Move to Portugal with a D2 visa: apply for a visa as an entrepreneur or director of a local company
D2 is a business visa. You can start a sole proprietorship (by registering "atividade") or a company in Portugal and apply for a visa as an entrepreneur or director.
We recommend this option if you still need to meet the criteria for a D7 visa (permanent income) or Digital Nomad (remote work income over 3040 โฌ per month). However, you must have a local Portuguese client/supplier and demonstrate your value to Portugal. Having local clients is necessary to show your connection to the country and justify your desire for a residency permit.
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๐ You must apply in the country where you hold citizenship or a residency permit.
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๐ You must open a company or register as a self-employed in Portugal.
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๐ You must demonstrate the value of your business and its connection to Portugal. This includes explaining the company's location in Portugal and what it will contribute to the country.
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๐ You should also show evidence of local contracts and invoices or at least demonstrate an intention to work with local clients.
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๐ Although not required, showing proof of livelihood, such as a deposit in a Portuguese or another bank, of at least 12000 โฌ + for the first time is recommended.
If you apply for a D2 visa, your family can apply simultaneously for accompanying visas, but you will need to show more funds.
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Step 1. Preparation of documents.
Obtain business registration, invoices, and tax documents. Gather information on your source of income, bank statements, and taxes paid for at least three months before the application to demonstrate your commitment to the consulate.
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Step 2. Visa application.
Submit your application to the consulate or VFS in your country and obtain your visa. The consulate will paste the visa into your passport with the date of application in Portugal. Some embassies do not provide these pre-appointments with SEF.
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Step 3. SEF Application in Portugal.
Upon arrival in Portugal, apply at the SEF. Simply arrive on the designated date and provide the necessary documents. You're almost there!
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Step 4. The residence card is ready.
On average, you can wait 2-3 weeks for the arrival of your ID card. However, it may take up to 3 months in some cases.โ
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First, determine how documents should be submitted in your country - directly at the consulate or through the VFS Global visa center. Information can be found here.
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Application Registration:
1) Register to apply by entering your personal information and attaching the required documents.
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2) Upon completion, a PDF file containing the application form will be sent to your email. You can edit the form if necessary before submitting.
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3) Application Form: Fill out the application form using Latin letters. Complete all mandatory fields marked with an asterisk (*), and do not use symbols, including commas, in some areas.
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4) Select Consular Office: In the "Consular Office" section, select the line for the Portuguese Embassy in your city/country.
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All applicants over 16 must provide a certificate of no criminal record from their country of citizenship and any countries where they have lived for more than a year after age 16.
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Obtaining the Certificate: Request the certificate in paper format from your country, then obtain an apostille, translate it into Portuguese, and have it notarized by a notary. It is better to order the document as soon as possible and start gathering other required documents while it is being processed.
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Validity: The validity of a certificate depends on the country of issuance and can range from 30 to 90 days. If you have a criminal record, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a lawyer. The specific offense and the time since the conviction may impact the decision regarding your visa.
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Translation and Notarization: Remember to translate the certificate into Portuguese and have it notarized before submitting it to the consulate or VFS.
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You will need the following documents:
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There are different ways to get your NIF number depending on if you are an EU/EEA citizen or not, whether youโre applying remotely or in person. You can get a NIF yourself and for free in Portugal. Or you can get it online if you are in another country. The service does not cost more than โฌ100-120 usually.
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1. Get your NIF remotely and online.
You can get a NIF before you arrive in Portugal to save time to solve other problems, rent an apartment, or open a bank account. The NIF process takes 3 to 10 business days and costs from โฌ89 to โฌ120, depending on the type of service. We can be your representative and get a NIF for you.
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2. Get your NIF in person
The default way of getting a NIF number is to go to your closest Finanรงas (Portuguese tax office) and apply for it in person. This path is completely free. Non-EU/EEA residents used to need a tax representative in order to apply for and maintain a NIF. But from July 2022 this is no longer needed, but it can still make the process of obtaining the NIF easier.
For a D visa, providing a long-term lease agreement is essential. The SEF ignores an apartment's cost, size, or location.ย But we do not recommend using false documents โ the SEF can selectively check applicants.
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Where to find an apartment?
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Try to monitor local lease sites. Hiring an agent is not obligatory, but a professional may help ease the search and communication with the landlord.
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Some useful websites
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Long-term rental:
Try also:
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Some platforms charge a commission, but the contract could be terminated at any time if you do not plan to live in rented housing. SEF accepts such agreements.
