Table of contents
The Portugal D7 visa is the residence visa for retirees and people who live on their own income, and in 2026 the main applicant needs at least €920 a month in regular passive income. A spouse adds 50% and each child 30%, and consulates expect that money to be available in Portugal for a year. The visa lets you enter twice within four months, and AIMA, Portugal’s immigration agency, then decides on a two-year residence permit.
Meeting the income figure is the floor, not the finish line: the consulate reviews the whole file and can refuse on any part of it. This guide covers what consulates check, the documents for US and UK applicants, the official fees for a first application, the deadlines the law sets, why files get refused, and what changed in 2025 and 2026.
What the D7 visa is and who it suits
The D7 is a long-stay residence visa for people whose income doesn’t come from a Portuguese job: pensioners, people living on rent, dividends or interest, and religious workers. “D7” is the code on consular checklists; the law calls it the residence visa for retirees, religious workers and people living on their own income, granted under article 58 of the Foreigners Act (Lei 23/2007).
It suits Americans and Brits who want to live in Portugal most of the year on a pension, Social Security, rental income or investment income. If most of your money will come from remote work for clients abroad, the Portugal digital nomad visa is built for that, and it’s one of several Portuguese residence routes worth comparing. You can’t get a D7 from inside Portugal: the residence permit requires a consular visa, and the old “expression of interest” route was revoked in 2024.
D7 visa income requirement in 2026
The main applicant needs stable and regular income of at least 100% of the Portuguese minimum wage, which is €920 a month (€11,040 a year) in 2026. The benchmark comes from Portaria 1563/2007, and the 2026 minimum wage was set by Decreto-Lei 139/2025, as the Ministry of Labour’s notice confirms. Each extra adult adds 50% and each child adds 30%.
| Household (2026) | Monthly income needed | Yearly | About, in USD | About, in GBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One adult | €920 | €11,040 | $1,030 a month | £770 a month |
| Couple | €1,380 | €16,560 | $1,545 a month | £1,155 a month |
| Each child under 18 or dependent adult child | +€276 | +€3,312 | +$309 a month | +£231 a month |
| Each dependent parent or other adult | +€460 | +€5,520 | +$515 a month | +£385 a month |
Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rate of October 23, 2026 (€1 = $1.1193 = £0.83728). Exchange rates move, so leave a margin if your income is paid in dollars or pounds.
The 2027 minimum wage hasn’t been set by decree yet, so €920 applies until it is. When it changes, the D7 threshold changes with it, including when you renew. AIMA’s own means-of-subsistence page still showed the 2025 figure of €870 when we checked, so go by the current decree and the Ministry’s means-of-subsistence page.
A worked example: an American couple on Social Security
Take a married couple in their sixties who receive $2,400 a month in Social Security between them and have savings in the US. They need €1,380 a month, about $1,545, so their benefits clear the threshold with room for exchange-rate swings. Our cost of living in Portugal guide shows what that income covers once they’re there.
They also need to show money available in Portugal for 12 months, which consulates read as a Portuguese bank balance: €16,560, about $18,536, for a couple. Their official fees come to about $738: €591.20 in Portuguese visa and permit fees at AIMA’s current reduced rates, plus two FBI checks at $18 and, if the certificates are authenticated federally, two authentications at $20. Translations, insurance, VFS service fees and courier costs come on top and vary by provider.
Savings support your income; they don’t replace it
The law asks for stable and regular resources. Retirees document the pension amount and either a guarantee that it will be received or other income available in Portugal (Portaria 1563/2007, articles 2 and 5).
The two consular checklists read this differently. The US checklist asks for proof of resources for 12 months, expressed as “12 minimum wages in savings”, plus income available in a Portuguese bank account. The UK checklist asks for three months of statements showing the income arriving and a Portuguese bank statement of at least €11,040. Neither says savings alone replace regular income.
Pensions, rent, dividends and royalties count when they arrive regularly
Pensions (state, private and Social Security), rental income, dividends, interest and royalties from intellectual property all fall under the D7’s categories. UK posts list the evidence they expect: your latest tax return or an accountant’s statement, rental agreements with the property deeds, dividend vouchers, and bank statements showing the income arriving.
