Portugal has a visa for retirees with pension income, one for remote workers, one for investors, and one for entrepreneurs. Here they are with 2026 numbers — no salesmanship.
Figures verified 29 September 2026 Rules checked 30 September 2026| Visa | Who it's for | Money requirement (2026) | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| D7 Full guide → | Retirees and anyone with passive income (pensions, rents, dividends) | €920/month passive income (+€460 spouse, +€276 per child); savings of roughly €11,040 per adult expected in practice | 2-yr permit → 3-yr renewal → permanent residency at 5 yrs |
| D8 Digital nomad | Remote employees and freelancers working for clients outside Portugal | €3,680/month average remote income (4× minimum wage), typically shown over the last 3 months | Same path as D7 (residency track) |
| Golden Visa (ARI) | Investors who don't want to live in Portugal full-time (7 days/yr average) | €500k in qualifying funds (real estate routes abolished in 2023); €500k research; €500k into a new company creating 5 jobs, or an existing company creating 5 jobs or keeping 10; creating 10 jobs (no minimum investment); €250k culture | Permanent residency at 5 yrs; processing commonly 12–24+ months |
| D2 Entrepreneur | People starting or moving a business to Portugal | No fixed investment — a viable business plan plus personal means of €920/month | Same path as D7 |
Consular D visa (4 months, 2 entries), then AIMA biometrics in Portugal. First residence permit: 2 years.
Renew for 3 more years. Since April 2025 AIMA only accepts complete files — missing one document means rejection.
After 5 years' legal residence: a 5-year renewable card, basic (A2) Portuguese required. This did not change in 2026.
Now 10 years for expats (was 5, changed 19 May 2026), counted from when your first permit was issued. A2 language + civic test.
Income requirements, savings, documents, fees, and the step-by-step process .
Read the guide → Guide€3,680/month remote income, what consulates want to see, and proving your income.
Read the guide →What survived the 2023 reform, what the citizenship change means for investors, and real all-in costs.
Organic Law 1/2026 explained — who's grandfathered, when your clock starts, and the new tests.
Read the guide →How Schengen counting works, the EES biometric border system, and ETIAS (delayed to 2027, €20).
Appointments, the complete-file rule, and what to do when nothing moves.
Visa applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in Portugal.