A residency permit, not a holiday plan.
The D8 is Portugal's residency route for remote workers, freelancers and online business owners who earn from clients or employers based outside Portugal. It grants a 2-year permit, renewable for 3 more, and after 5 years you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship.
Henrique and Manuel explain who qualifies, what counts as passive income, and what consulates actually look for.
D8 visa, in six answers.
The questions every applicant asks, before they get to the paperwork.
Who is it for
Remote workers, freelancers and online business owners earning from clients or employers based outside Portugal.
Income requirement
€3,680/month minimum earned from outside Portugal.
How long it takes
Typically 2 to 4 months from application to visa, depending on your consulate.
How long it's valid
A 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 more. After 5 years, apply for permanent residency.
Portuguese clients
Yes the D8 doesn't prohibit working for Portuguese clients after securing residency.
Bring your family
Yes. Spouse and dependent children can be included in the same application.
The D8 looks simple on paper. The application is where most people get stuck.
On paper, the requirements are clear: prove €3,680/month from remote work abroad, show accommodation in Portugal, submit at your consulate. In practice, you need a Portuguese NIF and a Portuguese bank account before you can even file, and most banks won't open one for non-residents.
Then your proof of income has to be documented in a very specific way, and what each consulate accepts varies. After you arrive there's an AIMA appointment with its own set of rules. And for D8 holders working remotely, the order in which you establish residency and align your tax structure can shift how your income is taxed for years.
Most applicants either try alone and face delays, or hire one firm for immigration and another for tax that never speak to each other. We do both, in one team, in one place.
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Ten services, one package, one price. No add-ons billed after you sign.
Your journey
How your D8 application works.
Three phases, one team. You'll always know where you are and what comes next.
We assess your eligibility, build your immigration plan, obtain your NIF, open your bank account, and prepare every document before submission. You gather what we ask for. We handle the rest.
You move. We handle everything else.
Peace of mind from day one.
Moving country is hard enough without becoming an expert in Portuguese immigration law. We take the entire process off your plate so you can focus on what actually matters: planning your new life.
Avoid the costly mistakes.
A wrong document, a missed deadline, a tax structure that doesn't align with your visa. These mistakes cost thousands and months of delays. We've seen them all and we prevent them.
Immigration and tax, aligned.
How and when you establish residency affects how your pension, dividends and capital gains are taxed for years. We coordinate both from day one.
One team. One conversation.
No coordinating between firms, no repeating your story to five different people. Your specialist knows your case and picks up the phone.
What people say about working with us.
“Henrique is fantastic and I would give him 10 starts if possible. He helped us from beginning to end in getting our D7 Visas (we were just approved last week!). He was always available and helpful. I have recommended him to several others. If you are looking for advice and assistance with the Visa process to Portugal please use Portugalize. Prices were very fair too!”
“We were introduced to Portugalize through a friend's recommendation, and it turned out to be such a great decision. Our D7 visa was approved in January, and we moved to Portugal about four months ago. Throughout the entire process, Henrique was incredibly supportive. He was always quick to respond and patiently answered all of our questions.”
“I would strongly recommend Portugalize . Co-founder Henrique helped me realized my European dream by successfully getting D7 visa . Right from the get go ,whether applying for NIF , opening a bank account, support with getting accommodation , obtaining visa appointment at consulate , preparing for interview,Henrique has been instrumental. He is very professional and kind will hold your hand throughout the process”
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