Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa: the complete guide

Updated April 2026 · 9 min read

Portugal introduced the D8 Digital Nomad Visa in October 2022 — one of the first formal digital nomad visa routes in Europe. It's designed for non-EU nationals who work remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal, and it's become increasingly popular with UK and US nationals who want to base themselves in Portugal while continuing to work for international companies.

This guide explains who qualifies, what documents you need, how to apply, and what life on the D8 actually looks like day-to-day.

Who is the D8 for?

The D8 is specifically for people who:

• Work remotely — either as an employee of a company registered outside Portugal, or as a freelancer/contractor whose clients are all based outside Portugal
• Earn income that meets the minimum threshold (see below)
• Can demonstrate their work is genuinely location-independent

Importantly, you cannot use the D8 if you have a Portuguese employer or if a significant portion of your income comes from Portuguese clients. The point of the visa is to attract people who bring external spending power to Portugal without displacing local workers.

Common D8 applicants include software engineers at US or UK tech companies, designers, consultants, writers, and other knowledge workers whose employers allow them to work from anywhere.

Income requirements

The income threshold for the D8 is set at four times the Portuguese national minimum wage. As of 2024 (with the minimum wage at €1,020/month), the requirement is:

• Main applicant: €4,080/month (4 × minimum wage)
• Expressed annually: approximately €48,960/year

This is significantly higher than the D7 threshold and reflects the government's intent to attract higher-earning remote workers rather than lower-cost digital nomads. Some consulates have informally accepted the last three months' average income rather than requiring every month to exceed the threshold — but do not rely on this.

Acceptable income documentation includes:

• An employment contract from your non-Portuguese employer, confirming salary and remote working permission
• Three months of payslips (or equivalent contractor invoices)
• Bank statements showing the income deposits
• A letter from your employer confirming you are permitted to work from Portugal

If you're a freelancer or contractor, you'll need client contracts, invoices, and bank statements demonstrating consistent income above the threshold.

Accommodation requirement

As with the D7, you must provide proof of Portuguese accommodation. A signed rental contract for 12 months or more is standard. Property purchase documentation is also accepted.

Application process

The D8 follows the same two-phase structure as the D7: a consular entry visa, followed by a residence permit at AIMA after you arrive.

Phase 1: D8 entry visa (consulate)

1. Book an appointment at the Portuguese consulate in your country of residence.
2. Prepare your documents: valid passport, passport photos, completed visa application form, proof of income (employment contract + payslips or contractor invoices), employer letter confirming remote working, three months of bank statements, Portuguese accommodation proof, travel health insurance (€30,000 minimum), and a criminal record certificate (apostilled).
3. Pay the entry visa fee (~€90).
4. Attend your appointment. If approved, you receive a four-month entry visa.

Phase 2: Residency permit at AIMA

1. Enter Portugal on your D8 entry visa and book your AIMA appointment at aima.gov.pt.
2. Obtain your NIF (tax identification number) from a Finanças office. You'll need this for your AIMA appointment, bank account, and any property transactions.
3. Attend your AIMA appointment with the full document set and pay the residency permit fee (~€83).
4. If approved, you receive a two-year residence permit (renewable for three years, then five). Same path to permanent residency and citizenship as the D7.

Costs

• Consular entry visa fee: ~€90
• VFS administrative fee (if applicable): €30–50
• Criminal record apostille: €30–80
• Certified translations (where required): €50–200
• AIMA residency permit: ~€83
• Immigration lawyer fees (optional): €500–2,000

The D8 visa itself costs a similar amount to the D7. The main difference is that the income requirement is four times higher, which means the typical D8 applicant is spending significantly more on accommodation and lifestyle in Portugal.

Timeline

The D8 is generally processed faster than the D7 because applicants tend to have cleaner, easier-to-document income sources. Realistic timelines:

• Document preparation: 2–4 weeks
• Consular appointment wait: 4–8 weeks
• Consular processing: 2–4 weeks
• AIMA booking and appointment: 4–8 weeks
• AIMA processing: 4–8 weeks

Total: roughly 3–6 months. Faster than the D7 in typical cases — but still not a quick process.

D8 vs D7: which should you choose?

If you're a remote worker, both visas are potentially available. Here's the comparison:

• D8: specifically designed for remote workers; income requirement is 4× minimum wage; typically faster processing; but requires an employer letter confirming remote work permission
• D7: designed for passive income but also used by freelancers; income requirement is 1× minimum wage; may be preferred if your income mix is complex or if your employer won't write a "remote work" letter

Many remote workers with stable employment contracts choose the D8 for its purpose-built fit. Freelancers with varied income often find the D7 easier to document. Speak to a Portuguese immigration lawyer about which is the better fit for your specific income structure.

D8 and property purchase

There is no requirement to own property to apply for a D8 — a rental contract is sufficient for the accommodation proof. However, many D8 holders do eventually buy property in Portugal, particularly after they've established residency and confirmed they plan to stay long-term.

If you're considering buying property alongside your D8 application, note that you can proceed with a purchase as a non-resident (before the D8 is granted) using just a NIF and a Portuguese bank account. The two processes are fully independent.

Tax considerations

D8 holders are subject to Portuguese income tax on their worldwide income if they become tax resident (spending more than 183 days per year in Portugal, or having a habitual residence there). IFICI (the successor to NHR) is available to some D8 holders who work in qualifying R&D or technology roles — but eligibility is narrow. See our IFICI vs NHR guide for detail.

Useful links

• AIMA — Portugal immigration authority
• Portal Diplomático — consulate directory