Portugal Golden Visa vs D7 — which is better?
I'm exploring options for obtaining residency in Portugal and am weighing the pros and cons of both the Golden Visa and the D7 visa. I'm looking for a detailed comparison of these two options, considering factors like investment requirements, processing times, residency obligations, and long-term benefits. My goal is to determine which visa path would be more suitable for my particular situation and future plans.
1 answer
Great question — they serve very different profiles:
D7 Visa (Passive Income)
- ✅ Low cost: ~€820/month minimum income
- ✅ Path to residency and citizenship
- ✅ NHR tax benefits available
- ❌ Must show passive/remote income
- ❌ Requires spending majority of time in Portugal
Golden Visa (Investment)
- ✅ Minimal stay requirement (7 days/year avg)
- ✅ Path to citizenship after 5 years
- ✅ Family members included
- ❌ Requires €500K+ investment (fund-based since real estate was removed)
- ❌ More expensive overall
Quick Decision Guide:
- Choose D7 if you want to actually live in Portugal and have steady income
- Choose Golden Visa if you want EU residency but plan to live elsewhere
Both lead to Portuguese citizenship after 5 years. Use MIGRS to compare programs side-by-side.