The Portugal D7 visa in 2026 lets non-EU nationals with stable passive income (pensions, dividends, rental income, royalties, or other recurring sources) obtain Portuguese residency, provided they show at least €920 per month for the main applicant plus family supplements, hold one year of savings in a Portuguese bank account, and submit the application through a Portuguese consulate before completing the residence permit with AIMA after arrival.
Last updated: May 13, 2026
The D7, officially a residence visa for persons with regular passive income, is governed by Article 77 of Law 23/2007 and its implementing regulations on "meios de subsistência adequados." The Ministry of Internal Affairs updates the reference figure whenever the Portuguese minimum wage changes, and in January 2026 the minimum wage rose to €920 per month.
The D7 is designed for applicants whose income does not depend on active work performed in Portugal. Typical profiles include:
If your income comes from remote employment or freelance work for non-Portuguese clients, the D8 digital nomad visa is usually the correct route. The D8 requires income of four times the national minimum wage, currently €3,680 per month, and Portuguese consulates have been increasingly strict about pushing remote workers off the D7 track.
The core financial test for the D7 in 2026 is tied directly to the minimum wage. The figures you need to document are:
| Household member | Monthly income required | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | €920 | €11,040 |
| Spouse or adult dependent | €460 (50% of base) | €5,520 |
| Each dependent child | €276 (30% of base) | €3,312 |
On top of recurring income, Portuguese consulates expect you to show savings equivalent to at least one full year of the total household income, deposited in a Portuguese bank account opened before the application is filed. For a single applicant this means at least €11,040 sitting in a Portuguese account; a couple with one child would need closer to €19,872.
Consular officers look for stability rather than peak amounts. A pension statement covering the past 6 to 12 months, a rental contract registered with the relevant foreign tax authority, or a brokerage statement showing consistent dividend distributions carries more weight than a one-off transfer.
The Portuguese Foreign Office (MNE) and VFS Global, which handles intake in many countries, both publish checklists. The core documents in 2026 are:
Missing or expired criminal certificates are the single most common cause of rejection, so check the issue date carefully before submission. Most consulates require the certificate to have been issued within 90 days.
The D7 is a two-stage process: a visa issued abroad, followed by a residence permit issued by AIMA inside Portugal.
The visa, once issued, allows two entries into Portugal and is valid for 120 days. Within that window you must:
The initial residence permit is valid for two years, then renewable for successive three-year periods. To maintain it, you cannot be absent from Portugal for more than 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months within each 2-year permit period.
Approximate fees as of 2026:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Consular D7 visa application fee | approx. €90 |
| AIMA residence permit application and biometrics | approx. €156 |
| In-person delivery of the residence card (Ordinance No. 307/2023) | €28.50 |
A precise, line-item AIMA fee schedule specifically for 2026 was not published as a single page; check the AIMA "Tabela de taxas" and the MNE fees page for the latest figures before paying.
Official processing times:
Applicants who already hold an expired Portuguese residence document covered by Decree-Law 85-B/2025 can use the AIMA Renewals Portal; documents issued before 30 June 2025 were extended in validity, and the portal handles online renewals.
The most important regulatory shift for prospective residents in 2026 is the revised Nationality Law. Parliament approved it on April 1, 2026 by 152 votes to 64 with one abstention, and President António José Seguro signed it on May 3, 2026 as Decreto n.º 48/XVII. As of May 13, 2026, it has been signed but is awaiting publication in the Diário da República to enter into force.
Key changes:
Permanent residency eligibility, however, remains at 5 years and is unaffected by the new law. For most D7 applicants this means: you can still settle long-term and obtain permanent residency on the existing timeline, but the path to a Portuguese passport is materially longer than it was before May 2026.
Separately, Lei n.º 61/2025, in force since October 22, 2025, eliminated the "manifestação de interesse" pathway and now requires the main D7 applicant to complete 2 years of residency before sponsoring most family reunification cases. If you plan to bring family later rather than as initial dependents, factor that delay into your plans.
If you are weighing other European routes, see Italy Elective Residence Visa 2026 and Spain Non-Lucrative Visa for 2026, and for investor-track applicants Portugal Golden Visa Changes in 2026.
Applicants who run into trouble usually do so for predictable reasons:
How much income do I need for the Portugal D7 visa in 2026? €920 per month for the main applicant, plus €460 for a spouse or adult dependent and €276 per dependent child, mirroring Portugal's 2026 minimum wage.
Can I include rental income from abroad? Yes, provided you can document it with registered contracts and tax filings showing consistent receipts over the past 6 to 12 months.
How long does the D7 take from start to finish? The consular decision should arrive within 60 calendar days. End-to-end, from first appointment to holding your AIMA residence card, expect 6 to 9 months.
Does the new Nationality Law affect my D7 application? No, it does not change eligibility for the visa itself or for permanent residency at 5 years. It does extend the citizenship timeline to 10 years (7 for EU and CPLP nationals) and starts the clock when AIMA issues your first residence permit.
Can I work in Portugal on a D7 visa? Yes. Although the visa is granted based on passive income, the resulting residence permit allows you to work, run a business, and study in Portugal.
Do I need to speak Portuguese to get the D7? No Portuguese is required to obtain the visa or the residence permit. A2-level Portuguese is required only for citizenship, alongside the new culture and history test.
What happens if my passive income drops below the threshold during renewal? AIMA can refuse renewal if the income condition is no longer met. Maintaining the same documented income stream throughout your residency is the safest approach.
If you are moving to Portugal, getting comfortable with Portuguese will smooth out bureaucracy with AIMA and Finanças, future citizenship requirements, and daily life outside Lisbon and the Algarve. Migaku lets you learn Portuguese directly from native shows, news, and YouTube, so try Migaku once your move is on the calendar.