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Airbnb offers just short-term accommodation offers. So we don't recommend using it for applying for residentship. In Portugal, you must prove your trustworthiness with resumes, essays, income statements, and work contracts to your potential landlord.
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Documents you need to rent an apartment:
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A Portuguese bank account will suffice if you're opening a self-employed business. Although you can conduct business with any other European bank account, we recommend opening a Portuguese account to show your commitment to Portugal. If you're starting a company, you must open a corporate account after obtaining your corporate documents. You can get a bank account online or offline with the help of a lawyer, or you can do it yourself. You don't have to pay anyone to do it if you're already in Portugal, as it's not a complicated process. However, you cannot open an account online without a power of attorney for another person.
For the D2 visa, demonstrating savings in the account is not a requirement. However, showing a minimum savings of 9,120 โฌ (12 minimum Portuguese salaries) for one person is advisable. In some countries, it is reasonable to demonstrate the protection of 12000-16 000 โฌ.
Some of the most popular banks in Portugal are:
๐ถ Caixa Geral de Depositos
๐ถ Banco Santander Totta
๐ถ Novo Banco
๐ถ ActivoBank Portugal
๐ถ Caixa Central de Crรฉdito Agrรญcola
Read more about how to open a bank account here.
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What's better: company or self-employment?
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Starting a company or becoming self-employed is required. In the first case, you must appoint yourself as a director and pay a salary and social security, making it a more expensive option. On the other hand, being self-employed is more cost-effective as social security is not required in the first year. However, you still need to demonstrate the value of your business to Portugal by securing contracts or agreements with local companies. This is not a formal requirement but is drawn from the experience of our consultants.
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Two main options for business for D2 Visa
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Self-employment
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Incorporation
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Insurance for a D visa and a residency permit are two different things. For a D visa, it is sufficient to obtain standard travel insurance for 120 days (the length of the visa). However, for a residency permit, you will need to get Portuguese insurance with a minimum coverage of โฌ50K in case of hospitalization. You will need to attach it to your application to SEF. Options include Tranquilidade and Fidelidade, among others. You may obtain this insurance through your Portuguese bank when opening an account.
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The essay is not a compulsory requirement, but a well-written motivation letter can positively impact the response.
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For D2 visa, you need to write about your Portuguese business, prove that you can generate income, demonstrate how the company will bring value to Portugal, and show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself.
You can prepare a letter with a lawyer to choose the most relevant arguments for your case.
Yes, you can apply for all D visa categories with your family. For each family member, including minors, you must fill out an application form online at link or VFS Global.
On the form, you must select โAccompanying family memberโ.
When applying with your family, you must provide additional evidence of funds. This includes 50% of the minimum annual income for your spouse (380 * 12) and 30% of the minimum yearly income for each minor child (0.3 * 760 * 12).
If you are applying with a spouse and child, you must show in your bank account: 9120 + 4560 + 2736 = 16416 โฌ. This is the minimum amount required to show your living expenses for the year ahead.
However, showing a higher amount of savings is recommended to increase the chances of a successful visa application. For family applications, you also need to provide your marriage and children's birth certificates, which must be apostilled, translated into Portuguese, and certified by a notary.
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Youโre ready to apply!
Make an appointment at the consulate or VFS and apply. In some countries (for example, in Brazil or USA) you can send all you documents via mail.
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๐ Arrive 15-20 minutes before your appointment time, at the Portuguese consulate or VFS.
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๐ Ensure that all documents are translated and certified and that required official documents have been apostilled. A notary must approve all translations.
๐ Remember to make changes to the Questionnaire (in the pdf editor) if you have changed any information during the preparation of documents.
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Want to be sure everything is ok with your application, documents and motivation letter? Check it with an attorney.
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โWant to be sure everything is ok with your application, documents and motivation letter? Check it with an attorney.
Your visa is approved!
Once the visa is granted, you will be scheduled to visit the SEF. If you do not have a visit scheduled by the consulate you will need to make an appointment yourself.
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The cost of the SEF fee
The SEF fee cost is โฌ158, which can be paid by bank card.
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Get your residence permit card
About two to twelve weeks after your SEF appointment, you will receive an envelope in the mail containing your residence permit card, which will be valid for 2 years.
When applying for a residence permit at the SEF office, you may indicate that you will personally retrieve it, which will incur an additional cost of โฌ25.
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