The Digital nomad visa (the resident visa for remote work) is a popular option for those who want to live and work in the country while maintaining a remote job or freelancing and an income of at least €3,480 per month. With this visa, you can obtain a residence permit for 2 years and then extend it for the next 3 years. The time of residence on this visa counts towards the period of residence for obtaining a passport.
Talk to an expert👉 Short-term visa: Allows you to stay in Portugal for up to 12 months, but you cannot apply for a residence permit. This option is suitable if you don't plan to stay in Portugal for a longer period. Portugal digital nomad visa 2023 and 2024 requirements include proof of paid accommodation for the entire stay and return tickets from Portugal to your country, similar to the long-term DN visa.
👉 Long-term visa: Grants a residence permit and allows you to stay in Portugal for over a year. This is the option to choose if you want to receive residence permit, live in Portugal and potentially obtain Portuguese citizenship in the future. Residence permit could be renewed if you prove that you still earn the necessary amount of money.
If you apply for a DN visa, your family can apply simultaneously for accompanying visas. These visas will have the same duration as the main holder's Digital Nomad visa - either long-term and converted to a residence permit by AIMA, or short-term. Requirements for accompanying family members vary by consulate: + 50-100% savings per spouse and 30% per child.
You do not need a Portuguese bank account, and official requirements for the Digital Nomad visa do not mention mandatory savings for the main applicant. However, based on experience, in some countries it is recommended to show at least €10440 per person. To increase the chances of getting approved for a long-term visa, some applicants aim to show a deposit of 12-16 thousand euros.
✅ As Brazil is a member of CPLP there are some specific features mentioned in CPLP MOBILITY AGREEMENT
CPLP citizens are exempted from presenting:
👉 travel insurance,
👉 means of subsistence,
👉 and return air ticket upon presentation of responsibility term in the following terms:
👉 a) Presentation of a term signed by the host entity for interns or workers, as well as by the organization responsible for student exchange or volunteer programs.
👉 b) Presentation of a term of responsibility, signed by a Portuguese citizen or a foreign citizen, with a residence permit in Portugal, which guarantees food and accommodation for the visa applicant, as well as the replacement of removal costs, in case of irregular stay.
✅ To assume this role of responsibility for the visa applicant, it will be necessary to prove financial means, also in the amount of three times the minimum wage (760€).
✅ The proof can be done through bank balances and income tax declaration of the previous year, preferably. Also the embassy may require proof of the guarantor’s accommodation - their lease contract or property certificate.
✅ The process is very simple. The citizen or resident must fill out a term of responsibility with his/her personal data and send it to the applicant so that he/she can include it in the documentation requesting the visa. Some consulates may require notarisation of the letter, so better prepare it beforehand.
Note: It is not recommended to try to replace D7/D2/DN income proof with a letter from the guarantor. The Embassy will likely consider it insufficient. For D7/D2/DN visas (and Job Seeker visa applicants without guarantors) it is necessary to show the required amount of money on a Portuguese bank account.
✅ Accommodation provided by guarantors is usually well accepted for all visa types, though it depends on individual circumstances.
✅ If you do not have a guarantor, prepare an official rental contract registered with Financas for 1 year, because Airbnb or Booking short-term rentals are no longer accepted.
In India the application for the D7 visa is based on the jurisdiction.
👉 1. Apply for a visa on the VFS.Global platform.
👉 2. Proceed with the payment of the application fee - which can be via Pix, debit card or bank deposit
👉 3. Forward all the necessary documentation to the nearest consulate to your location by post
Three consulates are in the southeast, in the following locations: Nova Lima, MG; Rio de Janeiro, RJ; São Paulo, SP. There is also one in the northeast, in Salvador, BA, and one in the center-west, in Brasilia, DF. Unfortunately, there is currently no agency in the north or south with an active and operating visa application center.
After submitting the initial application, applicants may be contacted by VFS to provide additional documentation or to attend an appointment at their preferred consulate.
👉 If VFS requests additional documents you may be able to send them via email to VFS and pay their printing fee
👉 VFS often request additional documentation, even if they have already received it in the past. However, it is more efficient to simply resubmit the documents rather than to try to explain any potential mistakes
👉 Keep a fresh criminal record as they may request it again. It should be issued during the last 30 days
👉 The processing time for a response, either approval or denial, currently takes 2-4 months.
