Everything you need to know about Spain’s most popular expat visa — eligibility, the €2,400/month income threshold, required documents, how to apply from the UK or US, and what to do once you arrive.
What is the Non-Lucrative Visa? The Non-Lucrative Visa (visado de residencia no lucrativa) is a Spanish residency visa designed for people who can support themselves
What is the Non-Lucrative Visa?
The Non-Lucrative Visa (visado de residencia no lucrativa) is a Spanish residency visa designed for people who can support themselves financially without working in Spain. It’s the most popular route for retirees, people with passive income, and those who want to live in Spain long-term without starting a Spanish business or working for a Spanish employer.
It’s valid for one year initially, renewable for two-year periods, and puts you on the path to permanent residency after five years of legal residence.
Requirements at a glance
Requirement
Detail for 2025
Income
Min. €2,400/month (single applicant) — passive income only
Health insurance
Private policy, no co-pays, full Spain coverage
Criminal record
Clean record for previous 5 years in countries of residence
Medical certificate
No contagious diseases per International Health Regulations
Accommodation
Proof of address in Spain (lease or property ownership)
Income requirements in detail
The income threshold is calculated as a percentage of the Spanish IPREM (Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples), updated annually. For 2025:
Single applicant: ~€2,400/month (€28,800/year)
Each additional family member: add ~€600/month per person
A family of four would need approximately €4,200/month
Income must be passive — savings, dividends, rental income, pension, or investments. Bank statements from the previous 12 months are typically required.
Required documents
Valid passport (valid for at least 1 year beyond requested stay)
Completed visa application form (EX-01)
Passport photos (2, recent, white background)
Criminal record certificate (apostilled, less than 3 months old)
Medical certificate (apostilled)
Proof of income (12 months of bank statements or investment/pension documentation)
Private health insurance certificate
Proof of accommodation in Spain (rental contract or property deed)
Application fee payment receipt (~€80)
The application process step by step
Prepare documents — gather and apostille all required documents in your home country (6–8 weeks)
Book a consulate appointment — at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence
Submit application — in person at the consulate with original documents plus copies
Wait for decision — typically 1–3 months
Collect visa — a national visa (type D) valid for 90 days to enter Spain
Register in Spain — within 30 days of arrival, apply for your TIE residence card at the Foreigner’s Office
Empadronamiento — register your address at the local town hall (Ayuntamiento)
Do you need a visa to move to Portugal? It depends entirely on your nationality. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have freedom of movement — you can
Do you need a visa to move to Portugal?
It depends entirely on your nationality. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have freedom of movement — you can move to Portugal without a visa and simply register your residency once you arrive.
Everyone else — including UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens — can only stay 90 days in any rolling 180-day period as a tourist. To live in Portugal long-term, you need to apply for the right residence visa before you travel, at the Portuguese consulate that covers where you currently live.
Portugal visa and residency options for expats
Most expats moving to Portugal fall into one of four visa categories. Which one fits depends on whether you have passive income, remote work, a job offer, or capital to invest.
Visa
Who it’s for
2026 income requirement
D7 visa
Retirees and financially independent movers living on passive income (pensions, dividends, rental income)
~€920/month (~€11,040/year), plus 50% for a spouse and 30% per dependant
D8 digital nomad visa
Remote employees and freelancers working for non-Portuguese clients
Investors seeking residency without living in Portugal full-time
From ~€200,000 (arts/culture in low-density areas) to €500,000 (investment funds); real estate no longer qualifies
Work permit / job offer visa
Movers with a job offer from a Portuguese employer
Set by the employment contract
The D7 is generally read as “no work,” though some consulates tolerate limited remote income alongside genuinely passive sources — if most of your income is active remote work, the D8 is the correct route. Both typically require private health insurance, a clean criminal record, and proof of Portuguese accommodation, and both count toward the residence period needed for permanent residency (5 years) and citizenship (7–10 years, per the 2026 rules above).
What happened to the Golden Visa?
Portugal’s Golden Visa is still active in 2026, but it no longer works the way most people remember. Real estate and capital-transfer routes closed in October 2023 as part of the “Mais Habitação” housing reforms. The main surviving path is a minimum €500,000 investment into a qualifying Portuguese fund (private equity or venture capital, with no real estate exposure), alongside smaller routes like job creation and donations to Portuguese arts, heritage or scientific research. Golden Visa holders only need to spend roughly 7 days a year in Portugal to maintain the visa, which makes it a different proposition from the D7 or D8 — a residency-by-investment plan rather than a full relocation.
How to move to Portugal: step by step
Choose your visa route — match your situation (passive income, remote work, investment or job offer) to the options above.
Get an NIF number — Portugal’s tax ID is needed to open a bank account, sign a lease, or apply for most visas, so this is usually the first practical step.
