Portugal D7 Visa
Complete Guide
In 2026
Pegasi Leads
2026 Complete Guide
Portugal D7 Visa
Portugal's D7 Visa is one of the country's principal residence visa routes for non-EU, non-EEA, and non-Swiss nationals who want to establish residence in Portugal and can demonstrate sufficient means of subsistence. It is particularly associated with retirees and people who can support themselves through stable income or other financial resources.
The D7 is often described as Portugal's "passive income visa", but that description can be misleading. The Portuguese government formally describes the relevant residence visa as a route for retirees, religious workers, and people living from their own income in 2026.
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What is the Portugal D7 Visa?
The D7 is a Portuguese residence Visa designed for eligible non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who intend to reside in Portugal and have sufficient means to support themselves.
It is particularly relevant to:
Retirees receiving a pension
Applicants with regular passive income
People receiving rental income
People with investment or other recurring income
Applicants with a combination of income and available financial resources
Certain applicants whose financial circumstances demonstrate that they can support themselves without relying on employment in Portugal
The official Portuguese government service is titled the residence Visa for retirees, religious workers, and people who live from their own income. The government identifies the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities as the responsible authority for the visa service.
The distinction matters because the D7 should not simply be approached as a savings-based immigration programme. An applicant needs to demonstrate finances that are credible and sufficient for the intended residence.
How much income for the D7 Visa in 2026?
The starting point for calculating Portuguese means of subsistence is the Portuguese minimum monthly remuneration, known as the RMMG.
For 2026, Portugal's minimum monthly wage is €920. This amount came into force on 1 January 2026 following Decree-Law No. 139/2025. The Portuguese government and DGERT both confirm the €920 figure.
Portugal's rules for means of subsistence use a household-based calculation:
First adult: 100% of the reference amount
Second or additional adult: 50%
Each child or dependent person under 18: 30%
These percentages originate from Portugal's rules governing means of subsistence for foreign nationals.
Using the 2026 €920 reference amount, the resulting monthly figures are:
Main applicant: €920 per month
Second adult: €460 per month
Each dependent child: €276 per month
For example, a couple would therefore have a reference calculation of €1,380 per month, while a couple with two dependent children would have a reference calculation of €1,932 per month.
These figures should be understood as the statutory reference calculation, not as a guarantee that an application will automatically be approved merely because the arithmetic reaches the threshold. The quality, regularity, source and documentation of the applicant's financial resources remain important.
The underlying Portuguese legislation explains that means of subsistence are intended to cover essential needs, including food, accommodation and healthcare/hygiene, and defines the calculation by reference to the minimum guaranteed remuneration.
What does €920 per month mean in annual terms?
For a single applicant, the 2026 reference amount corresponds to:
€920 × 12 = €11,040 per year
For a couple:
€1,380 × 12 = €16,560 per year
For a couple with two dependent children:
€1,932 × 12 = €23,184 per year
This annual calculation is useful when assessing pension, rental or investment income, but applicants should not reduce the assessment to a single annual number.
A strong application normally needs to show where the money comes from, that it is genuinely available to the applicant and that the evidence is consistent with the applicant's circumstances.
What income can be used for a D7 Visa?
The D7 is commonly associated with pensions, but the underlying Portuguese rules are broader.
Depending on the applicant's circumstances and supporting evidence, relevant financial resources can include pensions and other forms of own income. AIMA's own documentation for declaring possession of personal income specifically refers to pensions and income arising from movable or immovable assets or intellectual property.
This is important for applicants who do not receive a conventional pension.
Examples can include:
Pension income:
Retirement and other qualifying pension income is one of the clearest examples of the type of financial situation for which the D7 is intended.
Applicants should normally be able to demonstrate the amount of the pension and its regularity through appropriate official or financial documentation.
Rental income:
Income from property can potentially form part of an applicant's financial profile. The important issue is not simply owning a property, but demonstrating the income generated by it and its reliability.
Rental agreements, bank statements, tax documentation and other evidence may be relevant depending on the applicant's circumstances.
Investment income:
Investment-related income can be relevant where it is genuine, documented and sufficiently reliable.
This may include certain dividends, interest or other recurring returns. However,h the precise evidential strength can vary substantially depending on the nature of the investment and how predictable the income is.