VFS will keep the applicant updated through email or SMS on the status of their application. The status will change to "processed by consulate" once VFS has received, checked and sent the applicant's documents to the embassy. The applicant will receive a notification when their passport is ready for collection, but the final result will only be known when they open the package from the embassy to check their passport.
It is possible to apply for family reunion in Portugal, after the legal entry as a tourist, accompanying the holder of the main visa. Pay attention to the deadline for contacting the SEF: there are only 3 working days after arriving in the country. There is no problem if the service is scheduled for a later date, but initial contact with the SEF must be made within that period.
Alternatively, the request may be sent to the Portuguese Consulate, at the same time that the visa request is made for the main holder. On the VFS website, family companion visas are available in two modalities, depending on the type of digital nomad visa requested: Residence visa for accompanying family members for period over 12 months and Temporary stay visa for accompanying family members for period less than 12 months.
✅ For the issuance of a D7 visa, a bank account in Portugal with the necessary amount of savings and at least a one-year rental contract is required.
✅ For the Digital Nomad visa, it is sufficient to show savings in any bank account (preferably not Russian. Kazakh or Turkish accounts are acceptable).
✅ It is better to show your savings for two years instead of one for the D7 visa, as the first residence permit is issued for a period of two years. It is also desirable to show a monthly income of at least 1000 euros. For more information on the required amount of savings, please refer to our visa guides.
✅ For Digital Nomad visas, an annual rental contract is now required. Contracts from the Flatio platform are no longer accepted, you need to register your lease with Financas.
Note
✅ It is not necessary to upload all current documents during the initial application as you will most likely have to update them before submission.
✅ Proof of tax payment in your country of residence is required.
✅ Payment is only accepted in cash and without change.
✅ Copies of all passport pages, including the blank ones, must be provided.
⏳Timing: No significant delays are expected, and standard processing time is up to 60 days.
✅ to apply for a D7 visa in India, you will need a Portuguese bank account and a minimum one-year lease registered with Finanças (tax office in Portugal).
✅ It is recommended to show sufficient funds for 2 years instead of 1.
In India the application for the D7 visa is based on the jurisdiction.
✅ As of now, spouses need to apply separately. The application form is per individual; it doesn't have space/fields to mention spouse details hence it is to be filled individually.
✅ Two VFS appointments are required to be booked [same day, consecutive time slots] for submission considering there are two individuals.
✅ Write personal statement/motivation letter in a way you are complimenting each other and express the interest in moving there as a couple.
✅ Submit a copy of your marriage certificate, joint bank account statements.
✅ Rent agreement/lease [Portugal] should be in joint names.
✅ If one spouse is financially dependent on another, the dependent should submit financial portfolio statements of the spouse along with their application, and it is also worth mentioning it in their personal statement or motivation letter.
✅ Long waiting times mean that your insurance may expire. Most companies in India offer maximum 6 month long insurances, so opt for the longest available period.
✅ You may need your passport in the waiting period, and it is possible to request it back from the embassy. It is a slow process, and you won’t be able to get it for immediate emergency travel - requests are processed approx. 30 days. Be careful: it’s unclear how regaining your passport back from the embassy for travel may affect the visa application process.
Not clear if rental contracts with Flatio or cheaper contracts of accommodation services typical for student housing and hotels are eligible. Remember that you’ll need to pay rent while staying in India - sometimes up to a year of rent for a house you can’t use
✅ VFS visa center in Israel recently started to accept documents for DN and D7 visas
✅ It could be difficult to catch a slot for VFS appointment
✅ DN visa requires an annual lease or proof of company-provided housing, as well as savings equal to 12 times the minimum monthly income, though it is not stated on their website
✅ Portuguese bank account is not required, but the consulate strongly recommends opening one. You can use your Israeli bank account to show your savings.
✅ All statements should be in English.
✅ Flatio or Uniplaces rental contracts are accepted (no Airbnb)
✅ DN visa requires 3 months of income, employment contract, and company information. D7 visa requires no less than 12 months of bank account statements, showing your passive income.
✅ Form 106 tax payment statement is required
✅ You will need to write a detailed motivation letter
✅ Israeli bank statement in English requires appointment with bank manager and in-person visit
✅ Israeli certificate of no criminal record takes about 1 month to process; if holidays occur, wait longer. It should be requested on the site.
If you received your citizenship not so long ago it's better to request the certificate IN PERSON through POLICE OFFICE. Othrewise the request may be lost.
