Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa: A Comprehensive Guide

• Visa Type: The visa is known as either a Residence Visa or a Temporary Stay Visa.
• Application Procedure: Applications can be submitted at a Portuguese Consulate in your country of residence or through Portugal's immigration agency, Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras.
• Visa Tenure: The Temporary Stay Visa grants a stay of up to one year in Portugal, with the option to extend. The Residence Visa permits a stay of up to five years, also renewable.
• Application Charges: The application fee for the Temporary Stay Visa is €90, while the Residence Visa application costs €99.
• Income Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate earnings of at least four times Portugal’s monthly minimum wage, approximately €3,040, with income proof for the preceding three months.
• Insurance Necessity: Yes, applicants must possess health and travel insurance that covers their stay in Portugal.
• Family Inclusion: Yes, the visa application can include your spouse and dependent children.
• Tax Consequences: If you reside in Portugal for more than 183 days annually, you will be deemed a tax resident. You will be taxed on your global income at progressive rates from 14.5% to 48%. However, you might qualify for tax benefits under the Non-Habitual Resident regime or Portugal's Double Taxation Agreements with numerous countries.
• Permanent Residency and Citizenship Eligibility: After five years of legal residence in Portugal, you may qualify for permanent residency. After six years of legal residence, you may be eligible for Portuguese citizenship, provided you meet other criteria such as language proficiency, a clean criminal record, and integration into Portuguese society.
• Helpful Contacts: For more information, you can reach out to the Portuguese Consulate in your home country or the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF).

Why Choose Portugal?

Portugal offers a high quality of life, affordable living costs, and a strong digital infrastructure, making it an ideal location for digital nomads. The country is also known for its friendly locals, diverse culture, and delicious cuisine. Moreover, Portugal's digital nomad visa allows you to legally live and work in the country while enjoying these benefits.

Understanding Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa

Portugal's digital nomad visa allows non-EU residents to live and work in Portugal if they can prove a stable income. This income can come from various sources, such as remote work, pensions, rental income, or dividends.

Here are two types of Digital Nomad visas, according to Migrun:

Short-term Visa: This visa permits your stay in Portugal for a maximum duration of 12 months, but it doesn't allow you to apply for a residential permit. This choice is ideal if your plans don't include an extended stay in Portugal. Necessary documents include evidence of prepaid accommodation for the entire duration of your stay and round-trip tickets from Portugal to your homeland, a requirement that is also applicable to the long-term DN visa.

Long-term Visa: This visa provides a residential permit and permits your stay in Portugal for more than a year. If your aim is to acquire a residential permit, reside in Portugal, and potentially gain Portuguese citizenship in the future, this is the visa you should opt for. The residential permit can be renewed provided you can demonstrate that you continue to earn the required income.

Benefits of Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa

Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa offers numerous benefits, including:

1. Flexibility: This visa allows digital nomads to legally live and work in Portugal while continuing their employment with an overseas company.
2. Duration: The visa can be valid for up to a year for the short-term option, and even longer for the long-term visa, which can be renewed.
3. Access to Services: Visa holders have access to public services such as healthcare and education, similar to permanent residents.
4. Travel within Schengen Area: The visa allows unrestricted travel within the Schengen Area, providing a great opportunity to explore Europe.
5. Pathway to Residency: The long-term digital nomad visa can lead to permanent residency and potentially citizenship, subject to certain conditions being met.
6. Quality of Life: Portugal offers a high standard of living, with beautiful landscapes, rich culture, warm climate, and a lower cost of living compared to many Western European countries.
7. Tax Benefits: Portugal has a very attractive tax regime for non-habitual residents, which can provide significant tax benefits for certain categories of income.
8. Community: Portugal, especially cities like Lisbon and Porto, has a thriving digital nomad and expat community, providing plenty of networking opportunities.

Application Process

To apply for Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa, you need to follow these steps:

Gather Necessary Documents: This includes a valid passport, proof of health insurance, a clean criminal record certificate, proof of regular income or sufficient means of subsistence, and proof of accommodation in Portugal. The specific requirements may vary, so it's important to check the latest information from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service or a Portuguese consulate/embassy.

