D7 visa for Portugal

A small note about the apply link, it links to the VFS website for UAE which is where I am at the time of writing this. But you should be able to simply find something similar for wherever you are so make sure you change the country to find information relevant to you!

What is the D7 Visa?

The D7 visa is an affordable and attractive visa allowing non-EU citizens to get Portuguese residency provided they have sufficient funds to sustain themselves during their stay in Portugal.

This visa is ideal for retirees or entrepreneurs who want to live in Portugal without having to make a major economic investment.

The D7 visa can then be renewed after one year for two successive periods of two years and can be converted into a permanent residence permit after five years.

How to get the D7 residency visa Portugal

In order to obtain the D7 Residency Visa, you will have to fulfill several Portugal residency visa requirements.

• Apply in your home country for a temporary D7 Visa (which lasts for four months)
• Get an appointment with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) in Portugal who will approve your D7 Residency Visa.

First step

Present all the necessary D7 application documents to a Portuguese embassy in your country. If your application gets approved, the embassy will deliver a temporary visa allowing you to travel to Portugal. This temporary visa is valid for a period of four months from its issuance date.

Second step

Following the temporary visa approval, set an appointment with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF). The appointment consists of a personal interview and the presentation of additional required documentation.

If your interview is successful, a D7 Residency Visa will be granted for an initial one-year period, renewable twice — each visa lasting for two consecutive years.

Portugal residency visa requirements for Portugal D7

• Be a non-EU national
• Have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in Portugal
• Hold a clean criminal record

D7 visa income requirements

In order to obtain the D7 Visa, applicants must show that they have a minimum income or pensions for a 12 month-duration of:

• €7.200 for the first adult
• €3.600 for second or more adults
• €2.160 per child

D7 visa application form

D7 visa Portugal required documentation:

• D7 application form
• Valid passport
• 2 passport-sized photographs
• Proof of regular income or passive income
• Proof of a place to live
• Criminal background check
• Valid travel insurance with health coverage
• 6 months of bank statements

Portugal D7 visa processing time

Obtaining in your home country the temporary four-month visa can take up to 60 days provided you submitted all the required information.

Obtaining the D7 Residency Visa will depend on where you are applying from in Portugal. Getting an appointment with SEF can take up to 120 days if you reside in Lisbon or Porto. However, it is much faster in smaller towns.

D7 Visa tax benefits

If you hold the D7 Residency Visa, you are entitled to benefit from Portugal’s Non-Habitual Tax (NHR) Regime. The NHR is a generous tax program with numerous benefits pertaining to your global income. It offers tax-free incentives on certain categories for a period of up to ten years.

Below are the types of income that may qualify under the NHR program:

• Dividends
• Real estate income
• Capital gains from the disposal of real estate
• Occupational pensions
• Royalties
• Business and self-employment profits derived from eligible occupations (but be mindful of relevant double taxation agreements)

As of 2020, pensioners registering for the NHR tax scheme are now taxed at a rate of 10%.

Most of the information above has been sourced from Global Citizen Solutions. They're a good source for citizenship related queries so if you're into that, give them a look as well.