Which Portugal visa fits you?

How the finder decides

The finder asks up to three questions. First: are you an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen? If yes, you do not need a visa and the answer is local registration. If not, it asks what best describes your plan — eight options, each pointing to one route. Only if you pick “pension / passive income” or “remote work” does it ask a third question: is your main monthly income passive (rent, pension, dividends) or a salary from remote work? That question exists because the D7 and the D8 are split by the kind of income, not by lifestyle — passive income leads to the D7, pay for remote work to the D8.

The result shows the best match, one or two routes also worth checking, a link to the full visa page and a button to build your personal checklist.

The routes at a glance (2026)

Why most figures are €920

Portugal measures “means of subsistence” against the national minimum wage (RMMG), which the Foreign Ministry’s visa portal lists as €920 a month in 2026. The scale is per person: 100% for the first adult, 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child under 18 or dependent adult child. A couple with two children therefore needs 210% — about €1,932 a month. For study, internships and volunteering the amount can drop by 50% when housing is assured, and by up to 90% when meals are too. This is a legal floor, not a target: consulates look for income that is stable and provable. See how much income you need.

The most common mix-up: D7 or D8

A salary or freelance fees for remote work are active income, even if you work from a beach. That is the D8, and its bar is four times the minimum wage, based on the average of your last three months. Pensions, rents and dividends are passive income — the D7. If you have both, the finder follows your main income; the visa page for each route explains how consulates look at mixed cases.

Family: together from the start, or later

Since Lei 61/2025, a resident generally needs a residence permit valid for at least two years before sponsoring family reunification (15 months for a spouse who lived with them for 18 months before they came). The wait does not apply to minor or incapable children in their care, or to the families of highly qualified workers (D3), Golden Visa holders and EU Blue Card holders. D8 families are not on that list. Applying together from the start avoids the wait.

The job-seeker visa is not available yet

The law now provides a visa to look for highly qualified work (article 57-A of the Foreigners Act). When we checked on 28 September 2026, the Foreign Ministry’s visa portal said it is not yet available at Portuguese consulates, pending the regulation that article requires. If the finder shows it, look at the D3 if you can secure an offer first, or the D8 if you can keep working remotely.

What the finder cannot see

It does not know your nationality, your exact income, your criminal record or your family situation, and it does not check the special rules for citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries. It points you to the likely route in 30 seconds. Before you pay for anything, read the full visa page and confirm the current list with the Portuguese consulate that covers where you live.