The Portugal D7 Visa, often called the Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa, is a long-stay national visa for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who can support themselves in Portugal through stable, recurring income that doesn’t come from a Portuguese salary — pensions, dividends, rental income, royalties, or similar sources. It grants entry to Portugal and the right to apply for a temporary residence permit once you arrive.
Below is what you need to know: who qualifies, the income thresholds, the required documents, the step-by-step process, and what changes for your taxes and path to citizenship.
The D7 is built around two overlapping groups:
The two things that matter most are passivity and recurrence. A one-time windfall from selling an asset won’t qualify; a steady, repeating income stream will.
This is not the visa for you if you want to actively work in Portugal or for a Portuguese employer — that requires a different visa category. If your income comes from active remote work for a foreign employer or client, the D8 Digital Nomad Visa is generally the better fit; some remote workers have historically used the D7, but Portugal built the D8 specifically for that situation.
The minimum income threshold is tied to Portugal’s national minimum wage (SMN), which is €920/month as of January 2026.
| Applicant | % of minimum wage | Monthly amount | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | 100% | €920 | €11,040 |
| Spouse / dependent adult | +50% | €460 | €5,520 |
| Each dependent child | +30% | €276 | €3,312 |
Example: a couple with two dependent children would need to show combined passive income of at least €920 + €460 + €276 + €276 = €1,932/month, or €23,184/year.
These are legal minimums, not safe targets — consular officials often look more favourably on applicants showing 1.5–2x the minimum, especially if you plan to live in Lisbon or Porto.
What counts as qualifying income: pensions (public or private), rental income from property outside Portugal, dividends, royalties, interest from deposits or investments, and profits from a genuinely passive business.
What doesn’t count: income from active employment (even remote work for a foreign employer, in most interpretations — talk to an expert if your situation is borderline), one-off payments, gifts, or asset sales that aren’t part of a recurring investment strategy.
You’ll need to document this with 6–12 months of bank statements, pension statements, rental contracts, or investment statements, typically apostilled/legalised and translated into Portuguese.
You’ll need to show either a registered long-term rental contract (12+ months, registered with Finanças) or a property deed if you’ve already bought. Hotel bookings and short-term stays (including Airbnb, in most cases) aren’t accepted.
A criminal record certificate from your home country and any country where you’ve lived for over a year in the past five years, issued within 90 days of your application, generally apostilled/legalised and translated.
Valid international health insurance, covering at least €30,000 and valid for at least 12 months from your intended arrival date. Once you have your residence permit, you can also register with Portugal’s public health service (SNS).
Not always a strict requirement for the initial application, but recommended, and often expected in practice — some consulates want to see funds already deposited in a Portuguese account. You’ll need a NIF first, which can be obtained remotely through a fiscal representative.
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Document preparation | Varies — start several months ahead |
| Consulate processing (in your home country) | 30–90 days |
| D7 Visa validity (to enter Portugal) | 4 months, 2 entries |
| AIMA appointment for residence permit | Can take several months to schedule, depending on location |
| Total, application to residence permit | Roughly 6–9 months in practice |
| Initial residence permit validity | 2 years |
| First renewal | +3 years |
Important: as of the repeal of Articles 88 and 89 of Portugal’s immigration law, you can no longer convert from tourist status to a residence permit from inside Portugal — the D7 must be applied for at a Portuguese consulate in your country of legal residence before you travel.
| Status | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit | Granted after D7 approval + AIMA appointment |
| First renewal | +3 years after the initial 2-year permit |
| Permanent residency | After 5 years of cumulative legal residence, plus A2-level Portuguese |
| Citizenship (EU / CPLP nationals) | After 7 years of legal residence (Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026) |
| Citizenship (all other nationalities) | After 10 years of legal residence (Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026) |
This is a meaningful change from the “5 years to citizenship” figure widely quoted online (including, until now, this page) — for most D7 holders outside the EU/CPLP, the realistic citizenship timeline is now a decade, not five years. Permanent residency at 5 years is still the faster, and for many people the more relevant, milestone.
