Portugal D7 visa: passive income rules for Americans

The D7 is Portugal's residence visa for people who do not need a job in Portugal to live there: retirees, people with income from savings, investments or property, and religious workers. For Americans on Social Security, a pension, or investment income, it is usually the first visa to look at. This guide covers what the Portuguese visa portal asks for, how the money test works, and what happens after the visa is issued.

Who the D7 is for

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa portal lists the D7 among residence visas and sets out the specific documents by category:

• Retirees: a document certifying the amount of the pension.
• People with passive income: documents certifying income from movable or immovable property, intellectual property, or financial assets.

In plain terms, income types that fit the D7 include:

• US Social Security retirement benefits;
• government, military, union or private pensions;
• annuity payments;
• dividends and interest from investment accounts;
• rental income from property you own;
• royalties from books, music, patents or other intellectual property.

What the D7 is not for: salary from remote work for a US employer, or freelance income from clients. Portugal has a separate visa for remote work (the D8), and at least one Portuguese consulate states in its D7 guidance that people working remotely for companies outside Portugal should use that visa instead. If your income is a mix, for example a pension plus occasional consulting, explain the structure in your application and ask your consulate which category fits.

How much income you need

Portugal ties the D7 money test to its minimum monthly wage. The visa portal states:

• the 2026 minimum monthly wage is 920 euros, set by Decree-Law 139/2025;
• the amounts are considered net of social security deductions;
• the main applicant needs 100 percent of the minimum wage;
• each additional adult adds 50 percent;
• each child under 18, and each adult child who is still a dependant, adds 30 percent.

Worked examples using the 2026 wage:

• single retiree: 920 euros a month, or 11,040 euros a year;
• married couple: 920 plus 460, so 1,380 euros a month;
• couple with two children: 920 plus 460 plus 276 plus 276, so 1,932 euros a month.

Two practical notes. First, the minimum wage changes each January, so the threshold for an application filed in a later year will be different. Second, these figures are the floor the portal states, not a guarantee of approval. Consulates assess whether your income is stable and regular, and showing income comfortably above the minimum makes the file easier to read.

Documents to prepare

On top of the category documents, the D7 shares the general residence visa checklist. Expect:

• a passport valid beyond the intended stay;
• the national visa application form and passport photos;
• proof of income: Social Security benefit letter, pension statements, brokerage or bank statements, lease agreements for rental property;
• proof of savings or financial means, often with recent bank statements;
• proof of accommodation in Portugal, such as a lease, a deed, or a signed declaration from a host;
• travel or health insurance covering medical care and repatriation;
• an FBI Identity History Summary, since the portal asks for a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality and anywhere you lived for over a year;
• a Portuguese NIF (tax number).

The D7 guidance of at least one Portuguese embassy also asks for proof of a Portuguese bank account. Requirements differ slightly between consulates, so download the current checklist from the consulate that covers your US state before you book.

Ask the consulate which civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, it wants legalised or translated, and follow its instructions before paying for translations.

Applying in the US

You apply at the Portuguese consular post with jurisdiction over your place of residence. Portuguese consulates in the US take applications through an external service provider, which handles the appointment booking and document intake. The consulate itself decides the application.

When the visa is approved, it is placed in your passport. A D7 residence visa is a short validity entry visa: its role is to get you to Portugal and in front of AIMA.

After you land: the AIMA residence permit

AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, issues the residence permit. According to AIMA:

• the Ministry of Foreign Affairs books the AIMA appointment when it issues the visa, and the link to the appointment details is printed on the visa sticker;
• if the link does not work or there was no appointment at issuance, you request one through AIMA's online contact form, choosing "Autorização de Residência" and then "Autorização de residência com visto consular (Não CPLP)";
• the application is made in person at a Loja AIMA with the signed form, your passport and visa, and proof of address, including a declaration from the property owner or main tenant;
• the first temporary residence permit is valid for two years, then renews for successive three-year periods, unless a specific rule sets different terms.

Bring originals of your income evidence to the appointment. AIMA can check that you still meet the conditions under which the consulate issued the visa.

Taxes once you live in Portugal

A D7 does not make you a tax resident on its own, but living in Portugal usually does. Under Article 16 of the Portuguese IRS code, you are a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period beginning or ending in the tax year, or if you have a home there on any day in circumstances suggesting you intend to keep it as your habitual residence.

As a US citizen you also keep filing a US return. The US and Portugal have an income tax treaty, which the IRS lists on its treaty page, and the foreign tax credit helps prevent the same income being taxed twice. The old non-habitual resident (NHR) regime, which once gave pensioners a favourable rate, was revoked by Law 82/2023 for new entrants, and its replacement, IFICI, targets specific professional activities rather than retirees.

Social Security and the D7

US Social Security is one of the most common D7 income sources. The Social Security Administration's Payments Abroad Screening Tool shows whether payments continue for US citizens living in a given country. The US and Portugal also have a totalization agreement, in force since 1 August 1989, which coordinates the two social security systems. Medicare generally does not cover care outside the US, which is one reason the insurance requirement matters.

Common D7 mistakes

• Relying on remote work salary. Use the D8 for that.
• Showing a one-off lump sum as income. The D7 is built around regular income; savings help, but a steady stream is what the category describes.
• Booking non-refundable travel before the visa is in hand. Wait for the decision.
• Ignoring the address requirement. AIMA wants a signed declaration from the person whose property you live in.
• Letting the permit expire. Note the two-year expiry when the card arrives and plan the renewal early.

Common questions

Does US Social Security count as income for the Portugal D7? Yes. The visa portal accepts a document certifying the amount of your pension for retirees. A Social Security benefit statement is the usual proof.

What is the D7 income requirement in 2026? The portal uses the 2026 minimum monthly wage of 920 euros net for the main applicant, plus 50 percent for each additional adult and 30 percent for each dependent child. The figure changes when the minimum wage changes each January.

Can I work remotely for a US company on a D7? The D7 is designed for pensions and passive income. Portugal has a separate visa for remote work, the D8, and at least one Portuguese consulate tells remote workers to use it instead.

How long is the first D7 residence permit valid? AIMA states that a first temporary residence permit is valid for two years from issue and renews for successive three-year periods.