Portugal D7 Visa
Move to Portugal on the D7 Visa
You don't have to figure it out alone.
Expatsi helps Americans explore Portugal, understand their visa options, and build a plan for moving abroad.
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
Enjoy a high quality of life for less.
Excellent healthcare
Access to top-rated public and private healthcare.
Easy access to Europe
Explore Europe easily with affordable travel nearby.
The D7 Visa
A simple pathway to life in Portugal.
The D7 Visa is Portugal's residency pathway for people with passive income, including:
- Social Security
- Pensions
- Rental Income
- Disability
- Investments
If you're retired or approaching retirement, it may be one of the simplest ways to establish residency in Europe.
The Requirements
Passive Income Visa
For individuals with stable passive income. Allows residency, work, and access to healthcare/education. Pathway to citizenship after 10 years of legal residency.
- Processing time
- ~60 days
- Timeline
- 1 year (renewable), 10 years to citizenship
- Difficulty
- Easy
Key requirements
- Proof of sufficient passive income (e.g., pensions, rental income, dividends)
- Clean criminal record
- Valid health insurance
- Proof of accommodation in Portugal
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
We went from dreaming to boarding passes in under a year. Worth every penny.
Dana R.
Expatsi member
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.
What is the Portugal D7 Visa?
It's Portugal's residency visa for people with stable passive income — pensions, Social Security, rental income, or investments earned outside Portugal.
How long until I can get residency?
Most applicants plan on several months from decision to approval, depending on document gathering and consulate scheduling.
Can I work in Portugal with a D7 Visa?
The D7 is built around passive income, but it does not forbid work. Many residents freelance or run a business once settled.
Can I bring my spouse or family?
Yes. The D7 supports family reunification, so your spouse and dependents can join you on the same pathway.
Can I become a Portuguese citizen?
The D7 leads to permanent residency and, after the qualifying period, eligibility for citizenship.
How much income is required?
Requirements track Portugal’s minimum wage and change yearly. Expatsi matches you to the current thresholds and the partners who handle the filing.
Other ways to move to Portugal
Move to Portugal on the D2 Entrepreneur Visa
Bring your business, or start one.
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.
Portugal's Jobseeker Visa Is Closed. Here's What Replaced It.
Portugal scrapped its open job hunting visa in October 2025. The skilled version written to replace it still isn't taking applications.
Portugal's student visa asks for a year of money, or a lease
What a Portuguese degree really costs an American, what goes in the consular file, and why no federal loan money follows you here.
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?