The certificate is sent to the consulate, so you will need to retrieve it from there to attach it to the package of your documents. If living in Israel for more than a year, no need for another certificate of criminal record
⏳ Timeframe: Processing time for visas is uncertain due to recent opening of VFS center, but no major delays expected
🖐 The🖐 consulate can become overloaded and may temporarily stop accepting applications. We recommend to closely monitor their website and write a request as soon as they open submissions, even if your residence permit is not ready yet
How to apply in Serbia? Consulate may stop accepting submissions from time to time in order to deal with received documents.
✍ To sign up for submission via email, send scans of all documents with proper translations and apostilles to [email protected]. It takes about 10 days to check them, and if everything is in order, a personal visit will be scheduled within about a week. The list of required documents on the website includes a request to the SEF, but the form there is not up to date. There is no point in filling it out because they will give you another one on the spot.
🌏 Although the website does not mention a letter of motivation, they will ask for it when you apply.
🤑 The fee for a resident visa is 110 euros, payable in cash in dinars.
✅ Bring copies of all original documents to the consulate.
👉All translations must be in English or Portuguese and completed by a court interpreter in Serbia.
⌛ Timeframe: approval for a visa can take up to 2 months.
✅ No need for a Portuguese bank account. An account in Turkey or another EU country that meets the savings requirements for the specific visa is enough.
✅ Short-term housing reservations (2-4 months) are accepted. There are many approved D7 and DN cases with reservations on Airbnb, Booking, and Flatio.
✅ To confirm your income, you need bank statements from any bank (including RU) with regular account receipts for 3-4 months.
✅ Tax information is not necessary.
✅ You can apply for a visa immediately after obtaining a residence permit. There's no minimum residency requirement in Turkey.
Email registration is the only option. The website registration doesn't work, so you should send an email to [email protected].
Since August 2022, registration for DN, D7 visas is actually stopped - the consulate does not send the letters and does not provide slots to submit documents. It is not quite clear how long this state of affairs will last. It might help to request a slot for filing documents through a licensed attorney. In some cases the consulate did respond to attorney's letters.\
Standard queestions for an e-mail to consulate —You can speed up communication with the consulate by writing a request and including answers to the standard form:
1. Passport copies for all
2. Residency permits in turkey for all
3. Name and Surname
4. Nationality
5. Where do theylive in Turkey or KKTC
6. What do you do in Turkey or KKTC
7. Do they have a valid Turkish or KKTC residence permit ?
8. If yes, what is the exact validity date of the residency? (You need to write the exact date.)
9. What is the purpose of the visit to Portugal?
10. For how long are they intended to stay in Portugal?
11. What are the traveling dates to Portugal?
12. Will they go to another Schengen countries other than Portugal? If yes, please write to each country´s name and how many days they will stay in?
13. The relationship between the people ; father, mother,…
✅ The documents for visa application in UAE are submitted through VFS global.
✅ You do not need an account in Portugal for DN visa. An account in the UAE is enough, where you have to show the receipts as per the requirements of the particular visa.
You can apply for DN visa 3 months after opening an account in the UAE.
✅ However, for D7 visa, certified account details in Portugal are required.
✅ The VFS website does not have any specific housing requirements for DN visas, but during consultations, they recommend providing at least a short-term rental for 30 days. It is desirable to make a reservation for 4 months, which is the entire period of validity of DN visas.
✅ Bookings on websites such as Booking and Flatio are suitable.
✅ D7 visa requires a long-term lease and a certified contract.
✅ There is no minimum residency requirement before applying for a visa through VFS.
✅ Resident ID must be valid for at least 7 months from the filing date. In addition, if you are submitting your application with your family, all family members must have a Resident ID as well.
✅ A Dubai tax residency document is required, or a letter from VFS counselors stating that it is not required.
✅ A detailed motivation letter is needed with your documents and VFS explanations, for example, showing that VFS asked for a 30-day reservation or stated that it is not required for employees of Dubai companies to prove tax residency.
✅ You need to prepare a certificate of no criminal record from the UAE and have it certified by MOFA, even if you have lived there for less than a year. The details for the certification can be found at https://www.mofaic.gov.ae/en/Services/attestation)
Main problems
⏳ Timeframe: It is better to set the date of entry at least 2 months from the date of filing to allow for processing time
✅ In the U.S., the method of application varies depending on where you live. Some consulates accept documents directly, and some accept them through VFS visa centers. You can apply only at the consulate to whose area of jurisdiction your permanent residence belongs.
