Our website uses  cookies for statistical purposes.

  • Avenida da Liberdade 110, Lisbon, 1269-046, Portugal
  • clients(at)lawyers-portugal.com
  • +351 21 020 0969
Our Articles

Retirement (D7) Visa in Portugal 

Retirement (D7) Visa in Portugal 

The retirement visa in Portugal is one destined for individuals who can prove that they have sufficient income, as well as accommodation, in order to reside in the country for long-term purposes.

The conditions for the Portugal D7 visa are briefly summarized below by our Portugal immigration specialists.

If you have further questions, or need assistance for application, please contact our team.

Who can apply for the retirement visa in Portugal?

The D7 visa in Portugal is available to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.

It is a visa that is based on having a minimum yearly passive income (as explained below) and being able to rent or purchase property in the country, where the applicant will live.

 Quick Facts  
 Who can apply Retired foreign nationals with a stable passive income. 

Nationality restrictions 

The visa is intended for non-EU/EEA nationals. 

Minimum income requirements 

Yes 

 Duration of residency Temporary (more than 3 months). 
D7-Visa specific documents 

Proof of sufficient retirement income. 

 General documents

Filled-in visa application form, valid passport, photographs, criminal record certificate in most cases. 

 Place of visa application submission

The Portuguese Embassy or Consular office in the applicant’s country of origin/residence at the time of application. 

 Mandatory insurance

Yes, the visa applicant will need to have a valid travel insurance covering general and urgent medical services. 

 Exceptions for the insurance requirements

 For citizens of countries that have signed a bilateral agreement with Portugal, such as Brazil.

 Family members can join the D7 visa holder  Yes, based on their own application for family reunification.
 D7 Visa renewal requirements

Maintain the initial conditions for the visa (i.e., having sufficient regular retirement income). 

 Renewal periods

The visa can be renewed for successive periods. 

 Permanent residency

 Yes, after the minimum residency period of 5 years.

 Citizenship in Portugal

Can be obtained after lawfully living in the country for at least 5 years. 

 Other options Foreign nationals who are not retired can apply for a work/independent work visa, research or study visa, for a digital nomad visa, or for accompanying a family member with a residence visa. 

The retirement visa in Portugal is issued to those who have a clean criminal record and who are able to comply with the requirement for living in the country for a minimum period of time each year, during the first years of being a visa holder.

Applicants who wish to obtain a D7 Portugal visa and meet these conditions can reach out to our team for assistance during the application process.

The retirement visa can be attractive for many foreign nationals who have ceased their activities and which to retire to a country that offers good standards of living, a mild climate, as well as other advantages. Our team can give you more details. But temporary and permanent residency in Portugal, with the latter being a natural step for many of those who relocate here

If you do not derive passive income from pension, the nomad visa in Portugal may be a more suitable option. This is intended for non-EU/EEA nationals who engage in professional activities that can be conducted remotely from Portugal. Freelancers and digital nomads can relocate to the country based on this visa, provided that they meet the minimum income requirements.

What are the income requirements for the D7 visa in Portugal?

Some of the most important conditions when applying for this type of visa have to do with being able to show that one is financially independent.

The D7 visa Portugal requirements for income are presented below:

  • Minimum yearly passive income: EUR 8,460;
  • When joined by a spouse: 50% in addition to the minimum amount;
  • When joined by a dependent child: 30% in addition to the minimum amount.

This type of visa can also be used by those who wish to continue their work in Portugal. This means that one does not need to effectively retire once relocating to the country based on this visa. However, the same Portugal retirement visa income requirement will remain in place even if the individual will continue to derive income.

Please keep in mind that the Portugal retirement visa income requirement can be subject to later change.

We advise interested individuals to reach out to our team just before they wish to start the application process so that we can give them details on the minimum income in force.

Opening a local bank account will be required when applying for the retirement visa in Portugal.

Our Portugal immigration experts can give you more details.

Can you bring your family with you based on a Portugal D7 visa?

Yes. This type of visa also offers benefits in terms of family reunification.

This means that those who apply for a D7 visa in Portugal will also be able to apply for family reunification. An important condition is for the individual to have already secured the visa.

The family of an individual who holds a retirement visa in Portugal will receive the same residency rights.

An important condition is to submit the proper documents that will attest to the relationship. Partners, minor children, dependent children over 18 (subject to conditions), parents, and minor siblings can apply.

Our team can give you more details about the family members that can be subject to reunification under a D7 visa Portugal.

