How to Get Residency in Portugal

This guide explains how to get a Portugal residence permit in 2026, comparing every route and each step from the consulate to AIMA.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

The changes that matter most for a residency application are the higher minimum wage, which lifts income thresholds, the extension of expired AIMA documents, and the nationality law revision that makes residence count only from the date a permit is issued.

Change	Date in force	What it means for you
Decree-Law 85-B/2025 on residence document validity	30 June 2025	Certain residence permits stayed valid until 15 October 2025; AIMA now runs a separate renewals portal for permits that expired after 30 June 2025.
Minimum wage raised from €870 to €920 a month	1 January 2026	Income thresholds set by reference to the minimum wage rise. The D8 residence threshold is now €3,680 a month.
Entry/Exit System (EES) fully operational	10 April 2026	Residents with a biometric residence card do not need to register, but anyone without one may be wrongly flagged as overstaying.
Nationality law revision (Lei Orgânica 1/2026)	19 May 2026	Naturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence (seven for EU and CPLP citizens), counted from the date AIMA issues your residence permit.
GOV.UK Living in Portugal updated on residence cards	10 July 2026	Confirms that temporary cards are renewed every two to three years and permanent residence documents every five.

EU citizens and non-EU citizens: two different systems

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have a right to live in Portugal and only need to register; everyone else must obtain a residence visa before travelling and then a residence card from AIMA.

Point	EU, EEA and Swiss citizens	Non-EU citizens (including UK and US)
Visa before travel	Not needed	Residence visa from a Portuguese consulate
Document in Portugal	Registration certificate	AIMA residence card
Family members from outside the EU	Residence card as a family member of an EU citizen	Family reunification with AIMA
Right to work	Yes	Depends on the visa and permit
Permanent residence	After five years	After five years on a temporary card

British citizens who were living in Portugal before 1 January 2021 are in a third group: they are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement and should hold a Withdrawal Agreement residence card. GOV.UK says anyone in that position without a card should email AIMA at brexit@aima.gov.pt with proof of residence before 2021, and should reply within 10 working days if AIMA asks for more information. After five years of residence they can apply for a permanent card valid for 10 years.

Portuguese residence routes compared

Most expats use one of four routes: the D7, the D8, the Golden Visa or a work visa; students, researchers and family members have their own visas.

Route	Who it suits	Main condition	First permit
D7 (retirement and own income)	Retirees and people living on pensions, rents, dividends or interest	Regular passive income assessed against the minimum wage; accommodation in Portugal	Temporary residence card
D8 temporary stay	Remote workers staying up to one year	Work for employers or clients abroad	Visa only, up to one year
D8 residence	Remote workers settling longer	At least four times the minimum wage (€3,680 a month in 2026)	Residence permit valid for up to two years, according to GOV.UK
Golden Visa	Investors	€500,000 in funds, research or a company that creates five jobs; €250,000 in cultural heritage; or creating 10 jobs	Residence permit for investment
Employment or EU Blue Card	Employees of Portuguese companies	Job offer or contract	Residence permit tied to the work
Study, research, family reunification	Students, researchers, relatives of residents	Admission, hosting agreement or family link	Temporary residence card

The detailed requirements for the two most popular routes are in our Portugal D7 visa requirements and application guide and our Portugal digital nomad visa (D8) guide.

The D7: residency on pensions and passive income

The D7 is the residence visa for people who do not need to work in Portugal: retirees, people with rental or investment income and others with regular income from their own resources. The consulate assesses whether your income is regular and sufficient, measured against the Portuguese minimum wage, which is €920 a month in 2026 (paid 14 times a year, or €12,880 a year).

What the consulate looks for	Typical evidence
Regular income from your own resources	Pension statements, tenancy agreements and rent receipts, dividend or interest statements
Funds in reserve	Bank statements, often from a Portuguese account
Somewhere to live	A lease, a property deed or a letter of accommodation
Health cover	Proof of health insurance valid in Portugal until you are registered with the SNS
Good character	A criminal record certificate from your country of residence
Tax number	A Portuguese NIF

Consulates apply the income test to the whole family, so a spouse and children increase the amount you must show. Because the multiple for each family member is set in a separate ministerial order and consulates interpret it, confirm the figure for your household with the consulate before you apply.

The D8: residency for remote workers

The D8 lets you live in Portugal while working remotely for employers or clients based outside Portugal, either as a temporary stay of up to one year or as a residence visa leading to a residence permit.

