Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa

The D2 is Portugal's residence visa for independent work and for immigrant entrepreneurs. It suits freelancers and self-employed professionals with Portuguese or foreign clients and founders who invest in a business in Portugal. Like the other residence visas, it gets the holder into Portugal to apply to AIMA for a residence permit.

• Status: active, under art. 60 and art. 89 of Lei 23/2007
• Investment: No legal minimum investment; entrepreneurs show investment operations made or intended, plus means available in Portugal
• Means of subsistence: €11,040 for the main applicant in 2026, the 12-month floor under Portaria 1563/2007
• Visa fee: €110 at the consulate, then AIMA permit fees
• First permit: 2 years

Remote workers whose clients and employers are all abroad usually fit the D8 visa for remote work better. Founders with a place in a certified incubator can use a separate Startup Visa listed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Portugal country guide compares the routes.

The consular checklist splits D2 applicants into two groups:

• Independent professionals: hold a contract or a written proposal to provide services, plus proof of professional competence where the profession is regulated in Portugal.
• Entrepreneurs: show investment operations already made, or show means available in Portugal and an intention to invest there.

No law sets a minimum investment. Consulates weigh whether the plan is credible and whether the applicant can live on the means shown. The general floor is 12 months of the minimum wage, €11,040 in 2026, and income from a company, contract or service agreement can count toward it.

Local work allowed: Yes. The route is open to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals, who file where they legally live.

General documents for every Portuguese residence visa, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

• Signed national visa application form and two recent passport photos
• Passport valid for three months after the planned return, with a copy of the data page
• Proof of legal status in the country of application, where the applicant is not a national
• Travel insurance covering medical expenses, urgent care and repatriation
• Criminal record certificate, apostilled or legalized (not required under 16)
• Proof of means of subsistence

D2-specific documents:

• Independent professionals: the service contract or written proposal, and a certificate of professional competence where one applies.
• Entrepreneurs: evidence of investment operations made, or proof of financial means in Portugal, including through a Portuguese financial institution, and proof of the intention to invest.

Consulates can request more, such as a business plan, company registration or accommodation evidence. The local post's list is the one that counts.

• Consular visa fee: €110 per applicant (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Children under 6 are exempt.
• AIMA reception and analysis: €99.80 per person, for the first permit and each renewal.
• AIMA residence title: €85.80 per person for issue or renewal.

The AIMA figures come from the fee table in force since March 1, 2026, which applies a 25 percent reduction to in-person service. Company setup, accounting, insurance, translations and legal help are private costs on top.

Where to apply: Residence visa at the Portuguese consulate (or its visa service provider) with jurisdiction over the place of residence; after entry, the residence permit with AIMA within the 4-month visa validity.

1. Get a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and, for entrepreneurs, open a Portuguese bank account for the funds.
2. File at the consulate or its visa service provider and pay the visa fee.
3. Wait for the decision. The legal deadline is 60 days for the consular stage.
4. Enter Portugal on the residency visa, valid for four months with two entries.
5. Attend the AIMA appointment within that window and collect the residence card.

• First permit: 2 years.
• Renewal: Renewable for successive 3-year periods while the requirements are still met; permanent residence possible after 5 years of temporary residence. The activity has to be real and ongoing at each renewal.
• When to renew: at least 30 days before expiry, under art. 78 of Lei 23/2007.
• Absences: no more than six consecutive months, or eight months in total, during the permit's validity without a justified reason.

Longer term: Permanent residence after 5 years of temporary residence (basic Portuguese required); naturalization after 10 years of legal residence (7 for EU and CPLP nationals) since May 19, 2026. Under Lei Orgânica 1/2026, only time spent under a visa, permit or other title counts.

Since Oct. 23, 2025, family reunification from inside Portugal generally requires two years of residence under the permit, so families that want to move together apply at the consulate as accompanying members.

Tax residence follows art. 16 of the IRS Code: more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period, or a home held in conditions suggesting habitual residence. Residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates.

Self-employed residents register their activity with the tax authority and pay social security contributions. The incentive that replaced the Non-Habitual Resident regime is IFICI: 20% flat IRS rate on eligible Portuguese employment and self-employment income for 10 years, with most foreign income exempt; only for new residents not resident in the prior 5 years who work in qualifying research, innovation or highly qualified roles. Founders in qualifying sectors should check eligibility before registering, since registration runs by Jan. 15 of the year after becoming resident.