Portugal D9 (Remote Work Visa) (formerly D8)
Official nomad visaWhat this visa gets you
Visa
Entry document
Temporary residency
2 years, renewable
Permanent residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
Not via this programme
- Income requirement
- €3,680 / month
- Application fee
- €110
- Family allowed
- Yes
How do Canadian citizens apply for the Portugal D9?
Can Canadian citizens apply from inside Portugal?
Generally no: most applicants apply from outside Portugal before they travel.
The "fly in on a tourist stamp and convert" route is a widespread misconception and does not work for this visa. If you already hold legal residence in Portugal on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.
How long does the Portugal D9 really take for Canadian citizens?
17–18 weeks (≈ 4 months)
- Police clearance (typical)3w
- Apostille (verified)4w
- Consular appointment (typical)4w
- Processing 8–9w official8w
- Post-arrival registration (typical)2w
Official processing: 8–9 weeks. The rest is doc gathering + waiting in a queue, none of which the consulate counts.
Avoid these
What do people get wrong about the Portugal D9?
- The tourist-stamp convert myth. Flying to Portugal on a tourist stamp and converting it into the residence visa from inside the country is not possible for D9. Almost every application story that goes badly starts with this misconception.
- Underestimating timing by a factor of 2–3. The "60-day processing" line is real, but it's only the consulate's processing window. The door-to-door reality includes police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead, and post-arrival registration, so most applicants land between 4 and 7 months.
- Skipping or mis-formatting the apostille. Apostille is the single most cited rejection reason. Every supporting document from your home country needs an apostille from the right authority, and they expire. Don't apostille more than 4 months before submission.
Documents
What Canadian applicants typically submit
Documents needing an apostille (Canadian authorities):
- RCMP fingerprint-based criminal record check (and any criminal record certificate from a country lived in over one year)
Worth knowing: The Toronto consulate's official requirements document for the remote-work residency visa names the "RCMP fingerprinted Criminal Record" (or a local police criminal background check) as the accepted police check for Canadian applicants. Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, so the apostille is issued by Global Affairs Canada rather than legalised by the Portuguese consulate. Applications are submitted at the Portuguese consulate in Canada, not from inside Portugal. The official VFS one-pager gives a standard processing time of 60 days.
Tax
How is D9 income taxed for Canadian citizens?
Tax residents (183+ days/year) are taxed on global income under Portugal's progressive system up to 48%. The NHR regime ended for most new applicants as of January 1, 2024. Freelancers may qualify for simplified regimes with reduced effective rates.
Money, roughly (indicative)
Regime: IFICI — ~20% flat (eligible income), about 41.4% effective tax on €60k/yr.
Portugal's NHR successor (IFICI) gives ~20% on eligible income; eligibility is narrower than old NHR. Self-employed social contributions are ~21.4% (first-year relief applies). You may owe nothing locally if a totalisation agreement keeps you in your home system. Verify.
Living comfortably to well in Lisbon runs about €2,000–€2,800/mo for one person, incl. rent. Roughly 38% less than the same living in Toronto, which runs about C$4,800/mo (≈ €3,250).
Estimate your take-home in the tax calculator →Worth a specialist's time. A short call before you commit usually pays for itself, especially for US citizens (FEIE/FATCA), existing UK ties, or unwinding SA tax residency.
D7 Passive Income Visa
Official nomad visaThe D7 isn't a nomad visa. It's Portugal's passive-income residence visa, meant for people living on pensions, rental income, dividends, or other recurring income rather than active remote work. Plenty of remote workers still use it because the income bar is comparatively low and it leads to the same residency and citizenship timeline as the newer D9. If your income is salary or active client work, the D9 is usually the cleaner fit; if it's genuinely passive, this is the one.
What this visa gets you
Visa
Entry document
Temporary residency
2 years, renewable
Permanent residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 10 years of residence
- Income requirement
- EUR 920/mes (100% do salario minimo nacional, 2026); +50% conjuge, +30% por filho dependente
- Application fee
- €110
- Family allowed
- Yes
How do Canadian citizens apply for the Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa?
Can Canadian citizens apply from inside Portugal?
Generally no: most applicants apply from outside Portugal before they travel.
The "fly in on a tourist stamp and convert" route is a widespread misconception and does not work for this visa. If you already hold legal residence in Portugal on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.
How long does the Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa really take for Canadian citizens?
