Portugal
Portugal D7 vs D8: which visa fits how you earn?
Both visas lead to a Portuguese residence permit, and both are popular with Americans and Britons. The deciding question is simple: does your money come from work or not?
By The Visa Blueprint · 3 min read
Side by side
| D7, passive income | D8, remote work | |
|---|---|---|
| Income source | Pensions, rent, dividends, interest, royalties | Salary or fees from employers / clients outside Portugal |
| Income threshold | €920 / month (main applicant) + 50% per adult + 30% per child | Average of €3,680 / month over the last 3 months (4 × minimum wage) |
| Typical evidence | Pension letters, leases, dividend statements, 3 months of statements | Payslips or invoices for 3 months + matching statements, employer declaration; the UK checklist also asks for an available balance of at least €920 |
| Key document | Personal statement + income summary | Employer declaration authorising remote work from Portugal |
| Versions | Residence visa | Residence visa, or temporary-stay visa (under one year) |
Choose the D7 if…
You are retired or living on investments, and you will not work. The threshold is low, but the income must be genuinely passive and regular, the UK consulate asks that it has been received for at least three months.
Choose the D8 if…
You keep a remote job or remote clients abroad. The threshold is higher, and it is an average over three months: one weak month can pull you under. Employees need an employer declaration confirming the employment relationship and that the work can be performed remotely from Portugal. You must also show your current tax residence (the US checklist asks for a tax residence certificate; the UK cites a P60 or tax return).
Mistakes we see
- Applying for a D7 while keeping a remote job ("my clients are abroad, so it's passive"), it is not.
- Filing a D8 with income just above €3,680 in total rather than on average.
- Relying on a short holiday rental instead of a 12-month registered lease or deeds.
- A criminal record older than 90 days.
What both share
The same consular basics apply: personal statement (signed), criminal record apostilled and issued within 90 days, insurance for the four-month visa, the €110 national visa fee, then the AIMA residence permit (two years, then three-year renewals). File as a family to avoid the two-year wait that now applies to most later family reunification.