Portugal D7 visa requirements: the documents
You apply with a standard national-visa file plus proof of income, money in Portugal, accommodation and a clean record. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list is the baseline; each consulate publishes its own checklist, and the US and UK versions differ.
| Document | Where it comes from | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| National visa application form and 2 passport photos | Consulate or VFS Global | Use the form for your consulate |
| Passport | Your government | Valid at least 3 months beyond your planned return; UK posts ask for 90 days beyond the 120-day visa |
| Criminal record certificate | FBI (US) or ACRO (UK) | Issued less than 90 days before you submit, apostilled |
| Proof of income | Pension, Social Security, rental or investment statements | UK posts want 3 months of the income arriving |
| Portuguese bank statement | Portuguese bank | At least €11,040 for one person |
| Portuguese tax number (NIF) | Tax authority | On the UK checklist and the San Francisco consulate’s list |
| Proof of accommodation for 12 months | Lease, deed or host’s declaration | Registered 12-month lease, deed or notarized host declaration |
| Travel insurance | Insurer | Medical care, urgent care and repatriation for the visa period |
| Personal statement | You | Why Portugal, where you’ll live and what kind of housing |
Criminal record certificates must be under 90 days old when you submit
Americans who have lived in the US for more than a year need an FBI background check with an apostille, issued less than 90 days before submission. Brits need an ACRO police certificate apostilled by the UK Legalisation Office, also issued in the last 90 days. If you’ve lived in another country for over a year, you may need that country’s certificate too. These are the documents most likely to expire while you wait for an appointment, so time them to your appointment date.
You can rent instead of buying, as long as the home is secured for 12 months
You don’t have to buy property. The US checklist now asks you to show accommodation secured for at least 12 months, and UK posts accept a deed, a 12-month lease registered with the Portuguese tax authority, or a notarized term of responsibility from someone hosting you. The San Francisco consulate lists the same three options, so it’s worth arranging a lease early.
The visa-stage insurance must cover medical costs, urgent care and repatriation for the visa period; the Ministry sets no minimum amount. Brits who qualify for an S1 form can use it instead of travel insurance.
How to apply for the D7, step by step
The application runs through the Portuguese consulate for where you live, usually via VFS Global. You need legal residence in the country where you apply.
- Get a NIF. Portugal’s tax number is what banks ask for when you open an account, and the tax authority’s NIF guide explains how to request it online through a representative; you don’t need a formal tax representative just to get one.
- Open a Portuguese bank account and transfer the funds. €11,040 for one person, €16,560 for a couple, plus the uplifts for children or parents.
- Secure 12 months of accommodation that matches your consulate’s checklist.
- Order the criminal record certificate, then the apostille, timed so it’s under 90 days old at submission.
- Gather income proof, insurance and your personal statement. Have Portuguese translations done where your consulate asks for them.
- Book and attend your appointment at the consulate or VFS centre and pay the €110 visa fee.
- Wait for the decision. The Ministry’s deadlines page and the law set 60 days, and the clock can stop while the consulate waits for documents it has asked for.
- Travel to Portugal and request your AIMA appointment early in the visa’s four months.
| You live in | Where you apply |
|---|---|
| United States | Embassy in Washington or the consulates in Boston, Newark, New York, San Francisco and New Bedford; VFS centres in Washington, New York and San Francisco |
| United Kingdom | Consulates General in London and Manchester, through VFS centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh |
The Ministry’s list of where to apply names each post; check your consulate’s own site for the states or regions it covers.
Why D7 applications get refused
The refusal grounds you can control are all in the file: income, where the money sits, housing proof and document dates. The law also sets grounds you can’t fix with paperwork: a visa must be refused after a conviction for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, a threat to public order or health, or an entry ban (Lei 23/2007, article 52).
Residence visas also go to AIMA and the security services for an opinion, and a negative opinion is binding. The US checklist says plainly that a complete file doesn’t mean the visa will be granted automatically.
| Weak point | Why it fails | Fix before you apply |
|---|---|---|
| Income below the household total | The threshold rises with each family member | Add 50% per adult and 30% per child, and leave a currency margin |
| Savings but no regular income | The law asks for stable and regular resources | Apply once income is arriving; take advice if your pension starts later |
| Money not in Portugal | Consulates expect funds available in Portugal for 12 months | Fund the Portuguese account before the appointment |
| Criminal record too old | Must be under 90 days old at submission | Time it to your appointment date |
| Accommodation proof your consulate doesn’t accept | US and UK posts expect 12 months secured | Use a registered lease, a deed or a notarized host declaration |
| Documents reported missing | The decision rests on what reaches the consulate | Keep a signed, page-numbered copy of everything you hand in |
Before a final refusal you have the right to be heard, and the decision must give its reasons, under the Code of Administrative Procedure. After a refusal, the Ministry’s appeal rules give you three routes, which you can combine: a complaint to the consular post within 15 days, an appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs within three months (filed at the consular post), or a case at the Lisbon Administrative Court within three months. The Ministry charges €75 for each appeal procedure.
