Visas & immigration: Portugal

D7 and D8 remain the two main non-EU routes in; the Golden Visa has moved decisively away from real estate, and the tax incentive landscape has been completely rebuilt.

D7: the passive income visa

The D7 visa targets retirees and anyone living off passive income — pensions, rental income, dividends, royalties. The minimum required income is pegged to the Portuguese minimum wage, which rose to €920/month in 2026: a single applicant needs to show at least €11,040/year. Add 50% for a spouse or adult dependent and 30% per minor child — a couple with one child needs roughly €19,872/year. Processing runs through a consulate abroad first, then AIMA for the residence permit once in Portugal.

D8: the digital nomad visa

Launched in 2022 for remote workers and freelancers, the D8 income bar is set at 4x the minimum wage — €3,680/month for a single applicant in 2026, up automatically as the minimum wage rises. Applicants need an employment or freelance contract showing remote, foreign-sourced income, plus proof of accommodation and health insurance. A short-stay (up to 1 year, non-renewable) version exists alongside the residency-track D8.

Golden Visa: real estate is gone

Since the reforms that took effect in October 2023, direct or indirect real estate purchases no longer qualify for the Golden Visa. The routes still open in 2026 are: investment funds (€500,000 minimum into a Portuguese-regulated fund, at least 60% invested in Portuguese companies, with no real estate exposure), a cultural/heritage donation (€250,000, or €200,000 in low-density areas), a scientific research donation (€500,000), and job creation (10+ full-time jobs, or 8 in low-density areas) or a combined €500,000 business investment plus 5+ jobs. Realistic total processing time from paperwork to residence card is now running 24–36 months given AIMA’s backlog, and Golden Visa applicants have publicly complained of being deprioritised behind other categories.

The end of NHR — and its replacement, IFICI

Portugal’s famous Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime, which gave new residents a decade of favorable flat rates and broad foreign-income exemptions, closed to new entrants at the end of 2023 (with transitional grandfathering for those who qualified before the cutoff). Its replacement, known informally as NHR 2.0 and formally as IFICI (Incentivo Fiscal à Investigação Científica e Inovação), is far narrower: it only covers specific categories — higher education and scientific research, roles in tax-benefited investment entities, highly qualified professionals at export-oriented companies, leadership roles at nationally significant companies, R&D staff at SIFIDE-benefited firms, and startup employees. Qualifying Portuguese-source income is taxed at a flat 20% instead of progressive rates up to 48%, and most foreign-source income (employment, self-employment, dividends, interest, rental, capital gains) is exempt — but foreign pensions are no longer exempt the way they were under old NHR, and income from blacklisted low-tax jurisdictions is taxed at 35%. The benefit runs up to 10 years, and registration must happen by January 15 of the year after you establish tax residency — miss it and you lose part of the benefit period.

EU/EEA citizens and students

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens don’t need a visa at all — register for a Certificado de Registo at the local council after 3 months of residence. Non-EU students need a D4 student visa, proof of university enrollment, and (like D7/D8) proof of sufficient funds, currently referenced to the same minimum-wage-linked thresholds.

From temporary to permanent

D7 and D8 holders renew their residence permit at the 1-year and 2-year marks, then can apply for permanent residency after 5 years of cumulative legal residence. Citizenship now follows the new nationality law timeline: 7 years for EU/CPLP citizens, 10 years for everyone else, counted from the date of your first residence permit.