The Portugal D8 visa is the country’s digital nomad visa. It allows non-EU citizens who work remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal to live in the country. As of October 2026, you need average monthly income of at least €3,680 over the last three months, which is four times Portugal’s 2026 minimum wage of €920.
The D8 comes in two forms. A temporary stay visa covers a stay of less than a year. A residence visa is the first step toward a two-year residence permit that can be renewed. Both are issued by Portuguese consulates, and the residence permit is then granted in Portugal by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).
We checked the requirements on the Portuguese consular visa portal and the consolidated text of Portugal’s foreigners’ law in October 2026. That law was amended in October 2025, with changes that matter for families.
Key takeaways
- The D8 is for employees and independent professionals whose employers or clients are based outside Portugal.
- The income test is four times the monthly minimum wage, averaged over the last three months: €3,680 a month in 2026.
- The temporary stay version lasts under a year. The residence version leads to a two-year permit, renewable for three-year periods.
- The consular fee for a national visa is €110, as of October 2026.
- Since the October 2025 amendment, most permit holders must hold residence for two years before applying to bring family members, with some exceptions.
Who the D8 visa is for
Portugal added the D8 to its foreigners’ law, Law 23/2007, as Article 61-B, through Law 18/2022. The article grants a residence visa to employees and independent professionals who carry out work remotely for people or companies with their domicile or headquarters outside Portugal. You must show the employment relationship or the service contracts, depending on your situation.
This makes the D8 different from Portugal’s D7 passive income visa, which is built around pensions, rents and investment income. The D8 is about active remote work. It is also different from a standard work visa, because your employer or clients stay abroad.
Temporary stay or residence: the two versions of the D8
| Feature | Temporary stay visa | Residence visa |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A stay of less than one year | Moving to Portugal and applying for a residence permit |
| Visa validity | Covers the whole stay, with multiple entries | 4 months, with two entries |
| Next step | Leave when the stay ends | Apply to AIMA for a residence permit |
| Residence permit | None | 2 years, renewable for successive 3-year periods |
The temporary stay route suits people who want a long working stay without moving their life to Portugal. The residence route is for people who plan to live there. With the residence route, Portuguese tax residence is much more likely to follow, as the tax section below explains.
The income requirement in 2026
Portugal sets the income bar at four times the national monthly minimum wage. Decree-Law 139/2025 set that wage at €920 a month from January 1, 2026. Applicants show their average monthly income over the last three months.
| Measure | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Portugal minimum wage, per month (14 payments a year) | €920 |
| D8 minimum average monthly income (4 times) | €3,680 |
| Period you must show | The last three months |
Portugal pays its minimum wage 14 times a year. Eurostat’s minimum wage data show it as about €1,073 a month when spread over 12 months. The D8 test uses the standard monthly amount of €920. The minimum wage usually changes every January, so the D8 figure changes with it.
Documents you need
The consular portal lists specific documents for the D8, plus the general documents for any national visa.
D8-specific documents
- Employees: a work contract, or a declaration from the employer that confirms the employment relationship. The temporary stay version also accepts a promise of a work contract.
- Independent professionals: a company contract, a service contract, or documents that show services provided to one or more clients. The temporary stay version also accepts a written proposal for a service contract.
- Income: proof of average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the minimum wage.
- Tax residence: a document that certifies your current tax residence. Our guide to tax residency certificates explains what these documents are and who issues them.
General visa documents
- The national visa application form, completed and signed.
- Two recent passport photos.
- A passport valid for at least three months after your planned return, plus a copy of the biographical page.
- Proof of legal status in the country where you apply, if you are not a national of that country.
- Travel insurance that covers medical costs, urgent care and repatriation.
- A criminal record certificate from your country of nationality, or from any country where you have lived for more than a year, apostilled or legalized. This does not apply to applicants under 16.
- Proof of means of subsistence. For the D8, income from your contracts counts toward this.
The consulate can ask for more documents. Many consulates use external service providers to receive applications, so check the procedure for the post that covers where you live.
How the D8 process works
- Gather the documents and book an appointment with the Portuguese consulate or its service provider.
- Pay the national visa fee of €110 and submit your application.
- If you get a temporary stay visa, you can enter and stay for its full validity.
- If you get a residence visa, enter Portugal within its four-month validity and apply to AIMA for a residence permit.
- AIMA issues a temporary residence permit valid for two years. You can then renew it for successive three-year periods if you still meet the conditions.
AIMA has faced long processing queues in recent years, and wait times vary by office. Our update on Portugal’s golden visa backlog shows how delays have affected other residence routes.
Family members after the 2025 changes
Law 61/2025 of October 22, 2025, changed Portugal’s family reunification rules. Under the current Article 98 of Law 23/2007:
- A residence permit holder generally needs to have held a valid permit for at least two years before applying for family reunification.
- The period is 15 months for a spouse or partner who lived with the permit holder for at least 18 months before they entered Portugal.
- The waiting period does not apply to dependent minor or incapacitated children, or to a spouse or partner who is the parent of those children.
- It also does not apply to families of people with permits for highly qualified work, investment or the EU Blue Card. The D8 is not on that list.
- The government can waive or shorten the period in exceptional, well-founded cases.
The amendment also introduced integration measures for family members who join through reunification, including Portuguese language training and training on constitutional principles. Families planning a D8 move often check with the consulate how these rules will apply to them before they apply.
Tax: when Portugal sees you as resident
A D8 visa does not decide your tax status. According to PwC’s Portugal tax summary, you are generally a Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period that starts or ends in the tax year. You can also be resident with fewer days if you have a home in Portugal that you intend to use as your main residence.
Portuguese residents are generally taxed on their worldwide income. Portugal closed its old non-habitual resident regime to most newcomers and replaced it with a narrower incentive for qualifying jobs and activities, often called NHR 2.0. Our guide to Portugal’s IFICI regime explains who it covers. Whether any regime applies to a remote worker depends on the role and the facts.
Your home country may also continue to tax you, and a day count is rarely the whole story. People in this position often speak to advisers in both countries before they move.
Portugal compared with Spain and Croatia
Portugal’s D8 asks for more income than Spain’s digital nomad visa, which needs about €2,849 a month in 2026. It asks for slightly more than Croatia, which needs €3,622.50 a month but caps the stay at 18 months. Portugal and Spain both offer renewable residence. See our guides to the Spain digital nomad visa and the Croatia digital nomad permit.
A Portuguese residence permit lets you live in Portugal. Visits to other Schengen countries follow the general short-stay limits, which our guide to the Schengen 90/180 rule explains.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do I need for the Portugal D8 visa in 2026?
You need average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the minimum wage. With the 2026 minimum wage of €920, that is €3,680 a month.
What is the difference between the D8 temporary stay visa and the D8 residence visa?
The temporary stay visa covers a stay of less than a year, with multiple entries. The residence visa is valid for four months and two entries, and it is used to enter Portugal and apply to AIMA for a two-year residence permit.
How much does the Portugal D8 visa cost?
The consular fee for a national visa is €110, as of October 2026. AIMA charges separate fees for the residence permit, and service providers may add their own charges.
Can I bring my family on a Portugal D8 visa?
Family reunification is possible, but since the October 2025 amendment, most permit holders must wait two years before applying. Exceptions include dependent minor children and a spouse who is the parent of those children.
Do D8 visa holders pay tax in Portugal?
If you become a Portuguese tax resident, generally through more than 183 days in a 12-month period or a main home in Portugal, you are generally taxed on your worldwide income. Treaties and special regimes can change the result.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.