A free PDF guide — an income from €3,680 a month
A guide to the D8 visafor Portugal
A status for people who work remotely for foreign companies or their own clients. A card for 2 years, the family together, and work in the country is allowed. We set out the threshold, the additions for the family and how it differs from the D7.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 12.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not a guarantee of approval. The requirements are confirmed on the date of application.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about the D8 before the calculation
Four things that decide the threshold and the choice between the D8 and the D7.
- The threshold is higher than on the passive status
An income from €3,680 a month is required — that is four minimum wages. In return, active employment income qualifies, not only a pension and rent.
- A card for two years
The first card runs 2 years and is renewed for 3. Permanent residence opens after 5 years, the right to citizenship after 10.
- The clients are outside Portugal
The employer or the clients are abroad. That is the key difference from local employment.
- The family comes along
A spouse and children are included in the application, and the threshold rises by fixed amounts.
02 / Income
What income your family needs
Set out the family: an addition is made to the base threshold for every member.
03 / D8 and D7
Which status suits you
Both visas lead to the same residence card, but they are built for different kinds of income.
The values were checked against the official material on 12.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | D8Remote work | D7Passive income |
|---|---|---|
| What income qualifies | a salary and fees from foreign clients | a pension, rent, dividends, interest |
| The threshold for the applicant | from €3,680 a month | from €920 a month |
| The card | 2 years | 2 years |
| Renewal | for 3 years | for 3 years |
| Work in Portugal | permitted | permitted |
| Residence | required | required |
| Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate | You work and are paid a salary | You live on rent and a pension |
- What income qualifies
- a salary and fees from foreign clients
- a pension, rent, dividends, interest
- The threshold for the applicant
- from €3,680 a month
- from €920 a month
- The card
- 2 years
- 2 years
- Renewal
- for 3 years
- for 3 years
- Work in Portugal
- permitted
- permitted
- Residence
- required
- required
- Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- You work and are paid a salary
- You live on rent and a pension
Choosing the wrong ground is a common reason for refusal: the kind of income has to match the visa.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the status.
- The essentials firstThe key facts of the programme: what decides the matter.
- A comparisonThe terms of the programme in one table.
- How the work runsThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The analysisWhat is checked before the status is granted.
- The limitsWhat affects the timings, the costs and keeping the status.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
First the Portuguese formalities, then the consulate and the AIMA appointment.
- The income and the employment are checked
We look at who pays: a foreign employer or clients, and how the regularity can be evidenced.
- The Portuguese formalities
The NIF tax number, a bank account, a lease or the purchase of a home.
- The D8 visa application
The application at the consulate: contracts, statements, insurance, a certificate of no criminal record.
- The visa and the entry
An entry visa is issued; the AIMA appointment has to fall within its validity.
- The AIMA appointment
Biometrics and the application for the residence card at the migration agency.
- The card and its renewal
A card for 2 years, renewed for 3. The whole process takes 3-5 months.
07 / The check
What is examined in the application
The regularity of the income, the foreign source, the housing and the standard set of documents.
- Contracts and statements
What is evidenced is the regularity of the income over several months before the application, not one-off receipts.
- A foreign source
The employer or the clients have to be outside Portugal.
- Housing and the NIF
A registered lease, the tax number and an account with a Portuguese bank.
- No criminal record, and insurance
Certificates with an apostille and a sworn translation, and medical insurance for the first period.
The income is evidenced for a period before the application: what matters is steady receipts, not the balance on a single day.
08 / The limits
What to take into account in advance
Five limits that bear on the timings, the tax and the long-term plans.
The threshold is well above the D7€3,680 against €920
Four minimum wages is a serious requirement on income.
You have to live in the countryA status for moving
Long absences put the renewal of the card in doubt.
Tax residenceAfter 183 days
Portugal taxes the worldwide income of its residents — the sums are worked out before the move.
The queues at AIMAAppointment times move
The real timeline depends on the biometrics slot and can run past the estimate.
Citizenship after ten yearsUnder the new law
The naturalisation qualifying period has been extended: the horizon to plan for is a long one.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists who deal with the Portuguese consulates and with AIMA.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 12 August 2026
- Last updated
- 12 August 2026
The official sources
- The Agency for Integration, Migration and AsylumAIMA, Portugal · checked 12.08.2026How the residence card is issued and the requirements on applicants.
- Consular information on visas for remote workVistos, Portugal · checked 12.08.2026The set of documents and the procedure for a D8 visa application.
- The minimum wage for 2026Diário da República · checked 12.08.2026The base for the threshold: the requirement is set as a multiple of the minimum wage.
10 / Common questions
Questions about the D8 visa
How much do I have to earn?
From €3,680 a month for the applicant — €44,160 a year. €460 is added for a spouse and €276 a month for a child.
How does the D8 differ from the D7?
The D8 is for active income from remote work with a threshold of €3,680 a month; the D7 is for passive income with a threshold of €920.
May I work in Portugal?
Yes, the status permits work and business in the country, although the ground for it is foreign income.
How long is the card issued for?
The first card runs 2 years and is renewed for 3 years.
Do I have to live in the country?
Yes, this is a status for living there: a long absence puts the renewal in doubt.
What about the family?
A spouse and children are included in the application, and the income requirement rises accordingly.
When does permanent residence open?
After 5 years of living there, citizenship after 10 years under the new law.
How long does the process take?
3-5 months, allowing for the AIMA appointment.
Free of charge
Take the guide and the income calculation
We will send the PDF with the thresholds and a calculation for your family.
- The income threshold and the additions for the family
- How the D8 differs from the D7
- The order of the application and the AIMA appointment
- The path to permanent residence and citizenship