24–27 weeks (≈ 6 months)
- Police clearance (verified)8w
- Apostille (verified)5w
- Consular appointment (verified)4w
- Processing 9–12w (typical)9w
- Post-arrival registration (typical)2w
Typical processing: 9–12 weeks. The rest is doc gathering + waiting in a queue, none of which the consulate counts.
Avoid these
What do people get wrong about the Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa?
- The tourist-stamp convert myth. Flying to Portugal on a tourist stamp and converting it into the residence visa from inside the country is not possible for D7 Passive Income Visa. Almost every application story that goes badly starts with this misconception.
- Underestimating timing by a factor of 2–3. The "60-day processing" line is real, but it's only the consulate's processing window. The door-to-door reality includes police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead, and post-arrival registration, so most applicants land between 4 and 7 months.
- Skipping or mis-formatting the apostille. Apostille is the single most cited rejection reason. Every supporting document from your home country needs an apostille from the right authority, and they expire. Don't apostille more than 4 months before submission.
Documents
What Canadian applicants typically submit
Documents needing an apostille (Canadian authorities):
- RCMP federal criminal record check
Worth knowing: Canadian citizens are visa-exempt for short Schengen stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but the D7 residence visa must be applied for in person at a Portuguese consulate in Canada (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver) before travelling. Since Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024, the RCMP criminal record check is apostilled by Global Affairs Canada rather than going through consular legalization. The official Toronto consulate page lists the residency visa fee only by reference to its consular price list (item 58) and does not publish a fixed CAD amount; the published CAD 135 figure applies to Schengen short-stay visas, not the national/residency visa, whose base fee is set in euros (around EUR 110).
Tax
How is D7 Passive Income Visa income taxed for Canadian citizens?
No D7-specific tax regime. Holders who become Portuguese tax residents are taxed on worldwide income under standard Portuguese rules. The former NHR regime is closed to new entrants (transition window ended March 2025); the successor incentive (IFICI, also called "NHR 2.0") is aimed at qualified/scientific and innovation activity and generally does not apply to passive-income retirees, so no special concession is tied to the D7 itself.
Worth a specialist's time. A short call before you commit usually pays for itself, especially for US citizens (FEIE/FATCA), existing UK ties, or unwinding SA tax residency.
Recommended for your move
- SafetyWingFlexible monthly cover
Health insurance built for nomads. Monthly subscription.
Get a quote - GenkiEU-regulated, long-term
EU-regulated health insurance for nomads and expats; long-term and resident cover.
See plans - WiseGetting paid abroad
Multi-currency account and low-cost transfers at the mid-market rate.
Open an account - RevolutEveryday spending
Multi-currency card with budgeting and fee-free transfers.
Open an account
FAQ
Portugal D9: common questions
Can Canadian citizens get the Portugal D9?
Yes. The D9 is open to Canadian passport holders as non-EU nationals. The main requirement is proof of income of at least €3,680 per month.
Can I apply for the Portugal D9 from inside Portugal?
Generally no. Canadian applicants normally apply at the Portugal consulate responsible for their region before travelling. Note this is about converting a short tourist stay; if you already hold legal residence in Portugal on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.
How long does the Portugal D9 take for Canadian applicants?
Official processing is 8–9 weeks. Door-to-door, including police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead time, and post-arrival registration, most Canadian applicants take about 8–9 weeks (roughly 2–2 months).
Do I need an apostille for the Portugal D9?
Yes. Supporting documents issued in Canada (such as your police clearance) must be apostilled by the competent Canada authority before submission. Apostilles can expire, so don't obtain them more than a few months ahead of applying.
How much does the Portugal D9 cost?
The government application fee is about €110. The consular fee paid in Canada is approximately 110 EUR. Budget separately for police clearance, apostille (if required), translations, and required health insurance.
Does the Portugal D9 lead to permanent residency?
Yes. Time on the D9 counts toward permanent residency, for which you can typically apply after 5 years of legal residence.
Can I bring my family on the Portugal D9?
Yes. Spouses and dependent children can generally be included as dependants, usually with a higher combined income requirement and their own supporting documents.
What's next
Keep going
See Portugal side-by-side with similar programmes.
Every country ranked by what's left after tax and living costs.
Different answers may surface a programme you didn't consider.
Every dated change we've logged for Portugal: income thresholds, fees, consular policy.
Expatlas provides information for orientation only and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with official government sources and consult an immigration lawyer for your specific case.