Portugal Digital Nomad Visa 2026: Income, Documents, Fees

By the SettleBuddy editorial teamUpdated 13 October 20267 min read

Portugal has a visa for people who work remotely for an employer or clients outside the country. The official name is long, a visa for the exercise of a professional activity done remotely, and the visa portal adds a shorter label: digital nomads. It comes in two versions, one for stays of less than a year and one that leads to a residence permit. This guide sets out the income test, the documents and the fees from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the migration agency AIMA, as read on 13 October 2026.

Quick answer

You must prove an average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the Portuguese minimum monthly salary, which is 920€ in 2026. You also need a work contract or an employer's declaration, or service contracts if you are self-employed, and a document showing your tax residence. The visa fee is 110€. A residency visa is decided within 60 days, is valid for 4 months, and leads to a residence permit valid for two years. A temporary stay visa covers less than a year and is decided within 30 days.

Houses and a white church on a hillside in the old town of Lisbon, Portugal — Hillside houses in the old town of Lisbon. Photo: nikola_pu / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).

Two versions of the visa

	Temporary stay visa	Residency visa
Length of stay	Less than a year	Longer, with a residence permit
Validity of the visa	The entire stay	4 months
Entries	Multiple	Two
Deadline for a decision	30 days	60 days
After arrival	No residence permit step	Apply to AIMA for a residence permit, valid two years

The income requirement

Both versions carry the same test. You must show proof of average monthly income for the last three months, with a minimum value equivalent to four times the guaranteed minimum monthly pay. The visa portal gives the minimum monthly salary for 2026 as 920€, set by a regulatory decree of 29 December 2025, so your threshold is four times that figure.

Two points follow from the wording. The test looks back at income you have already earned, over three months. And it is tied to the minimum salary, so the threshold changes whenever that salary does.

Documents that prove remote work

You are	One of these documents
An employee	A work contract, or a declaration by the employer confirming the employment link. For a temporary stay visa, a promise of a work contract is also listed
Self-employed	A partnership or company contract, a contract for the provision of services, or a document attesting the services you provide to one or more entities. For a temporary stay visa, a written proposal for a service contract is also listed

Every applicant adds two more items: the proof of income described above, and a document attesting their fiscal residence.

General documents

The national visa application form, filled in and signed
2 recent passport-type photos
A passport or other travel document valid for 3 months after the estimated date of return
Proof of regular status if you apply in a country other than that of your nationality
Valid travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including urgent assistance and possible repatriation
A criminal record certificate from your country of nationality or the country where you have lived for over a year, with the Hague Apostille or legalised
Proof of financial resources. For this visa, the funds arising from your contract count

The portal calls these the mandatory initial documents and adds that the consular post may request additional ones at its discretion.

Fees and timing

Visa fee: 110€ for processing a national visa application.
Appeal: 75€ for the administrative costs of each appeal against a decision.
Decision: 60 days for a residency visa and 30 days for a temporary stay visa.

The portal advises submitting the application in advance, so that the authorities have time to decide.

How to apply, step by step

Choose the version: temporary stay for less than a year, or residency if you plan to settle.
Gather three months of income evidence and your contract or employer's declaration.
Obtain the criminal record certificate with the apostille, and proof of your tax residence.
Lodge the application with the Portuguese consular post, or its external service provider, for the place where you live, and pay the 110€ fee.
Enter Portugal once the visa is issued.
On a residency visa, apply to AIMA for the residence permit within the 4 months of the visa.

The residence permit from AIMA

AIMA lists the residence permit for remote workers under Article 88 of the foreigners' law, with the label "Nómadas Digitais". The application is made by appointment and handed in in person at any AIMA office, with:

A valid passport
A valid residency visa for remote professional activity
A sworn declaration by the person or company based outside Portugal, attesting the employment link or the provision of services
A sworn declaration of your address in Portugal, with a declaration from the landlord or host if you rent

The permit is valid for two years from the date it is issued and is renewable for successive periods of three years. AIMA also lists conditions that apply to any grant, including no conviction for a crime punishable in Portugal by more than one year in prison.

Bringing family

Family reunification requires your residence permit to have been valid for at least two years, under the Foreigners Act as amended by Lei 61/2025 — or 15 months for a spouse who lived with you for at least 18 months before you came to Portugal. That wait does not apply to minor or incapacitated dependents, who can join at any time. The resident first asks AIMA to approve the request. Once AIMA decides in favour, the family members lodge their visa applications at the consulate. The portal's list of family members includes the spouse, minor children and dependent first-degree ascendants.

The long view

A temporary residence permit held for at least 5 years opens the way to a permanent residence permit, which also requires basic Portuguese. For citizenship, a law in force since 19 May 2026 sets the minimum legal residence at seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU member states, and ten years for others.

Frequently asked questions

How much income do I need for the Portugal digital nomad visa?

An average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the Portuguese minimum monthly salary. The visa portal gives that salary as 920€ for 2026.

How much does the Portugal digital nomad visa cost?

The fee for processing a national visa application is 110€.

How long does the Portugal digital nomad visa take?

The deadline for a decision is 60 days for a residency visa and 30 days for a temporary stay visa.

How long can I stay in Portugal as a digital nomad?

Less than a year on a temporary stay visa. On the residency route, the residence permit is valid for two years and renewable for successive periods of three years.

Can freelancers apply?

Yes. Self-employed applicants present a partnership or company contract, a service contract, or a document attesting the services they provide to one or more entities.

Do I need a Portuguese employer?

No. The visa is for professional activity done remotely for an entity outside Portugal, and AIMA asks for a declaration from the person or company based outside the country.

Can the digital nomad visa lead to permanent residence?

The residency route can. A temporary residence permit held for at least 5 years is one of the requirements for a permanent residence permit.

Official sources

All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. The AIMA pages are in Portuguese; the English wording here is our own. Consulates can request further documents, so check the page of the post where you will apply. Information, not legal or tax advice.