D7 Visa Portugal 2021 | Portugal Passive Income Visa: Ultimate Guide
Note: Also be sure to check out the Italian Elective Residency Visa and Spain’s Non Lucrative Residency program.
Looking to obtain a residency visa for Portugal as a non-EEA national without the need for a Golden Visa investment? The Portuguese D7 Visa offers foreign nationals with sufficient, stable passive income the ability to obtain residency in approximately 3 to 6 months. Find out more about this under-publicised option below, or contact us now for a free confidential consultation.
Does the D7 Visa lead to Portuguese citizenship?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:22:13+00:00
Provided that you remain in Portugal for a minimum period of 183 days per year and continue meeting the mandatory D7 Visa requirements, you can become eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship and a passport after 5 years.
How long is the D7 residency permit valid for?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:17:42+00:00
The D7 residency visa has historically been issued with an initial 1-year validity, after which it became renewable in 2 year increments. Recently however, it has been issued for an initial period of 2 years as well. On this basis, the minimum cash amount required would typically double also, however it is advisable to check the exact current requirements with your immigration advisor and local Portuguese embassy.
How long is the D7 visa valid for?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:16:22+00:00
The D7 Visa is an entry visa allowing you to relocate to Portugal. It is valid for a period of 4 months, within which you’ll have to apply for your D7 residence permit. The D7 visa is applied for at the Portuguese consulate or embassy in your home country, whereas the residency permit application is done once inside Portugal.
Who can apply for the Portuguese D7 Visa program?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:20:36+00:00
While the D7 program is typically very popular among retirees from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), the program is open to people of all ages over 18 years – provided that you can meet the economic self-sufficiency requirement, either through stable passive income, adequate savings, or through a combination of the two.
As of 2020, the program is increasingly becoming the EU residency program of choice for foreign remote workers, digital nomads, affiliate marketers, online entrepreneurs and a host of other professionals earning adequate passive, non-salaried income.
What are the D7 Visa passive income requirements?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:09:04+00:00
In order to qualify, you must earn a passive income of least €635 per month as a single applicant (€7,620+ per year). For married couples, the minimum amount goes up by 50% (an additional €3,810), so the minimum requirement per couple is €11,430 per year). You can find out more about the D7 program’s minimum income requirements here.
What is the Portugal D7 Visa Program?GoldenVisasAdmin2020-11-29T21:06:35+00:00
The D7 Visa (Visto D7) is a settlement visa program aimed at passive income earners seeking to relocate to Portugal. The program requires you to have a stable, passively derived income from sources such as pension, rental income (from movable or immovable assets), as well as fixed-rate investment earnings. Find out more about the program below.
The D7 Visa Program at a glance
The D7 Visa is a temporary residency permit offering applicants a clear path to obtaining Portuguese permanent residency (PR) and eventual citizenship. Also referred to as the Portugal Retirement Visa or the D7 Passive Income Visa, it is increasingly in demand among affluent individuals and retirees hailing from South Africa, China, the USA and further afield.
The D7 Visa is initially issued for a period of 2 year (formerly 1 year), after which it becomes renewable for an additional 3 years, provided that you can still meet the relevant program criteria.
Unlike as is the case with the Italian Elective Residency Visa, you are allowed to work and conduct business activities on the D7 Visa. The Spanish Non Lucrative Residency program is another option to consider, however here too you are not allowed to seek gainful employment during the first 12 months of holding Spanish residency. It is important to note, however, that unlike with the Portugal Golden Visa, you will be required to spend a minimum of 183 uninterrupted days per year in Portugal in order to be able to make the visa renewable. You also do have the option of spending 8 months per year in total in the country, but with various absences in between.
Legal basis: Article 58 paragraph 1 of Law no. 23/2007 of July 4 and article 24 d) of Regulatory Decree no. 84/2007 of November 5 serves as the legal framework within which the D7 Visa is offered.
Benefits of the D7 Passive Income Visa
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FAST, SIMPLE APPLICATION PROCESS: Obtain residency in Portugal with 4 to 6 months from starting your D7 Visa application.
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NO MINIMUM CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED: While you are required to have an address in Portugal, you don’t need to purchase a home in Portugal; a long-term rental contract can serve as proof of accommodation. And if you do decide to purchase a property, there is no minimum pricing requirement.
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ROAD TO PERMANENT RESIDENCY AND CITIZENSHIP: Your initial temporary residency visa can be renewed for an additional 3-year period, after which you and your dependent family members and spouse can become eligible to apply for permanent residency and citizenship.
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FAMILY ELIGIBILITY: Your spouse and dependent children can be included in your D7 application on the basis of EU family reunification law.
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NO MINIMUM CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED: A key benefit of the D7 Visa is that you don’t need to make a minimum property investment of €350,000 or €500,000 in order to apply for the D7 Visa. This makes it one of the most affordable EU residency programs available to non-EEA nationals.
Portugal D7 Visa: Minimum passive income requirements
SINGLE APPLICANTS:
In order to qualify the Portugal D7 as a single applicant, you will have to be able to prove a stable, passively derived income of at least €635 per month (€7,620 per year).
MARRIED COUPLES:
In order to apply as a couple, the minimum combined passive income requirement goes up by 50%: an additional €318+ per month is required (€3,810+ per year), bringing the total monthly passive income required to €1,271 per married couple (€15,252 per year).
DEPENDENT CHILDREN:
For children under the age of 18, the minimum required passive income required per child is €190,50 per month (€2,286 per year), which is around 30% of the primary applicant’s passive income requirement.
ELDERY PARENTS:
You can also apply for dependent residency status for your and your spouse’s financially dependent parents, but this can only be done subsequently to settlement, and provided that you have the financial means to house and support them fully (they have to live with you).
How is passive income defined under the D7 Visa Program?
Eligible income can take the form of:
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Pension payouts
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Royalties
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Rental income from movable, immovable or intellectual property
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Company dividends (provided you don’t play an active role in the management of the business)
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Earnings from long-term, fixed-rate financial investments.