Retiring in Portugal: the visa situation
EU citizens: no visa required (freedom of movement)
If you hold citizenship of an EU member state, you generally do not need a visa to retire in Portugal. Under EU freedom of movement you may live here; you can stay up to three months without registering, and for longer stays you register your residence with the local authorities. Confirm the current steps with the official source before you rely on this.
Source: europa.eu, last checked 2026-07-04. The visa route below is for non-EU citizens.
For non-EU citizens
As of our last check, Portugal offers a dedicated retirement route: the D7 Visa (passive income / retirement visa).
The income requirement is on the low side, so a typical pension is more likely to clear it. ~EUR 920/mo single (the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage, about EUR 11,040/yr) in stable passive income; +50% for a spouse, +30% per child.
Requires private health insurance and proof of accommodation. Initial 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 years, then permanent residence; naturalisation after 10 years (7 for EU/CPLP nationals) under the 2026 law.
Verified against immigrantinvest.com, last checked 2026-07-03.
The verified fields
~EUR 920/mo single (the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage, about EUR 11,040/yr) in stable passive income; +50% for a spouse, +30% per child.
Requires private health insurance and proof of accommodation. Initial 2-year residence permit, renewable for 3 years, then permanent residence; naturalisation after 10 years (7 for EU/CPLP nationals) under the 2026 law.
Before you act on this
Visa rules, income thresholds and processing practice change, sometimes with little notice. This page reflects what we could verify on the dates shown, nothing more. Always confirm the current requirements with the official immigration authority or a licensed immigration adviser before making plans, and treat the linked source as the authority, not us.
See how Portugal scores overall
The visa is one of six axes. RetireScore 86/100, ranked 1 of 40 countries on the default weights.