What income do I need for the Portugal D7 visa in 2026?

The main applicant must show ≥ €920/month — 100% of the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage (RMMG). Add 50% (€460/month) per adult dependant and 30% (€276/month) per child. Income must be passive and verifiable across the last 12 months.

Do I need a Portuguese bank account before applying?

Yes. Portuguese consulates require evidence of a Portuguese bank account with a deposit covering at least the first months of stay. The account can be opened remotely from your country of residence once you have a NIF, typically through Millennium BCP, ActivoBank or Caixa Geral.

Can my D7 income come from any country?

Yes — the D7 is jurisdiction-agnostic for passive income. The income must be genuinely passive (pensions, dividends, rental, royalties) and consistent across 12 months. Mixed income files are accepted when the passive portion alone clears the threshold.

Can I work remotely on the D7?

The D7 does not formally authorise local employment in Portugal. Remote work for a non-Portuguese employer and freelance work serving non-Portuguese clients are accepted in practice — they are passive-equivalent for D7 purposes. If your income is primarily active remote work, the D8 (Digital Nomad) visa is the more appropriate route.

How long does the D7 process take?

Consulate processing typically takes 60–90 days from biometrics. The D7 visa itself is valid for 4 months, during which AIMA must schedule your biometrics appointment to issue the residence permit. AIMA backlogs can push that to 6–12 months in practice — the permit is granted retroactively from the visa date.

Does the D7 lead to Portuguese citizenship?

Yes. After 5 years of legal residence on the D7 (and renewals) you may apply for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship, subject to A2-level Portuguese, clean criminal record, and proof of connection to the community.

Why does my D7 file need a motivation letter — isn't the application form enough?

The form is a checkbox document; the motivation letter is the narrative that ties your income, accommodation and commitment together for the consul. Portuguese consulates and AIMA reviewers explicitly look for a formal letter naming Article 61 Lei 23/2007 and stating the post-arrival compliance commitment. Files without one are routinely returned for completion.

Can I include my non-EU spouse and children on one D7 application?

Yes — family reunification at the D7 stage is permitted when the income threshold covers the full household (€920 + €460 spouse + €276/child). Each family member files their own form with the same supporting financial proof.

🇵🇹 Portugal · D7 Passive Income

Portugal D7 Visa — passive-income residency in 2026

The Portugal D7 is the national long-stay residence visa for non-EU nationals with stable, regular passive income — pensions, dividends, rental income, royalties, annuities. It leads to a 2-year residence permit (renewable for 3 years), and after 5 years opens permanent residency or citizenship.

Build your kit free — $49 to downloadType D kit · flat fee · monthly stay plan included

What is the Portugal D7?

The D7 is governed by Article 61 of Portugal's Aliens Act (Lei 23/2007). It is issued by Portuguese consulates abroad as a 4-month entry visa; on arrival you attend an AIMA biometrics appointment to collect the 2-year residence permit.

Unlike the Golden Visa, the D7 has no investment requirement. The single qualifying condition is regular passive income above the Portuguese minimum wage threshold, plus proof of accommodation and a clean criminal record.

D7 holders may live anywhere in Portugal, enrol in the public health service (SNS), and travel freely within the Schengen Area. The visa does not formally permit local employment, but remote work for foreign employers and freelance activity outside Portugal are widely accepted in practice.

Financial requirements — 2026

Income must be passive and verifiable across the last 12 months. Active employment income from outside Portugal is generally accepted under the D7 in practice, but the cleanest files lean heavily on pension, dividend, rental or royalty evidence.

Requirement	2026 figure
Main applicant	€920/month — 100% of the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage (RMMG) Source: DRE — Decreto-Lei do Salário Mínimo Nacional, 2026 revision
Spouse / adult dependant	+€460/month (50% of the RMMG) Source: Portuguese consular guidance (vistos.mne.gov.pt)
Each child	+€276/month (30% of the RMMG) Source: Portuguese consular guidance (vistos.mne.gov.pt)
Recommended savings buffer Reference, not fixed minimum	≥ 12 months of the relevant household total in a Portuguese bank account Source: Common consulate practice — not codified

Required documents

Schengen-format application form (signed)
Passport valid ≥ 3 months beyond visa expiry, with 2 blank pages
Two recent biometric photos
Proof of regular passive income covering the last 12 months (bank statements, pension certificate, rental contracts, dividend statements)
Portuguese NIF (tax identification number)
Portuguese bank account statement with deposit covering at least the first months of stay
Proof of accommodation in Portugal — lease (≥ 12 months), property deed, or formal hosting declaration
Criminal record certificate from country of residence, apostilled and translated to Portuguese
Travel/health insurance covering the entry period (until SNS enrolment after arrival)
Motivation letter addressed to the Portuguese consulate (the SchengenDoc kit produces this)

The motivation / cover letter

The D7 motivation letter is the document that ties the file together. AIMA and Portuguese consulates expect a formal, single-page letter addressed to the consul, stating the legal basis (Article 61 Lei 23/2007), the nature and source of your passive income, your accommodation arrangements in Portugal, and a compliance commitment for the post-arrival AIMA appointment. A generic Type C tourist cover letter will not satisfy a D7 file.

