Published On: October 13th, 2022Categories: Visas, Residency, & CitizenshipTags:

How to get a Portugal digital nomad, D7, D2, or golden visa

How to get a Portugal digital nomad, D7, D2, or golden visa

Updated 02/17/2022: Portugal is revoking its Golden Visa program as it related to buying property to curtail rent inflation and housing shortages for Portuguese citizens as the result of protests and a housing crisis there. Previously they had increased regulations on the properties expats could buy to receive a visa. We’ll leave the info below intact for future reference. You can still get a golden visa through other kinds of investments.

One of the biggest reasons that Portugal is top of the immigrant charts — aside from all the beauty and culture that the country has to offer — is its generous visa program. If you’re traveling as a tourist, you’ll grab a Schengen visa and be done with it, and temporary stay visas are also available for up to a year. If you’re looking for residency, here’s a quick guide to your options:

Visa Requirements Benefits
Golden Visa / CANCELLED
  • Create 10 jobs or invest €500k & create 5 jobs
  • Donate €250k+ to a cultural heritage program
    • Donate €500k+ to research & development
  • Buy property worth €280k+*
  • Invest €500k+ in a qualifying Portuguese investment fund
  • Transfer €1.5M into a Portuguese bank
  • Living in Portugal not required
  • Visa-free travel to Schengen countries
  • Family has same rights
  • Citizenship available
  • NHR tax benefits
D7 Visa
  • Earn passive income of €9,120 per year plus €4,560 for a spouse and €2,736 for each dependent child
  • Spend 16 months in Portugal over first 2 years of residency
  • Show proof of Portugal address
  • Visa-free travel to Schengen countries
  • Family has same rights
  • Citizenship available
  • NHR tax benefits
D2 Visa
  • Open a business in Portugal
  • Invest in the company’s share capital (€50k+)
  • Visa-free travel to Schengen countries
  • Family has same rights
  • Citizenship available
  • NHR tax benefits
Digital Nomad Visa
  • Earn income of €33,840/year from in self-employment income or from a country based outside Portugal
  • Visa-free travel to Schengen countries
  • Family has same rights
  • Citizenship available
  • NHR tax benefits

*More details about buying property to get a golden visa – CANCELLED

Most people use the option of purchasing property to gain this visa. You can buy one of four kinds of properties:

€350k+ personal residence | Urban rehabilitation areas

This investment option is for personal residences. in Portugal’s designated urban rehabilitation areas. The property has to either be more than 30 years old, need refurbishment, or both, and 350k applies to the cost of the property and the refurbishment.

€500k+ personal residence | Outside Lisbon, Porto, & the coast

Unfortunately, this investment option was changed this year to remove the places where most immigrants like to move, but it probably helps preserve affordable housing for the Portuguese. You can get around it buy shopping in the rehab area mentioned above.

€280k+ or €400k+ personal residence | Low-density areas

This investment option represents a 20% discount on the first two options for moving into Portugal’s lower density areas.

€350k+ or €500k+ commercial investment | No restrictions

The 350k threshold is for properties needing refurbishment in the urban rehabilitation areas. Otherwise, the threshold is 500k. These can include commercial buildings, hotels, offices, and even licensed Airbnb units.

Get your Portugal immigration plan quickly and easily!

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Jen Barnett Expatsi headshot
Co-founder at Expatsi | Website | + posts

Jen Barnett is an expat influencer and co-founder of Expatsi, a company that's helped thousands of Americans on their moving abroad journeys. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. She's written for BusinessWeek, Health, Cooking Light, and Southern Living. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She's moving to Mexico in 2024, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and three rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?

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Jen Barnett Expatsi headshot
Co-founder at Expatsi | Website | + posts

Jen Barnett is an expat influencer and co-founder of Expatsi, a company that's helped thousands of Americans on their moving abroad journeys. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. She's written for BusinessWeek, Health, Cooking Light, and Southern Living. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She's moving to Mexico in 2024, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and three rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?