They base their advice on many years of experience with the consulate’s interpretation of the financial requirements.

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1. Consulates can interpret the guidelines differently.

The same application may be approved in one consulate and rejected in another. Individual embassies interpret the financial requirement differently. These complexities mean getting quality advice can save you an unnecessary rejection.

2. Our partner recommends depositing the minimum income amount into a Portuguese bank account for every D7 application.

Opening a bank account in Portugal and making a transfer before your application is strongly recommended. While increasing the deposited amount helps, there isn’t a magic minimum to guarantee a successful application. The total income requirement for everyone included in your application is the absolute minimum amount you should transfer to your bank account. Again, our partner is well placed to assess your entire application and guide you on the best chance of success.

3. All evidence of financial support helps your overall application.

You should include evidence of all sources of qualifying income on your application. Importantly, the embassy will look at your situation as a whole, and every little bit helps. Your income, savings, and motivation letter will help to achieve the right outcome.

And individual Embassies interpret the standards differently. These complexities mean getting quality advice can save you an unnecessary rejection.

Important D7 2023 financial requirement considerations

• People on the application can pool their income. For example, a husband and wife have a pension income of €7,000 each, making €14,000 in total. Although neither reaches the €9,120, their cumulative income exceeds the €13,680 for a joint application (€9,120 + €4,560).
• You should show a minimum of three months of historical income.

Acceptable income sources for the Portugal D7 visa

There are many sources you can use to show D7 income.

• A retiree pension (as a Portugal visa for retirees).
• Annuity.
• Rental income.
• Trust fund disbursement.
• Dividends from shares.
• Dividends from a business (that you don’t actively manage).
• Royalties or other intellectual property income. This includes app development income from Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Interest from savings.
• Other regular investment income.

You’ll need proof that the income is stable and will continue for the life of the visa. Again, specific embassies do make exceptions in some cases.

NOTE: Income from professional employment, including remote and freelance, will generally not be considered. However, there is no restriction on employment once you have your temporary residency permit.

Using savings

Having substantial savings will help to support your case. However, it always helps to show some form of regular income, like a pension or investment.

You should always aim to transfer at least the minimum income requirement to a Portuguese bank account in your name.

Residency Requirement for the Portugal D7 Visa

As a D7 visa resident, there is a “minimum stay” time you must be in Portugal.

Visa Stage		Visa Validity	Required Minimum Stay
Initial D7 Visa		2 Years	Minimum 16 months. No continuous absence longer than 6 months.
D7 Renewal		3 Years	Minimum 28 months. No continuous absence longer than 6 months.

Is there any wiggle room on this? The exact quote from the SEF website is, ” “Notwithstanding applicable special provisions, residence authorisation may also be cancelled if the interested party, without justifiable grounds is absent…”. There is room for exceptions, but you should have a good reason for your absence and use a good immigration lawyer to submit your exception request.

How to get your D7 residency in Portugal

There are six steps to complete the process. You will start in your home country’s Portuguese Embassy and receive your resident card in Portugal.

1. Obtain a Portuguese bank account to allow for the transfer of sufficient funds. Sufficient funds depend on minimum income requirements.
2. Apply for a temporary Portuguese residence permit or D7 visa at your nearest Portuguese consulate or embassy. You cannot apply if you are in Portugal.
3. Once your visa has been granted, you have 120 days (4 months) to move to Portugal.
4. At this point, you should have a rental agreement or buy a property to give you a Portuguese residential address. You do need proof of adequate accommodation in Portugal. Our partner has had a request to use a campsite to meet the property requirement. While there is no direct restriction on campsites, our partner recommended against proceeding as it would weaken the overall application.
5. Request and attend an interview with Servicio De Extrangeiros e Fronteiras or SEF (the Portugal Immigration & Border service).
6. SEF will issue your D7 temporary residency permit; this type of permit is valid for one year.

Documents for your Portugal D7 visa application

You’ll need the following documentation as well as evidence of your financial status. You may provide other documents depending on your circumstances and the embassy you apply to.

At the Portuguese embassy/Portuguese consulate in your home country

1. Portugal D7 application form.
2. A personal letter with information to support your case.
3. Proof of income (bank statements, financial investment certificate, etc.).
4. Proof of accommodation.
5. Copy of your passport.
6. Two passport photos.

At the SEF appointment in Portugal

• A valid Health Insurance policy until your temporary residence permit is granted. This could be an Expat health insurance coverage policy, a Private Health Insurance Policy, or a Travel Insurance Policy. If you are looking at long-term private health coverage we recommend using our recommended Expat Health Insurance brokers as an easy way to get the best quotes for your situation.
• Police records from your home country.
• SEF authorization to check if you have a clean criminal record in Portugal.

Note: You should provide certified translations of documents not in Portuguese.

Make sure you include all the correct documents. If you apply with incorrect or missing documents, you will be delayed or rejected. For this reason, we always recommend using a Portuguese Immigration Lawyer. They will save you time, money, and hassle!

We have done a lot of research, assessed, and trialed several immigration lawyers for you. We have partnered with a company that has helped loads of our clients and received great feedback from them. You can book an initial consultation with them to decide if you are eligible and what documentation you need for your D7 Visa.

Portuguese D7 visa fees

The exact fee depends on the embassy you apply to. If you budget €80 to €100 for the visas and the same for the residence permit, you’ll have some change left over.

How long does the application process take?

The two parts are processed separately. In total, it can take up to four months to complete the process. This time excludes the gap between the visa approval and your move to Portugal for the SEF meeting.

