Does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa for remote workers? 🇵🇹

Almost every other blog post that you can find online claims that Portugal already had a Digital Nomad Visa, but the truth is that it wasn't until October 2022 that the Portuguese government announced a new Digital Nomad Visa aimed at remote workers and entrepreneurs. In this guide, we will explain what the new Digital Nomad Visa is and how it differs from the D7 Visa, which has been referred to as the former as it has been used by remote workers and self-employed expats but is a different type of visa originally targeted at retirees and people with passive income.

So what is the new Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

The Portugal Digital Nomad Visa a new residency visa targeted at digital nomads to facilitate remote work from the country. The visa will allow digital nomads to stay or settle for a certain period of time in Portugal.

This new visa will ease even more the immigration process to Portugal, creating an additional option besides others, such as the D7 or Golden Visa. The idea behind this new visa is that it will attract more people from around the world who want to work remotely in Europe and make their lives easier by having access to healthcare and other benefits while they're there. With its tax-friendly environment, this new visa will make Portugal one of the most attractive European countries for remote workers – along with others like Spain, Italy, Malta, or Croatia.

How is the new Digital Nomad Visa different from the Portugal D7 Visa?

The D7 visa has been used massively since the pandemic by remote workers and digital nomads looking to relocate to Portuguese expat hubs in Portugal like Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, or Madeira. However, this residency permit was originally aimed at pensioners and other people with passive income – that is why it should be nicknamed the passive income visa, not the digital nomad visa. The trick is that these remote workers have been declaring their normal income as “passive” when applying for the Portugal D7 visa. And that is why the Portuguese government has just released a new visa specifically aimed at them.

The Digital Nomad Visa differs from the D7 as it gives the option of relocating not only permanently but also temporarily, offering the opportunity of living and working in Portugal but without a long-term commitment. This new digital nomad visa can be used either as a short-stay permit of up to one year (after which you'd have to return to your home country) or as  a permanent residency permit. The former is ideal for remote workers looking to live and work temporarily from Portugal for longer than the 90 days available under a tourist visa in the Schengen Area. The latter is perfect for digital nomads who are looking to secure a residency visa in Portugal and travel visa-free in the European Union.

Who is Eligible for the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

The requirements will be similar to those of the D7 Visa, with some small exceptions:

• You must be a non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen.

• Your monthly income must be at least four times the minimum wage in Portugal. Note that the minimum wage in Portugal is ~730 euros per month, making the monthly income needed ~2820 euros per month. This requirement will allow you to forget about the cost of living in Portugal, as it is way lower than the income requirements due to the low cost of living in the country – besides some services targeted at expats like coworking spaces or Airbnbs.

• You will need to provide a work contract (either in Portuguese territory or remote work) or proof that they are self-employed and will register as a freelancer in the country.

• You will need a clean criminal record.

It is still unknown whether the Portuguese government will require proof of residency, such as a rental agreement (like they do for the D7 visa), since they haven't published much official information about this new type of visa yet.

What are the Rules and Requirements of the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

The rules of the new Portugal Digital Nomad Visa are generic visa requirements quite similar to those of the D7 visa.

• You'll need to get a Portuguese Tax ID number (NIF)

• You'll need to open a Portuguese bank account

• You'll need to prove financial self-sufficiency (the minimum income requirement discussed earlier)

• You'll need proof of accommodation and meet a minimum stay requirement. However, it is yet unclear whether this and the minimum stay requirement will also be in place for the temporary residency permit.

• You'll need to gather all the documents requested

• You'll need to obtain a compliant health insurance

• You'll need to demonstrate a clean criminal record

Is the digital nomad visa Portugal renewable?

This new digital nomad visa can be used as a temporary stay visa to be in the country for up to one year, and it will likely allow those who hold it to renew it into a permanent residency permit, which is also offered under this type of visa. However, this still requires official confirmation from the Portuguese authorities.

Can I move to Portugal with a remote job?

Yes, this new digital nomad visa allows you to move to Portugal using your remote job as proof of income. Indeed, it is originally targeted at this case, unlike the D7 passive income visa.

Do I need a visa to work in Portugal?

If you want to work in Portugal, you'll need to be a legal resident in the country first. Luckily, the new digital nomad visa is also a work visa that allows you to get a job in the country.

What is the process for getting a Portuguese digital nomad visa? 🛬

The process for getting this visa is pretty similar to the one for other visas. Besides making sure you meet the requirements, you'll need to bring the required documents to the embassy with you when applying for the Portugal digital nomad visa. Other personal or professional information might be required during your application process. Applications are accepted starting on October 30th, 2022.

Also, once you have obtained the visa and live and work from Portugal, you will need to handle other processes like changing your tax residency to pay taxes in Portugal. Additionally, you will need to request the NHR status to get the special tax benefits mentioned above, and get a social security number.

Baseflow can help you with the entire process, just provide us some basic information and we will provide support with EVERYTHING you need to move to Portugal properly.

How do I apply for a Portuguese digital nomad visa?

You can apply for a Digital Nomad Visa from the Portuguese Consulate in your home country. If you are already in Portugal, you can apply at SEF, the Foreign Borders Office in Portugal.

How much is a digital nomad visa Portugal?

The fees for this new visa haven't been announced yet, but will likely be similar to those of the D7 visa.

How long does it take to get a digital nomad visa for Portugal?

Like with any process that involves bureaucracy, the time that your visa application will take will depend on the Portuguese government and their embassy in your home country.

If you want to make sure you go through the whole relocation process as fast as possible, consider Baseflowing to Portugal – even though we can't affect the processing time from the end of the government, the rest of the processes will go as smoothly as possible.