Portugal D7 Visa 2026: Requirements and Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve been Googling the D7 lately, you’ve probably found articles that mention SEF, which no longer exists. You’ll also see income numbers from 2024 and AIMA backlog warnings that are out of date. We’ve helped hundreds of people move to Portugal, and this guide is fully updated for 2026. It’s the written companion to our video above.

Portugal D7 visa: 2026 quick facts

What changed for the D7 in 2026?

• SEF no longer exists. It was replaced in October 2023 by AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo), Portugal’s immigration agency.
• The income requirement rose to €920/month, in line with Portugal’s minimum wage.
• The AIMA backlog has largely cleared for new applicants. Many people caught in it are still affected, but new appointments are coming through in reasonable timeframes.
• AIMA’s complete-application rule. Since April 2025, if your documents aren’t in order at your appointment, your application is rejected and you lose the slot.
• Citizenship now takes 10 years for most non-EU nationals, under Portugal’s updated Nationality Law.

Is the D7 visa right for you?

The D7 is for non-EU citizens who can support themselves financially without working for a Portuguese employer. Typical applicants:

• Retirees living on a pension
• People with rental income
• People living on dividends or investment income

Do you work remotely? The D7 may still be an option in some situations, but Portugal’s Digital Nomad Visa (D8) was built for remote workers. See our Portugal Digital Nomad Visa 2026 guide.

A fair warning: the D7 is bureaucratic. Even with a great lawyer or relocation service in your corner, you’ll be collecting a lot of paperwork yourself. Go in knowing that, and you’ll be fine.

D7 visa income and savings requirements in 2026

The D7 minimum income is tied to Portugal’s national minimum wage, which is €920 per month in 2026. That’s roughly $1,000 at current exchange rates.

Plan to show more than the floor. Consulates like to see a comfortable margin, not someone just scraping by.

The minimum isn’t a living budget. If you plan to live on €920 a month in Lisbon, you’ll have a hard time. For a single person living comfortably, we suggest thinking in terms of €2,000–€2,500 a month, and more in a major city. Navigator’s free cost of living calculator lets you compare cities.

How to apply for the Portugal D7 visa: 8 steps

Step 1: Get your NIF and a Portuguese bank account

Do this before anything else: before consulate appointments, before a lease, before gathering documents.

• NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal): Portugal’s tax ID number. You can’t open a Portuguese bank account, sign a lease, or submit your visa application without it. You can get it remotely through a fiscal representative.
• A Portuguese bank account: not Wise, not Revolut, and not an international bank with a Lisbon branch. A Portuguese bank such as Millennium BCP, Santander Portugal, or Novo Banco. These statements show the consulate your financial means.

Start funding the account early. A steady balance that’s been there for a while reads very differently from a large deposit that landed the week before your appointment. Navigator offers remote NIF and bank account setup as a paid add-on.

Step 2: Figure out where you’re applying

You apply in person at the Portuguese embassy, consulate, or VFS Global office that covers your legal country of residence. VFS is a third-party company that handles applications for some consulates. In the US, different offices cover different states, so confirm your jurisdiction first.

Getting a VFS appointment in countries like the US and UK is one of the hardest parts of this process in 2026. If you’re booking your own, expect to check several times a day, possibly for months. Build that into your timeline from day one. Applying directly through a consulate is usually much easier.

Step 3: Assemble your documentation package

You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s especially true here. The most common reason applications are delayed or rejected isn’t missing documents. It’s documents that are there but wrong: an expired background check, a marriage certificate without an apostille, a lease that doesn’t meet the requirements.

Consulate document list (main applicant):

1. National visa application form, from your consulate’s website
2. Passport valid at least 6 months beyond the 120-day visa (aim for a year of validity from your planned move date)
3. Two passport photos, EU size (not US passport size)
4. Notarized color copy of your passport’s main page
5. Personal statement: why you want to move to Portugal and why you qualify financially. Keep it factual and include numbers.
6. Proof of sufficient funds: Proof of passive income (pension letters, dividend statements, rental income documentation), your 3 most recent months of bank statements, and your most recent tax return (for US applicants, your 1040). This is only required at some locations, so check yours or bring it just in case.
7. Proof of your Portuguese bank account, funded
8. NIF document
9. Criminal background certificate, apostilled. For example, the FBI check (US), ACRO (UK), or RCMP check (Canada). Validity windows vary by consulate. The strictest, including in the US, is 90 days from the issue date.
10. Health insurance for your initial stay. Depending on location, you may need to show 4, 6, or 12 months of coverage. Travel medical insurance is generally acceptable at this stage.
11. Proof of accommodation: a 12-month lease registered with Finanças. AIMA has been cracking down on workarounds, so we recommend getting the lease.
12. Proof of relationship to any family members (an apostilled marriage certificate, birth certificates)
13. Proof of planned travel to Portugal, such as a flight itinerary (depending on where you apply)
14. Appointment confirmation
15. Proof of your current address, if applying through VFS

Accompanying family members add proof of relationship to the main applicant (an apostilled marriage or birth certificate) and may need a term of responsibility form.

Free Portugal D7 visa checklist: The full D7 checklist is in StartAbroad Navigator, our free portal for people moving to Portugal. It covers every document and the details that trip people up. It also includes accompanying family member checklists and a Digital Nomad Visa checklist if you’re still comparing. When your packet is ready, you can add an expert visa packet review.

Step 4: Pay the application fee

The D7 application fee is €110 at the consulate. Add roughly €40 if you’re going through VFS. Check the exact amount and accepted payment method in advance. Some offices require a money order or cashier’s check, not a card.