Gather your documents — passport, criminal record check (apostilled and translated), proof of income or savings, and private health insurance.
Apply at your local Portuguese consulate — book your appointment as early as possible, since processing times vary by consulate and season.
Collect your visa and travel to Portugal — most residence visas must be activated within a set window after issue.
Register with AIMA — Portugal’s immigration agency finalises your residence permit once you’re in the country.
Open a Portuguese bank account and register for tax — needed to pay rent, receive income and meet ongoing visa conditions.
Each visa route has its own document checklist and processing quirks, and AIMA has been working through a long-standing application backlog, so build extra buffer time into your plans rather than assuming a fixed timeline.
Getting your NIF number
The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is Portugal’s tax identification number, and — much like Spain’s NIE — you’ll be asked for it constantly: to sign a lease, open a bank account, get a phone contract or start a job. EU citizens can generally apply in person at a Finanças (tax office) using just their passport. Non-EU citizens are usually required to appoint a fiscal representative to apply on their behalf, either from abroad before moving or through a Portuguese tax office once resident.
What does it cost to move to Portugal?
Your total moving budget depends heavily on your visa route, how much you ship, and which region you settle in. As a starting point, budget for these categories:
Cost category
What it covers
Visa & legal fees
Consulate fees, document translation, apostilles, and any immigration lawyer or fiscal representative support
Shipping & removals
International movers or a smaller shipment, depending on how much you bring
Housing deposit
Portuguese landlords commonly ask for one to two months’ rent as deposit, plus the first month upfront
Health insurance
Private cover required for most non-EU visas until you’re enrolled in the public system
Ongoing living costs
Rent, utilities, groceries and transport — costs vary significantly between Lisbon or Porto and smaller towns and the interior
Prices shift with the season, the region and the exchange rate, so treat this as a planning checklist rather than a fixed budget, and get itemised quotes from Portugal’s moving companies before you commit to a date.
Tax residency and the NHR 2.0 (IFICI) regime
Spend more than 183 days in Portugal in a 12-month period and you generally become a Portuguese tax resident, which means declaring your worldwide income. Portugal’s famous NHR regime closed to new applicants at the end of 2024 and has been replaced by IFICI (“NHR 2.0”) — a narrower flat 20% tax rate on qualifying income for up to 10 years, aimed specifically at roles in scientific research, innovation and other high-value sectors, not the broad expat population the old NHR covered. If tax planning is a big part of your move, speak to a Portugal-based tax advisor before you relocate, since eligibility depends heavily on your profession and income structure.
Healthcare in Portugal for expats
Portugal has a well-regarded public healthcare system (Serviço Nacional de Saúde, or SNS), and residence permit holders — including D7 and D8 visa holders — generally gain access once their residency is confirmed. Most consulates still require proof of private health insurance at the visa application stage, before that access kicks in, so budget for it as an initial cost even if you plan to rely on the SNS long-term.
Many expats keep a private policy even after qualifying for the SNS, for shorter wait times and English-speaking providers, particularly for specialist care. When shopping for a policy, check for annual cover limits and co-payment clauses before you buy.
Finding somewhere to live
Most expats rent for their first year in Portugal while they get to know a city or region, then decide whether to buy. Foreigners can buy property in Portugal with no residency requirement, though — as noted above — property purchases no longer qualify for the Golden Visa. Whichever you choose, work with a licensed estate agent and consider an independent property lawyer to review any contract before you sign, since housing supply in Lisbon and Porto in particular remains tight.
The NIF: your first, non-negotiable step Every rental contract in Portugal must legally name both the landlord’s and tenant’s NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal). This
The NIF: your first, non-negotiable step
Every rental contract in Portugal must legally name both the landlord’s and tenant’s NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal). This isn’t a formality — it’s a hard requirement, and a landlord who’s genuinely willing to skip it, or offers only a verbal arrangement, is a red flag rather than a convenience.
If you’re not yet a Portuguese resident: you can still get a NIF before you arrive, typically through a fiscal representative (required for most non-EU/non-resident applicants) or an online NIF service. Sort this out before you start seriously viewing properties, not after you’ve found a place you want.
CALLOUT: One non-negotiable worth repeating: if a landlord refuses to provide their own NIF on the contract, or insists on a handshake deal without a written lease, walk away. A written, NIF-inclusive contract is your only real legal protection as a tenant in Portugal.
What’s a fiador, and do you need one?
A fiador (guarantor) is someone who legally takes on responsibility for your rent if you can’t pay it. Portuguese landlords ask for one routinely, though it’s not a strict legal requirement.
