The Portugal D7 visa needs €920 a month in passive income such as pensions, rent or dividends, while the D8 digital nomad visa needs €3,680 a month in active remote income from outside Portugal. Both carry the same tax catch.
Last checked: September 2026
In short:
- Passive income of €920+ a month points to the D7; remote work for clients abroad paying €3,680+ a month (about US$4,180) points to the D8. Both track the 2026 minimum wage of €920.
- Both residence routes lead to a 2-year residence permit renewable in 3-year blocks. The D8 temporary stay version lasts up to 1 year and doesn’t count toward permanent residence or citizenship.
- NHR is closed and IFICI’s 20% rate covers only qualifying professions, so most holders staying past 183 days pay ordinary progressive tax.
D7 vs D8 at a glance
| D7 (passive income) | D8 (digital nomad) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Retirees, landlords, investors | Remote employees and freelancers |
| Income type | Pensions, rent, dividends, interest, royalties | Active remote work income from outside Portugal |
| Minimum income (single, 2026) | €920 a month (100% of minimum wage) | €3,680 a month (4x minimum wage) |
| Permit length | 2 years, then 3-year renewals | Residence: 2 years, then 3-year renewals. Temporary stay: up to 1 year |
| Working | Remote pay isn’t qualifying income, but Portugalist says holders may work or freelance in Portugal | Remote work; private.law says permit holders may also work in Portugal without separate authorisation |
The D7: requirements
The official VFS checklist for Portugal’s UK consulates sets means of subsistence against the €920 minimum wage:
- First adult: 100%, so €920 a month
- Each additional adult: an extra 50%
- Each child under 18 or dependent adult child: an extra 30%
- Funds: at least €11,040 (12 months of minimum wage) in a Portuguese bank account with a NIF, or 3 months of bank statements showing regular income
- Accommodation: a property deed, a lease of at least 12 months, or a notarised term of responsibility from a host
- Insurance: travel insurance covering medical expenses (UK nationals may use an S1 form)
The visa is valid for 120 days (two entries), with standard processing of 60 days. Portugalist adds retirement drawdowns and annuities and says mixed sources are normal. Guides say you can spend up to 6 consecutive or 8 non-consecutive months outside Portugal per permit, and can apply for permanent residence after 5 years with A2 Portuguese.
The D8: requirements
The D8 needs four times the 2026 minimum wage of €920, set by Decree-Law 139/2025 (published 29 December 2025, applying from 1 January 2026). Guides also list savings of around €11,040 in a Portuguese bank account and roughly +50% for a second adult and +30% per child. Income must be foreign-source: Portuguese clients or a Portuguese employer would be local work, not remote work. Figures move every January, so check which year’s figure your consulate uses.
There are two D8 versions. The temporary stay visa lasts up to 1 year with multiple entry, is decided at the consulate in around 30 days, and doesn’t count toward permanent residence or citizenship. The residence visa is a 4-month visa followed by AIMA biometrics and a residence permit.
Documents, per the guides: passport, remote-work contracts or client agreements, 3 months of income proof, 3 to 6 months of bank statements, health or travel insurance (€30,000+ hospitalisation cover is commonly cited), an apostilled, translated criminal record certificate under 90 days old, a 12-month lease registered with Finanças or a property deed, and a NIF and Portuguese bank account. Accommodation is the most cited refusal reason: short-term rentals and unregistered leases get flagged. Apply at the consulate or VFS centre for your country of residence, not from inside Portugal.
Reported costs: a visa fee of about €90, plus a €30–40 VFS fee where VFS is used; AIMA permit fees of about €185.60 (analysis plus card); and variable lawyer, translation and apostille costs, usually the biggest item.
Citizenship under the new law
A new nationality law took effect on 19 May 2026. Naturalisation now requires 10 years of residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals). The clock starts only when AIMA issues your first residence permit. Applications filed before 19 May 2026 stay under the old rules. If a passport in five years was your plan, redo the maths.
AIMA: the part that tests your patience
AIMA issues the residence card after biometrics and has had a serious backlog for years; mid-2026 press still reported thousands of pending cases. Private guides quote a legal decision period of 90 days, a typical 4 to 9 months from arrival to card, and 2 to 12 weeks for the card after biometrics. Some 2026 applicants get biometrics pre-booked with their visa. When AIMA misses legal deadlines, the usual fix is an urgent court petition (“intimação”) through a lawyer.
The tax catch: NHR is gone, IFICI is narrow
You generally become Portuguese tax resident after 183 days in a 12-month period, or if you keep a home there as your habitual residence. Portugal then taxes worldwide income, D7 pensions and rent included, at progressive rates of up to 48% plus surcharges.
NHR closed to new entrants: you had to become resident by 31 December 2024 and apply by 31 March 2025.
IFICI (“NHR 2.0”), in force since 1 January 2024, offers a flat 20% rate on employment and self-employment income from qualifying activities for 10 years, plus an exemption on most foreign-source income (excluding foreign pensions and income from blacklisted jurisdictions). You must not have been tax resident in the previous 5 years, and must register by 15 January of the year after becoming resident. Qualifying activities are narrow (researchers, university roles, R&D staff, certified startups, “highly qualified professions”), usually needing a degree plus experience. A typical freelancer or remote employee doesn’t fit; check with a tax adviser.
See the full list: Digital nomad visa countries: which countries have one (2026 list) · Cost of living in Portugal (2026): Lisbon, Porto, Algarve and Madeira
Related guides: Living in Lisbon as a digital nomad (2026): cost of living, visas, neighbourhoods · NHR Portugal is closed: what IFICI (NHR 2.0) offers instead (2026) · Visa processing times tracker (2026): real dates from members
Quick answers
Q: What is the difference between the Portugal D7 and D8 visas?
The D7 is for passive income such as pensions, rent, dividends, interest or royalties, and needs €920 a month in 2026. The D8 is for active remote work for clients or employers outside Portugal, and needs €3,680 a month. Remote salaries and freelancing don’t count for the D7, so misclassifying your income can sink the application.
Q: How much income do you need for the Portugal D7 visa in 2026?
The VFS checklist sets 100% of the 2026 minimum wage, so €920 a month for the main applicant, plus 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child. It also asks for at least €11,040 in a Portuguese bank account, or 3 months of bank statements showing regular income.
Q: How long until Portuguese citizenship on a D7 or D8 visa?
Under the nationality law in force since 19 May 2026, naturalisation requires 10 years of residence, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals. The clock starts only when AIMA issues your first residence permit, not when you apply. The D8 temporary stay visa doesn’t count toward citizenship at all.
Sources
- VFS Global: D7 residence visa checklist (Portuguese consulates, UK)
- Portugalist: Portugal D7 visa 2026
- Portugalist: What counts as passive income for the D7
- Garrigues: Portugal minimum monthly wage 2026
- Portugalist: D8 digital nomad visa
- private.law wiki: Portugal D8 (updated September 2026)
- Sovereign Group: Portugal Nationality Law in force
- The Portugal News: AIMA delays, June 2026
- EY Global Tax News: IFICI regulations
- MCS: IFICI guide
Note: vistos.mne.gov.pt showed only general documents and AIMA’s site wouldn’t load, so figures not from the VFS checklist come from the guides listed. Check them with your consulate.
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.
Over to you: If you’ve applied for a D7 or D8 in 2025 or 2026, how long was it from consulate submission to holding your AIMA card, and which consulate did you use? And has anyone on a D8 actually been accepted into IFICI? What was your activity code?