How is a foreign national taxed in Portugal?

Because this is a visa that has income requirements, a common question about the D7 visa Portugal is related to the taxation of the foreign national in the country.

Foreign nationals in the country, including those who enter and remain based on a visa D7 Portugal, can be subject to the non-habitual resident tax regime.

Portugal encourages pensioners who wish to retire to the country and it offers a special regime to foreign retired individuals who receive pensions from their country of origin.

As a result, the retirement visa in Portugal can be combined with the non-habitual residents’ regime that applies to pensioners, effectively allowing the individual who relocates to Portugal to benefit from a special personal income tax regime.

This special regime is based on a double taxation agreement between Portugal and the visa holder’s county of origin (if such an agreement is in place).

An individual covered by the non-habitual resident (NHR) regime will be subject to a 10% flat rate on foreign source income. The taxes paid in the country of origin can be offset through this regime.

The foreign source pension will also include periodic payments and lump payments from pension funds, retirement savings plans, or life insurance policies, which are received by the individual in addition to the social security regime.

The applicant for the NHR status must meet the following criteria:

  • be a tax resident in Portugal according to the law (see below);
  • not have been subject to taxation as a Portuguese resident in the five years prior to taking up residence in the country.

A foreign national is considered a tax resident for a given tax year in Portugal when:

  • he/she stays in the country for more than 183 days, whether continuous or not, during a 12-month period;
  • he/she has a residential accommodation in the country and it is used as the habitual abode (during anu day of the 12-month period).

For the purposes of this regime, a 12-month period can begin or end in the respective tax year.

It should also be noted that any day or part of a day spent in Portugal will count towards the days spent for tax residency purposes, in those cases in which the person stays in the country overnight.

Pensioners who wish to register for tax purposes in Portugal, and meet the criteria for the minimum number of days spent in the country and the Portugal retirement visa income requirement, can register as an NHR by:

  • first applying for a Portuguese taxpayer number;
  • proving that they can register as a tax resident and start the registration;
  • request the access code to access the website of the Portuguese tax authorities;
  • register online for the NHR status.

Applicants should know that the tax authorities evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis and that, if they have reason to believe that the individual does not satisfy the minimum residency requirements, he or she will be asked to present additional evidence/documents.

Other tax implications for foreign nationals are outlined below:

  • a municipal tax for the purchase of property is in place and it can have a rate of up to 7.5%; when purchasing property the foreign national will also pay stamp duty;
  • the annual property tax is due according to the registered value of the Portuguese property, with rates generally being between 0.3% and 0.45% depending on the type of real estate and the municipality in which it is located;
  • other taxes include the inheritance tax and the gift tax, with exemptions for spouses or descendants/ascendants;
  • there are no wealth taxes in Portugal.

The NHR regime can also apply to other categories of visas, with the same requirements for tax registration conditioned by the minimum number of days spent in the country.

If you are unsure of how your income will be taxed, our team can answer this question based on your particular case.

Can you obtain a permanent residence with a D7 visa Portugal?

Yes. One can apply for permanent residence after having lived in Portugal for at least 5 years.

Living in the country for permanent purposes is possible under a visa D7 for Portugal, if properly renewed and if the holder continues to satisfy the conditions.

Can you apply for citizenship with a D7 visa Portugal?

Yes. Foreign nationals who have been lawfully living in Portugal for at least 5 years under this type of visa can apply for citizenship by naturalization.

Retiring in a beautiful country with a mild climate is ideal for many foreign nationals. If you are interested in medium to long-term stays, our team can not only give you detailed information about the retirement visa, but also about how you can apply for naturalization and obtain Portuguese citizenship. You can discuss the conditions and the criteria in detail with our team.

If you have different questions about the Portugal retirement visa requirements, or if you need assistance during application, our team is here to answer your inquiries.

Knowing the differences between the existing types of visas is very useful before applying.

Our team can help you if you wish to apply for a visa that suits your income level and your planned activities for the future.

For non-EU/EEA investors who are able to make a substantial investment in real estate, our team can provide details about the golden visa.

Contact our Portugal immigration agents if you wish to apply for a retirement visa in Portugal or if you have other questions about how to move to Portugal.

For more information about other visas that grant the holder the right of residency in Portugal, please reach out to our team. We provide complete assistance to our clients, from the earliest stages in the pre-application phase and once they are already in the country and need answers to different types of questions, such as how to exchange their driver’s licence for a Portuguese one.