Quick answer first
The D7 route allows a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national to seek a national residence visa for settlement in Portugal, followed by a temporary residence permit from AIMA. Applicants must evidence adequate, regular resources, accommodation, insurance and the other general visa conditions.
Who may consider D7?
Pensioners and people intending to live in Portugal on sustainable income from movable or immovable property, intellectual property or financial investments may examine this route. AIMA’s official guidance gives examples of evidence for pensions, property income, intellectual-property income and financial-investment returns.
- Pension recipients
- People with documented, continuing rental income
- People with documented dividends, interest or investment income
- People with sustainable royalties or licence income
Financial reference and family calculation
The means-of-subsistence ordinance uses 100% of the reference wage for the first adult, 50% for additional adults and 30% for children under 18 and dependent older children. With the 2026 mainland RMMG at €920, the arithmetic is:
| Household | Monthly reference | 12-month arithmetic | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| One adult | €920 | €11,040 | 100% |
| Two adults | €1,380 | €16,560 | 100% + 50% |
| Two adults + 1 child | €1,656 | €19,872 | 100% + 50% + 30% |
| Two adults + 2 children | €1,932 | €23,184 | 100% + 50% + 30% + 30% |
Regular income is not the same as savings
Regular resources are cash flows whose source and continuity can be documented. Savings support financial resilience. Portuguese law does not publish one fixed D7 amount that every applicant must hold in a Portuguese bank. Any NIF, local-account or balance requirement should be confirmed against the current filing-post checklist.
Document categories
Prepare the category-specific evidence above alongside your jurisdiction’s general checklist. Common passport, criminal-record, accommodation and certification requirements are explained in the visa overview; use the competent consulate’s current checklist on the application date.
Proving accommodation
The visa stage requires accommodation conditions. AIMA’s current general residence page requires an address declaration plus proof of the legal basis for using the property: a land-registry certificate/access code for owners or usufructuaries, or a declaration from the landlord/accommodation provider explaining the applicant’s legal position, for example.
The official general text does not itself create a universal “12-month lease only” rule or a blanket statement that every short-term booking is forbidden. The safer approach is genuine, verifiable accommodation that convincingly supports an intention to settle, together with the current local checklist.
Application route
Use the competent Portuguese consular post and its currently authorised application provider.
Use country-specific document, translation, legalisation, payment and appointment rules.
Bank movements, agreements, institutional letters and tax records should describe the same source.
Personal attendance, fees and passport-retention practice should be confirmed locally.
Gov.pt states a 60-day decision period; actual timing may vary with scrutiny and workload.
The gov.pt service lists a €90 visa fee. Local-currency conversion, provider fee and payment method can change and should be rechecked before the appointment.
Entry and the AIMA residence stage
A residence visa permits the applicant to begin the settlement process; it is not the residence card. After entry, follow the visa label/appointment information and complete the AIMA residence application.
- Valid passport and residence visa
- Evidence of means of subsistence
- Address declaration and legal right-to-use evidence
- Family evidence where relevant
- Tax and social-security registration where applicable
- Health insurance or evidence of SNS coverage
A general temporary residence permit is valid for two years and is renewable for successive three-year periods. AIMA fees changed on 1 March 2026 and depend on the procedure and channel; use the current official fee table rather than an approximate card price.
Absence from Portugal
The general cancellation threshold for temporary residence concerns an unjustified absence of six consecutive months or eight non-consecutive months during the permit’s total validity. This is not the same as the 183-day tax-residence test. The law also provides for notification and justified exceptions.
Family members
Review household conditions as a separate part of your application. visa overview
Tax and work
Immigration residence and tax residence are separate legal questions. Spending more than 183 days in Portugal is an important tax test, but maintaining a dwelling as a habitual residence can also matter. The taxation of foreign income depends on the income type, treaties and individual facts.
D7 is applied for on the basis of own resources. Residence-permit holders have work and business rights, but an applicant should not misdescribe the real main purpose at the visa stage.
Permanent residence and nationality: the 2026 change
Preparing this visa file does not guarantee a citizenship outcome. visa overview
Common risk factors
- Explain savings separately from recurring income.
- Match income statements to bank receipts.
- Distinguish an active work plan where another visa route applies.
Final pre-filing check
- Is my income genuinely regular, lawful and documentable?
- Have I calculated the 2026 household reference correctly?
- Am I using the current checklist for my filing country?
- Have I confirmed apostille/translation rules document by document?
- Is my accommodation genuine, verifiable and legally explained?
- Have I rechecked fees and payment method?
- Have I retained updated evidence for the AIMA stage?
- Have I avoided planning nationality around the obsolete five-year claim?
Frequently asked questions
How do I distinguish savings from recurring income?
Make the income source, continuity and distinction from savings explicit.
What does a practical file review look like?
Use the preparation scenario above and the cross-check table below; reconcile the documents before submitting.
Where should I read the general visa questions?
General visa FAQ. Keep this page for the specific route above.
Official sources
- Gov.pt – residence visa for pensioners and persons living on own income
- Decree-Law no. 139/2025 – 2026 RMMG of €920
- Ordinance no. 1563/2007 – means-of-subsistence weightings
- AIMA – means of subsistence and evidence
- AIMA – general residence conditions
- AIMA – 1 March 2026 fee update
- Organic Law no. 1/2026 – nationality rules
Cross-check this file
| Item | Review |
|---|---|
| Income source | Explain savings separately from recurring income. |
| Payment evidence | Match income statements to bank receipts. |
| Actual plan | Distinguish an active work plan where another visa route applies. |