Reapplying instead means a new €110 fee, so fix the ground named in the decision first. Portugal doesn’t publish a D7 approval rate: neither the visa portal nor AIMA’s 2025 migration report gives one.
What the D7 costs
For one person, the Portuguese government fees for a first application are €110 for the visa and €185.60 for the residence permit, taken from the Ministry’s visa fee table and AIMA’s table of fees. AIMA’s amounts are reduced rates that apply until its services move online, and the table doesn’t name the D7 permit category explicitly, so confirm the figure when you book.
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | €110 per application | Not refunded if the visa is refused |
| AIMA application fee | €99.80 | Reduced rate; list price €133 |
| AIMA permit fee | €85.80 | Reduced rate; list price €114.30 |
| FBI background check (US) | $18 | Fingerprinting and postage extra |
| US federal authentication | $20 per document | If your FBI certificate is authenticated federally |
| ACRO police certificate (UK) | £70 | Up to 20 working days |
| UK apostille | £45 per document | ACRO certificates need the paper apostille |
| Appeal of a refused visa | €75 | Only if you appeal |
| Permanent residence permit, later | €263.40 | Reduced rate; list price €351.10 |
| Couple’s official fees, US | About $738 | Portuguese fees plus 2 FBI checks and 2 federal authentications |
| Couple’s official fees, UK | About £725 | Portuguese fees plus 2 ACRO certificates and 2 apostilles |
Sources: FBI form I-783, 22 CFR 22.1, ACRO and the FCDO Legalisation Office. Translations, insurance, VFS service fees and couriers vary, so get quotes. You don’t need a lawyer to apply; nothing in the official checklists requires one. An adviser earns their fee when your income is unusual, such as a pension that hasn’t started or income from a company you own.
How long the D7 takes
The rules fix two windows: up to 60 days for the consulate’s decision, then four months on the visa to reach AIMA, which has 90 days by law to decide on your permit. AIMA can extend that by 30 days in exceptional cases, and renewals must be decided within 60 days (Lei 23/2007, article 82, as amended in September 2026).
| Stage | What the rules say | Plan for |
|---|---|---|
| NIF, bank account, lease | No fixed time | Several weeks, longer if done remotely |
| Criminal record and apostille | Under 90 days old at submission | Time it to your appointment |
| Consulate decision | 60 days by law; paused while you supply documents it asked for | Answer requests quickly |
| Visa validity | Two entries, four months | Request AIMA early in this window |
| AIMA permit decision | 90 days by law, plus 30 in exceptional cases | Keep your appointment confirmation |
| Renewal decision | 60 days by law | Request renewal at least 30 days before expiry |
After you arrive: the AIMA residence permit
Early in your visa’s four months, request an appointment with AIMA, which checks your file again and issues the residence permit. Holders of a non-CPLP consular visa ask for it through AIMA’s contact form, as AIMA explains; the consulate doesn’t book it for you. Keep the confirmation of your request. At the appointment you show your passport and visa, proof of means, a sworn declaration of address and health insurance or proof of national health service coverage (AIMA’s requirements).
When the consulate grants your visa, it also issues provisional tax, social security and health service numbers, which you’ll use once you arrive. If AIMA’s decision is delayed for reasons that aren’t your fault, the law lets you work while you wait.
Renewal, permanent residence and citizenship
Your first permit lasts two years; each renewal lasts three. Request renewal no later than 30 days before the permit expires, and show the same means, accommodation, and tax and social security compliance again. The renewal receipt works like the card for 60 days and can be extended.
Time away is limited by immigration law as well as tax law
A temporary permit can be cancelled if you’re away for six consecutive months, or eight months in total, during its validity, unless you have a good reason or asked AIMA beforehand (article 85). That’s separate from the 183-day test for tax residence. You can meet the immigration rule and still be tax resident, and the other way round.
Permanent residence comes after five years with basic Portuguese
After five years on temporary permits you can apply for permanent residence if you still have the means and housing, have no prison sentence over one year, and show basic Portuguese; an A2 certificate is one accepted proof (AIMA, article 80). Permanent permit holders can be away longer: up to 24 consecutive months, or 30 months in any three years.
