What we know so far about Portugal’s new digital nomad visa

Tired of working? Portugal has introduced a new one-year digital nomad visa.

Remote workers will be able to live and work in the country for up to a year under the new scheme.

To be eligible, applicants must earn at least €2,800 per month, which is four times the minimum wage in Portugal.

“Portugal is an immigration country.” Every year, thousands of immigrants come to our country looking for work,” said Ana Catarina Mendes, a Portuguese Cabinet minister.

So, if you’re looking for a change of scenery and want to spend some time exploring Lisbon or Porto in between Zoom meetings, here’s everything you need to know.

What is the digital nomad visa in Portugal?

The new visa is intended for working professionals and is officially known as the “residence visa for the exercise of professional activity provided remotely outside the national territory.”

It’s a replacement for the existing ‘D7’ visa, a popular residency permit aimed primarily at retirees and ‘passive income’ earners.

Basically the new visa, which will be available on October 30, was created after the Portuguese government amended immigration legislation in July.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Come from a country that is not a member of the EU or EEA.
Be self-employed or work for a company based outside of Portugal.
Earn at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage per month, which is approximately €2,800.
This is an increase in the D7 scheme’s earnings requirements.

D7 visa holders are only required to earn the Portuguese minimum wage (€822.50 per month). These earnings, however, must come from ‘passive’ income sources such as rent or investments.

In addition to proof of income for the previous three months, applicants must provide tax residency documents and a contract of employment (or proof of self-employment).

You can apply through a Portuguese Consulate in your home country or through Portugal’s immigration service, Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras.

Portugal is a popular destination for digital nomads due to its vibrant cities, rugged coastline, and low cost of living.

Portugal is frequently mentioned in online lists of ideal remote working locations, and for good reason. The major cities have an abundance of co-working spaces, and the country has the world’s 17th fastest wifi.

Lisbon and Porto are two of the most popular destinations for digital workers. Remote workers have established a dedicated digital nomad village in Ponta Do Sol, on the coast of Madeira island.

However, the trend of remote work has accelerated globally since the pandemic – since 2020, at least 30 countries, including Malaysia, Croatia, Costa Rica, and Mexico, have launched some kind of visa tailored to remote workers.