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Work remotely from Portugal, with expert D8 visa assistance.
Support for remote employees and independent professionals who want to move to Portugal. We help with the D8 digital nomad visa application and with the wider relocation, not only the paperwork.
Free 15-minute call. You complete a short questionnaire first, so we can prepare for your situation.
Who is the D8 visa for?
The D8 is a Portuguese residence visa for non-EU nationals who work remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal. It was created for remote workers and independent professionals, not for people living on passive income.
Remote employees
You are employed by a company outside Portugal and can do your job from anywhere. An employment contract, or equivalent evidence of the relationship, is central.
Independent professionals
You work for clients outside Portugal as a freelancer or consultant. Service agreements and evidence of your professional activity matter.
Foreign employers and clients
The D8 is built around work for entities outside Portugal. Work for Portuguese employers or clients is a different situation and may need another route.
Income and documents
- You must show average monthly income, over the last three months, of at least four times the Portuguese guaranteed minimum monthly wage. In 2026 the minimum wage is €920, so the figure is €3,680 per month. It changes when the minimum wage changes.
- You also need the general documents for a residence visa, and evidence of where you are tax resident.
Passive income or remote work?
The two visas look similar from the outside, but they are built for different kinds of income.
| Criteria | D7 visa | D8 visa |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | People living on passive income | People working remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal |
| Type of income | Passive: pensions, rental income, dividends, interest | Active: employment, freelance and consulting income |
| Income benchmark (2026) | Linked to the minimum wage (€920 per month for the main applicant), with the household’s means of subsistence assessed separately | Average of the last three months of at least four times the minimum wage (€3,680 per month) |
| Core evidence | Source and history of passive income, and funds available for the household | Contract or service agreements, income records and proof of the remote-work relationship |
| Typical applicants | Retirees, investors, property owners | Remote employees, freelancers, independent professionals |
Where D8 applications get complicated
Proving the remote-work relationship
Who you work for, and how, needs to be clear. Your contract and the rest of your file should tell one consistent story.
Demonstrating qualifying income
The threshold is an average over the last three months, so how your income is documented month by month matters.
Contracts and service agreements
Employment contracts or service agreements need to match your real working arrangement and support your income evidence.
Independent professional evidence
If you are self-employed, you may need official evidence of your professional activity, where applicable in your country.
Document preparation
Criminal records, apostilles, insurance and tax residence evidence each have their own formalities and timing.
Consular requirements and timing
Requirements and submission arrangements can differ by country and change over time. Planning your move around them avoids costly delays.
Support from assessment to settling in
Your D8 is supported through Portugal Made Easy, our personalised relocation assistance. The same service supports clients on other visa routes, so it is shaped around your circumstances.
For a D8 move, this support comes as Portugal Made Easy. After your consultation we explain what it covers for your circumstances.
- Initial assessment of your route and income evidence
- Application preparation, guidance and document coordination
- Your Portuguese NIF, handled remotely
- Support opening a Portuguese bank account
- Accommodation search and planning
- Arrival and settling in, with other services such as AIMA document review available separately
From first call to life in Portugal
Book a consultation
Choose a time and complete a short questionnaire.
Review your personal circumstances
We look at your work, income, family and timing.
Establish the visa and relocation plan
We confirm the right route and agree what you need.
Prepare the application
We guide you and coordinate your documents and submission.
Move and settle in Portugal
We support your arrival and the practical steps that follow.
Boutique, personal and based in Portugal
Personalised, not a template
A small, owner-led team with direct communication. Your plan reflects your employer or clients, your income and your family.
Portuguese and Portugal-based
We speak the language and deal with Portuguese institutions every day, so we know how the process works in practice.
The whole move in one place
Visa preparation, NIF, banking, accommodation and settling in, with a lawyer and a tax advisor on the team.
Portugal D8 visa: common questions
What is the Portugal D8 visa?
The D8, often called the digital nomad visa, is a Portuguese residence visa for people who carry out a professional activity remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal. It was introduced in October 2022. As with other residence visas, the visa is the first step, and your residence process continues with AIMA after you arrive.
Who may qualify?
Non-EU nationals who work remotely, as employees or independently, for employers or clients outside Portugal, and who can evidence qualifying income and meet the other requirements. Eligibility always depends on your own circumstances.
Can I work remotely for a foreign employer?
Yes, that is what the D8 is designed for. You will need to evidence the employment relationship, for example with your employment contract, alongside your income records. Work for Portuguese employers or clients is a different situation and may need another route.
Can self-employed professionals apply?
Yes. Freelancers and other independent professionals with clients outside Portugal can apply. They are usually asked for service agreements or similar evidence of the work, and may need official evidence of their professional activity, depending on their situation.
What evidence of income is required?
Proof of average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the Portuguese guaranteed minimum monthly wage. In 2026 that is €3,680 per month, and it changes when the minimum wage changes. Supporting documents commonly include contracts, invoices or payslips and bank statements, and the exact set depends on your case and consular post.
How is the D8 different from the D7?
The D7 is based on passive income, such as pensions, rental income or dividends. The D8 is based on active income from remote work. The income benchmarks and the evidence required differ too. See the comparison above, or read D7 vs D8: which visa fits your move.
Can my family accompany me?
Family members can often accompany or join the main applicant, but the requirements depend on who is moving and how they are related to you, and the household’s means are taken into account. We review your family situation during the consultation.
Does Portugal Wizard offer assistance after arrival?
Yes. Portugal Wizard can help with any aspect of settling in. Some services may have an additional charge because they are not included in Portugal Made Easy, but we help either way. We agree the scope with you after your consultation.
Let’s see whether the D8 fits you.
Book a call and complete a short questionnaire. We assess your circumstances, help you understand the right visa pathway and explain how we can help.