Citizenship now takes 10 years
Lei Orgânica 1/2026, in force since May 19, 2026, raised the residence requirement for naturalization to 10 years, or 7 for nationals of EU and Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries. It adds a test of Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols, and a solemn declaration of adherence to democratic principles. Applications already pending on May 19, 2026 stay under the old rules. The law gave the government 90 days to update the nationality regulation with the test details, and no amendment had appeared in the official gazette when we checked.
Bringing your family
Your spouse or legally recognized partner, dependent children and dependent parents can apply for residence visas at the same time as you, and each adds to the income you need (50% per adult, 30% per child). Adult children qualify if they’re single, depend on you and study in Portugal.
Family who join you later go through family reunification, which Lei 61/2025 changed from October 23, 2025. You now need to have held your permit for two years first, or 15 months for a spouse or partner you lived with for at least 18 months before you moved. Minor children, and a spouse who is the other parent of a minor child, are exempt from the waiting period.
Reunited family members also attend Portuguese-language and civic training after their permit is granted. If your family plans to come, ask your consulate about applying together before you file.
Taxes once you live in Portugal
You become a Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in a 12-month period, or keep a home there that you intend as your habitual residence on any day of that period (IRS Code, article 16). Residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates from 12.5% to 48% in 2026.
The non-habitual resident regime was revoked from January 1, 2024. Only a narrow transitional group who became resident by the end of 2024 can still register, so it isn’t open to people moving now. Its replacement, IFICI, is for people working in listed qualified activities and excludes pensions.
- US Social Security: under Article 20 of the US–Portugal treaty, the US may tax it, and that right isn’t exclusive. Portugal can tax it too, as your country of residence, and must credit the US tax. Portugal isn’t on the IRS list of countries whose residents are exempt from US tax on benefits. Private pensions are taxed only where you live; US government pensions are generally taxed only by the US. More on the money side of moving to Portugal from the USA.
- FBAR: US persons report foreign accounts when they total more than $10,000 at any point in the year (IRS).
- UK pensions: a new UK–Portugal tax convention applies in Portugal from January 1, 2026 (HMRC). Private pensions are taxed only in your country of residence; UK government-service pensions generally stay taxable in the UK. Brits will find the rest of the move in moving to Portugal from the UK.
How much you’ll pay depends on your income mix and citizenship, so get advice from someone who handles both countries before you move.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
Five rule changes shape a D7 application now, and several competitor guides still describe the old rules.
| Change | In force from | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage set at €920 (Decreto-Lei 139/2025) | January 1, 2026 | The D7 income threshold is €920 a month |
| Family reunification waiting period (Lei 61/2025) | October 23, 2025 | Family joining later wait 2 years, or 15 months for a partner you lived with for 18 months; minor children are exempt |
| Citizenship after 10 years (Lei Orgânica 1/2026) | May 19, 2026 | 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals; new culture and history test |
| Foreigners Act amended again (Lei 62/2026) | September 11, 2026 | AIMA can now extend its 90-day permit deadline by 30 days; renewal and absence articles reworded |
| Non-habitual resident regime revoked (Lei 82/2023) | January 1, 2024 | No special tax regime for retirees moving now |
D7 visa myths
Five beliefs come up again and again among people planning a D7, and each one can cost you time or a refusal.
Myth: meeting the €920 means you’ll be approved
Reality: income is one condition among several. The consulate reviews income history, money in Portugal, housing, criminal record and passport, and a negative opinion from AIMA or the security services blocks the visa.
Myth: a large lump sum is enough on its own
Reality: the checklists treat savings as an addition to income. UK posts ask for both, and the US checklist asks for savings alongside income available in Portugal.
Myth: you have to buy property
Reality: a registered 12-month lease or a notarized host declaration works. Buying is one option among three.
Myth: retirees still get a special low tax rate
Reality: the non-habitual resident regime is closed to people moving now, and IFICI excludes pensions. Our guide to retiring in Portugal covers how pensions are taxed today.
Myth: the D7 leads to citizenship in five years
Reality: that was the old rule. Since May 19, 2026, it’s 10 years for most nationalities.
D7 vs the digital nomad visa
The D7 is for income you don’t work for, such as pensions, rent and dividends; the digital nomad (D8) visa is for earnings from remote work, and it asks for four times as much: €3,680 a month in 2026 against €920. The Ministry’s residence-visa page sets out both. If you’d rather invest than show income, Portugal’s investment-based residence route is a separate programme with its own rules.
| D7 | Digital nomad visa (D8) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Retirees and people on passive income | Remote workers and freelancers |
| Income needed in 2026 | €920 a month (100% of the minimum wage) | €3,680 a month (4 times the minimum wage) |
| Income type | Pensions, rent, dividends, interest | Earnings from work for clients or employers abroad |
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions D7 applicants ask most, with the detail in the sections above.
