D7 vs D8 Portugal: which visa should you choose?

People often call the D7 Portugal's retirement or passive income visa, and the D8 its digital nomad visa. Here is how they compare.

Figures verified on 4 November 2026. Both thresholds follow the Portuguese minimum wage (€920 a month in 2026), which usually rises each January. AED amounts are approximate. The euro figure is the one that counts.

For D8 families, the official rule adds 50% per adult and 30% per child of the minimum wage. Some consulates apply those percentages to the D8 amount instead, which gives a higher figure. We recommend planning on the higher figure, as the table shows.

The D7: income that doesn't come from a job

The D7 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 tests regular income. It should be 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.

Read the D7 visa page or the D7 requirements guide.

The D8: remote work for employers or clients abroad

The D8 suits:

• remote employees of a company based outside Portugal, including UAE companies that allow remote work
• freelancers and contractors with clients outside Portugal
• founders, including owners of UAE free-zone companies, who are paid by their own business

Employees need their employer's written agreement to work remotely from Portugal. Many UAE contracts don't allow this by default, so ask early. You can't take a job with a Portuguese employer on a D8.

Read the D8 visa page or the D8 requirements guide.

Both visas share a core file: your passport, a UAE residence visa and Emirates ID valid beyond the end of the visa you request, police certificates, accommodation in Portugal, travel medical insurance, your NIF (Portuguese tax number) and the visa form. Your UAE police certificate needs MOFA attestation and Portuguese embassy legalisation, as our UAE documents guide explains.

The difference is the proof of means:

• D7: documents that show regular passive income, plus a Portuguese bank statement showing 12 months of your household threshold.
• D8: an employment contract or employer letter with the remote-work agreement, or service contracts, invoices and bank statements from clients outside Portugal. You also show income for the last 3 months and proof of tax residence, such as a UAE Tax Residency Certificate. Founders add company documents and proof of the salary or dividends they draw.

Both visas let your family apply with you. On the D7, that includes your spouse, your children and dependent adults such as a parent. On the D8, your spouse and children can apply with you.

Each person raises the income you need to show, and on the D7 the savings too. Since October 2025, bringing family over later can mean a waiting period of up to 2 years. Applying together is usually the better choice. If both adults earn enough for the D8 on their own, separate applications can also be an option.

See our guide to moving with your family.

The process is the same for both. Plan on about 4–7 months from the start to the visa in your passport. The visa is valid for 4 months. In that time you travel to Portugal and attend your AIMA appointment. Allow about 6–14+ months from the start to your residence card, depending on AIMA.

Then the path is the same:

• Renewals: the first permit lasts 2 years, then renews for 3 years at a time. Renewals are not automatic.
• Permanent residence: possible after 5 years, subject to conditions including basic Portuguese (A2).
• Citizenship: since 19 May 2026, most non-EU nationals need 10 years of legal residence.

The D8 also comes as a temporary-stay visa of up to 1 year. It doesn't count toward residence, so it doesn't start your path to permanent residence or citizenship.

Both the D7 and the D8 residence visa mean living in Portugal. Long absences can put your permit at risk.

Portugal taxes its residents on their worldwide income, and the old NHR regime is closed to new applicants. On the D7, your pension, rent or dividends may be taxed in Portugal. On the D8, income from work you do in Portugal is generally taxable there, even if your employer or clients are abroad. We don't give tax advice. Speak to a qualified adviser before you move.

You have passive income and a remote job

Each visa tests one kind of income: passive income for the D7, remote-work income for the D8. Check each stream against its own threshold:

• If only one stream reaches its figure, that is your route.
• If both do, compare what else each visa asks of you. The D7 needs 12 months of savings in a Portuguese bank. The D8 needs your employer's written agreement if you are an employee.
• If you are counting on adding the two together to reach one figure, talk to us before you apply.

Your income is close to the figure

The calculator marks a result as close when your income is within 15% of the threshold.

• D7: savings rarely make up for missing income. Look for regular income you haven't counted, such as rent from a property you own.
• D8: the test is your average over the last 3 months, so look at all three months together.
• D8 families: if you meet the official family figure but not the higher one, a savings buffer in a Portuguese account helps. We still recommend meeting the higher figure.
• Timing: thresholds usually rise each January. If you only just clear this year's figure, plan your timing with that in mind.
• Currency: AED amounts are approximate, so leave a margin if your income is paid in dirhams.

Your remote income is below the D8 figure

The D7 figure is much lower, but it only applies to passive income, so a salary doesn't count toward it. If you also have a pension, rent or dividends, check them against the D7.

You are about to retire from a UAE job

The D7 looks at the regular income you will have after you stop working, such as a pension or rent. An end-of-service gratuity on its own is a weaker case.

You want to keep living in the UAE

Neither visa fits. The D7 and D8 are for people who make Portugal their home.

• Your main income is a pension, rent, dividends or interest: the D7.
• You earn from an employer or clients outside Portugal, averaging at least €3,680 a month over 3 months: the D8 residence visa.
• You are an employee without written permission to work from Portugal: ask your employer first. The D8 depends on it.
• You work remotely and want a year in Portugal without starting residence: the D8 temporary-stay visa, knowing it won't count toward residence.
• You meet neither figure yet: the calculator shows what your household needs for each route.

Only the Portuguese embassy and AIMA make decisions. VisaHelm is an independent consultancy, not affiliated with any government, embassy, VFS Global or AIMA.

Check your household against both thresholds with the eligibility calculator. Then book a free 15-minute call. We'll tell you plainly whether the D7 or the D8 fits, or whether neither does yet.