Portugal D7 vs D8 visa: which one do you actually need?
Two routes to the same Portuguese residency, separated by one question: is your income passive or earned? Pick the wrong one and your application gets bounced. Here is the clear 2026 breakdown, with the income figures and the rule change that catches remote workers out.
Short version. The D7 is for passive income (pensions, rentals, dividends) and needs about €920/month. The D8 is for active remote work and needs about €3,680/month. If your money comes from a job or clients, you need the D8, the D7 no longer accepts remote-work income. Everything else (the 5-year path to citizenship, NIF, bank account, lease) is the same.
Side by side
| D7 visa | D8 visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Passive income / retirement | Remote workers (digital nomads) |
| Qualifying income | Pensions, rental, dividends, interest, royalties | Remote job, freelance, or a business outside Portugal |
| Monthly income (2026, single) | €920 (1× minimum wage) | €3,680 (4× minimum wage) |
| Family add-on | +€460 spouse, +€276 per child | +€460 spouse, +€276 per child |
| Portuguese bank account | Required (funded) | Required (funded) |
| First permit | 2 years, then renew for 3 | 2 years, then renew for 3 |
| Citizenship eligible | After 5 years (+ A2 Portuguese) | After 5 years (+ A2 Portuguese) |
| Best for | Retirees and passive-income earners | Remote employees and freelancers |
The one rule that decides it: passive vs active
Forget the income numbers for a second, because the real fork is the type of income. The D7 is built for people who do not need to work to support themselves: the qualifying money must be passive, like a pension, rental yield, dividends, interest, or royalties. The D8 is built for location-independent professionals: the money must be actively earned from remote employment, freelance contracts, or a business based outside Portugal. Decide which describes you, and the right visa follows.
The income gap is large
Both thresholds track Portugal's minimum wage, which rose to €920 a month in 2026, but they sit at very different multiples. The D7 asks for one times the minimum wage, about €920 a month for a single applicant. The D8 asks for four times it, about €3,680 a month. For dependents, both add 50% of the minimum wage for a spouse (about €460) and 30% per child (about €276). So the D7 is dramatically easier to qualify for on paper, if your income genuinely fits its passive definition.
The trap: remote workers can no longer use the D7
This is the part that trips people up. Before Portugal launched the D8 in late 2022, there was no dedicated digital nomad visa, so remote workers used the lower-cost D7 as a catch-all workaround. That door has closed. AIMA and the consulates now draw a hard line: apply for a D7 on the strength of a remote-work salary and your application is generally rejected or redirected to the D8. The only exception is if you happen to have enough genuinely passive income to clear the D7 threshold entirely on its own, independent of your salary.
What both visas need (it is the same list)
Once you have picked the right one, the paperwork is practically identical. Both require a NIF (Portuguese tax number), a funded Portuguese bank account (a common benchmark is around 12 months of the minimum wage, roughly €11,040, held as savings), a 12-month registered rental lease or a property purchase (short-term Airbnb or hotel bookings are no longer accepted), an apostilled criminal record check from your home country and anywhere you have lived over a year, and private health insurance valid in Portugal until you join the public system.
Same destination either way
Whichever you take, the long game is identical. Both grant a temporary residence permit (two years, then renewable for three), and after five years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship, one of the fastest EU passport routes, provided you pass an A2-level Portuguese test and keep a clean record. The D7 and D8 are different doors into the same house.
So which should you pick?
Choose the D7 if
- Your income is passive (pension, rentals, dividends)
- You want the much lower €920/month bar
- You are retiring or living off investments
Choose the D8 if
- You earn from remote work, freelancing or a business
- You can show ~€3,680/month in active income
- You are a working digital nomad, not a retiree
Planning your Portugal move?
See the full D8 requirements, sort your NIF and bank account, and weigh Portugal against Spain.
Run the free visa checker →Portugal D7 vs D8 FAQ
What is the difference between the Portugal D7 and D8 visa?
The D7 is for passive income (pensions, rentals, dividends) and needs about €920 a month in 2026. The D8 is for active remote-work income (a job, freelancing, or a business abroad) and needs about €3,680 a month. Everything else, the 5-year path to citizenship and the document list, is essentially the same.
Can I use the D7 visa as a remote worker?
Not anymore. Before the D8 launched in 2022, remote workers used the D7 as a workaround, but AIMA and the consulates now reject D7 applications based on a remote-work salary and tell you to apply under the D8. The only exception is if you separately have enough purely passive income to meet the D7 threshold on its own.
Which is cheaper to qualify for, the D7 or D8?
The D7, by a wide margin: roughly €920 a month versus €3,680 for the D8. But you can only use the D7 if that income is genuinely passive. If you earn your money by working, the D8's higher bar is the one that applies to you.
Do the D7 and D8 both lead to citizenship?
Yes, on the same timeline. Each grants temporary residence (2 years, then a 3-year renewal), and after 5 years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residence or citizenship, provided you pass an A2 Portuguese test and keep a clean criminal record.
Do both visas need a NIF and a Portuguese bank account?
Yes. Both require a NIF (tax number), a funded Portuguese bank account, a 12-month registered lease or a property purchase (short-term Airbnb or hotel bookings are no longer accepted), an apostilled criminal record check, and private health insurance.
Income thresholds track Portugal's minimum wage and change yearly, and consular and AIMA practice varies. Figures reflect the 2026 minimum wage (€920) and current guidance at the time of writing. This is general information, not legal or tax advice, so confirm the current rules with your consulate or a Portuguese immigration lawyer before you rely on them.