Other own income:
Portugal's framework is not limited to one specific type of passive income. The official government information refers to applicants who live from their own income and requires proof that they have sufficient means of subsistence.
The practical question is therefore whether the applicant can demonstrate a sufficient and credible financial position rather than simply whether the income is labelled "passive".
Can savings be used for the D7 Visa?
Savings can be an important part of a D7 application, but applicants should be careful about treating savings as identical to recurring income.
A substantial bank balance can strengthen the overall financial picture, particularly where the applicant also has regular income. It may help demonstrate financial stability and available resources.
However, an applicant should not assume that simply depositing a large amount of money into a bank account immediately before applying automatically substitutes for demonstrating an underlying sustainable financial situation.
The Portuguese rules define means of subsistence in terms of stable and regular resources sufficient for the essential needs of the applicant and, where applicable, their family. This makes the origin, history, and consistency of financial resources considerations.
How should D7 income be documented?
The Portuguese government currently lists proof of means of subsistence among the required documentation for this residence visa. It also requires evidence of accommodation, criminal-record documentation, and valid travel insurance.
The precise supporting documents can vary according to the applicant's financial situation.
For a pensioner, useful evidence may include:
Official pension statements
Pension award documentation
Bank statements showing pension payments
Evidence identifying the source of the pension
Additional financial statements where appropriate
For a property owner receiving rent, documentation may include:
Rental agreements
Bank statements showing rental payments
Property ownership documentation
Relevant tax records
Evidence demonstrating the continuing nature of the rental income
For investment income, documentation may include appropriate investment statements, dividend records, bank statements and other evidence establishing the source and regularity of the funds.
The objective is to create a consistent financial story in which the declared income, bank activity and supporting documentation make sense together.
Is accommodation a separate part of the D7?
Having sufficient income does not by itself complete a D7 application. The Portuguese government specifically lists conditions of accommodation among the documentation required for the residence visa.
Applicants therefore need to consider where they will live in Portugal and how that accommodation will be demonstrated. The evidence can depend on the individual circumstances, such as whether the applicant is renting or owns a property. This is one reason the D7 should be approached as a complete relocation process rather than simply as an income test.
Applicants who need assistance with the move can use Instant Relocation Portugal for Expat-focused services alongside their Visa preparation.
Criminal records and insurance:
The Portuguese government also requires criminal-record documentation for the D7 residence visa.
The current official requirements include a criminal-record certificate from the applicant's country of origin or from a country where the applicant has lived for more than one year, as applicable. The government also lists valid travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation.
These requirements are easy to overlook when applicants focus primarily on the financial qualification. A complete D7 preparation therefore needs to address:
Financial resources
Accommodation
Insurance
Criminal record
Identity documents
Application documentation.
Where is the D7 Visa application submitted?
The Portuguese government's current service information states that applicants should consult the competent Portuguese consular post regarding the submission process and appointments.
In practical terms, the correct consular authority depends on the applicant's place of legal residence and the jurisdiction of the relevant Portuguese diplomatic or consular post. Applicants should verify the current procedure with the competent Portuguese consulate before submitting documents.
Requirements, appointment procedures, and document instructions can change, so older online guides should not automatically be treated as current.
How long does the D7 application take?
The Portuguese government currently states 60 days for the D7 residence visa service. This should not necessarily be interpreted as a promise that every applicant will receive an outcome exactly 60 days after beginning the process.
Real-world processing can depend on appointment availability, the completeness of the application, document verification, requests for additional information, and the workload of the competent consular authority. Planning well ahead is therefore sensible.
What happens after the D7 residence visa?
The D7 is a residence visa, rather than the final residence card itself.
After entering Portugal under the appropriate residence visa, the applicant proceeds through the residence-permit process with the Portuguese immigration authority, AIMA.
AIMA's current information for residence authorisation applications identifies several general requirements, including a valid passport, a valid residence visa, proof of means of subsistence and proof concerning the applicant's accommodation.
This distinction is important.
The overall process can therefore be viewed as two connected stages:
Stage 1 — Residence visa application
The applicant establishes eligibility and applies through the appropriate Portuguese consular authority.
Stage 2 — Residence authorisation in Portugal
After the appropriate visa has been issued and the applicant enters Portugal, the residence-permit stage follows under the applicable AIMA procedures.
