Visas

The Golden Visa is one of the world’s most enticing pathways to dual citizenship and European residency. If you're looking to live in Portugal, but not full-time, this program offers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the benefits of Portuguese residency while maintaining flexibility.

To qualify, you’ll need to make an upfront investment, with options ranging from €250,000 to €500,000, depending on your choice of investment type.

One of the best parts? You don’t need to live in Portugal year-round! Simply spend one week in the first year and two weeks every two years after that to keep your residency status active.

With multiple investment routes to choose from,  the Golden Visa allows you to live, work, and travel within the Schengen Area—a major perk for those who want to experience life in Europe.

Ready to explore the exciting opportunities? Learn more about the Portugal Golden Visa and its benefits by clicking HERE.

What is the Portugal D7 Visa?

The Portugal D7 Visa, also called the Passive Income Visa is a lot more affordable, requiring no investment. The key factor is that your income should originate from outside Portugal.  This visa is for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who want residence in Portugal and have a reasonable passive income such as real estate, a retirement pension, investment dividens or aa salary. The minimum income required is

• €8,460 per year for the main applicant
• For a spouse, you must add 50% to this (€4,230)
• per dependent child, you must add 30% to this (€2,538)

Here are the main eligibility criteria for the Portugal D7 Visa.

• Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
• Minimum passive income of €8,460 per year (+ 50% for spouse and + 30% for dependent child)
• Clean criminal record
• Proof of residence address in Portugal (rental or purchase)
• You need to spend at least 16 months in Portugal during the first 2 years

BENEFITS TO D7 VISA

Visa Exemption
The Portugal D7 Visa allows you to enter Portugal and the Schengen area. You can circulate freely without a visa. As an American citizen you are not restricted to a maximum stat of 3 months.

Family Reunification
The Portugal D7 Visa allows you to request family reunification once you have your visa. This is where your family members are granted the same residency rights as you. You will have to prove your relationship to any family members that you would like to include in the program. The following qualify for family reunification: partner, children under 18, dependent children over 18 that are studying, your parents, your partner’s parents, and minor siblings. These can all live and work in Portugal and travel freely within the Schengen area, as well as enjoy all the visas’ benefits.

Permanent Residence: Does the Portugal D7 Visa Lead to Permanent Residency?

The Portugal D7 Visa allows you to obtain permanent residence, eventually. You can obtain legal residency in the first year. You can then renew your residency for two years successively. After five years of legal residency, you can apply for permanent residency.

Citizenship: Does the Portugal D7 Visa Lead to Citizenship?

The Portugal D7 Visa can lead to citizenship. After six years of legal residency, you can apply to become a Portuguese citizen. To become a citizen, you must obtain an A2 Portuguese language certificate, provide documents such as proof of a Portuguese bank, and have no criminal record.

Tax Incentives: Non-Habitual Tax Regime

You can become a non-habitual resident (NHR) and enjoy the incentives of this fiscal regime. This tax regime allows you to transfer your tax residency to the country. Here are the benefits of this tax regime:

• You can be eligible to not pay ANY tax on pensions, rental income, real estate gains, and income from non-Portuguese sources if your country has a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with Portugal. You would instead pay taxes in your country of origin. The UK, USA, and many more countries have a DTA with Portugal where this is the case.
• If your pension income is taxed in Portugal, it will be at a flat rate of 10%, including retirement savings and insurance.
• Income from “high value-added activities” in Portugal is taxed at 20%. This includes employment and self-employment income from activities of scientific, artistic, or technical character performed in Portugal. Still, you will pay the same income tax as ordinary tax residents for other types of domestic income.
• You will only be taxed on your worldwide income after the first 10 years of residence.
• You will not pay an inheritance or wealth tax.

Portugal D7 Visa: Cryptocurrency

Portugal is one of the last European crypto havens. The Portuguese Tax & Customs Authority (PTA) officially announced in 2019 that buying or selling cryptocurrency in Portugal is tax-free. You will not be charged VAT or Personal Income Tax (IRS) on any crypto transaction. However, businesses that provide services related to cryptocurrency are taxed on their gains. There are many factors that determine whether this is the case like your profit and the frequency of your trade. To be sure, contact a tax advisor in Portugal.

What is the Portugal D2 Visa?

