D8 visa: The Complete guide

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Do you aspire to have a full life in a beautiful nation culturally diverse, internationally connected and with kind citizens? Portugal is the perfect location!

This lovely European country 🇵🇹 is a favorite destination among nomads, with the digital nomad community being strong and thriving in Portugal. It's easy to see why its attractiveness draws so many nomads! 😊

With the Portuguese D8 Visa, Digital Nomads can live a comfortable lifestyle. Discover the benefits of living in Portugal, learn about the D8 Visa, and make your dream a reality. 🌟

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Dreaming of life in Portugal? Start your journey now by getting your D8 visa checklist online, quickly and effortlessly!

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Quick resume about D8 Visa Portugal

Time for Application:

⌛ Processing time: 1 to 4 months*

*Highly depending of the processing times of the country in which you are applying.

Financial Requirements:

💶 Minimum monthly income: +3.280€**

**Net of any tax and social contributions.

Who is this visa for?

👨‍💻️ Remote Employees

Individuals who are employed by companies based outside of Portugal and can carry out their work remotely.

📝 Freelancers and Contractors

Self-employed individuals who have various sources of income from clients outside Portugal.

🧑‍💼️ Business Owners

Entrepreneurs who own businesses that do not require their physical presence in Portugal and can be managed remotely.

🌎 Digital Entrepreneurs

Those who run online businesses or work in digital industries, provided they meet the income requirements.

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Get to know the the D8 visa

The Portugal D8 Visa, also referred to as the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa, offers legal Portuguese residency to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and remote workers seeking to live in Portugal. 😊

⚠️ This visa is not for work purposes in Portugal, you must have contracts out of Portugal!

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What is the Portuguese D8 visa?

The Portugal D8 Visa also called digital nomad visa is specifically made for those who can demonstrate a stable income derived from remote work, either freelancing or hired by an international company.

This means that visa holders can support themselves financially without seeking a job in Portugal. 💼📈

What are the benefits of the D8 visa in Portugal?

The D8 visa permits you to enter Portugal and move within the Schengen Area without the requirement for additional visas or time constraints as a tourist. This visa enables you to have relatives with you, making the process easier and faster.

Another important advantage of living in Portugal on a D8 visa is access to affordable Portuguese education and medical care.  After five years, you will be eligible for Portuguese citizenship (along with anyone in your family who joined you when you applied), as well as permanent residency.

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What are the main requirements for the D8 Visa?

Besides having no EU/EEA/Swiss citizenship with a clean criminal record, you must prove you have a remote position that fits the following sources ✅:

  • Freelance: Society contract, services contract or declaration attesting services to one or more companies.
  • Contract: Work contract or employer's declaration confirming the link.

What amount should my income be for my D8 visa application?

Four times the Portuguese minimum wage income 💸:

3.280,00 euros earned monthly in the past 3 months, or, in some cases, four times the full annual minimum wage, 39.360,00 euros in the past year.

⚠️ Offices may request to see your past year's finances, instead of the previous 3 months, if you are applying with dependants.

⚠️ As an individual, your funds will need to be present at your Portuguese bank account. However, if you are applying with dependents and the office requests a yearly overview, you won't need to have these funds in your Portuguese bank account, though you'll need to have a Portuguese bank account at the time of your appointment.

-> If you submitted your application with a spouse or major family dependant 👫

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-> If you are applying with children 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

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Who may I bring as a dependent on my D8 visa application?

You can bring 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦:

  • Your spouse or civil partner
  • Your minor children (above 18 qualifies if enrolled in a Portuguese educational facility)
  • Dependent parents (when included at your tax return or under your care)
  • Anyone whom you or your spouse may have legal guardianship (like disabled children or family members under your care, siblings you may have legal guardianship, adopted children).
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What will you need to show with your Portuguese D8 VISA application?

Multiple paperwork will be necessary for the successful issuance of your Portugal D8 visa. Certain documents, such as the NIF, are from Portugal and must be submitted to the authorities before arriving in Portugal.

How can I get ready for my D8 visa application?

