What the D7 Route Is
The route commonly called the D7 is Portugal’s national residence visa for retirees, recognised religious applicants and people who live from their own income. It is for nationals outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
It is a two-stage route. The consular residence visa allows entry to Portugal to request residence. AIMA then decides the residence-permit stage. The visa is valid for two entries and four months.
D7 Is Not the Remote-Work Route
Active employment or freelance work performed remotely for foreign employers or clients belongs to the separate remote-work visa framework. A D7 residence permit gives work rights after residence is granted, but active remote income should not be used to present a D8 case as D7.
Who the D7 Route Covers
The file must establish the correct applicant category and all general national-visa conditions.
- Retirement or pension income
- Own income from movable or immovable property, intellectual property or financial investments
- A recognised religious role or life in a religious community
- Stable and regular resources available in Portugal for at least 12 months
- Accommodation, travel insurance, required criminal records and no admission blocker
Family Applications
Qualifying family members can submit connected residence-visa applications at the same time. The family relationship and the additional 50% or 30% resource calculation must be documented.
Income Requirements for 2026
The 2026 reference is the Portuguese guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration of €920. The legal scale is 100% for the first adult, 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child or dependent adult child.
The arithmetic is a reference floor, not the complete file. The application must prove the lawful source, regularity, continuity and availability in Portugal of the resources for at least 12 months.
| Applicant | Monthly Reference | 12-Month Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | €920 | €11,040 |
| Additional adult | €460 | €5,520 |
| Each child or dependent child | €276 | €3,312 |
| Couple with 2 children | €1,932 | €23,184 |
What the Income File Must Show
- Legal ownership of the income source
- A regular payment history
- The net amount available to the household
- Continuity for the required 12-month period
- A calculation covering every accompanying family member
Savings and One-Off Proceeds
Savings can support liquidity, but a large balance, asset sale or unexplained transfer does not by itself establish the regular own-income basis of the D7 route.
Application Process
Confirm D7, D8 and Jurisdiction
Before filingConfirm that the income belongs to D7 rather than remote work, and identify the Portuguese consular post responsible for the applicant’s place of legal residence.
Build the Income and Family Calculation
Before appointmentDocument the source, regularity, 12-month availability and household percentage calculation.
Prepare the Consular File
Before appointmentPrepare identity, accommodation, insurance, criminal-record and income evidence, including legalisation and translation required for the source country and post.
Submit the Residence-Visa Application
Consular stageFile through the competent post. The statutory decision period is 60 days. The appointment channel and local checklist are set by that post.
Enter Portugal and Complete Residence
Within visa validityUse the four-month, two-entry visa, follow the pre-authorisation and AIMA instructions, complete the residence stage and verify the issued card.
Core Consular File
The competent consular post can require route-specific or locally formatted evidence. The core national file includes:
- Completed national-visa application
- Valid passport and two current photographs
- Travel insurance covering urgent medical care and repatriation
- Authorisation for consultation of the Portuguese criminal record
- Criminal-record certificate from the country of nationality or the country where the applicant has legally lived for more than one year
- Evidence of accommodation in Portugal
- Evidence of means of subsistence and the D7 income source
- Civil-status and dependency evidence for accompanying family members
NIF and Portuguese Bank Account
A pre-existing Portuguese NIF and bank account are not universal statutory conditions of the D7 visa. The residence-visa process provides provisional Portuguese identification numbers. THE-Ö confirms the competent post’s current checklist and uses a Portuguese account when it strengthens proof that funds are available in Portugal.
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Get a legal assessmentAfter Arrival in Portugal
The visa is an entry document for the residence stage. The residence permit is issued only after the AIMA process and the general residence conditions are confirmed.
- Keep the passport, visa and consular decision together
- Follow the pre-authorisation or current AIMA appointment route
- Present updated accommodation and means evidence when requested
- Complete biometrics and answer every AIMA request within the deadline
- Verify the name, category, validity and address on the new card
Work Rights
A residence-permit holder can work as an employee or independently in Portugal. The right follows the residence permit, not an attempt to classify active remote work as D7 income.
Tax Residence
The 183-day or habitual-home tests concern tax residence. They are not the general immigration absence rule. The former NHR regime is limited to protected transitional cases and is not a standard benefit for new D7 applicants.
Residence, Renewal and Absence Control
Under the general regime, the first temporary residence permit is valid for two years and is renewable for successive three-year periods. Renewal uses the current AIMA route and must be prepared before expiry.
For a temporary permit, absence without an acceptable reason can trigger cancellation after six consecutive months or eight non-consecutive months during the total validity of the permit. This is separate from tax residence.
| Control Point | General Position | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Initial permit | 2 years | Verify the issued card |
| Renewal period | 3 years | Prepare the current AIMA file |
| Absence threshold | 6 consecutive or 8 non-consecutive months | Keep a complete travel chronology and evidence |
Government Fees
The consular residence-visa fee is €90. The AIMA residence-permit fee is separate and depends on the current procedure and fee table. THE-Ö confirms the payable amount before submission.
Permanent Residence and Citizenship
Permanent residence can be requested after at least five years of temporary residence when the residence history, Portuguese-language, accommodation, resources and criminal requirements are met.
For citizenship applications submitted under the law in force from 19 May 2026, the general residence period is seven years for CPLP and EU nationals and ten years for other nationals. The current route also includes language, culture, history, rights and duties, security, criminal and subsistence conditions.
- Preserve every residence card and renewal proof
- Keep an absence and travel chronology from the first day
- Maintain evidence of address, income and tax history
- Build Portuguese-language and civic-knowledge evidence before the final year
- Review permanent residence and citizenship as separate legal products
Nationality Files Already Pending
Applications already pending before the new nationality law entered into force continue under the applicable transitional rule. New planning must use the law currently in force.