"To the Consul General of Portugal: I respectfully submit my application for a residence visa under Article 61 of Lei 23/2007 (Visto D7 — Rendimentos Próprios). My monthly passive income of €2,140 derives from a guaranteed pension from [Provider] and dividend distributions from a diversified portfolio, both documented in the attached statements covering the past 24 months. I have secured a 12-month lease at [Address, Portugal] and opened a Portuguese bank account [Bank, IBAN PT50…] holding €15,800 in initial reserves. I commit to attending the AIMA biometrics appointment within the validity period and to abiding by the residency obligations of the D7 status."

SchengenDoc generates the full letter — sub-type, legal references, financial framing, accommodation paragraph and compliance commitment — from a 4-step form. See a full sample kit before you build yours.

Step-by-step application

1
Obtain a Portuguese NIF
The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is issued by Finanças. Non-residents typically appoint a fiscal representative or use a remote service to obtain it in 2–4 weeks.
2
Open a Portuguese bank account
Most Portuguese banks (Millennium BCP, ActivoBank, Caixa Geral) accept remote applications for non-residents once you have a NIF. Deposit funds covering at least the first months of stay.
3
Secure accommodation
A 12-month lease is the safest evidence. Hotel bookings, short-term rentals and property deeds also qualify; a formal hosting declaration from a Portuguese resident is acceptable for family arrangements.
4
Compile financial evidence
Bank statements for the last 12 months, pension certificate, dividend statements, rental contracts. Show clear, regular passive income above the household threshold.
5
Book your consulate appointment
Apply at the Portuguese consulate with jurisdiction over your country of residence. Bring originals + apostilled copies. Submit the SchengenDoc-generated motivation letter with the file.
6
Enter Portugal and attend the AIMA appointment
The D7 visa is valid for 4 months and 2 entries. AIMA schedules a biometrics appointment within that window; at it you collect your 2-year residence permit.
7
Register with SNS and Finanças
After collecting the residence permit, enrol in SNS (national health service) and update your Finanças record to resident status. NHR (Non-Habitual Resident) tax regime, where applicable, is requested in the first year.

What does the Portugal long-stay kit cost?

Most Portugal relocation consultants charge €900–€1,500 for a long-stay file. Lawyers in Portugal typically charge more for the same paperwork stage. SchengenDoc generates the same document set — motivation letter, monthly stay plan, financial-means statement and country-specific checklist — for a flat fee.

$49one-time · long-stay kit

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Portugal D7 visa — FAQ

What income do I need for the Portugal D7 visa in 2026?: The main applicant must show ≥ €920/month — 100% of the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage (RMMG). Add 50% (€460/month) per adult dependant and 30% (€276/month) per child. Income must be passive and verifiable across the last 12 months.
Do I need a Portuguese bank account before applying?: Yes. Portuguese consulates require evidence of a Portuguese bank account with a deposit covering at least the first months of stay. The account can be opened remotely from your country of residence once you have a NIF, typically through Millennium BCP, ActivoBank or Caixa Geral.
Can my D7 income come from any country?: Yes — the D7 is jurisdiction-agnostic for passive income. The income must be genuinely passive (pensions, dividends, rental, royalties) and consistent across 12 months. Mixed income files are accepted when the passive portion alone clears the threshold.
Can I work remotely on the D7?: The D7 does not formally authorise local employment in Portugal. Remote work for a non-Portuguese employer and freelance work serving non-Portuguese clients are accepted in practice — they are passive-equivalent for D7 purposes. If your income is primarily active remote work, the D8 (Digital Nomad) visa is the more appropriate route.
How long does the D7 process take?: Consulate processing typically takes 60–90 days from biometrics. The D7 visa itself is valid for 4 months, during which AIMA must schedule your biometrics appointment to issue the residence permit. AIMA backlogs can push that to 6–12 months in practice — the permit is granted retroactively from the visa date.
Does the D7 lead to Portuguese citizenship?: Yes. After 5 years of legal residence on the D7 (and renewals) you may apply for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship, subject to A2-level Portuguese, clean criminal record, and proof of connection to the community.
Why does my D7 file need a motivation letter — isn't the application form enough?: The form is a checkbox document; the motivation letter is the narrative that ties your income, accommodation and commitment together for the consul. Portuguese consulates and AIMA reviewers explicitly look for a formal letter naming Article 61 Lei 23/2007 and stating the post-arrival compliance commitment. Files without one are routinely returned for completion.
Can I include my non-EU spouse and children on one D7 application?: Yes — family reunification at the D7 stage is permitted when the income threshold covers the full household (€920 + €460 spouse + €276/child). Each family member files their own form with the same supporting financial proof.

Compare other long-stay visas

Looking for a broader overview of all Portugal long-stay sub-types? See the full Portugal hub