Is the D7 Portugal’s retirement visa?
Yes. Retirees are one of the groups the D7 is written for, along with people living on rental or investment income and religious workers. Portugal has no separate retirement visa.
Is approval certain if I meet every requirement?
No. The consulate decides on the whole file, a negative opinion from AIMA or the security services is binding, and the US checklist states that a complete file doesn’t mean the visa is granted automatically. A complete, consistent file is what you control.
What can I do if savings are all I have?
Wait until a pension or other regular income starts, or look at a route built for your situation. Regular rental income counts too, if it arrives each month. Take advice before you file, because the fee isn’t refunded if the visa is refused.
Does US Social Security count as D7 income?
Yes. Social Security is pension income and counts toward the €920 a month; bring the award letter and bank statements showing the payments arriving. If your benefit starts after you apply, it won’t show as income received yet, so it’s safer to apply once payments have begun.
Do I have to live in Portugal six months a year on a D7?
Not exactly. The immigration rule is about absence: you can lose the permit after six consecutive months away, or eight months in total, during its validity. Tax residence is a separate test based on 183 days or a habitual home.
Can I work in Portugal on a D7 visa?
Yes. Once you hold the residence permit, the law allows both employment and self-employment without extra authorization. Renewal still requires means of subsistence, so confirm with AIMA or an adviser whether new Portuguese work income will count for a permit granted on passive income before you change your income mix.
Can I travel while I wait for my AIMA appointment?
Your visa allows two entries during its four months, and a national long-stay visa lets you visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180 (EU Visa Code Handbook). AIMA says the receipt for a permit application isn’t a travel document. If your visa will run out before your appointment, ask AIMA about extending your stay before you book any trip.
What is the official website for the D7 visa?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ visa portal lists the documents and fees, and each consulate publishes its own checklist through VFS Global. AIMA’s site covers the residence permit after you arrive.
The Portugal D7 visa rewards preparation: regular income above the household threshold, money already in Portugal, and documents timed so nothing expires before your appointment. Download your own consulate’s checklist first, then put your NIF, bank account and 12-month lease in place and work through the list line by line.
Sources
- Lei 23/2007 (Foreigners Act), consolidated text
- Portaria 1563/2007 (means of subsistence)
- Lei 61/2025 (amendment to the Foreigners Act)
- Lei Orgânica 1/2026 (Nationality Law amendment)
- Portuguese Nationality Regulation, consolidated text
- Code of Administrative Procedure, consolidated text
- Guaranteed minimum monthly wage for 2026
- Residence visa: necessary documentation
- Means of subsistence
- National visas: fees
- National visas: deadlines
- National visas: appeal mechanisms
- Where to lodge a visa application
- Residence visa for retirees, religious workers and people living on own income
- D7 residence visa checklist (UK applicants, 06.03.2026)
- Residency visa checklist (US applicants, 06.11.2025)
- Visa information, Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco
- Temporary residence permit: general requirements (art. 77)
- Permanent residence permit (art. 80)
- Table of fees and charges
- Residence permit appointments for consular visa holders
- Frequently asked questions: general matters
- Migration and Asylum Report 2025
- Visa Code Handbook I (annex to C(2024) 4319)
- Assignment of tax ID number to foreign citizens
- IRS Code, article 16 (tax residence)
- IRS Code, article 68 (income tax rates)
- Non-habitual resident regime: registration leaflet
- Ofício Circulado 20276/2025 (IFICI)
- United States–Portugal income tax convention
- Publication 915: Social Security and equivalent railroad retirement benefits
- Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
- Identity History Summary request form I-783
- 22 CFR 22.1, schedule of fees (authentications)
- Police certificates
- Get a document legalised
- 2025 UK–Portugal double taxation convention
- Double Taxation Relief Manual, DT15600 (Portugal)
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.
Related guides
Cost of living in Portugal: what a month really costs in 2026
Retiring in Portugal: the decisions that shape your first year
Portugal digital nomad visa: the two tracks, the income test and how to apply
Moving to Portugal from the USA: the money, tax and paperwork guide
Moving to Portugal from the UK: visas, State Pension and healthcare