The first thing you will need in order to move to Portugal for the long term is a visa. The question though is, “what visa is right for me?”.
Let’s dive in!
There are 3 categories of visas:
- Short Stay Visa
- Temporary Stay Visa
- Long Stay Visa
Short Stay Visa:
For stays up to 90 days. As a US citizen, you are exempt from this visa requirement and are allowed to stay in Portugal and/or the Schengen Region for up to 90 days without a visa.
Temporary Stay Visa:
For stays longer than 90 days but less than one year. Typically for those coming to work, study, or have medical treatments.
Long Stay Visa (Residency Visa):
For stays longer than one year. This is the visa category for those moving to Portugal on a more permanent basis. Under the long stay visa category, there are various visa types from which to choose.
Long Stay Visa Types:
- Work Visas (D1 & D3)
- Start-Up Visa (D2)
- Tech Visa (D3)
- Student Visa (D4)
- Family Reunification Visa (D6)
- Passive Income/Retirement Visa (D7)
- Digital Nomad Visa (D8)
- Investment/“Golden” Visa (D9)
For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on the D7, D8, and Golden Visas.
Passive Income/Retirement Visa (D7)
As the name suggests, the D7 visa is for those with who can support themselves on passive income - pension, rental payments, interest, royalties all qualify. The income must meet or exceed the Portuguese minimum wage (€870/month in 2025)
Digital Nomad Visa (D8)
For those with the ability to work remotely. The income must meet or exceed 4x the Portuguese minimum wage (€3,480/month in 2025) and show enough savings to live in Portugal for a year (€10,440 in 2025).
Golden Visa (D9)
The heavily marketed yet somewhat elusive Golden Visa. A minimum investment of €250,000 or the creation of 10 jobs in Portugal is needed in order to qualify. As of 2023 Real Estate no longer qualifies.
All of the above mentioned visas are initially given with a 120 days expiration. This is part of the step-by-step model essentially granting you the visa and giving you 120 days to apply for residency with AIMA. The visa and residency more or less go hand in hand. One is void without the other beyond the 120 days given.
Have questions about any of the visas mentioned? Curious which visa is best for you? Send us a message!
