There's no such thing as an "easy" visa — but some are easier than others
Every visa consultant will tell you their route is the simplest. The honest answer is that "easiest" depends entirely on your situation: how you earn money, how much you have saved, and how patient you are with AIMA's paperwork. What we can do is compare the real requirements of each route side by side, so you can work out which one you'd actually qualify for — rather than which one sounds most appealing on Instagram.
This guide covers the main non-EU residency routes into Portugal in 2026: the D7 (passive income), the D8 (digital nomad), the Golden Visa (investment), and the Startup Visa. We'll flag the genuine trade-offs, not just the headline numbers.
The four main routes, compared
In 2026, the minimum required income for the D7 is €920 per month, while the minimum D8 Visa income requirement threshold is €3,680 per month — four times the minimum wage. That single difference is usually what decides which visa suits you.
| Visa | Who it's for | Core financial requirement | Typical processing | Path to citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D7 | Retirees, rental/dividend income, pensioners | ~€920/month passive income + savings buffer | 3–6 months for the visa, plus AIMA appointment | 7 or 10 years residence (new 2026 rule) |
| D8 | Remote employees/freelancers billing foreign clients | ~€3,680/month income from outside Portugal | Similar timeline; renewal via AIMA online portal | 7 or 10 years residence |
| Golden Visa | Investors who don't want to live in Portugal full-time | €500,000 fund investment (no real estate route) | 12–36 months, AIMA backlog | 7 or 10 years residence |
| Startup Visa | Founders with an innovative, scalable project | IAPMEI-accredited incubator endorsement | Several months for endorsement + visa | 7 or 10 years residence |
None of these guarantee approval. AIMA assesses every file on its own merits, and processing times shift depending on backlog, consulate, and how complete your documents are.
Why the D7 is usually called "the easiest"
The D7 has the lowest income bar of any residency visa, which is why it gets the "easiest" label. If you have a pension, rental income, or dividends from abroad that comfortably clear the minimum wage threshold, the maths is simple. You'll also need proof of accommodation in Portugal (owned or rented) and a savings buffer — most advisors recommend showing roughly twelve months of the required income sitting in an account. The trade-off: it's built for passive income, not a salary from active work, and AIMA does scrutinise whether income is genuinely passive.
Why the D8 suits remote workers better
If your income comes from a job or freelance contracts — not dividends or property — the D8 is the correct route, even though the bar is higher. Portugal asks you to show earnings of around €3,680 a month from remote work, four times the local minimum wage, plus proof of financial means of about €11,000. It's specifically designed for people billing clients or employers based outside Portugal, so a contract with a Portuguese company will disqualify you.
The Golden Visa is no longer the "buy your way in" option
The real-estate route is gone. What's left are the fund route (€500,000 into a CMVM-regulated investment fund — real-estate funds excluded), scientific research, arts and culture, and job-creating company formation. It's rarely the easiest path anymore precisely because it demands capital most people don't have lying around, and AIMA processing for this category has been notably slow. If you're weighing it against a work-based route, read our broader visas guide for the full comparison.
The Startup Visa: easiest if you already have a project worth building
This route skips income thresholds altogether in favour of a different bar: convincing an IAPMEI-accredited incubator that your project is innovative and scalable. If you're already building something with real traction, this can move faster than you'd expect — teams of up to five founders can apply together, and each founder needs roughly €6,270 (12× IAS) in demonstrable means. It's a poor fit if you're looking for the path of least resistance rather than an actual business to run.
What actually slows people down (regardless of visa)
The visa category rarely causes the delay — the paperwork does. Common stumbling blocks:
- Criminal record certificates issued too early or without an apostille.
- NIF and Portuguese bank account not set up before the consulate appointment — you'll need both.
- Proof of accommodation that doesn't match the visa's requirements (a hotel booking usually won't cut it for a residence visa).
- Income documentation that doesn't clearly show funds arriving from outside Portugal, especially for the D8.
- Family additions miscalculated — remember it's +50% per spouse and +30% per child on top of the base threshold, for both D7 and D8.
Getting these right the first time is the actual difference between a smooth process and a six-month back-and-forth with the consulate or AIMA.
Tax comes with the visa — plan for it early
Moving on a D7 or D8 doesn't just change your immigration status; it usually triggers Portuguese tax residency once you spend 183+ days a year here or set up habitual residence. NHR closed to new applicants in March 2025, but IFICI ("NHR 2.0") offers a 20% flat rate on qualifying innovation, research or skilled-role income — applied for via Portal das Finanças by 15 January of the year after you become tax resident. It's worth running your numbers before you commit to a route; see our tax and NIF guide and try the NHR/IFICI calculator to see whether you'd qualify.
Where the Startup Visa route connects to company setup
If you're leaning toward the Startup Visa, you'll eventually need a Portuguese company structure — usually a Lda — and that process has its own timeline and costs separate from the visa itself. Our company setup guide walks through what's involved, and if you're building toward that route specifically, our Startup Visa application service handles the incubator endorsement and AIMA filing together rather than leaving you to coordinate both separately.
Frequently asked questions
The D7 is built for exactly this situation — the minimum required income in 2026 is €920 per month, which most pensions clear comfortably. You'll still need proof of accommodation, savings, and a clean criminal record, but the income bar is the lowest of any residency route.
Yes — D7 and D8 both lead toward permanent residency and eventually citizenship, though the 2026 nationality law extended the residency clock to 7 years (EU/CPLP nationals) or 10 years (everyone else), counted from the date your residence permit is issued. Outcomes depend on maintaining the visa's conditions and passing AIMA's renewal checks each cycle.
It can still make sense for investors who want a residency option without relocating immediately, since Golden Visa holders face minimal stay requirements compared to D7/D8. But with the real-estate route gone and processing running 12–36 months, it's a longer, costlier commitment than most people expect for a "backup" residency.
No — the D8 is specifically designed for income earned from outside Portugal, whether that's an employment contract, freelance clients, or a business you run remotely. What matters is that the income isn't tied to a Portuguese company; mixing in local client work can complicate your application.
There's no official flexibility built into the thresholds — AIMA assesses the amount in force at the time of your appointment, not when you first applied. If you're borderline, it's worth building in a buffer or waiting until your income clears the bar with room to spare, since a rejection on financial grounds can cost you months.
Not sure which route actually fits your income and timeline? Talk to our team through our immigration lawyer service before you file anything — a short consultation now can save months of back-and-forth with AIMA later.