Portugal D2 Visa
Move to Portugal on the D2 Entrepreneur Visa
Bring your business, or start one.
Expatsi helps founders and self-employed expats plan a D2 move to Portugal, from the business plan to the paperwork.
Why Portugal?
A better quality of life is within reach.
Portugal pairs a lower cost of living with excellent healthcare and easy access to the rest of Europe, without giving up the comforts of home.
Lower cost of living
A high quality of life for a fraction of U.S. coastal prices.
Excellent healthcare
Strong public and affordable private healthcare.
Easy access to Europe
Short, affordable trips across the continent.
Widespread public transportation
Leave car ownership behind in the U.S.
Portugal D2 Visa
For founders and the self-employed.
The D2 is for people starting or running a business in Portugal, or working for themselves. It's the most involved of the popular routes, since you'll need a solid business plan and proof you can fund it, but it's a real path to residency and, after 10 years, citizenship. If you're bringing a company or building one from scratch, this is your lane.
The Requirements
Entrepreneur Visa
For entrepreneurs and self-employment individuals who wish to start or operate a business in Portugal. Requires proof of viable business activity and sufficient financial means. Pathway to residency and citizenship after 10 years.
- Government cost
- $90
- Processing time
- ~60 days
- Timeline
- 2 years, renewable, 10 years to citizenship
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Key requirements
- Valid passport
- Viable business plan or proof of entrepreneurial activity
- Sufficient funds (approx. €10,000)
- Health insurance
- Clean criminal record
- NIF (Portuguese tax number)
Scouting Trips
Before you move, see Portugal like a future resident.
- We walk neighborhoods
- Meet local experts
- Tour healthcare facilities
- Explore housing options
- Help you understand what daily life actually feels like
Portugal partners who can help
Tania Teixeira
Portugal Guide
Portugal
Holborn Assets
Portugal Golden Visa
Algarve, Portugal
Simon Conn
International Mortgage Lending
United Kingdom
Viv Europe
Portugal Relocation Specialist
Lisbon, Portugal
Pathways
Alternative Education Coach
Lisbon, Portugal
Heather L.
Portugal Local Guide
Portugal
Popular Areas
Where Americans are building a new life.
Porto
Value and charm
Smaller and easier on the wallet than Lisbon, Porto has a gorgeous riverfront and a food and wine scene people fall hard for. The pick for anyone who wants a real city without Lisbon prices, and the north stretches a budget further.
Lisbon
City life and culture
The capital is walkable, historic, and the most international city in the country, with the most direct flights home and the deepest expat network. Also the priciest place to rent, and prices have climbed, so it's the one to love if your budget can handle it.
Silver Coast
Surf and small towns
The coast between Lisbon and Porto trades resorts for fishing villages, surf towns like Ericeira and Peniche, and medieval Obidos. Greener and much cheaper than the Algarve, with big Atlantic waves and cooler water. You'll want a car here, since the towns are spread out.
Algarve
The expat coast
Portugal's southern coast as a whole, with cliff-backed coves, golf, and the biggest English-speaking community in the country. Towns differ a lot: Lagos and Tavira stay alive year-round, while the resort strips go quiet in winter. Pick the town, not the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your questions, answered.
Can I move my existing business to Portugal on a D2?
Yes, whether you’re relocating an existing company or starting a new one.
Who is the D2 visa for?
Entrepreneurs and self-employed people who want to start or run a business in Portugal.
Is the D2 harder than the D7 or D8?
It’s more involved because of the business plan, but it’s a genuine path to residency and, after 10 years, citizenship.
Does the D2 lead to citizenship?
Yes, after five years of legal residency.
What do I need for a D2?
A viable business plan, proof you can fund it, and the standard documents: a clean record, health insurance, and proof of accommodation.
Other ways to move to Portugal
Move to Portugal on the D7 Visa
You don't have to figure it out alone.
Move to Portugal on the D8 Digital Nomad Visa
Keep your job. Change your address.
The Portugal Golden Visa, explained
An EU base, without moving full-time.
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Land the Portuguese job offer, and the work visa is mostly paperwork
The D1 residence visa covers any salaried job in Portugal, from a Lisbon dev team to a hotel kitchen in Faro. Your pay has to clear $1,060 a month (920 euros), and nobody makes your employer advertise the job first.
You can move abroad.
Thousands of Americans have already done it.
Why not you?