Portugal D7 visa from the UAE

The D7 is Portugal's residence visa for people who live on regular income that doesn't come from a job: a pension, rent, dividends or interest.

It suits:

• retirees and people approaching retirement
• landlords with property in their home country, the UAE or elsewhere
• investors with steady income from a portfolio

The D7 is a residence visa. You move to Portugal and make it your home. It is not designed for people who want to keep living in the UAE full time.

The D7 has two financial tests: regular passive income, and savings held in a Portuguese bank.

• The first adult needs 100% of the threshold. Add 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child.
• The savings figure is 12 months of your household's monthly threshold.
• These thresholds are linked to the Portuguese minimum wage, which usually rises each January. Expect higher figures in 2027.
• AED amounts are approximate. The euro figure is the one that counts.

• A state or private pension
• Rent from property you own, wherever it is
• Dividends, interest or other investment income
• Royalties from intellectual property

What matters most is that the income is regular, documented and likely to continue. A one-off lump sum, such as an end-of-service gratuity, is a weaker case on its own. Savings support your income; they rarely replace it.

• Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned return, with copies
• UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, valid beyond the end of the visa you're requesting
• Proof of regular passive income: a pension certificate, tenancy contracts with matching bank credits, or dividend or interest statements
• A Portuguese bank statement showing 12 months of the threshold
• A police certificate from your country of nationality
• A UAE police certificate, attested by the UAE MOFA and legalised by the Portuguese embassy in Abu Dhabi
• Accommodation in Portugal, usually a 12-month lease
• Travel medical insurance covering urgent care and repatriation
• Your NIF (Portuguese tax number)
• The national visa application form, completed online and signed, plus two passport photos

The embassy can ask for more documents. A complete file makes a refusal less likely, but it never makes approval automatic.

The UAE is not part of the Apostille system, so UAE documents go through two steps:

1. Attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
2. Legalisation by the Portuguese embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Documents from your home country follow that country's rules. If it is in the Apostille system (India, Pakistan, the Philippines and the UK, for example), an apostille is usually enough. If it is not (Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, for example), the documents need consular legalisation. Police certificates usually take longest, so we start them first.

• About 4–7 months from your first chat with us to the visa in your passport.
• The visa itself is valid for 4 months. In that time you travel to Portugal and attend your AIMA appointment for the residence permit.
• About 6–14 months or more from the start to your residence card, depending on AIMA.
• The first residence permit lasts 2 years and can then be renewed for 3 years at a time.

Your spouse, dependent adults such as a parent, and your children can apply with you. Each person raises the income and savings you need (see the table above).

Since October 2025, bringing family over later can mean a waiting period of up to 2 years. Applying together is usually the better choice.

Government fees for 2026:

• Visa fee: €110 per person (≈ AED 455)
• First AIMA residence permit: about €186 per person (≈ AED 770)

You'll also pay the VFS Global service charge, attestation and legalisation, any translations and insurance. We pass these through at cost. Our own fees are on the packages page.

Portugal taxes its residents on their worldwide income. The old NHR regime is closed to new applicants, and pensions and other passive income may be taxed in Portugal. We don't give tax advice. A tax adviser should confirm your position before you move.

• Check your income and savings against the 2026 figures for your household
• Build your document and attestation plan, in the right order
• Coordinate your NIF, Portuguese bank account and fiscal representation through our provider in Portugal
• Prepare your application pack and arrange your VFS appointment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi
• Prepare you for AIMA and follow up until your residence card is issued

Start with the eligibility calculator, or book a free 15-minute call. Decisions are made solely by the Portuguese authorities.