Complete the Visa Application Form: This can usually be done online, but some locations may require a paper application. Download the application from the SEF website or the website of the nearest Portuguese embassy and fill it out.

Submit the Application: In order to lodge your application, your physical presence at the embassy is required. Ensure you have your completed application form and all necessary documents with you. If you haven't had the opportunity to pay the associated fees online, you can do so at the embassy. The fees can differ based on the country, but they are generally:

• Approximately €75 ($80) for a short-term visa, and
• Approximately €90 ($97) for a long-term visa.

Upon your arrival at the embassy, the staff will collect your application and documents, and proceed with the biometric data collection process, which includes capturing your photograph and scanning your facial features and fingerprints.

Wait for Approval: Following the submission of your application, the next step is to patiently wait for a response from the embassy. Usually, this waiting period doesn't exceed 3 to 4 months.

However, due to the surge in applications resulting from the introduction of the new digital nomad visa, the Portuguese Immigration and Border Services may be overwhelmed, potentially extending your wait time.

You'll receive a tracking number at the consulate, which you can use to monitor the status of your application. Once your application has been reviewed, you'll be notified via email about the approval or denial of your visa.‍

Arrival in Portugal and regestering as a resident: Upon receiving approval for your visa, you are eligible to enter Portugal.

Remember, the initial visa approval is valid for a period of 120 days. Post this four-month period, you'll need to renew your visa at the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF).

Typically, an appointment with the SEF is scheduled for you during the visa approval process, so you likely won't need to arrange one yourself. However, be aware that the SEF is often inundated with appointments. As a result, your appointment might be scheduled for 5 or 6 months in the future.

This can cause concern for new visa holders, as the initial visa is only valid for 4 months. But rest assured, the Portuguese government is aware of the SEF's capacity and understands that any delay in renewing your visa is not your fault.

If you find yourself in a situation where your visa has expired and you're still awaiting your SEF appointment, it's advisable to remain in Portugal. Avoid traveling to other EU countries, as their authorities may not be as lenient.

When the day of your appointment arrives, you'll need to visit the SEF Public Service Bureau for your region. Details about the time and location of your appointment will be provided in an email sent along with your visa approval information.

Costs Involved

The costs involved in applying for Portugal's digital nomad visa include a visa application fee, a residence permit fee, and health insurance costs. The total cost can range from €100 to €200, depending on your circumstances.

Q&A

Do I need a Portuguese bank account for the digital nomad visa?

If you're applying for a residency visa, you need a bank account. For a short-term visa, the rules aren't clear. Even though the law doesn't say you need a Portuguese bank account, the consulate might ask you to open one before you come to Portugal.

Can I apply for the digital nomad visa if I’m already in Portugal?

Many remote workers learned about the new digital nomad visa while they were already in Portugal, either on a different visa or during their 90-day stay allowed by the Schengen agreement.

If you're in this situation, you should know that you'll need to leave Portugal to apply for the digital nomad visa.

Even though most of the application process is online, you can only finish it at consulates and embassies, which aren't in Portugal.

So, you'll need to go to a country where you're a resident or have a residency permit and apply at a Portuguese consulate there.

Can freelancing digital nomads with short-term contracts apply for the digital nomad visa?

It's hard to say how detailed or lengthy freelance contracts should be. Since Portugal's remote work visa is new, it hasn't been thoroughly tested in real-world situations. So, we can only provide theoretical answers for now.

One key requirement for the Portugal digital nomad visa is proof of sufficient funds. Part of this requirement is showing a steady income of more than €3,040 (~$3,260) per month for the last 3 months.

This means you can't just show the consulate a bank statement with that amount. You need to provide detailed bank records showing your monthly income for the past 3 months is above the minimum required amount. This can be tricky for digital nomads with short-term contracts and variable income.

Also, short-term contracts can be a problem. Even though the law doesn't specify or regulate such contracts, you'll likely need contracts that ensure your earnings during your stay in Portugal.

Remember to always consult with a legal professional or an immigration expert when applying for visas. This article is intended as a guide and does not constitute legal advice.