D7 visa (passive income / retirement)
For retirees, landlords and those with regular passive income. Minimum €920/month in 2026.
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Immigration Law in Portugal
Legal support for immigration processes in Portugal.
Personalised guidance at every stage of your process — from visa to nationality. General information only; not legal advice.
- Member of the Portuguese Bar (Ordem dos Advogados)
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Lawyer registered with the Portuguese Bar Association, specialising in immigration law.
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Live in Portugal
D2 visa (entrepreneur / independent)
For entrepreneurs, business owners and self-employed professionals wishing to carry out activity in Portugal.
Learn more →D3 / Highly Qualified / EU Blue Card
For highly qualified professionals: IT specialists, researchers, doctors and executives. Exempt from the IEFP labour market test.
Learn more →D1 visa (employed work)
For workers with a valid job offer from a Portuguese employer. Requires prior IEFP authorisation.
Learn more →Digital Nomad / Remote Work visa
For remote workers employed by non-Portuguese entities or freelancers with international clients. Income requirement: €3,680/month in 2026.
Learn more →Job-seeker visa
For highly qualified professionals seeking specialist employment in Portugal. Valid for 120 days (extendable to 180).
Learn more →D4 Student / Research visa
For students, researchers, interns and volunteers. Allows part-time work (up to 20h/week) during term time.
Learn more →Bring my family
Family reunification
Bring your spouse, children and dependant family members to Portugal. AIMA has 9 months to decide.
Learn more →Become Portuguese
Nationality by residence
Portuguese nationality after 7 years (EU/CPLP) or 10 years of legal residence. Timelines changed by Organic Law 1/2026.
Learn more →Nationality by marriage / partnership
After 3 years of marriage or civil partnership with a Portuguese citizen. No minimum residence in Portugal required.
Learn more →Nationality for children (jus soli)
For children born in Portugal. Requires 5 years of parental residence (or attendance in the Portuguese education system).
Learn more →Invest
Golden Visa / ARI
Residence Permit for Investment. Real-estate route abolished. Qualifying investment funds from €500,000.
Learn more →Stay & settle
Residence permit issuance & renewal
Online renewal via the AIMA portal. Can start 90 days before expiry. Fee ~€121.
Learn more →Permanent residence / EU long-term resident
After 5 years of continuous legal residence. Eliminates frequent renewals. Card valid for 5 years, indefinitely renewable.
Learn more →CPLP special regime
For citizens of Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and other CPLP countries. Important: Law 61/2025 changed entry rules.
Learn more →EU/EEA/Swiss citizen registration (CRUE)
For EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. Registration required after 3 months of residence. Free and simplified.
Learn more →Problems & appeals
Appeals & court injunctions against AIMA
Challenging AIMA decisions: refusals, cancellations and non-renewals. Administrative and judicial appeals — 15-day deadline.
Learn more →Removal / expulsion defence
Defence against expulsion and coercive removal from Portugal. Suspensive appeal available — maximum urgency, do not delay.
Learn more →How it works
- 1Initial contact
- 2Assessment
- 3Document preparation
- 4Submission (consulate/AIMA)
- 5Follow-up & renewals
FAQ
The most common residence visas are the D7, for people living on their own income or pensions; the D8, for digital nomads and remote workers; work visas, for those with a job contract or promise; the study visa; and family reunification, to join a relative who already lives here. There is also the Golden Visa / ARI, based on investment. The right visa depends on your goal and your income. As a rule, the application starts at the Portuguese consulate in your country of residence.
General information only; not legal advice. Rules change. · Last updated 2026-06-23
The D7 visa is for people living on their own income — pensions, rent, dividends, intellectual property or financial investments. You must show a stable, regular income at least equal to the Portuguese minimum wage (in 2026, €920 per month), with extra amounts for each dependant. You also need to open an account with a Portuguese bank and prove accommodation in Portugal. The reference amounts are updated each year, so always check the figures currently in force.
General information only; not legal advice. Rules change. · Last updated 2026-06-23
The D7 visa process has two phases and the total time depends on several factors:
Phase 1 — Consulate: The residence visa application is submitted to the Portuguese consulate in your country of residence. The legal decision deadline is 60 days, but in practice it varies greatly depending on the consulate and its workload. Some consulates decide in a few weeks; others take several months.
Phase 2 — AIMA (in Portugal): After entering on the visa, you must formalise the residence permit application with AIMA. Scheduling and processing by AIMA also takes variable time, potentially adding several more months.
In total, it is prudent to allow 6 to 12 months (or more) for the whole process, depending on the consulate and AIMA's current situation. Timelines change — always check the latest situation before planning your move.
General information only; not legal advice. Rules change. · Last updated 2026-06-21
The D8 visa is for people who work remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal, whether employed or self-employed. The main requirement is to show an average income over the last three months of at least four times the minimum wage (around €3,680 per month in 2026). You must also prove tax residence and your working relationship. It then allows you to apply for a residence permit with AIMA.
General information only; not legal advice. Rules change. · Last updated 2026-06-23
The Golden Visa / ARI (Residence Permit for Investment) still exists, but the real-estate route was abolished in October 2023. Current options include, among others, qualifying investment funds from €500,000.
As for timelines, the ARI process is typically longer than other types of residence. After submitting the application, AIMA has a legal deadline to decide, but in practice ARI cases have been taking 1 to 2 years or more given the volume of pending applications and the complexity of verifying investments.
Additionally, Organic Law 1/2026 (in force since 19 May 2026) increased the residence periods required for naturalisation. The ARI itself was not changed by these rules, but the path to citizenship is now longer for new permit holders.
Given the complexity and the amounts involved, this process requires specialist legal support from the start.
General information only; not legal advice. Rules change. · Last updated 2026-06-21
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