Moving to Portugal in 2026? See which visa fits, and which tax regime you can claim.
Most people moving from the US, the UK or Canada use one of three visas: the D7, the D8 or the D2. This page explains all three.
The check also covers a job offer in Portugal, the Golden Visa and moving with an EU partner. And it tells you if IFICI or IRS Jovem could cut your tax.
Answer a few quick questions. You see your result straight away, with no sign-up.
Rather talk it through?
Como funciona
Answer the check
About 2 minutes. Your visa route and your tax options, side by side.
Talk it through
A free 15-minute call. We tell you what applies, including when the answer is no.
We do the admin
With our partner lawyer and partner accountant in Portugal. You follow every step in your client portal.
Which visa fits depends on how you earn
It comes down to where your money comes from.
If you live on passive income
Pensions, Social Security, rentals, dividends, interest. Often called the retirement visa, but you don't have to be retired.
If you work remotely
You're employed by, or freelance for, companies outside Portugal. Often called the digital nomad visa.
If you run your own business
You're setting up a company in Portugal, or bringing an existing business with you.
None of these? A job offer from a Portuguese employer, an investment, or a partner with an EU passport each has its own route. The check covers those too.
If your income comes from a pension, rentals or investments
The D7 is built around one number: Portugal's minimum wage.
In 2026 that's €920 a month.
| Main applicant | At least €920 a month of regular passive income, after social security contributions |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner | Add 50%: €460 a month |
| Each child | Add 30%: €276 a month |
| Poupanças | Plan for about a year of the main figure: €11,040 for one person |
You need to meet these figures again at your residence appointment in Portugal.
"Does my US Social Security count?"
Yes. Pensions, including Social Security, count as passive income for the D7.
If you work remotely for an employer or clients abroad
The D8 asks for more income than the D7, and it measures it differently.
| Rendimento | An average of at least €3,680 a month over your last 3 months. That's 4 times the 2026 minimum wage |
|---|---|
| Who you work for | An employer or clients based outside Portugal |
| Família | The law sets no extra amount. We still plan for a cushion, because the consulate checks your income covers everyone |
"I'm a freelancer with several clients. Does that work?"
Yes. What matters is the average over the last 3 months and that the work comes from outside Portugal.
If you're starting or moving a business
The D2 is for founders, freelancers setting up on their own and business owners moving an existing company.
You'll need a business plan.
Your own savings matter just as much.
In recent files we analysed, the applicant's own means counted as much as the plan.
What every application needs
The details differ by visa and by consulate. The core is the same:
- A valid passport
- Proof of the income the visa asks for
- Proof you can support yourself while you settle in
- Somewhere to live in Portugal, usually a rental contract
- A criminal record certificate from where you've lived, apostilled
- Health insurance for the start of your stay
- A Portuguese tax registration, done before you apply
"Can I use a hotel or Airbnb as my address?"
It's risky. A 12-month rental contract is the safer choice, and it's what we plan for.
How long it takes
Two clocks: getting the appointment, then waiting for the decision.
- Get your documents readyWeeks
Usually the longest part you control. Apostilles and translations take weeks, not days.
- Get a consulate appointmentVaries
Depends on where you apply. In some places it takes months.
- Wait for the decisionAbout 60 days
The usual consulate guideline. In our decided files: 17 to 131 days.
- Enter PortugalWithin 4 months
The visa gives you 4 months to arrive.
- Get your residence permit2 years, then 3
At your appointment with AIMA, Portugal's immigration agency.
One rule to plan around:
On your first permit, you need to spend at least 16 of the first 24 months in Portugal, with no more than 6 months away in a row.
What we do, and what we can't
What we do:
Tell you which visa fits and what to do first. Then check every document with our partner immigration lawyer before you submit.
What we can't do:
Book your consulate appointment for you, or make the consulate or AIMA move faster. You book and attend. We get you ready for it.
Confession: when I moved to Portugal, it took me about six months to feel settled.
Not because Portugal is hard. Because nobody tells you the order things happen in.
That's why we start every move with a call and a plan.
Philip B., founder
Who you'll be dealing with
Mariana C. is one of our partner lawyers. She's registered with the Ordem dos Advogados, the Portuguese Bar.
Tax questions go to our partner accountant, certified by the OCC, Portugal's order of certified accountants. Your visa and your tax are checked on the same case.
In their words
★★★★★Immigrating to another country is intimidating and having people who know the system behind you changes everything. They're professional, they're helpful, and they went beyond what I was expecting. I'd recommend them to anyone moving to Portugal without hesitation.
Marsida Hoxha
★★★★★Friendly, patient, and they broke the process into steps I could follow without a law degree. Questions got answered same-day every time. If you're weighing up whether to use a service like this, use this one.
Dom A
★★★★★Smooth the whole way through. You always know which stage you're at and what's needed from you, and the instructions don't leave room for misreading. Money well spent.
Matteo Ferrara
Questions people ask first
Can my partner and children come with me?
Yes. On the D7, add 50% of the minimum wage for a partner and 30% for each child to the income you show.
I have a pension and some remote work. D7 or D8?
It depends on which income is bigger and steadier.
Only the pension counts for the D7. Only the work income counts for the D8. Bring your numbers to the free call.
Is there a tax break when I move?
There can be. IFICI taxes qualifying work income in Portugal at 20% for 10 years. It's for people who weren't tax resident here in the last 5 years. It doesn't cover pensions, or a remote job for a company abroad.
If you're 35 or under, IRS Jovem makes part of your work income tax-free in your first years of earning. The check tells you which one could apply to you.
Do I need a lawyer?
No law says you must use one, and some people apply on their own. If you want your file checked before you submit, our partner immigration lawyer does that with us.
Is this an official government website?
No. Novomove is a private relocation service. The visa decision is always made by the Portuguese consulate and AIMA.
Still not sure which visa fits?
Tell us how you earn and who's coming with you. In 15 minutes we'll tell you which visa fits. If none of them do, we'll say so.
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