Portugal D7 Visa (Passive Income)

Portugal is one of the world's most popular migration destinations with its mild climate, safe living standards, and affordable cost of living.

What is the Portugal D7 (Passive Income) Visa?

The D7 Visa is a residence program created by the Portuguese government for non-EU citizens who have a reliable, regular and sustainable passive income from sources outside Portugal. Rental yields, share dividends, financial investments or pension payments can all serve as the qualifying income; documenting your financial independence gives you the legal right to reside in Portugal.

Unlike investment-based routes such as the Golden Visa, the D7 does not require you to invest a minimum amount of capital in the country. You only need to prove that your passive income is sufficient to support yourself in Portugal.

Who is the D7 Visa Suitable For?

The D7 Visa is suitable for anyone who can prove they can support themselves without being a "burden" to the Portuguese state. The main criteria is regular income obtained without having to work.

Retirees

Those sustaining themselves with pension income.

Real Estate Income

Property owners with rental income.

Investment Income

Those obtaining company dividends or interest income.

Digital Nomads (Remote)

Those working remotely and able to document passive income.

What Qualifies as Passive Income?

• Rental income from real estate owned anywhere in the world
• Dividends from companies or stock portfolios
• Pension or retirement income from state or private funds
• Royalties from intellectual property

Salaries from remote employment or active freelance income are generally handled under the D8 (Digital Nomad) Visa rather than the D7.

2026 Financial Sufficiency Criteria

The Portuguese state wants to ensure that the applicant can live in the country without economic difficulties. As of 2026, the minimum financial table to be presented is:

Monthly Regular Income

The applicant must document regular passive income of at least €920 per month. That figure is not specific to the D7: the means-of-subsistence rule (Portaria n.º 1563/2007) sets it at 100% of the Portuguese guaranteed minimum monthly wage, net of social security contributions, and that wage rose to €920 with effect from 1 January 2026 (Decreto-Lei n.º 139/2025, of 29 December). When the minimum wage moves, the D7 threshold moves with it — so check the figure for the year you apply in, not the year you read about it.

Savings: what “assured for twelve months” actually requires

For a residence visa the same rule requires the means of subsistence to be assured for a period of not less than twelve months — €11,040 for a single applicant at the 2026 rate. Two points here are widely stated the other way round. First, the regulation prescribes no blocked, frozen or term deposit: what is assessed is whether the resources are stable and regular, and documented income can carry that as well as a balance can. Second, the amount is calculated for the household rather than per person, so a couple is not asked for twice the single figure — it is the 100 / 50 / 30 weighting below, applied across twelve months.

Income Calculation for Family Members

The minimum income threshold is calculated per household, as a percentage of the Portuguese minimum wage:

• Main applicant: 100% of the minimum wage
• Spouse or partner: an additional 50%
• Each dependent child: an additional 30%

These are the legal minimums. In practice, a documented monthly passive income of around 1.500 € to 2.000 € leaves a clear margin above the threshold in the consular assessment.

Process Management: Portugal Step by Step with Rona Legal

The D7 visa is not just a document submission, but a process management that needs to be set up correctly. Rona Legal is with you at every stage, from obtaining NIF to the residence card.

Legal Identity and Bank Account

In the first step, without you needing to go to Portugal, we obtain a NIF (Tax Number) in your name and open your account in Portuguese banks. Bureaucratic forms and bank communications are completely handled by us.

Accommodation and Rental Solutions

The most critical stage of the visa application is accommodation. The consulate requests an official rental contract for at least 1 year. We manage the finding of houses suitable for your criteria, English/Portuguese communication with landlords, and contract processes. (Note: In guarantor-free rentals in Portugal, 4-6 months of rent may generally be requested in advance).

File Preparation and Consulate Application

Your entire file is prepared completely, from writing your Cover Letter to arranging your travel health insurance (30.000 € coverage), and your appointment at the Portuguese Consulate is created.

Visa Approval and After: AIMA Process

When your visa is approved, you are initially given a temporary 4-month visa. You must enter Portugal within this period. Usually, along with your visa, your appointment with the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) is automatically assigned.

Residency Requirement

You must not stay outside Portugal for 6 consecutive months or 8 months in total within 2 years.

Right to Work

With your residence card, you also have the legal right to work in Portugal.

Freedom to Travel

You can travel visa-free to Schengen area countries.

Route to EU Citizenship: the Timeline Changed in 2026

The five-year rule no longer applies. Under Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, in force from 19 May 2026, the residence period required before applying for Portuguese citizenship is seven years for EU and CPLP nationals and ten years for all other nationalities. The law also counts only lawful residence supported by a valid permit, and starts the clock on the date the residence permit is issued rather than the date of application. The A2-level Portuguese language requirement continues to apply. Confirm the current position with Portuguese counsel before relying on any timeline.

Cost Items to Plan For

Beyond the visa itself the file carries its own outlays: obtaining the NIF, the deposit and opening payments under the twelve-month lease, travel health insurance, certified translations, notarial and apostille work, and the journey for the consular appointment. We do not publish figures for these. They move with the rental market and with each consulate's practice, and a number written today would be wrong by the time you relied on it. Ask us for an itemisation against your own file before you commit to any of them.

Comparing this with a non-EU option? Montenegro answers a different question: a U.S. passport holder needs no visa at all and may stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period counted from first entry, and the visa change of 1 November 2026 does not apply to U.S. passports. The limits, the passport-validity rule and the point where 90 days stops being enough are set out in Montenegro entry requirements for U.S. citizens.