Portuguese visa for remote workers and digital nomads

We all know that Portugal, more specifically Lisbon, is the hype for remote workers nowadays. Everyone wants to come here for workstations, or as digital nomads because of many reasons: the good weather, nice and welcoming people, the beauty of its cities, the good quality of life, and diverse activities to do in your free time. For a digital nomad, there are more than just these attractive reasons to come to Lisbon, because English is widely spoken, there are also many coworking spaces and laptop friendly cafes, big events and world class conferences, a lot of talent coming to the country and a big community of digital nomads and remote workers where you can build a great network.

However, it gets a bit tricky for some people to be able to come to Portugal as a digital nomad or to do remote work from here for mid-term or long-term stays. This could be for diverse reasons but the main is not having an European passport that will allow that easily. This is why some people really need to get a visa to come to the country for more than 3 months, specifically working from Portugal due to tax reasons too.

The good news is that Portugal has finally announced the launch of their expected “digital nomad visa” that will be available from the end of the month for remote workers who earn at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage, amounting to around a salary of 3.040 euros per month. You can apply for this visa at the Portuguese Consulate in your country of residence or in Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, the immigration office in Portugal. The requirements for the remote worker visa, which will give you the chance to apply for either a temporary stay up to one year or a residency permit that you can extend up to five years, are proof of income for the last three months, tax residency documentation and your work contract or the proof of self-employment.

This new visa is competing with the well-known D7 Portuguese visa that requires a monthly income of around $7.011 a year to their applicants, but the biggest difference is that this income has to be passive which means, for example, company equity or real estate, not salary. The good thing is that both visas will give you the chance to live in Portugal and also the opportunity to travel within the Schengen region without controls.

There are other European countries that offer a similar kind of visa for remote workers or digital nomads to live and work from them. Some of these countries are Hungary, with the visa called white card that has the requirement of around €2.000 monthly salary, and Malta with a “digital nomad visa” that asks for a minimum salary of €2.700 per month, but if you ask us, they are not as cool as Portugal when it comes to digital nomad life.

Maybe this was the sign that you were waiting to finally come to Portugal to do remote work, we guarantee you that it will be the time of your life!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

The requirements are the following:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Not be a citizen of an EU/EEA country.
• Receive a monthly income that exceeds €3,040.
• Possess a contract for remote or freelance work.
• Have secured accommodation in Portugal.
  

What Is the Cost of a Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

To obtain a digital nomad visa in Portugal, you are required to pay a 90 euros fee if applying for a Long-term visa, or 75 euros for a temporary stay visa.

What Documents Are Necessary for Obtaining a Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

To apply for a Portugal Digital Nomad visa, you will need to assemble the following documents:

• A valid passport.
• Two passport photos (sized at 4.5X3.5cm).
• A bank statement demonstrating a monthly salary of €3,040.
• A bank statement confirming a minimum balance of €36,480.
• Documentation of tax payments or tax refund vouchers.
• A NIF registration certificate.
• Proof of remote employment – work contract or partnership agreement.
• An English-language letter outlining your reasons for relocating to Portugal.
• Valid health insurance coverage in Portugal.
• A police certificate translated into Portuguese to verify a clean criminal record.
• Either a Portuguese lease agreement or evidence of property ownership in Portugal.
• Proof of your flight ticket to Portugal.
• Documents demonstrating your family relationship (if you choose to bring family members).