Preparation is critical to a favorable D8 visa application ✅

1

Download the checklist for your Visa Application

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Check your passport expiry date

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Get your NIF Portugal to your D8 Visa application

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Book your Visa Interview

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Secure a place to live and to use as proof of accommodation for your D7 visa application

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Find your nearest VFS office, or Portuguese Consulate for your D7 visa application and schedule your interview

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Fill the D7 Visa Form Application

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Book a ticket to Portugal

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Get your Travel Insurance for your D7 visa application

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Get your passport pictures for your D7 visa application

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Write your Declaration of Intent for your D7 visa application

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FREE D8 checklist

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What are the other steps for my D8 Visa?

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How to Apply for the Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa

Follow these procedures to apply for a D8 visa 🫡:

  1. Gather Necessary Paperwork: You've seen the steps above! Gather all required documentation, including proof of funds, lodging, and travel insurance.
  2. Fill out this application form: Fill out the visa application form properly.
  3. Schedule an appointment: Schedule an appointment with the neighboring Portuguese consulate or VFS Global office.
  4. Gather the remaining documents: Especially those that require frequent updates (like the most recent paychecks, financial statements, and criminal record).

⚠️ If you have any doubts about your paperwork, you may use our Documentation Checking service, which includes a hired lawyer who will approve and indicate any necessary changes.

What paperwork must I bring to my Portugal D8 visa appointment?

Confirm you have all the appropriate documentation ✅:

  • Valid Passport with 3 (three) months of validity after entering Portugal;
  • Proof of accommodation for 12 months (Airbnb and Booking does not apply);
  • Proof of financial resources to support yourself in Portugal (e.g.: Monthly income reaching four times the Portuguese minimum wage value in the past 3 months - and additional in case of dependents via payslips, invoices or bank statements);
  • Proof of funds in a Portuguese bank account (with the value of a full annual Portuguese minimum wage, 9.840,00 euros);
  • 2 recent photographs (3x4);
  • Documents attesting current fiscal residency;
  • Current country of residence legal status (e.g.: visa, residence permit, nationality);
  • Availability to spend 16 non-consecutive months in Portugal within the first 2 years of residency (or 6 consecutive months each year, within the first 2 years);
  • Travel insurance covering up to 30,000 euros and repatriation;
  • Criminal record check from previous countries of residency (where you lived for a year or more);
  • Cover letter to move and reside in Portugal and become a tax resident;
  • Visa Fee

How much will I pay for my D8 visa?

The fee is currently 90 euros per person, plus any administrative fees charged by local offices (which vary per office!) 💸.

What's the wait time for the Portuguese D8 visa?

Wait times differ from place to place. Certain locations will have a brief wait time of four weeks, while others could take months. Check the office's projected time and plan appropriately. 😬

After filing your application, there is usually a wait time that can last for months. Use this time to prepare for your transfer and gather the documentation you'll need to show at your AIMA appointment once you arrive in Portugal.

Why should I prepare documentation for my AIMA appointment?

Bring all of your updated documentation to your appointment 😬. Proof of income must cover the months preceding your appointment (i.e., at least one month after your visa); your criminal record might fall outside of AIMA's acceptable timeframe (which is the same as the visa - no more than three months old).

Add to all this the possibility that certain bureaus can keep the documents you submitted during your visa assessment, so be prepared to re-issue a number of them before you travel to Portugal.

⚠️ Ensure that you cover all bases in your native country: Keep a power of attorney in the name of a trustworthy person, and bring copies of the important documents you may leave at home, such as birth and marriage certificates, home ownership titles, an extra copy of your POA, immunization cards, and anything else you may require.

What can get my D8 Portuguese Visa rejected?

There are several reasons ways for that to happen, all of them avoidable 😬. Commonly are:

  • Insufficient funds;
  • Type of income does not fit the criteria;
  • Criminal record with annotations;
  • Documentation incomplete.

⚠️AnchorLess is here to answer any questions you may have about the D8 visa application process! We offer a free consultation service where you may clear up any doubts.

