PORTUGAL: IMMIGRATION FOR FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS

PORTUGAL: ADVANTAGES

The Portuguese residence comes with many advantages, such as:

1. 1. 1. 1. Be able to live, study and work in Portugal;
         2. Minimum number of days spent in the country to maintain and to renew the residence permit in Portugal;
         3. Visa exemption for traveling within all the 26 countries members of the Schengen Area. Being in Europe is a snap to travel to any other country quickly. By booking your tickets in advance, you can travel through several countries here for well under 100 euros round-trip.
         4. Access to permanent residency and citizenship in Portugal after 5 years of residence;
         5. Portugal offers high-quality medical care and education;
         6. Possibility to create a business in Portugal and in other European countries;
         7. Facility to open a bank account for business or private purposes in Portugal and in other European countries;
         8. With a Portuguese residence, it gives an easier access to apply and obtain a visa for the USA, Australia, Canada or New Zealand;
         9. If you’re a nature lover and are constantly dreaming of living in a place full of sunlight and warm weather, well, Portugal is your destination. For example, Lisbon averages ten hours of sunlight during wintertime, which is an absolute blast compared to the Northern European nations.
         10. Attractive tax conditions. Portugal offers a very desirable destination, attracting investors, self-employed professionals and many others as nomads and financial independent people.
         11. The cost of living in Portugal is much lower than in many countries, such as the UK, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, and neighboring Spain. Hence, Portugal is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe, especially for expats and digital nomads.
         12. It is impossible to be bored when living in Portugal. The territory offers a very rich cultural program with a multitude of festivals and concerts, discovering beautiful villages classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Take advantage of the beaches (more than 800 km of coastline) for swimming and surfing.
         13. Typical gastronomy known all around the world. Taste the Portuguese gastronomy. It’s renowned for being tasty. The pastéis de Belém is an institution.
         14. Security. Crime in Portugal is lower than in many countries. In 2021, according to the Global Peace Index, Portugal is considered the 4th most peaceful country in the world, just behind Iceland, New Zealand and Denmark.
         15. Beaches, Mountains and Nature. The coastline in Portugal is beautiful. In summer, the beautiful beaches all along the west side of the country should be explored and enjoyed.The south of Portugal, in the Algarve region, has been the paradise of European retirees who want to live in Portugal. Away from the coast, Portugal is home to mountains and plains, national parks, lakes and rivers, it is a geographically diverse and fabulous country.

PORTUGAL: REQUIREMENTS

In order to apply for a D7 visa in Portugal and obtain a residence permit, the applicant must:

1. 1. 1. Provide evidence of having a net regular passive income from pension, rental, interest, dividend or intellectual property income, that is deemed sufficient to support his/her family aggregate in Portugal;
      2. Proof that you have income that allows you to live in Portugal.To be eligible, you must have income or pensions amounting for 12 months: €7.200 for the first adult; €3.600 for second or more adults; €2.160 per child. You must provide 6-months of bank statements;
      3. Have a long-term accommodation in Portugal, by either buying or renting a property for a minimum period of 12 months;
      4. Open a bank account in Portugal and transfer the necessary funds.
      5. Obtain a Portuguese tax id number (NIF);
      6. Subscribe to medical insurance valid in Portugal.

Official website with requirements information: https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/solicitar/residir/art77-1/

PORTUGAL: DOCUMENTS

All documents in a foreign language must be translated into Portuguese by a certified translator. The translator will certify that the translation is accurate and compliant with the original document by applying his or her stamp and signature. Below is a general list of required documentation to apply for a D7 visa in Portugal:

1. 1. 1. Passport, must be valid at least 12 months before the application process;
      2. National Identity card;
      3. Photo ID;
      4. Police certificate;
      5. Family booklet, marriage/divorce certificate, issued within the last 3 months (if applicable);
      6. Birth certificate;
      7. Police certificate of good conduct, issued by the country of origin or from country of residence (if different) for the last five years;
      8. Declaration outlining the reasons for wanting to obtain residence in Portugal;
      9. Medical insurance coverage valid in Portugal;
      10. Tax assessment and declarations: at least for 5 last years;
      11. Proof of accommodation in Portugal;
      12. Evidence of means of income;
      13. Portuguese tax ID number (NIF);
      14. Bank certificate and bank statements from a bank in Portugal.

PORTUGAL: PROCESS

Below is a general procedure to obtain the D7 visa and residency permit in Portugal. It is possible that the process will be different for you depending on the local policy or your particular situation. For this reason, this list is only for reference purposes:

1. 1. 1. We provide a comprehensive consultation on the Portuguese immigration process. Therefore, we can answer every question of yours, whether it concerns medical insurance, taxation, property or any other factor related to your settling in Portugal;
      2. We will assist you in the preparation of the list of documents that is required based on your situation;
      3. We will also assist you in the legalization of all documents required for the application;
      4. Once the documents are all ready, we will assist in the translation of the documentation in Portuguese by one of our sworn translators;
      5. You may travel to Portugal to rent or purchase a property. Our local team can accompany you in order to find your dream home in the best neighbourhood, evaluate the property and negotiate the price. We can also provide this process for you through a proxy;
      6. We will assist you in opening a bank account in Portugal. Once the bank account is open, you should transfer the minimum required funds for living expanses;
      7. We will also help you to apply and obtain a Portuguese tax ID number (NIF);
      8. Our team will guide you in the subscription to a medical coverage with a Portuguese insurance company;
      9. Once your file is complete, we will take an appointment for you to apply for a Portuguese D7 visa at the Portuguese embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship or of residence;
      10. In the event that the result is positive, a national Portuguese visa will be issued within the next 20 days;
      11. Once the visa is issued, you must travel to Portugal and apply for a residence permit at Portuguese Immigration Department and Border Control Service (SEF);
      12. Our team will help you to prepare and complete your application in Portugal and obtain your first residency permit;
      13. The first residence permit valid for a period of 1 year;
      14. Renewals are possible twice and they last for a period of 2 years as well. After 5 years of residence in Portugal, you may be eligible to submit an application for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship by naturalization. Our team will be present to assist you during the renewal process as well as for the permanent residency and citizenship application.

