Portugal Digital Nomad / Remote Work Visa
A residency pathway for eligible remote employees and freelancers, commonly called the D8.
Fees
Quoted after a consultation
Portugal Digital Nomad / Remote Work Visa is scoped work. What it costs depends on your circumstances, how many applicants are involved, and how much preparation already exists — so we look at your case first and then quote it, rather than publishing a number that would be a guess for most people reading it.
Government, embassy, visa application centre, insurance, biometric, bank and other third-party charges are set and collected by those organisations and are always separate from Vizabolt’s professional fee. We confirm the scope and the fee in writing before any work begins — there is no online checkout, and nothing is charged from this website.
For remote employees and freelancers working for clients or employers based outside Portugal.
Portugal defines a residence visa for professional activity carried out remotely for employers or clients outside the country — the route most people know online as the D8. It is generally aimed at remote employees and freelancers whose income comes from outside Portugal. We help you assess whether it fits your work situation and prepare the documentation involved.
Is this the right pathway?
Fitting one of these profiles doesn't automatically mean you're eligible — eligibility always depends on your individual circumstances.
Support at every step.
A conversation about your remote work or freelance situation.
Guidance on the kind of employment or contract evidence typically expected.
A checklist built around your specific work and income situation.
Help preparing a complete, well-organised application.
Guidance on NIF, NISS, SNS, and bank account preparation alongside your application.
Follow your case from preparation through to submission.
What you'll typically prepare.
We do not publish specific minimum-income figures here, since thresholds are set by Portuguese authorities and can change — we'll confirm the current expectation during your consultation.
Step by step.
We discuss your remote work or freelance situation.
A clear conversation on whether this route fits your circumstances.
A plan for the employment and income documents your case needs.
Guidance on NIF, NISS, SNS, and banking preparation.
We help prepare a complete application.
Guidance on the consulate appointment or submission steps.
Practical coordination as you plan the move itself.
Applying from the UAE
The application is made to the Portuguese consular post responsible for your country of residence, so it starts in the UAE rather than in Portugal. AIMA handles the residence-permit stage after arrival. Those are two different bodies at two different points, and mistaking one for the other is what makes people expect the process to move faster than it does.
The evidence question is sharper here than on the D7. A remote worker has to show that the work is genuinely performed for entities outside Portugal and that it is durable — which for a UAE-based professional usually means an employment contract or client agreements, a payment history that matches them, and a tax position that is consistent with both. Free-zone company structures and multi-client freelance arrangements are common in the Gulf and are entirely workable; they simply need explaining in a form a consular officer can follow.
Accommodation evidence in Portugal covering at least twelve months and a NIF are normally in place before the file is submitted, and both can be arranged while you are still here.
Important considerations
- Eligibility depends on your individual facts, income source, and nationality.
- Official rules and thresholds can change without notice.
- Government and third-party fees are separate from our service fees unless clearly stated.
- Processing and appointment availability are controlled by the relevant Portuguese authorities.
- Tax and legal advice may require a licensed specialist — we can point you toward one where appropriate.
Digital Nomad Visa FAQ.
Yes. "D8" is the shorthand almost everyone uses online, and it is what most people search for. Portugal’s own Ministry of Foreign Affairs names it descriptively instead — a residency visa for the exercise of a professional activity done remotely, for digital nomads — so that is the name we lead with. There is one route and two names for it.
The D7 is generally for passive or regular income — pensions, rental income, dividends. This route is generally for remote employees and freelancers earning from clients or employers outside Portugal. Which applies depends on where your income comes from, not on how much of it there is.
Both employees and freelancers may be eligible, provided the income comes from outside Portugal — we'll review your specific contract or client arrangements with you.
Yes, dependants can often be included — the exact requirements depend on your family situation and current rules.
No. Residency decisions are made solely by the relevant Portuguese authority. We help you prepare the strongest, most complete application we can.
The threshold is set by reference to the Portuguese guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration, which changes annually, and the digital-nomad route is assessed against a multiple of it. Publishing a euro figure here would date the page. We confirm the current requirement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidance before your application is prepared.
Portugal lists them as separate residence visas. One is for people settling on income they already receive — pensions, rent, dividends. The other is specifically for professional activity carried out remotely for entities outside Portugal. The question is not how much you earn but what the income is: work performed remotely, or returns on assets.
It changes the evidence rather than the route. An employee is generally showing an employment relationship with a non-Portuguese employer and its continuity; a freelancer is showing client contracts, invoicing history and that the work genuinely comes from outside Portugal. Both need to hold together over time rather than in one good month.
Official sources
This page is written from official government and consular sources, not from other advisory websites. Last reviewed 2026-08-21.
Preparing for Digital Nomad Visa
Portugal D8: Evidencing Remote Work From the UAE
What a D8 file has to show about your remote work, and how UAE employment, free-zone and freelance arrangements are best presented to a Portuguese consular post.
Portugal D7 and D8: Understanding the Difference
The D7 and D8 residency routes are often confused. The distinction comes down to where your income comes from and how it is earned.
UAE to Portugal: What to Plan Before You Leave
The UAE side of a move to Portugal — what to close, what to collect, and what to keep open until the last moment, sequenced against your residency application.
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Ready to explore the remote-work route?
Speak with an advisor about how your work is structured and whether this route fits your circumstances.