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Digital nomad visa approved? Come to Portugal!

Once your visa has been approved, be ready to make the move 😊:

  • The preparation process: Wrap up travel arrangements, notify necessary parties (e.g., tax officials in your native country), and verify that all documentation is in order, including what you'll need to show to AIMA.
  • Learn what you can bring with you to Portugal. Some items may be forbidden owing to their composition (such as hoverboards) or require a Certificate of Move from the nearest Portuguese consulate (such as kitchen appliances).
  • Arrive in Portugal: When you arrive, submit your place of residence with the local government (NIF address).

Are you in Portugal? Book a D8 visa AIMA interview

Your D8 Digital Nomad Visa will be valid for a maximum of 120 days, allowing you to officially establish yourself in Portugal. Confirm you'll stay at your new home, register for Portuguese health insurance, arrange finances, and become a tax resident (change your NIF address to the new location in Portugal). 😬

Schedule your AIMA appointment during the four month period to convert your D8 visa into residency permission; present the appropriate paperwork proving your settlement in Portugal and ability to support yourself to comply with the conditions of your visa (values laid out at the start of this piece).

Who is AIMA?

Previously named 'SEF - Serviços de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras' (Immigration and Borders Service), AIMA, 'Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo' (or Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum), is the government agency responsible for dealing with foreigners in Portugal, like their admission, departure, and legality. 😊

How should I schedule my AIMA appointment?

AIMA is fairly packed. As a result, calling them and scheduling appointments may prove challenging. 😬

⚠️ Be alert! You might have to make numerous phone calls, check the AIMA webpage often, and pay careful attention to any information concerning AIMA from multiple sources, particularly their official Facebook page. Join Facebook groups to get shared knowledge and suggestions on how to schedule your appointment successfully.

What should I expect from my AIMA appointment?

Plan and go to your AIMA interview 🫡:

  • Document verification and biometric data collecting (photo, signature, and fingerprints).
  • Documents required for an AIMA appointment: Bring all of the paperwork you filed for your visa application (with updated evidence of lodging if you decide to move), as well as Portuguese health insurance rather than travel insurance.

⚠️ You will need to translate and notarize the criminal record (even if it's in your mother tongue).

Now it's time to wait for your permit at home! 😊

How much will I be required to pay for my D8 visa residence card?

The AIMA cost for obtaining a residence card as a D8 visa is approximately 170 euros 💸.

How long will my D8 visa residence card last?

Your first residency card will last two years 😊. Following residence cards will last for three years.

Once my Digital Nomad residence permit expires, when should I renew it?

Complete the same steps as for your initial residence card in AIMA, but with updated paperwork, and refer to the table below to determine the length period.

Duration since issue Minimum stay in Portugal Renewal period Renovation qualification
2 years 6 consecutive months, or;
8 non-consecutive months.
End of 2nd Year Residency card with 3 years duration
3 years 6 consecutive months, or;
8 non-consecutive months.
End of 3rd Year (or 5th year in total) Residency card with 3 years duration, Permanent residency card, or Portuguese Citizenship
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EU Citizenship fast-pass

Only five years after arriving in Portugal on a D8 visa, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship, which allows you to freely roam and live between the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. 😊🇵🇹

How can I get my Portuguese citizenship through a D8 visa?

Five consecutive years of residing in Portugal (or five non-consecutive years within the last 15 years), A2 level of Portuguese, and a clean criminal record (in Portugal and any previous countries where you may have lived).

Portugal's D8 Visa provides an excellent opportunity for nomads to enjoy a high standard of living in a beautiful, inviting, and low cost country. Understanding the procedures and preparing adequately will allow you to make the shift smoothly and begin your new journey in Portugal.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a digital nomad visa accessible in Portugal?

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What is the minimum income requirement for the D8 Visa?

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What if I don't meet the income criteria for my Digital Nomad visa in Portugal?

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Can I bring my family in my D8 visa application?

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Is it necessary to speak Portuguese to get the D8 Visa?

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Am I allowed to work in Portugal with a D8 Visa?

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