Are you planning to become a full-time resident in Madeira? Then, the D7 Visa may be your best pathway to residency and citizenship.
On this page, we’ll highlight the key benefits of a D7 Visa for gaining residency and citizenship in Portugal. We’ll also give an overview of the application processes.
What is the Portugal D7 Visa?
The D7 Visa is often known as the passive income visa, retirement visa or digital nomad visa. The D7 Visa enables people with income from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland to become resident in Portugal. It’s ideal if you’ve decided to live or retire in Madeira.
What are the benefits of the Portugal D7 Visa the Portugal D7 Visa?
There are many benefits...
- Residency in one of Europe’s most affordable, peaceful, secure and attractive countries
- One of the lowest monthly passive income requirements for any EU country
- Visa-free travel across the whole Schengen area for up to 90 days in every 180 (if you’re from a country that needs a Schengen visa, the Portugal D7 Visa will take the place of this)
- Apply for Portuguese citizenship after just five years of residency
- Access to excellent state healthcare, much of it free
- Benefit from Portugal’s special tax program, the NHR (Non-Habitual Residency) scheme
- Study, work, or launch a business in Portugal
- Bring your family to Portugal using the EU family reunification program
What is required for a successful D7 Visa application for Portugal?
The basic requirements for the Portugal D7 Visa are to have...
- a non-EU/EEA/Swiss passport
- a clean criminal record
- means of passive or remote income sufficient to live on in Portugal
- proof of sufficient savings for you and your dependents to live on for at least twelve months
- have a Portuguese address linked to your NIF (Portuguese Tax No.)
What income do I need?
You should be earning enough for you to sustain a living in Portugal, equivalent to earning the Portuguese minimum wage - currently €705 per month. So you’ll be looking at demonstrating an annual income of at least €8,500 – although €12,000 would be a more realistic figure.
You need to add 50% of this sum for a dependent spouse and 30% for each dependent child under 18.
Types of income accepted for your D7 application include...
- Pension
- Dividends from investments or from a limited company
- Income from renting a property
- Salary from remote work
- Intellectual property
- Royalties
What about savings?
You’ll also need to show proof of having sufficient savings to support you and your family during your first year of residency in Portugal.
You should deposit these funds in your Portuguese bank account before submitting your Portugal D7 Visa application.
Again, you need to ideally show that you have savings equivalent to the Portuguese minimum wage - currently €705 per month, €8,500 per annum – although €12,000 would be a more realistic figure.
What are the Portugal D7 Visa minimum stay requirements?
Other requirements for acquiring a D7 Visa for Portugal...
- A NIF – Portuguese Tax Number
- A Portuguese Bank Account
- Health Insurance cover
- Proof of Accommodation
- A Criminal Record Certificate – for UK Citizens, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check or an ACRO police certificate
Can I include my family on my Portugal D7 Visa application?
The simple answer is ‘yes’. To achieve this, you’ll need proof of sufficient funds. The family members that can be included are...
- Spouse or long-term partner (of more than two years)
- Dependent children under 18
- Dependent children under 25 (as long as they’re in full-time education)
- Dependent parents (either over 66 years of age or entirely financially dependent on you. Note: they would have to live with you while resident in Portugal)
Two stages to the D7 application process
