What is the D7 visa?
The Portuguese government introduced a special type of visa in 2007: the D7 Visa. It is
also known as Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa.
This residence visa allows any non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who has a reasonable net regular
passive income to apply for residency in Portugal. This income can be from pensions,
transferable equity, real estate, intellectual property, or financial investment.
The minimum required value to be eligible for this visa is a yearly income of
€8,460, plus 50 percent of this amount for the spouse and 30 percent for each dependent
child. This is regardless of the person’s country of origin.
This visa allows you and your family legal residence in Portugal. It is intended to attract
retirees and those living on passive income to reside in Portugal in an effort to boost the
economy. Additionally, holders of this visa are not precluded from having a professional
activity in Portugal.
You can apply for the D7 visa at the Portuguese consulate through a series of residence
applications. After you have your visa, your immediate family also becomes entitled to a
residence permit there under the family reunification regulations.
Additionally, this visa allows you to travel through the Schengen zone Visa-Free as it is
registered with the Schengen Information system.
Benefits of the Passive Income D7 Visa in Portugal
High-Mobility
The D7 visa allows you visa-free entry and circulation through the Schengen Area.
Permanent Residency and Eventual Citizenship
Once you have the D7 visa you are allowed to obtain a residence permit in Portugal for one
year. After that, you can renew for two years successively.
After five years of legal residency, you may apply for permanent residency. You can also
apply to become a Portuguese National through naturalization. However, to be naturalized
in Portugal you’ll have to pass a Portuguese language test.
Resident’s Rights in Portugal
Once you become a resident in Portugal you become entitled to certain benefits offered by
the state. These benefits include:
- Access to the National Health Service Care
- Access to the National Education Service and school in Portugal
- Conducting any professional activity as an independent professional
- Access and protection from the Portuguese Law and Legal System
- Access to Vocational Schooling in Portugal
Family Reunification
Once you have the D7 visa your family is entitled to join you in Portugal. You’ll need to
request family reunification in SEF. You’ll have to legally prove your relationship to all and
any members of your family whom you wish to include under this program.
The following is the list of family members that may qualify for family reunification under
the D7 visa:
- Your spouse or partner.
- Your children under 18 years of age, or incapacitated children of the couple or of one
of their spouses/partners. - Children over 18 years of age who are dependent on you or your spouse. This means
that they are single and studying in an educational establishment. - Your parents or your spouse/partner’s parents, as long as they are dependent on you.
- You minor siblings
Option to Become an NHR Resident
Portugal has a special tax program known as NHR(non-habitual resident). Under this
program, you are exempt from or pay very little taxes on any foreign-sources income.
Portugal D7 Visa Requirements: Eligibility Criteria
There is a set of criteria to be eligible for Portugal D7 Visa. You can apply for D7 visa
Portugal if you:
- Are a non-EU national,
- Have the funds to support yourself during your stay in Portugal,
- Have a clean criminal record,
- Can show a residence address in Portugal,
- Are able to spend at least 16 months in Portugal during the first 2-year period.
