The D8 visa
The D8 is Portugal's digital nomad visa — its remote-work route. It's for non-EU citizens who work remotely for clients or employers outside Portugal and earn at least €3,680 a month (2026 — four times the minimum wage). It leads to residency, and over time, citizenship.
The D8 is built around active income from remote work done for people outside Portugal. The threshold is four times the Portuguese minimum wage, so it moves a little each year. For 2026 the benchmark for a single applicant is €3,680 a month — about €44,160 a year, with the usual family uplift:
Alongside the income, you'll generally need:
There are two versions of the D8 — choose based on your plan:
Up to a year in Portugal — ideal for a “test year” before you commit to the full residence route.
The long-term route: a residence permit, renewable, leading to permanent residency and citizenship.
How it works (residence route)
A temporary-stay visa for a test year, or the residence visa for the long term.
Apply at the Portuguese consulate. The residence visa is typically valid around four months, with two entries.
In Portugal, obtain a two-year residence permit with AIMA, then renew while you keep meeting the requirements.
Permanent residency at five years; citizenship follows the current nationality timeline.
Worth knowing
Since the October 2025 law change, the D8 starts at the Portuguese consulate that serves where you live — you can no longer arrive as a tourist and regularise from inside Portugal. Get the application moving before you relocate, not after.
Good to know
The D8 is for work done for clients or employers outside Portugal. If your employment contract doesn't clearly show remote work — or your income looks tied to a Portuguese company — applications can be refused. It's worth getting the wording and paperwork right before you apply.
Worth knowing
You’ll need to show somewhere to live in Portugal — a registered lease or a property deed — both at the consulate and again at AIMA. It’s a common stumbling point, and the part we arrange for you before you arrive.
Last reviewed June 2026. The D8 income threshold moves with Portugal's minimum wage, and the rules change from time to time. We keep this page current — figures here are for 2026.
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