Version	How long	Income condition
Temporary stay visa	Up to one year	Proof of income from remote work; check the consulate’s figure
Residence visa, then residence permit	Permit valid for up to two years, renewable	At least four times the minimum wage: €3,680 a month in 2026

According to GOV.UK, temporary stay visa applications include health insurance cover, and border checks now require cover for the whole stay. Only the residence version leads to a residence card and counts towards permanent residence and citizenship. Choose it if you plan to stay.

The Golden Visa after the 2023 reform

The Golden Visa (residence permit for investment, ARI) still exists, but buying property no longer qualifies: the real estate route closed to new applicants in October 2023 under the Mais Habitação housing package. Existing holders could continue to renew.

Investment route listed by GOV.UK	Minimum
Investment funds, scientific research or a commercial company (the company route also needs five jobs)	€500,000
Cultural heritage	€250,000
Job creation	10 jobs

GOV.UK’s working in Portugal page (last updated 15 April 2024) says investments must be held for at least five years and that investment permits take 12 to 18 months to process. Under the 2026 nationality law, a Golden Visa holder’s residence counts towards citizenship only from the date the permit is issued, not from the application, so long processing times now delay citizenship as well. Take advice from a lawyer and an independent financial adviser before committing funds.

Work, study and family routes

If a Portuguese employer hires you, you need a work-based visa or an EU Blue Card; students, researchers and family members of residents have their own visas. GOV.UK sets out the main work options for British citizens.

Route	Length	Processing guide from GOV.UK
Temporary stay visa for work (short contracts, seasonal, independent, remote, teaching, research)	Up to one year	Up to 30 days
Long-term residence permits (employment, self-employment, remote work, investment, research)	More than one year	Up to 90 days for most permits
EU Blue Card	Tied to a qualifying job	Up to two months
Intra-company transfer	Up to three years for managers and specialists, one year for trainees	Requires at least three continuous months with the UK company in the previous 12 months

Business visits of up to 90 days in any 180, such as meetings and trade fairs, need no visa. Our guide to working in Portugal as an expat covers contracts and social security, and founders should read how to start a business in Portugal as a foreigner.

Step by step: from consulate to AIMA residence card

Allow several months from gathering documents to holding your card, and most of that time is spent waiting for appointments.

1. Choose your route. Match your circumstances to the D7, D8, Golden Visa or a work, study or family visa, and check the consulate’s current document list.
2. Get a NIF and, usually, a Portuguese bank account. Most routes need a Portuguese tax number, and many applicants show funds in a Portuguese account. See how to open a bank account in Portugal.
3. Gather and translate documents. Criminal record certificates, birth and marriage certificates and income evidence may need an apostille and a certified translation; see certified translation services in Portugal.
4. Apply for the residence visa at the Portuguese consulate responsible for where you live. In the UK, the consulates in London and Manchester can advise.
5. Travel to Portugal within the visa’s validity. The residence visa is normally valid for four months.
6. Attend the AIMA appointment for biometrics, with your passport, visa and supporting documents.
7. Receive your residence card by post, and register with your local health centre and the tax authority.

Renewals, permanent residence and citizenship

Temporary residence cards are renewed every two to three years; after five years you can apply for permanent residence, and after ten years (seven for EU and CPLP citizens) for citizenship.

Stage	When	Key point
First renewal	Before the temporary card expires	Use AIMA’s renewals portal; keep proof of submission
Later renewals	Every two to three years	Your circumstances must still meet the route’s conditions
Permanent residence	After at least five years on a temporary card	Permanent documents are renewed every five years
Citizenship by naturalisation	After 10 years (seven for EU and CPLP citizens) from permit issue	Portuguese language, civic knowledge test, no serious criminal record

AIMA replaced SEF on 29 October 2023 and inherited a backlog of hundreds of thousands of pending files. The government has responded by extending the validity of expired documents and creating an AIMA mission structure to process older cases, but delays remain common. Portugal allows dual citizenship, so British citizens can keep their passport.

Tax residency is a separate question

A residence card does not by itself make you tax resident, and tax residence can begin before your card arrives: you are Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period, or if you keep a home there you intend to use as your habitual residence. Residents pay Portuguese income tax on their worldwide income, with 2026 rates from 12.5% to 48%.

New residents should look at IFICI, the 20% regime for qualifying professionals that replaced the Non-Habitual Resident regime, for which you must apply by 15 January of the year after you become resident, and at IRS Jovem for workers up to age 35. Our guide to taxes for expats living in Portugal explains both, and expat tax advisers can check your position before you move.

For the wider picture, including housing, healthcare and schools, start with how to move to Portugal, British readers should follow the UK to Portugal moving checklist, and the Portugal country hub lists every provider.

Frequently asked questions