Portugal D7 Visa Requirements — Complete 2026 Checklist

The Portugal D7 visa requirements are published in law and consular guidance, but the operational standard at consulates and at AIMA frequently exceeds the published floor. Understanding the gap between legal minimum and practical expectation is the difference between an approved file and a refused one.

This page is a complete checklist of 2026 requirements: income thresholds by family size, what counts as qualifying passive income, the documentary file, accommodation standards, health-insurance specs, criminal-record requirements by country of origin, and the post-arrival AIMA requirements. The overview of the D7 itself lives on our main D7 page; this page focuses on the documentary detail.

Legal framework

The D7 visa is created by Article 61 of Law 23/2007 (the Portuguese Foreigners Act), regulated by Decree-Law 84/2007 and successive amendments. The implementing rules are set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for consulate-stage processing) and AIMA (for residence-permit issuance in Portugal).

The legal minimum income threshold ties to the Portuguese national minimum wage (Salário Mínimo Nacional, SMN), which is updated annually in the State Budget. In 2026 the SMN is approximately €870/month. Family allowances are calculated as percentages of the SMN.

Income requirements by family size (2026)

The income calculation follows a fixed formula: 100% of SMN for the primary applicant, plus 50% for a spouse or partner, plus 30% per dependent child. Family aggregates:

• Single applicant: ~€870/month (~€10,440/year). Practical consulate standard 120–150% of legal floor.
• Couple: ~€1,305/month combined (~€15,660/year) at legal floor; ~€18,000–€20,000/year in practice.
• Couple with one child: ~€1,566/month (~€18,792/year) legal; ~€22,000–€25,000/year practical.
• Couple with two children: ~€1,827/month (~€21,924/year) legal; ~€26,000–€29,000/year practical.
• Couple with three children: ~€2,088/month (~€25,056/year) legal; ~€30,000–€33,000/year practical.

Beyond ongoing income, applicants are typically asked to evidence a savings buffer of 6–12 months of the qualifying income held in a Portuguese bank account.

What counts as 'passive income' for the D7

The D7 is for passive or recurring income that does not require ongoing work in Portugal. Active employment or freelance income earned in Portugal is not D7-qualifying (the D8 visa exists specifically for active remote work). Qualifying sources:

• Pensions — public (Social Security, DWP State Pension, CPP, etc.), occupational, private. The single most common D7 income source.
• Rental income from real-estate portfolios, evidenced by lease agreements and bank receipts. Consulates expect 12 months of consistent rental flow.
• Dividends from companies the applicant holds equity in, evidenced by distribution statements and tax returns.
• Royalties and intellectual-property income — recurring royalty statements from publishers, licensing agreements, IP-portfolio income.
• Interest and structured-product income from savings, bonds, annuities.
• Recurring distributions from trusts or estate vehicles — structured to be passive income, not employment income.

Salary income, ongoing consulting income, freelance fees from active engagements — these are not D7-qualifying and trigger refusals when misclassified.

Documentary checklist

• Valid passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the visa application; minimum 2 blank pages
• Two recent passport-size photos meeting Portuguese consular spec (35x45mm, white background, recent)
• Proof of accommodation in Portugal — long-term lease (minimum 12 months, ideally aligned with the visa duration), property deed, or notarised invitation letter from a Portuguese resident
• NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) — Portuguese tax identification number, obtainable by lawyer with power of attorney before travel
• Portuguese bank account in the applicant's name with a meaningful balance (typically €5,000–€15,000 minimum at the visa-application stage)
• Proof of regular income — 12 months of bank statements showing income deposits, pension award letters, lease contracts, dividend statements, employer letters as applicable
• Criminal-record certificate from country of citizenship and any country lived in for more than 12 months in the last 5 years — apostilled in the country of issue
• Health insurance valid in Portugal for the 24-month visa duration, meeting Portuguese minimum coverage levels
• Form 1A — statement allowing the Portuguese Border Service to consult your Portuguese criminal record
• Letter of intent describing your relocation plans, income sources, and reasons for choosing Portugal
• Visa application form — completed and signed
• Visa application fee receipt — typically €90 per applicant

Accommodation requirements

Consulates want to see that you have a real place to live in Portugal — not a tourist booking. Acceptable forms:

• Long-term lease — minimum 12 months, ideally aligned with the 24-month visa duration. Must be a registered lease, not an informal arrangement.
• Property deed — if you have purchased a Portuguese property, the deed (escritura) and Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis (IMI) registration.
• Notarised invitation letter from a Portuguese resident or property owner offering accommodation, accompanied by their proof of accommodation rights.
• Short-term rentals, AirBnBs, hotels: not accepted. Booking confirmations on temporary platforms are routinely rejected.

Health insurance requirements

Health insurance is mandatory for the D7 visa application and must:

• Be valid in Portugal for the full visa duration (24 months)
• Provide minimum coverage of €30,000 for medical and repatriation
• Cover the applicant and all dependents included in the application
• Be issued by a provider licensed to operate in Portugal or by an internationally recognised insurer with Portuguese coverage
• Provide a Portuguese-language coverage summary if requested

Once your residence permit is issued and you register with Segurança Social, you gain SNS access on the same terms as Portuguese nationals. Most foreign retirees maintain private supplementary insurance alongside SNS.

Criminal-record requirements (by country)

Every applicant must provide a clean criminal-record certificate from their country of nationality and from any country lived in for more than 12 months in the last 5 years. Country-specific notes:

• United States: FBI Identity History Summary, apostilled by the US State Department. Typical lead time 6–10 weeks. Plus state-level certificates for any state lived in >12 months in last 5 years.
• United Kingdom: ACRO Police Certificate, apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Standard service 10 working days plus apostille time.
• Canada: RCMP Criminal Record Check (Certified Fingerprints), apostilled by Global Affairs Canada.
• Australia: National Police Check from the AFP, apostilled by DFAT.
• EU countries: equivalent national criminal-record certificate, apostilled (the Apostille Convention applies to all EU member states).
• Brazil: Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais (federal and state), apostilled.

All foreign documents must be apostilled in the country of issue. The apostille validates the document's authenticity for use in Portugal under the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents without apostilles are not accepted.