• Portuguese consulate application processing – four to eight weeks.
• SEF residence permit – six to twelve weeks.

Getting an appointment with the immigration and borders service (SEF) and the processing time can be longer in Porto and Lisbon.

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How long is the Portugal D7 visa valid?

Portugal recently changed the D7 residence permit period, and many web pages still show the old information.

• The D7 residence permit is issued for two years.
• After that, you can extend for three years if you still meet the D7 requirements. There is no restriction on how many times you can renew. However, it’s not a permanent residence permit. You’ll have to apply for permanent residency in Portugal separately.
• After five years (2 + 3) of legal residence, you can qualify for a Portugal permanent residency (PR) to become a Portuguese citizen. Once you have a permanent residence permit, you no longer need to meet the Portugal d7 visa conditions.

OR

• After five years of legal residence, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship naturalization for permanent residency. Through this process, you can become a Portuguese citizen.

Portugal D7 visa renewal process

You can renew your visa in Portugal through Immigration and Border Services (SEF).

You’ll need to show that you:

• Met the conditions of your existing residence permit.
• Have qualifying accommodation (own a home or have a rental agreement).
• Have a clean criminal record.
• Still qualify for the D7 visa.

You get some great benefits with the D7 visa

• As a D7 permit holder, you can live and work in Portugal.
• Access to Portugal’s excellent public healthcare system coverage. Once you have your residence permit, you’ll need to register with the National Health Service (SNS).
• You have entry and freedom of travel in the SCHENGEN area and 27 European Union nations.
• You can register as a non-habitual resident (NHR) of Portugal for tax reasons. This tax residency gives you exemptions and exceptions on international income.
• You can get a Portuguese tax number (NIF).
• You are entitled to access Portugal’s excellent education system.
• Additional members of a family can be included on your residence permit.
• Transferring to another immigration permission while living in Portugal is allowed.
• There is no Portuguese language test when applying.
• Travel to EU and SHCNEGEN countries without a tourist visa.

As you can see, there are crucial differences between this program and Spain’s non-lucrative visa.

Portugal Retirement Visa

The Portugal D7 visa is the best visa for many retirees. If you want to retire to Portugal, this may be the best option.

Many people have a qualifying passive income like a pension or annuity when they retire.

If you plan to purchase a home for your retirement, the Portugal Golden Visa may be a better option.

Can I work on the Portugal D7 visa?

Yes, you can work in Portugal on a passive income visa. This makes Portugal one of the easiest European countries to move to without a job offer.

However, generally that foreign income won’t count when you apply. Our partner has handled cases where embassies have approved remote or foreign employment pay, but this is not standard.

If you have a passive income stream available, the D7 is a great option for:

• Remote workers and those with a remote job.
• An Independent professional.
• Freelancers.
• Digital nomads.
• Location-independent business owners.
• Crypto traders and investors.

You can also accept a job in Portugal.

You’ll need to understand the implication of where you pay taxes; we’d suggest chatting with a cross-border tax specialist about your specific circumstances.

This may be less of a concern if you are retired and use the D7 as a Portugal retirement visa.

What family can you include under the D7 program?

You can add dependent family members.

• A spouse or de facto (Portugal does recognize same-sex marriages).
• Minor children.
• Parents of the applicant or the applicant’s spouse, if they are dependent on you.

Remember, you’ll need to prove you have the resources to cover any dependents. If they have any income, you can combine it on your application.

If you are already living in Portugal with a D7 residence permit, you can request family reunification for direct members of the family.

You can transfer to another residence permit.

Once in Portugal, you can transfer your D7 residence permit to any other program. You’ll need to apply for your new Portugal residence permit or visa in the standard way.

The process and application depend on your new visa or residence permit.

D7 vs. Portuguese Residency by Investment (Portugal Golden Visa)

Portugal has a residency by investment program, often called the Golden visa. This program is a pathway to Portuguese citizenship.

There are three significant differences to consider.

1. You’ll need to invest a minimum of €280,000 (usually in Real Estate) to qualify for the residency by investment program.
2. You only have to visit Portugal for one week per year to maintain your Portuguese residence permit. This makes it an excellent “Plan B” while remaining in your home country.
3. The Golden Visa application cost is significantly higher than the D7.

The D7 is the most common visa for retiring in Portugal, with many advantages. The Golden Visa may be better for retired foreign citizens looking to invest in qualifying real estate.

Learn all about Portugal’s Golden Visas in our article.

Next steps for your Portugal D7 Visa

What are your next steps if you meet the minimum income requirements?

1. Identify the correct embassy for your application and start gathering all available documentation.
2. Ensure you have accurate translations and certified copies.
3. Remember that all aspects of the application are considered together, so you’ll want to ensure yours is perfect to avoid disappointment.

Our immigration partner offers a no-obligation consultation for Where Can I Live readers. In the consultation, you’ll meet with a D7 expert who will:

• Take the time to understand your situation and needs.
• Make sure that this is the correct visa for you, and if not, recommend the easiest path to Portugal residency.
• Outline the steps you should take and the documentation to collect.
• Provide a transparent quote on managing your application to completion.

D7 Visa Portugal FAQ from Where Can I Live

Appendix A: Relevant Portuguese Legislation

• Article 58, paragraph 1 of Law no. 23/2007 of July 4
• Article 24 d) of Regulatory Decree no. 84/2007 of November 5

The two statutes detail the benefits, restrictions, and requirements of the Portugal retirement visa, Portugal Passive Income Visa, and D7 Visa Portugal.