One page for Canadians looking at Portugal: residence visas, Portuguese citizenship by descent, tax and living costs. Pick your route, then send your question.
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Canadians look at Portugal for two different reasons: to move there on a residence visa, or to claim Portuguese citizenship through family. This page sends you to the right guide for each route. We focus on the Portuguese immigration and nationality side; Canadian tax questions need a Canadian cross-border tax adviser.
Start here: the residence routes, NIF, Canadian documents, the consulate in Canada and AIMA, in order.
Moving guide for Canadians →The D7, D8 and Golden Visa from Canada: the consulates in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canadian documents and tax points.
Visa guide for Canadians →For Luso-Canadians with a Portuguese parent or grandparent: Canadian documents, apostilles and the Conservatória filing.
Citizenship guide for Canadians →For retirees and people on passive income, including CPP, OAS and private pensions.
Learn more →For remote workers whose income comes from employers or clients outside Portugal.
Learn more →For investors, through the routes in Article 3(1)(d) of Law 23/2007: funds, research, culture, companies and jobs.
Learn more →Portugal’s tax incentive for certain activities, which replaced the NHR for people who become resident from 2024.
Learn more →Housing, food, utilities, healthcare and transport by region, compared with Canada.
Learn more →D7, D8, D2 and Golden Visa side by side: who each is for and the money test.
Learn more →Naturalisation after legal residence: the rules since 19 May 2026.
Learn more →Planning the move itself? Our moving to Portugal from Canada guide takes you through the steps in order, from choosing a route to your AIMA residence permit.
FAQ
Short, plain answers. For specifics on your case, send your question.
For short stays, Schengen rules allow up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa (see the EES page). The EU’s Entry/Exit System and ETIAS have their own start dates, so check the official EU Travel Europe pages. To live in Portugal you need a long-stay visa or residence permit, unless you are Portuguese.
Possibly not. If you can claim Portuguese citizenship by descent, you can live in Portugal as a citizen. Read our citizenship by descent guide for Canadians and check your documents before you apply for a visa.
It depends on your income. Retirees with pension, CPP or OAS income use the D7; remote workers earning from outside Portugal use the D8; investors use the Golden Visa. Compare them in our visa comparison.
Yes, by naturalisation. Since 19 May 2026 the legal residence period is ten years for nationals of countries outside the EU and the Portuguese-speaking countries, which includes Canada. See our citizenship requirements guide.
Send your question and tell us about your situation, or call +351 923 297 575. You can also write to advogados@portugalvisalawyer.com.
Send your question →Related guides
Not sure which route fits? Compare the D7, D8 and Golden Visa side by side.