Portugal’s former Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime, which offered broad tax advantages including a flat 10% rate on some foreign pension income, closed to new applicants. Its replacement, commonly called NHR 2.0 / IFICI, is far more narrowly targeted at highly qualified professionals in research, innovation, and similar strategic sectors.
In practice, most D7 applicants living on pensions or passive income don’t qualify for IFICI and are taxed under Portugal’s standard progressive income tax rates. A few nuances worth knowing:
Given how much this depends on your specific pension type, treaty, and country of origin, a qualified cross-border tax advisor is worth involving before you relocate.
At the Portuguese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your place of legal residence. You cannot apply from within Portugal, and applying as a tourist and converting your status locally is no longer possible following the repeal of Articles 88 and 89 of the immigration law.
In practice, expect roughly 6–9 months in total: consulate processing typically takes 30–90 days, and the subsequent AIMA appointment for your residence permit can add several more months depending on your local office’s backlog.
Not usually. Most consulates want a registered long-term rental contract (12+ months) or a property deed. It’s worth working with a real estate agent to secure suitable accommodation before applying.
Yes, once you have your residence permit, you’re free to work, study, or start a business. Family members who joined you via reunification can also work.
Yes, provided the income is genuinely passive or originates from outside Portugal — but if your income is from active remote employment or freelancing, the D8 visa is the more appropriate and legally cleaner option.
This changed in 2026. Following Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, the required legal residence period before applying for citizenship is now 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals, and 10 years for all other nationalities — up from the previous 5-year threshold. Permanent residency is still available after 5 years, which remains the faster path for most people, even if citizenship itself now takes longer.
Yes. US citizens and green card holders are taxed on worldwide income regardless of residence, and must file in both countries. A Portugal-US tax treaty helps prevent double taxation on the same income, but doesn’t eliminate the filing requirement itself.
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14 Responses
Hey there!
I live in Porto, and have lived in portugal for over 2 years now. I am a German citizen and have a normal residency in Portugal.
However, I am wanting to apply for a D7 Visa for my Grandmother who is a Yemeni national, had to flee the war, and is currently living in Cairo without any family.
I want to apply for a D7 visa for her in the coming 2 months, and am needing support from a laywer to help me prepare the documents, represent me with the manicupale if needed, and advise me on smarter ways to increase the chances of it working fast and smoothly.
I live in Porto, and would be happy about arranging a call with the prospect of meeting face to face if required.
With gratitude,
Moh
Hello Moh,
Our office is located in Porto, so that could definitely be arranged. In the meantime, please send an email to info@pearlsofportugal.com with your detailed information. Thank you!
I apply as ik pensioner D7 visa in june 2024 Idid paid fot visa application and nif after idid complain to customet care now they give me vfs appointment if mu visa approve then iwill intouch your office for next advice near feature reguerds
I can speak English only,could this become a problem.
Hello! No, you don’t need to prove your Portuguese knowledge in order to get a D7 Visa. Thank you!
Hi I have the passive income for myself and 3 adult dependent children but they won’t be in full time education will this be a problem
Hi Natasha, education is one way to prove dependency. You can contact us via visas@pearlsofportugal.com and we can check the situation for you
Hello. I qualify for 2023 NHR. How do I apply for it? Thank you!
You can get a lawyer to do the NHR application and the tax declaration or do it yourself. We have the 4 steps described on this website:
https://www.pearlsofportugal.com/useful-information/non-habitual-resident-nhr-status/
Hi, I want to apply for the D7 visa but do not have a passive income. I do have a lot of savings though that I intend to live off for the rest of my life. Is proof of my savings sufficient ?
If the saving generate an regular passive income higher than the minimum income – yes
Greetings,
Can you please explain what the school requirements for dependent children over 18 are? Does the schooling have to be at a university and does it have to be full-time enrollment (a specific number of hours or credits for a specific number of years)? For example, could my dependent, adult child go to language school or does it have to be at a university? In either situation, university or language school, can you explain the time commitment required to qualify for the D7 visa and renewal, please? Thank you so much!
A mere language course wil not prove the case for a dependency
If we apply for D7, do we all need to come together, or we can come separately?