The catch for most foreign tenants: a fiador must generally be a Portuguese tax resident, with a valid NIF and stable income verifiable through a Portuguese IRS tax return. If you’ve just arrived and don’t have a Portuguese-resident friend or family member willing to act as guarantor, you’re not alone — this is the single most common friction point for newcomers.
What landlords accept instead of a fiador:
Advance rent — commonly 2–3 months upfront instead of the usual one month; some Lisbon landlords ask for as much as 3–12 months from foreign tenants without a local guarantor
A larger security deposit
Proof of savings or documented foreign income
A Portuguese bank account, which, while not strictly required by law, most landlords expect regardless, since it makes rent payment by direct debit straightforward
CALLOUT: If you’re applying for a D7 or D8 visa, get your NIF and Portuguese bank account sorted first — many applicants sign their lease remotely (via power of attorney) or during a scouting trip, precisely because most visa files require a 12-month rental contract as proof of accommodation before the visa is even issued.
What a valid rental contract must include
Under Portugal’s rental law (the NRAU — Novo Regime do Arrendamento Urbano), every long-term residential lease must be in writing — verbal agreements carry no legal weight. A valid contract must specify:
Full identification of both parties, including the NIF of both landlord and tenant
Property details — full address and the property’s unique tax registration number (artigo matricial)
Purpose of the lease — typically permanent residence (habitação permanente); a different, shorter-term structure applies for student or temporary housing leases
Duration — start date, and end date if fixed-term
Rent amount, payment method and due date
Deposit (caução) amount
Who’s responsible for utilities and condominium fees
Conditions for termination by either party
The landlord is legally responsible for registering the contract with the Portuguese Tax Authority (Finanças). This registration matters for you too — an unregistered contract is a genuine warning sign and weakens your legal standing if a dispute arises later.
CALLOUT: Before signing, ask for the property’s caderneta predial (tax document) to confirm the person signing as landlord is actually the legal owner, or has clear legal standing to rent it out. This single check catches a meaningful share of Lisbon and Porto’s growing rental scam activity.
Deposits and upfront costs
TABLE
Cost
Typical amount
Security deposit (caução)
1–2 months’ rent (occasionally up to 3 in competitive markets)
Advance rent
1 month standard; often 2–3 months requested from foreign tenants
Advance rent (no fiador, foreign tenant, high-demand city)
Can run 3–12 months in some Lisbon cases
Agency fee, if applicable
Varies — confirm before signing whether tenant or landlord pays
Your deposit must legally be returned within roughly 30 days of move-out, provided the property is in the same condition (normal wear and tear excepted). Take dated photos on move-in and move-out day — this is the single most useful thing you can do to protect your deposit if a dispute arises later.
Rent increases: the annual cap
Rent on an existing contract can’t be raised arbitrarily. Portugal publishes an annual rent update coefficient (set by INE, the national statistics institute) that caps how much a landlord can increase rent year over year on a running lease — for 2026, that figure is 2.24%. This cap applies to increases on an existing tenancy; it doesn’t restrict what a landlord can ask when advertising a property to a new tenant.
CALLOUT: This coefficient is revised annually and tends to track inflation closely — always check the current year’s published figure before accepting or disputing a proposed increase, rather than relying on a number from an older guide.
Tenant rights: termination and renewal
TABLE
Rule
Minimum lease term
1 year for standard permanent-residence contracts (shorter terms apply to student/temporary leases)
Automatic renewal
Yes, unless either party gives proper notice
Tenant notice to terminate
Generally 120 days’ written notice for a long-term lease
Landlord notice before opposing renewal
At least 120 days before the renewal date, for leases up to 6 years
Can a landlord evict you to sell the property?
No — a landlord can oppose lease renewal at the end of a fixed term (with proper notice), but cannot simply terminate a valid, currently running lease to sell
Portuguese tenant protections are genuinely strong relative to many countries — a landlord generally can’t remove a tenant mid-lease without a specific legal basis, such as non-payment or a documented need to use the property personally. That said, notice periods and exact termination rules can vary with contract length and structure, so it’s worth having a lease reviewed by a professional if anything in yours looks non-standard.
Where to search, and how to avoid scams
Idealista is the dominant listing portal for Portuguese rentals, alongside platforms like Uniplaces (popular for students and shorter-term arrangements). As of Q1 2026, average asking rents were running around €9.46/m² nationally, though — as with Spain — this varies enormously by city and neighbourhood, and negotiating below the advertised asking price is common practice for tenants who move quickly with complete paperwork.
Scam prevention checklist:
Confirm any agency’s AMI licence number before engaging with them
Never pay a deposit or advance rent before viewing the property in person (or via a genuinely verified virtual tour, if you’re still abroad)
Verify the landlord’s identity against the caderneta predial
Be especially cautious of listings sourced through social media, where rental scams targeting foreign tenants have been increasing in Lisbon and Porto
