Portugal D7 Visa 2026: Requirements, Income Thresholds, Process

The D7 is Portugal’s residency route for passive income — pensions, rental yields, dividends, royalties and interest. It is the classic route for retirees and investors who do not want to work locally, and it leads to the same five-year permanent-residency and citizenship horizon as every other residence title. The logic is simple: prove stable recurring income from abroad, show housing in Portugal, and the country gives you residency.

The income test in 2026

• Main applicant: income of at least the national minimum wage per year — roughly €12,900 in 2026 at €920 × 14 payments (check the current figure before applying, the minimum wage rises annually)
• Spouse: add roughly 50% of the threshold; each dependent child: add roughly 30%
• In practice consulates also want to see savings covering the first year’s gap — commonly twelve months of the shortfall — held in a Portuguese or clearly documented foreign account
• Income must be passive and recurring: pension letters, rental contracts, dividend and royalty statements; capital alone in the bank is weaker evidence than a monthly flow

Process and the AIMA stage

You apply for the D7 visa at the Portuguese consulate or VFS centre of your country of residence with the document stack: NIF, opened bank account, proof of housing (lease or deed), private health insurance, apostilled criminal record and the income documentation. After the visa lands, you enter Portugal and file the residence-permit application with AIMA; the first card runs two years, renewal three, and citizenship becomes available after five years of legal residence under the 2026 rules.

Next steps: the D8 remote-work visa guide, the tax residency overview and how the Golden Visa compares.