Step 5: Attend your consulate or VFS appointment

• Show up 15 minutes early.
• Don’t staple anything, and print single-sided. Documents are almost always scanned.
• Be organized, but don’t over-engineer it. You don’t need a specific order. You just need to hand over what’s asked for without digging through a pile.

A VFS appointment works a lot like the DMV. You wait, get called to a des

k, and go through your paperwork. Plan on about 30–45 minutes for one person, and a bit longer for a family. VFS staff have no decision-making power. They submit your paperwork, and the consulate makes the call.

This is not an interview. No questioning, no suit required. It’s a paperwork exercise. Depending on your location, you may need to leave your passport so the visa can be placed inside and mailed back. Plan for a courier fee.

Step 6: Wait for approval

Timelines vary widely. We’ve seen approvals out of Miami in two to three weeks, while other offices can take four months or longer in slow periods. Portugal legally has 60 days to review your application, so wait at least that long before following up.

Step 7: Travel to Portugal

Once approved, you’ll get a D7 visa in your passport, valid for 120 days with two entries. You must travel to Portugal within that window.

Step 8: Attend your AIMA appointment

This is where your visa becomes a residence permit, and it’s the step that has changed most since SEF was replaced by AIMA.

Many applicants receive a pre-scheduled AIMA appointment with their visa. You’ll find the date and location through a URL printed on the visa. If yours doesn’t include one, request it through AIMA’s online system.

What to bring to your AIMA appointment (D7):

• Passport containing your visa
• Proof of entry to Portugal (passport stamp, or boarding pass and itinerary)
• 3 most recent months of statements from your Portuguese bank account
• Proof of accommodation (rental contract or property deed)
• If renting: 3 most recent lease receipts from Finanças + the Modelo 2 form showing the lease is registered
• If you own: a recent utility bill
• Declaration of accommodation (a letter you write stating where you’ve been living in Portugal)
• Caderneta predial (property tax document)
• NIF document
• Updated proof of financial means, covering the most recent 3 months
• Portuguese private health insurance, not travel medical insurance
• Release for a Portuguese background check
• Appointment confirmation
• Family members: term of responsibility, proof of relationship, and proof of school enrollment for school-age children

You don’t need a NISS (Portuguese social security number) for your first AIMA appointment as a D7 applicant.

At the appointment, you’ll be fingerprinted and photographed. Your residence card arrives by mail after approval.

After your D7 is approved: renewals and citizenship

• Residence permit: valid for 2 years, then renewable for 3 more.
• Time in Portugal: to renew, you can’t be out of Portugal for more than 6 consecutive months, or 8 months total, during your first permit.
• Permanent residency: after 5 years of legal residence.
• Citizenship: after 10 years for most non-EU nationals, under the Nationality Law signed in May 2026. If a Portuguese passport is part of your long-term plan, factor that in.

Portugal D7 visa: frequently asked questions

What is the Portugal D7 visa? The D7, also called the Passive Income Visa, is a residence visa for non-EU citizens who can support themselves without working for a Portuguese employer. It typically suits retirees and people with pension, rental, dividend, or investment income.

What is the D7 visa income requirement in 2026? €920 per month for a single applicant, which matches Portugal’s 2026 minimum wage. Add 50% (€460) for a spouse and 30% (€276) for each child.

How much savings do I need for the D7? The standard benchmark is €11,040, which is 12 months of minimum wage, held in a Portuguese bank account. It increases by 50% for a spouse and 30% for each child.

Can I work remotely on a D7 visa? The D7 is designed for passive income. Remote work may be possible in some situations, but Portugal’s Digital Nomad Visa (D8) is built specifically for remote workers.

Do I need a Portuguese bank account for the D7? Yes. Statements from a Portuguese bank account, not Wise or Revolut, are used to show your financial means.

Do I need a NIF for the D7? Yes. You need a NIF to open a Portuguese bank account, sign a lease, and submit your application. You can get one remotely through a fiscal representative.

Do I need a 12-month lease for the D7? We recommend a 12-month lease registered with Finanças. AIMA has been cracking down on workarounds, and you’ll need lease receipts and the Modelo 2 form at your AIMA appointment.

How long does the D7 visa take? Consulates legally have 60 days to decide. Some offices, like Miami recently, approve in two to three weeks, while others take four months or more. Add time for getting an appointment, which can take months through VFS in the US and UK.

Is the D7 visa application an interview? No. It’s a paperwork appointment. You won’t be questioned, and you don’t need to dress formally.

Does SEF still exist? No. SEF was replaced by AIMA in October 2023. Articles referencing SEF are out of date.

Is the AIMA backlog still a problem? For new applicants, the backlog has largely cleared, and appointments are coming through in reasonable timeframes.

Does the D7 lead to citizenship? Yes. The D7 can lead to permanent residency after 5 years and citizenship after 10 years for most non-EU nationals.

What’s the difference between the D7 and the Digital Nomad Visa? The D7 is for passive income, with a 2026 minimum of €920 per month. The Digital Nomad Visa is for active remote work income, with a minimum of €3,680 per month.

Get help with your Portugal D7 visa

• Do it yourself, with a map: StartAbroad Navigator is free. It includes the D7 checklist, family member checklists, a cost of living calculator, our vetted partner list, and guides on shipping, pets, and more.
• Expert help where you need it: Navigator add-ons include a visa packet review, remote NIF and bank account setup, and a rental search service.
• Full service: Book a free consultation. We’ll take it from your NIF and bank account on day one to your AIMA appointment at the finish line.

Most relocation help drops off after the visa. We don’t.

Requirements vary by consulate and change often. This guide reflects what we’re seeing as of October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.

Official sources: Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs – National Visas · AIMA