Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa 

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa 

Portugal has recently updated their visa situation for remote workers and digital nomads. The newest is the Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa. You might be wondering now do you still apply for the D7 (see info at very bottom of this article) or do you need to apply for the newer visa D8. Let’s break down all the new information regarding the D8 and see which is the best option for you! 

What are Other Names for the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

• D8 Digital Nomad Visa
• Residency Visa for the Exercise of a Professional Activity Done Remotely – “Digital Nomads”
• Remote Work Visa/Remote Worker Visa
• Nomad Visa Portugal / Portugal Nomad Visa
• Digital Nomad Visa for Portugal

Can You Get a Digital Nomad Visa for Portugal?

Until recently, digital nomads and remote workers used the D7 Passive Income Visa or D2 Entrepreneur Visa to gain residency in Portugal. But at the end of October 2022, Portugal introduced two new D8 digital nomad visa options specifically targeted toward remote workers who want to live in Portugal while earning money from outside of the country.

Is Portugal’s new Digital Nomad Visa a Work Visa or Work Permit?

Technically, no. The D8 is a national visa for either temporary stay or temporary residency depending on if you apply for the 1-year visa or 2-year permit.

What is the Difference Between the D8 Visa and a Tourist Visa?

A Portugal Tourist Visa only allows you to stay in the country for 90 days and does not allow you to work (legally) during that time. The new D8 Visa allows you to work remotely from Portugal for 1-2 years (longer with renewal) depending on which visa type you apply for.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Individuals and third-country nationals (who are not EU/EEA/Swiss citizens) 18 years or older.

Should You Apply for a D8 Visa or a D7 Visa?

In the past, because there was not a specific visa designed for digital nomads and remote workers, the Portuguese government was approving D7 visas for people with active income streams rather than passive. Meaning, they were allowing digital nomads and remote workers to gain residency with the D7 even if they didn’t technically have passive income. This is how we were approved. See this post for exactly what we submitted in our D7 Visa Application.

Now that the new Portugal Digital Nomad Visa is available, there have been reports of people being rejected for the D7 visa if they do not prove they have passive income and only provide active income sources (remote work, freelance, etc.)

So, if you plan to provide for yourself in Portugal based on passive income and would like to stay for more than 1 year, you should apply for the D7 Visa.

If you only want to stay for 1 year and plan to perform remote work, you should apply for the Temporary Stay Digital Nomad Visa.

And if you plan to stay for up to 2 years and plan to support yourself with active foreign-earned income, you should apply for the D8 Digital Nomad Residency Permit (4-month visa converted to 2-year residency permit after you arrive in Portugal).

If you’re interested in Schengen zone travel without the in-country requirements of the D7 visa and have enough money to invest, you may consider the Portugal Golden Visa Program.

Types of D8 Digital Nomad Visas

There are two pathways to choose from when applying for a Portugal Digital Nomad Visa. The first is a visa that allows for a 1-year temporary stay in Portugal as a remote worker. The second is a 4-month visa that you convert to a 2-year temporary residency permit after you arrive in Portugal. I have heard rumblings that this will be called the D8 Digital Nomad Visa. The process to apply is similar to the D7 Passive Income Visa.

Previously, with no actual remote worker visa in Portugal, many digital nomads and remote workers were applying to live in Portugal using the D7 Passive Income Visa or D2 Entrepreneur Visa. Now that the new D8 Digital Nomad Visa has been implemented, it is anticipated that the government will encourage remote workers to apply for the remote work residency permit in lieu of using the D7 route.

Benefits of the 1-Year Temporary Stay Digital Nomad Visa

• Live and work legally in Portugal as a freelancer or self-employed business owner for up to 1 year
• Try out Portugal without having to commit to long-term residency
• Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area
• Option to renew for an additional 6 months
• Maintain tax residency in your home country or current tax residency
• No need to open and fund a Portuguese bank account

Benefits of the 2-Year Digital Nomad Residency Permit

• Live and work legally in Portugal as a freelancer or self-employed business owner for up to 2 years
• Option to create a Portuguese company or establish your existing business in Portugal
• Obtain a Portuguese residency card to replace the 4-month visa in your passport
• After converting your visa into a residency permit, enjoy visa-free Schengen Area travel
• Option to apply for Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) status and enjoy added tax benefits
• Option to renew for an additional 3-year residency permit (for a total of 5 years)
• Qualify to apply for permanent residency or citizenship in Portugal after 5 years
• Enjoy Portuguese rights of residency such as education and healthcare
• Option to bring family with you under family reunification

Income Requirements

There has been some confusion over this requirement, especially considering that the visa is so new and the details have been slow to be released and hard to find. As interpreted by lawyer Jéssika Aguiar, co-founder of the relocation and visa specialists Smart Relocation Lisbon, the minimum income requirement for the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa is 4 x the monthly Portuguese minimum wage over the previous 3 months. Confused? Let’s break it down.

Income for the last 3 months above 3040€

760€ x 4 = 3040€ : 3 = 1014€/month

The current Portuguese minimum wage is 760€ per month. Multiply that four times and the total is 3040€. This is the minimum amount of income the digital nomad must have earned over the previous 3 months. That comes to a minimum monthly income average of 1014€ per month.

TIP: Remember, this is the bare minimum. It does not guarantee approval. It’s always better to prove more than the minimum if possible to help your application’s chances of being approved.

