The D7 Passive Income Visa : A gateway for Non- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens

With the recent limiting changes in both The Golden Visa and the Non-Habitual Residency accords , the D7 Visa is now the talk on everyone’s lips!

The D7 Visa, most commonly known as the Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa was introduced by the Portuguese Government in 2007 . This Visa allows non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens to apply for temporary residency in Portugal, conditioned on the applicant being in receipt of a reasonable and regular passive income.

Let´s break it down…

D7 Visa benefits  :

1 – Permission to live, work and/or study in Portugal

2 – Applicant can extend process for children and parents

3 – Visa- free travel in the Schengen Area

4 – The opportunity to either start a business or accept employment in Portugal

6 – After a period of 5 years ,the applicant is eligible to qualify for a permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship

7 – Resident rights in Portugal, which include healthcare and education

 D7 Visa eligibility requirements:

1 – Applicant is a Non-Eu/EEA/Swiss Citizen

2 – Spend a minimum of 16 months in Portugal within the first 2 year period of application

3 – Proof of funds to be financially self sustaining during stay in Portugal

4 – A clean criminal record

5 – Proof of a residency address in Portugal

 Passive- income requirements for The D7 Visa eligibility:

1 – Proof of a regular passive- income, derived from either a pension, rentals, dividend or financial investments

2 – The applicant must show proof of a minimum passive income of €8,460 per year (+50% for a spouse and +30% per child)

3 – (It is advisable that the applicant hold an amount equal to 12 months income in a Portuguese bank account)

The documents required and the application procedure:

1 – Open a bank account in your name in Portugal

2 – Proof of a secured long-term accommodation in Portugal, either through purchase or rental

3 – Fill the D7 Visa form via the SEF website. Organize and attend an interview with the Portuguese Consulate in the current country of residence, bringing the form. For a temporary visa expect a cost of around €75, and for a permanent visa around €90

4 – Once the application is approved a temporary visa is issued enabling travel to Portugal for 4 months, where a meeting must be had with Immigration & Borders Service – Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) – in Portugal. For this appointment the application form is needed along with recent photos, passport, proof of sufficient funds, proof of accommodation, criminal record, NIF, valid medical insurance.

The Minimum Stay Requirements And Renewal Interval:

1. Once  the application is approved, a Portuguese residency document is emitted which is valid for 2 years – which must then be renewed and is extended for a further 3 years
2. At the end of the 3 year residency( which in total equals a 5 year period)  the applicant can then apply for either another 3 year residency permit, a permanent residency card or citizenship. All applicants should expect a fee between €50 to €300, per applicant.
3. In the 2 year application period, the applicant must spend a minimum of 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months PER ANUM in Portugal.