The Portugal D2 Visa allows entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent service providers to reside in Portugal. The Portuguese government started this visa in order to raise external resources and investments to grow the Portuguese economy. This visa only applies to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who wish to start a business or relocate their existing business to Portugal. You can also choose to invest in an existing business in Portugal. The Portugal D2 Visa can be a viable route to permanent residency and citizenship for those looking to work for themselves in Portugal.

Portugal D2 Visa Requirements

If you are an entrepreneur, freelancer, or independent service provider from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland looking to reside in Portugal, you might be eligible for a Portugal D2 Visa. You must show that you either have set up a company operating in Portuguese territory or that you have the financial resources in Portugal that demonstrate you can set up a company in Portugal. You can obtain these financial resources through a proof of loan from a Portuguese bank. There is no official amount that you need, but the recommended amount is at least €5,000.

You will also need to show that you have enough money to sustain yourself. For yourself as the main applicant, you must have 100% of the minimum salary which is €8,460 per year. For a spouse, you must add 50% to this (€4,230) and for a dependent child, you must add 30% to this (€2,538). Therefore, for a couple with one child, you would need around €15,300 a year to be eligible for the D2 visa.

Applicants must also produce a solid business plan that will be reviewed for its social, economic, and cultural impact. This plan should prove that your business will thrive and lead to economic growth.

Lastly, applicants must explain in their application why they have chosen Portugal as their business location. Rather than just focusing on the cost of living and climate, essentially why the country would be positive for you, also focus on how your company will impact Portugal and satisfy the needs of the population. It might be that you will be creating multiple jobs in Portugal or solving a particular issue that has not yet been addressed in the country.

What are the Benefits of the Portugal D2 Visa?

1. Visa Exemption
The Portugal D2 Visa allows you to enter Portugal and the Schengen area (26 EU countries). You can circulate freely without a visa. The D2 visa essentially grants you the travel rights of all European Union citizens. This is perfect for entrepreneurs who want to travel through Europe to network and build corporate connections.

2. Family Perks
You don’t need to leave your family behind with the D2 Visa. This visa allows for family reunification where your family members are granted the same residency rights as you. This means that a partner, children under 18, dependent children over 18 that are studying, parents, and minor siblings. From getting permanent residence to tax incentives, family reunification grants all the same rights to your family. You will have to prove your relationship to any family members included in the program.

3. Permanent Residence: Does the Portugal D2 Visa Lead to Residence?
Yes! Right after receiving your D2 Visa, you have to book an appointment with the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) to obtain a residency permit. Your D2 Visa is only valid for 120 days, but if you carry proof that you have booked this appointment, you are good to go. You will renew your residency until the 5-year mark when you can apply for permanent residency.

4. Citizenship: Does the Portugal D2 Visa Lead to Citizenship?
You can become a Portuguese citizen after 6 years of legal residency. To do so, you need to learn Portuguese and obtain an A2 Portuguese language certificate, have a clean criminal record, and provide documents such as proof of a Portuguese bank account.

5. Tax Incentives: Non-Habitual Tax Regime
With a Portugal Golden Visa, Portugal D7 Visa, and Portugal D2 Visa, you can become a non-habitual resident (NHR) and enjoy the incentives of this fiscal regime. This tax regime allows you to transfer your tax residency to the country. To be eligible, you cannot have been taxed in Portugal during the five years before the application. However, this does not apply to corporate tax.

Here are the benefits of this tax regime:

• You can be eligible to not pay ANY tax on pensions, rental income, real estate gains, and income from non-Portuguese sources if your country has a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with Portugal. You would instead pay taxes in your country of origin. The UK, USA, and many more countries have a DTA with Portugal where this is the case.
• If your pension income is taxed in Portugal, it will be at a flat rate of 10%, including retirement savings and insurance.
• Income from “high value-added activities” in Portugal is taxed at 20%. This includes employment and self-employment income from activities of scientific, artistic, or technical character performed in Portugal. Still, you will pay the same income tax as ordinary tax residents for other types of domestic income.
• You will only be taxed on your worldwide income after the first 10 years of residence.
  Foreign interest, dividends, rents, and property capital gains can be exempted from taxation.
  You will not pay an inheritance or wealth tax.