Visa & Residency
D7 Visa (Portugal Passive Income Visa)
Also known as: Portugal Passive Income Visa, D7, Portugal Retirement Visa
The D7 visa pre-dates the D8 by roughly fifteen years and remains the dominant route for retirees and rentier-income earners moving to Portugal. Eligibility hinges on demonstrating recurring passive income at or above the Portuguese minimum wage threshold (€870/month for the main applicant in 2026), plus 50% of that for each dependent adult and 30% for each dependent child. Pension statements, rental contracts, dividend statements, and bank statements showing 12+ months of consistent inflow are the typical evidence.
Unlike the D8, the D7 has no remote-work requirement: the income source can be entirely passive (pensions, rentals, royalties, dividends, interest), partially passive (a mix of pension and freelance work), or even include some active income that originates from outside Portugal. The D7 also pairs cleanly with elective Portuguese self-employment registration after arrival, allowing the holder to do limited Portuguese-source consulting without violating the visa's premise.
Processing time at Portuguese consulates ran 60-120 days in 2025; the post-arrival AIMA conversion to a residence permit typically clears in 90-180 days from the appointment. Applicants must hold Portuguese-recognised health insurance for at least the first 4 months until they're eligible to register with the Portuguese national health system (SNS), which is free for legal residents and includes pharmaceutical co-pays.
For naturalisation, time on the D7 counts toward the 5-year residence requirement for Portuguese citizenship. The D7 holder is generally a Portuguese tax resident from arrival, so the foreign-source income that qualified them for the visa enters the Portuguese tax net unless tax-treaty relief applies (which it usually does for major source countries: US, UK, Germany, France).
Sources
Last factual review: 2026-05-08.
Related terms
D8 Visa (Portugal Digital Nomad Visa)
Portugal's D8 visa is the dedicated remote-worker and digital-nomad route, launched in October 2022. Applicants must show monthly income at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage (€3,480/month gross in 2026) earned remotely from outside Portugal, plus Portuguese health coverage and accommodation. The visa is issued for 4 months, then converted to a 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 more years, with a path to permanent residence at year 5.
IFICI (Incentivo Fiscal à Investigação Científica e Inovação)
IFICI is Portugal's 10-year successor regime to NHR, available to new tax residents who haven't been Portuguese tax residents in the prior five years and who work in qualifying scientific research, innovation, higher education, or specific high-value tech roles. Qualifying Portuguese-source employment income is taxed at a flat 20%, with the same broad foreign-income exemptions as NHR. Approved by Decree-Law 249-A/2024.
Tax Residency
Tax residency determines which country has primary right to tax your worldwide income. Each country sets its own tests — typically based on physical presence (often 183+ days/year), domicile, primary economic interests, or family ties. Holding a residence permit does not automatically establish tax residency, and tax residency does not require a residence permit. Dual tax residency is resolved by tax-treaty tie-breaker rules.
SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde Portugal)
The Serviço Nacional de Saúde is Portugal's universal public health service, established by the 1979 Health System Law. SNS provides primary care, specialist care, hospitalisation, and emergency services. Most services are free at the point of use or carry small co-payments (€4-€20 per consultation, capped). Legal residents — including holders of D7, D8, and Golden Visa permits — are entitled to register and use SNS on the same terms as Portuguese citizens.
Deeper guides
Retirement Guide to Portugal 2026: Visa, Cost, Healthcare, Regions
The complete guide to retiring in Portugal — D7 visa process, cost of living by region, healthcare access, tax implications.
Buying Property in Portugal 2026: Prices, Process, Costs & Visa Guide
Lisbon €5,900/m², Porto €4,100/m², Algarve €3,500/m² — step-by-step buying process, closing costs (7-12%), mortgage options (60-75% LTV), D7 visa, NHR 2.0 changes. Updated April 2026.
Moving to Europe From the UK After Brexit: The Complete Visa Guide 2026
Every viable long-stay visa for Brits in Europe: Spain NLV, Portugal D7/D8, France VLS-TS, Italy Elective Residency, Netherlands DAFT, plus digital nomad visas and the 90/180 Schengen rule explained.
How to Move to Portugal: Complete 2026 Guide
Everything you need to move to Portugal — D7, D8, and golden visa options, cost of living in Lisbon vs Porto vs Algarve, healthcare, taxes.