Again, forgive the redundancy, but this visa is new. The requirements are new. No one really knows anything until people start applying and being approved or denied. There is a possibility that the income requirements may be interpreted differently by your particular consulate or were intended differently by the Portuguese government.

Here is exactly what it says on the English version of the SEF website: Proof of average monthly income for the last three months with a minimum value equivalent to four months minimum guaranteed remuneration.

Some are interpreting this as a minimum of 3040€ per month for the previous 3 months versus the above calculation. Until we know more, it’s probably advisable to contact your consulate or VFS office to ask them directly what they require.

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa Application Process

The application process is quite similar to the Portugal D7 application process. That said because this visa is so new, the following information could change as the visa rolls out. We will do our best to keep you apprised of the latest information and update this article accordingly.

① Gather your documentation

② Set an appointment with your assigned consulate or VFS office

③ Submit your application at appointment

④ Wait for your decision (up to 90 days depending on which office you submitted your application through)

⑤ Receive your passport with visa

⑥ Head to Portugal!

If you are pursuing the longer residency permit, there are a few additional steps:

⑦ Attend your pre-assigned SEF interview in Portugal within 4 months of visa approval

⑧ Receive your Portuguese Residency Permit Card valid for 2 years

Portugal D8 Visa Requirements

Like many other visa processes, requirements may vary depending on which consulate, VFS office, or country from which you are applying. It is advisable to reach out to the consulate or VFS office you are applying to in order to find out their specific requirements. Below, you’ll find a list of requirements as accurate as possible, but we will strive to update the list should more information come to light as the visa rolls out.

Currently, the only consulate in the U.S. processing the new D8 Digital Nomad Visa is the Portuguese consulate in Massachusetts, but as the new visa rolls out, more consulates and VFS offices will begin to process it as well.

1. Proof of Work Situation

If you’re working under contract (subordinate work), you must present ONE of the following:

a. present the employment contract; or,

b. a statement from the employer proving the link with the company

If you are a freelancer (independent professional activity), you must present ONE of the following:

a. company incorporation agreement; or,

b. service provision agreement; or,

c. document proving the provision of services to one or more entities

2. Proof of Tax Residency Outside Portugal

Most recent tax return or other documentation showing that you are a tax resident in a country outside of Portugal

3. Two Passport-Size Photos

See guidelines for EU passport photos here.

4. Valid Passport or Travel Document

The document must be valid for an additional 3 months following the duration of your intended stay.

5. Proof of Regular Situation

In case of residence in a country other than the country of current nationality, you must provide proof of the regular situation. The documentation must be valid 3 months after the estimated date of return.

6. Health Insurance

Proof of health insurance valid in Portugal and that meets the Schengen Area requirements. It must include coverage for emergencies and repatriation.

7. Visa Application Form

This form is the same national visa application used for the D7 visa, but instead of choosing the retirement option. As of now, there isn’t any special form for the new Portugal Digital Nomad Visa. You would use the national visa application and select work as the reason for your journey.

If you are applying for a temporary stay visa (1-year visa) choose that option next to “multiple entries” OR if you are applying for temporary residency (2-year visa) you would choose “2 entries”.

8. Request for Consultation of the Portuguese Criminal Record by SEF

Download the request form here.

9. Proof of Clean Criminal Record

Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or from the country where the applicant has resided for more than one year (with apostille). For U.S. citizens this would be the dreaded FBI report with the Hague Apostille from Washington D.C.

10. Proof of Adequate Accommodation

Details of what “adequate” means have been hard to pin down, but for the temporary stay visa 3 months of initial accommodation seems to be the going time frame. For the longer-stay residency permit, our guess would be that the requirement is similar to the D7 visa, for which SEF is requiring a 12-month registered lease.

You will need to ask your specific consulate or VFS office for more details, and we will update here when we have more solid information.

11. Personal Statement

This letter of intent explains who you are, why you want to live in Portugal, where you’ll reside, your ties to Portugal, etc.

12. Transport Document (Return Ticket)

Proof of return journey is only required if you are applying for the Temporary Stay Digital Nomad Visa (1-year).

D8 Visa Costs

Temporary Stay Visa – 75€

Residency Visa – 90€

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Portugal D7 

Portugal is a famous digital nomad destination because of its lower cost of living and fantastic climate. It’s also easy to get a visa here because you only have to prove that you’re making at least €635 per month. 

The visa you will need to apply for as a digital nomad is called the D7 visa, and you will need to apply at an embassy in your home country.

Portugal Visa Requirements:

• Valid passport
• Completed application form
• Proof of health insurance (fully covered in Portugal)
• Criminal record from originating country
• Application for Criminal Record consultation (by Portugal Immigration and Borders Service)
• Proof of sufficient funds (amount must equal to at least the Portuguese minimum wage)
• Bank statement from the previous 6 months
• Proof of long term accommodation
• Two passport photos 

Average Cost Of Living In Portugal:

The cost of living in Portugal is 47% lower than costs in the US. A single digital nomad could estimate around $1,500 in expenses, including rent.

EXTRA VISA INFO

If you are interested in checking out other possible locations for your next digital nomad adventure, please check out my Digital Nomad Database to see the overview of countries and places that have special visas for digital nomads and remote workers. You can find detailed articles on each location as well.

Digital Nomad Visa Database

Disclaimer

Please note the information provided in this post is of general interest only and is not to be construed or intended as a substitute for professional legal advice.

Happy travels xx