✅ The way to apply also differs. Usually you need to make an online appointment at the consulate or visa center and then submit the documents in person. However, Boston, for example, requires you to send all electronic versions of your documents first for initial verification and to get an appointment to file in person. Check with your consulate for procedures.
✅ Rental or property purchase agreements must be submitted in Portuguese, as translation is not legally binding according to the law.
✅ It is necessary to show all funds in a bank account in Portugal.
For DN visa you need to show income for the last 3 months and work contracts. For D7 visa you should prove a stable passive income - for example, provide pension certificates or payments from Social Security. For D2/4/6 visas, you need to show the employment contracts, bank statements for the last 6 months and an Income Tax Return (ITR) certificate. It is recommended that you show funds for 2 years of residency, instead of 1 (i.e., the entire term of the residence permit).
For the FBI criminal record certificate, you will need to ask the police for fingerprints. You can request the certificate online or through authorized agencies. Time: 3 to 5 working days, price from $18 to $50. You will need to have the certificate apostilled by the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentication or - order a copy by email and a hard copy by mail. If you DO NOT open an envelope with the FBI report mailed to you, you will not need the certification (apostille) from the U.S. Department of State, except for the New York office. U.S. citizens applying from outside the United States will need the certificate apostilled.
Proof of residency for at least 12 months is required (except for some applications with a 6-month lease through Washington, D.C.). This can be a rental agreement, property purchase agreement, proof of residency on Airbnb or similar sites, staying with friends or relatives. If spouses are applying, it is advisable to have them both listed on the contract. If the contract of sale is in process, you will need a Contrato de Promessa de Compra e Venda (CPCV). If the accommodation is provided by the landlord free of charge, a Termo de responsabilidade certificate is drawn up, and the host's signature on the form must be notarized in Portugal. This is not the best option, you have to prove your relationship with the landlord and it reduces the chances of success
✅ Processing times vary greatly from consulate to consulate. For example, in New York you can get your visa approved in 4 weeks, but in San Francisco the wait is up to 5 months.
✅ The requirements vary from consulate to consulate: they may request additional documents at their discretion.
✅ Once your visa is approved, you will receive an email telling you to send your passport to the consulate to have your visa affixed, along with a pre-paid and signed envelope to send it back. It is very important to check your spam folder and if there is a delay, check with the consulate (perhaps through a lawyer) to see if there is an error in the address. There are cases where people were not able to get their visas for over a year because of a simple error in their email addresses - the consulate itself will not try to contact you and clarify the data if there is no letter from you.
In USA the application for the Portugese visas is based on the jurisdiction.
✅Boston
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: States of: Maine, Massachusetts (except the area covered by New Bedford), New Hampshire and Vermont
• Use https://www.vistos.mne.pt/pt/ for applications and information. All documents should be uploaded on the site for pre-check, afterwards you will be assigned an appointment
• Consulate often requests copies of all documents
• Requires proof of travel arrangements to Portugal (entering Portugal as your first Schengen Area country)
✅New Bedford
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: Counties of: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket and Plymouth; Cities of: Acushnet, Dartmouth, New Bedford and Fall River Use https://www.vistos.mne.pt/pt/ for applications and information.
✅New York (Uses VFS Global’s services)
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: States of: Connecticut, Michigan and New York; Territories of American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Puerto Rico
• You should schedule an appointment and fill in the application form on VFS Global website.
• You should sign a form permitting Portuguese Criminal Records Check
• Consulate may request marriage and birth certificates even for solo applicants
• Correct Consular fee must be paid via Money Order/Banker/Postal/Cashier check payable to "VFS Services USA Inc.”
✅ Newark
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: States of: Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
• Use https://www.vistos.mne.pt/pt/ for applications and information.
• Schedule an appointment on https://newark.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/consularmatters/appointments
✅ Providence
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: State of: Rhode Island
• Consulate often requests copies of all documents
✅San Francisco (Uses VFS Global’s services)
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: States of: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
• Requires printing out and bringing your visa application form and appointment verification
• Requires that applicants arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to the appointment
• Visa application form brought to the in-person interview must have your signature notarized unless you sign it in front of the agent
• Consulate often asks for a “reference” in Portugal
• Requests you complete a Release of Liability for Passport Mailing that they provide at the appointment. It specifies where you want your passport and visa sent, unless you wish to pick it up or aren’t leaving your passport
• Requesting and sometimes requiring that you leave your passport with them until it is stamped. This request isn’t legal.