CITIZENSHIP

Our experts at the Inimex Portugal and VIP Serveis Portugal office provide you with the following information about the methods of acquiring Portuguese citizenship. There are three main pathways to achieve the ultimate goal, which are descent, marriage, and naturalisation. If you have any questions, please contact us.

1. Descent

1. 1. 1. A child automatically acquires Portuguese citizenship at birth if one of the parents is a Portuguese citizen, regardless of the place of birth.
      2. If born in Portuguese territory and has lived in any territory of Portugal for 10 years, they automatically acquire nationality (this includes any Portuguese colony before its independence).
      3. If one of your grandparents is Portuguese by birth, and you are familiar with the Portuguese language, you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship, subject to approval.
      4. If a child is adopted by Portuguese parents before reaching legal age, the child automatically acquires nationality.
      5. Those who have lost their Portuguese nationality as minors can reclaim it at any time.
      6. If you are of Sephardic Jewish lineage, you can apply for citizenship if you can prove such lineage to those Jews who were expelled from current Portuguese territories.

2. Marriage

If you have been married to a Portuguese citizen for at least 3 years, and have never been legally separated, you can apply for citizenship.

3. Naturalisation

Any person who has legally resided in Portugal for 6 years, and can speak Portuguese relatively well, can apply for citizenship.

PORTUGAL: TESTIMONIAL I

We collected several testimonies from clients who chose Portugal as a destination and our team to accompany them through the process. Below is one of them:

“My wife and I retired and chose Portugal as our destination in order to fully enjoy the amount of free time we now had. We took this decision according to the warm ambiance of Portugal, its low cost of living, its rich culture, its amazing climate and the quality of its medical services. For all these reasons, we bought an apartment in Porto. We were surprised to find out that there was a huge community of French and Germans who were also retired and living there. We are really happy we met all these people with whom we can share great moments. Our life quality is excellent, and we are never worried because we have access to medical services that fit our needs. Thanks to the Inimex team who helped us with the apartment purchase and facilitated with the application process for the visa in Portugal. We were enjoying life like never before, and we are really happy we took that decision.”

PORTUGAL: TESTIMONIAL II

“While being a mother of two teenagers, I decided to start a new project abroad. I invested in a property in Portugal in order for me to obtain a Portuguese residence and keep it for 5 years. My main goal was to obtain a residence permit in a European country to facilitate trips through Europe. I also wanted to live in Europe and provide many study tracks to my children. With our Portuguese residence permit, my two children could conduct their studies in Switzerland. The process in both Portugal and in Switzerland went very well, thanks to the Inimex team who was present and patient during the entire process. I am glad about this experience, and I would suggest it to anybody particularly because of the program flexibility.“

PORTUGAL: OUR SERVICES

1. 1. 1. Residence permit for financially independent (wealthy) applicants;
      2. Residence permit for real estate owners and investors;
      3. Opening a bank account for residents and non-resident in Spain. Usually we work with BPI, Barclays, BBVA, Novobanco, Santander Totta;
      4. Obtaining the N.I.F. (Fiscal identification number);
      5. Renting or purchasing property.We will guide you through the home buying process and help you see success from start to finish. We offer intimate knowledge of the exact area you’re  buying in, our friendliness and politeness, our honesty and integrity, our knowledge of the purchase process and real estate market, our communications and negotiation skills;
      6. Inimex and VIP-Serveis S.L. help investors and their families collect the necessary documents and fill out forms. Then, applicants submit documents and biometric data to a Portuguese consulate in the country of residence;
      7. Translation services: general certified, legal, juridical translations, business, medical and technical translations;
      8. We will help you select a health insurance that best suits your needs and that is valid according to Portuguese criteria;
      9. Extension of the residence permit;
      10. Permanent residence permit;
      11. Portuguese Citizenship.

DIGITAL NOMAD VISA

Portugal’s digital nomad visa is the first digital nomad visa of its kind in Europe. Remote workers can apply for a one-year temporary stay visa or a renewable residence permit for up to five years. Applicants must earn at least €2,800 per month, four times the minimum wage in Portugal. In addition, they must be employed by a company outside Portugal or be self-employed. There are two types of visas for digital nomads in Portugal. You can apply for a temporary stay visa or a residence visa:

1. 1. The Temporary Stay Visa for Digital Nomads is the easiest to apply for and allows you to stay for up to 1 year in Portugal, with the possibility of renewal. You are allowed to work as a freelancer or online business owner in Portugal during this period, as well as to travel freely in and out of Portugal.
   2. On the other hand, you can also apply for the digital nomad residence visa if you are looking for a longer stay in Portugal. This is the perfect visa if you are looking to obtain residency or start on the path to Portuguese citizenship.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Only non-EU and EEA nationals can apply. You must also be an employee of a company outside Portugal or self-employed. This will of course be officially verified by tax residency documents, proof of employment and proof of income for the last three months.
2. Portuguese NIF and Portuguese bank account
3. Proof of tax residence (12 months)
4. Employment contract from outside Portugal or self-employment contract
5. Pay slips