How are families assessed?
The D7 can be attractive to families, but families need to be considered in the calculation.
The statutory means-of-subsistence framework uses 100% for the first adult, 50% for the second adult, and 30% for each child or dependent under 18. This means that an applicant should calculate the household requirement before preparing the financial evidence.
For example, a family consisting of two adults and one child would have a 2026 reference calculation of:
€920 + €460 + €276 = €1,656 per month
A family of two adults and two children would have:
€920 + €460 + €276 + €276 = €1,932 per month
The calculation provides a useful baseline, but applicants should still prepare documentation that clearly demonstrates their overall ability to support the household.
Why is D7 not treated as a simple threshold?
One of the most persistent misconceptions about the Portugal D7 Visa is that the entire process can be reduced to one number. It cannot.
The €920 monthly reference for a single applicant in 2026 is important, but the application is fundamentally a documentary assessment of a person's circumstances.
A strong application connects:
The applicant's stated reason for moving
Their financial resources
The source of those resources
The regularity of income
Available savings or other assets
Accommodation
Family circumstances
Criminal-record documentation
Insurance
Identity documents
The intended residence in Portugal
A mismatch between these elements can create unnecessary questions.
For example, someone declaring significant rental income should ideally have documentation that supports both ownership and the actual receipt of that income. Someone declaring a pension should be able to demonstrate the pension and its payment history. Someone relying heavily on savings should be able to explain the source and availability of those funds.
D7 methodology:
A useful way to prepare a D7 application is to work backwards from the evidence rather than starting with a checklist of documents.
First, establish the household composition.
Second, calculate the applicable 2026 means-of-subsistence reference using the 100% / 50% / 30% structure.
Third, identify every source of income and financial resources.
Fourth, establish documentary evidence for each source.
Fifth, compare the declared income with the actual bank activity.
Sixth, prepare accommodation evidence.
Seventh, prepare criminal-record, insurance, and identity documentation.
Finally, review the complete application as one coherent file rather than as a collection of unrelated documents.
This methodology follows the logic of the Portuguese framework: the government requires proof of means of subsistence and accommodation. At the same time, the underlying legislation defines means of subsistence around stable and regular resources.
D7 Visa 2026: the key numbers:
For 2026, Portugal's minimum monthly remuneration is €920. The means-of-subsistence calculation is:
First adult: €920/month
Second adult: €460/month
Each dependent child: €276/month
Therefore:
Single applicant: €920/month — €11,040/year
Couple: €1,380/month — €16,560/year
Couple + 1 child: €1,656/month — €19,872/year
Couple + 2 children: €1,932/month — €23,184/year
These calculations use the €920 minimum-wage reference and the statutory percentages.
The bottom line!
Portugal's D7 Visa remains an important residence route for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who can demonstrate sufficient means to live in Portugal, particularly retirees and people living from their own income.
The most important lesson is that D7 eligibility is broader than simply having €920 per month.
The €920 figure is the 2026 reference for the first adult, but the application also requires evidence of accommodation, means of subsistence, criminal-record documentation, insurance, and other supporting material.
For applicants with families, the financial reference increases according to the statutory 100% / 50% / 30% household calculation. For applicants relying on pensions, rental income, investments or other own income, the quality and consistency of the supporting evidence are critical.
Most importantly, applicants should work from current Portuguese government requirements, rather than relying on older D7 articles that continue to circulate online with outdated income figures.
For applicants who want professional support with their Portugal relocation and D7 process, Instant Relocation Portugal provides relocation services and assistance for people moving to Portugal.
Official sources and methodology:
This guide uses the current Portuguese government information available in 2026, together with the underlying Portuguese legislation governing means of subsistence.
The principal sources are the Portuguese government (gov.pt), the Portuguese immigration authority AIMA, DGERT for the 2026 minimum wage, and the Diário da República for the statutory means-of-subsistence framework. The 2026 financial calculations above are derived by applying the statutory 100% / 50% / 30% household coefficients to the official 2026 minimum monthly remuneration of €920.
Because Portuguese immigration requirements and administrative procedures can change, applicants should verify the current requirements with the competent Portuguese authorities before submitting an application.
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Last updated: 8 September 2026
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