Portuguese visa guide for UK citizens

The D7 is the longest-established Portuguese residency route for non-EU citizens with stable passive income. It suits retirees living on UK pensions, FIRE applicants drawing from investment portfolios, and anyone with substantial rental, dividend or royalty income. The minimum income threshold in 2026 is €820 per month (€9,840 per year), with proportional uplifts for dependants.

The route requires proof that the income is stable and not earned from work inside Portugal. UK State Pension, private pension drawdowns, UK rental income, and dividends from UK-listed companies all qualify. Income from continuing remote work for a UK employer technically qualifies under the D7 in some consulates and not others — the D8 is the cleaner route for that case.

Application is filed at the Portuguese Consulate in London with income proof, NIF, accommodation evidence in Portugal, apostilled UK documents, Portuguese health insurance, and a clean criminal record check. Timeline is typically 4 to 6 months. Once granted, the initial residence permit is 2 years, renewable for 3, with citizenship eligibility at year 5 after an A2 Portuguese language test.

Introduced in October 2022, the D8 visa is purpose-built for remote workers and qualifying self-employed earning at least 4 times the Portuguese national minimum wage. In 2026 that's €3,680 per month (the minimum wage is €920), plus a savings buffer of €11,040 (12 times the minimum wage). The D8 sits outside the D7 stream and processes through dedicated channels at the consulate.

For UK citizens working remotely for a UK or non-Portuguese employer, the D8 is the cleanest route. Self-employed applicants with primarily non-Portuguese clients also qualify. The D8 is compatible with the IFICI (NHR 2.0) tax regime if your work is in a qualifying activity — tech, R&D, science, qualifying engineering, higher education.

D8 application requires the same NIF and apostilled-documents pack as the D7, plus an employment contract or self-employment contracts proving the income stream is set up before applying. Initial permit 2 years, renewable for 3, citizenship at year 5.

The Portuguese Golden Visa changed substantially in October 2023. Residential property purchases — the long-standing default for British movers — no longer qualify. The remaining routes are investment-only:

• €500,000 in an eligible Portuguese investment or venture capital fund
• €500,000+ in a research and development institution
• €250,000 in arts or cultural heritage preservation
• €500,000 in a Portuguese-incorporated business creating local jobs

The Golden Visa is now used by a much smaller set of applicants — typically those who want residency but do not actually plan to spend significant time in Portugal in early years (minimum-stay requirements are only 7 days in the first year, 14 days in each subsequent two-year period). For most British movers planning a real relocation, the D7 or D8 is materially cheaper and more practical.