• The full application package cannot exceed 50 pages
• Often pressures couples to have one person apply, the other follow Family Reunification in Portugal, to reduce their workload. Family reunification is a slightly more complicated process due to expiration of the FBI report and reprinting financial statements.
• Correct Consular fee must be paid via Money Order/Banker/Postal/Cashier check. Applications submitted to the VFS Center in San Francisco need this check payable to "Consulate General of Portugal” or “Embassy of Portugal”.
✅ Washington D.C. (Uses VFS Global’s services)
If you are a resident of the State of Illinois and need a Schengen Visa to Portugal, you can apply with the Consulate-General of Lithuania in Chicago
AREAS OF JURISDICTION: States of: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia.
• You should schedule an appointment and fill in the application form on VFS Global website.
• Correct Consular fee must be paid via Money Order/Banker/Cashier check. For applications submitted to the VFS Center in Washington DC, the Money order/Banker or Cashier check must be payable to “Embassy of Portugal"
Each family member must fill out a separate visa application form. Some consulates advise parents of children under the age of 5 not to obtain accompanying visas but to use family reunification option within Portugal.
✅ Documents can be submitted in English, Portuguese or French.
✅ A motivation letter is required: However, do not include too much detail; it is detrimental to the consideration. The letter should mention your education, profession, reasons for choosing Portugal (family, friends, business, real estate), income, bank accounts and place of residence. You can include contacts for a landlord or your lawyer in Portugal.
✅ Prepare color notarized copies of your passport if you do not want to leave the original document at the consulate until the visa is pasted. Your passport must be maximum 10 years old and have at least 2 blank pages.
✅ If you are submitting a stamped, return address envelope (SASE) to the U.S. Department of State to return an apostilled FBI report, DO NOT use FedEx, as the Department of State does not work with this carrier and your document will be delayed.
✅ At times consulates require marriage and birth certificates even if the applicant is filing alone and is not requesting family visas.
✅ Consulates in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. sometimes ask for a recommendation from Portugal. The “reference” can be your attorney, landlord, Dean of Admissions, friend, real estate agent, family member, etc., who is a European Union citizen or permanent legal resident in Portugal. Along with the rest of your documents, submit a note with their name, address, phone number, nationality, and enclose a copy of their national ID card or residency card.
⏳ Timeframe waiting time for visa approval can take up to 5 months
We believe you can handle emigration on your own, but if you need help — just talk to our professionals. We carefully select attorneys and Portugal d7 visa consultants with the best experience and track record of successful cases, wtite to us and check Portugal d7 visa cost.
Easy full refunds
If you are not satisfied with something, we offer a fast money-back guarantee.
We verify all experts
Only with proven experience, references, and reviews
Discussion about your specific case
No abstract requirements. Your data is safe: account data is protected
Relocation made affordable, transparent and easy
Migrun is the greatest service for relocation – I have received my residence permit in Spain as a digital nomad in less than 1.5 months – from initiation to approval. The best thing about Migrun – they have many affordable solutions combined with lots of free guides, so you get the best value for your money. Plus you never feel pressured to pay more than you really need. Which is truly the mission of the company – to make relocation affordable, transparent and easy. Special thanks to Irina Degtyareva for helping with my case and questions! Looking forward to work with the Migrun team further. Many thanks!
Date of experience: August 02, 2023
Alex Ovechkin
🇪🇸 ES
Immigration service with emphatic and fair approach
My immigration to Portugal wouldn't happen if not for Migrun. First, they have a LOT of free guides of how to collect documents for different visas and residency types + a great chat with a lot of immigrants sharing their experience. A year ago it was a very simple website and a chat of a couple thousands - now an extensive platform and a family of useful chats on Portugal the largest being 10K people. I have collected all documents for D7 visa with their help for free.Later I changed my mind and decided to apply for residency as highly-qualified professional from inside of Portugal and did so with a great help of Migrun. Today I have received my residency card.Business with emphatic approach - unlike many other immigration services who just try to rip you off using your lack of knowledge.All people in Migrun have always been friendly, honest and trying to do their best.
Date of experience: July 31, 2023
Daria Gakova
🇵🇹 PT