Retire in Portugal on the D7 Visa: 2026 Costs and Rules

€920 a month is enough to get a Portugal D7 visa. It is not enough to rent a 70 m² flat in Lisbon, which now costs about €1,245. That gap between the visa rule and real life is what this guide is about.

Portugal still offers light, a slower pace and a decent public health system. But the cheap, low-tax Portugal of ten years ago is gone. Here is what is true now, with numbers checked against official sources.

The short answer: As of October 2026, you can retire in Portugal on the D7 residence visa if you are not an EU citizen and you have a steady passive income, such as a pension, of at least €920 a month. That figure is Portugal's 2026 minimum wage. Add 50% (€460) for a spouse and 30% (€276) for each dependent child. You must show this income is secure for at least 12 months (Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2026). But the visa minimum is not a real budget. And the famous tax break for new pensioners ended in 2024.

The D7 in ten numbers

The core figures for a retiree in 2026. Confirm each one with your Portuguese consulate before you apply.

So a couple needs at least €1,380 a month. Over 12 months, that is €16,560. A single person needs €11,040 a year. The minimum wage rose from €870 to €920 on 1 January 2026 (DGERT, 2026), so the D7 floor moves every year with it.

The €920 gets you in the door. It does not pay for the house.

What a month really costs

In the second quarter of 2026, the median rent on new contracts reached €10.17 per square metre, up 10.2% in one year. In the city of Lisbon it was €17.79 per square metre. In the Algarve it was €11.56 (Statistics Portugal, INE, September 2026). Buying is expensive too. The median price of homes sold in early 2026 was €2,337 per square metre (INE, July 2026).

Quick sum: a 70 m² flat at the national median rent costs about €712 a month. That is more than three quarters of the D7 floor, before you buy bread. The quiet interior is far cheaper than the coast.

Where you live changes everything

• Lisbon and its coast. Great hospitals, airports and culture. The highest rents in the country.
• The Algarve. Sun and large English-speaking communities. Rents above the national median, and quiet in winter.
• The Silver Coast (Oeste and Leiria regions). Towns such as Caldas da Rainha and Nazaré. Both sub-regions sit below the national median in INE's 2026 data.
• The interior (Beira Baixa, Alentejo). Among the lowest rents in Portugal. Fewer services and English speakers, and you need a car.

A sample monthly budget for a couple

The table below uses INE rent data for a 70 m² flat (our calculation). Groceries, utilities, transport and insurance come from one contributor's own costs in the Portugal section of the International Living Global Retirement Index 2026. They are personal examples, not official averages, and the bus pass price is for Porto. For the Silver Coast and the interior, the latest exact regional figures in INE's open data are from early 2025 (Oeste €7.14/m², Beira Baixa €4.59/m²) (INE via dados.gov.pt, 2025). Rents have risen since, so treat those columns as a floor.

Set that against the D7 floor of €1,380 for a couple. In Lisbon, the visa minimum covers only about two thirds of a basic month. In the interior, it may be enough if you are healthy and live simply. Which column is your life really in? Compare your own numbers with our cost of living tool.

The SNS: good, but stretched

For many retirees, healthcare decides the move. Portugal's public health service is the SNS.

Who can use the SNS

When you hold a valid residence permit, you get a full ("updated") registration in the national user register. The SNS then covers your costs on the same basis as Portuguese citizens (Health Regulatory Authority, ERS, 2026).

But there is a gap. If you only have the visa and your permit is not issued yet, your registration is incomplete. You may have to pay for care yourself. Keep private or travel insurance until it is.

What the SNS costs you

Most SNS care has no user fee. A fee still applies if you go to a hospital emergency department without a referral from the SNS, for example from the SNS 24 phone line (ERS, 2026).

The family doctor problem

The SNS is good, but it is stretched. In August 2026, about 1.36 million registered users were waiting for a family doctor. National coverage was 87%. In the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region it was only 74%, and in the Algarve 80% (ACSS data reported by ECO, August 2026).

Many retirees keep private insurance for faster specialist visits. The €130 plan in our table is one person's example. Premiums rise with age, and some insurers exclude existing conditions. Get real quotes at your age before you move. For a wider view, see out-of-pocket healthcare costs by country.

Tax after NHR

The NHR tax regime has closed

For years, the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime gave many new residents low or zero tax on foreign pensions. The 2024 State Budget revoked NHR from 1 January 2024 (Portuguese Tax Authority, 2024). Only some people covered by transition rules kept it. If you move now, assume NHR is not available to you.

The new IFICI regime does not help pensioners

NHR was replaced by IFICI, a tax incentive for scientific research and innovation. It gives a 20% special rate for 10 years. But that rate only applies to work and business income (categories A and B). You must also work in a qualifying field, such as university teaching, research or a certified start-up (EBF article 58-A, Portal das Finanças, 2026). Being retired does not make you eligible.

How your pension is taxed now

You usually become a Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period, or if you have a home there that you seem to use as your main home (IRS Code article 16, 2026). As a resident, your worldwide income is taxed at normal rates. In 2026, these go from 12.5% on the first €8,342 of taxable income up to 48% above €86,634 (IRS Code article 68, 2026).

Portugal has double tax treaties with many countries (Portal das Finanças, 2026). A treaty decides which country can tax each type of pension. Private and government pensions are often treated differently.

Get advice from a regulated tax adviser who knows both countries before you move. Our guide on taxes when you migrate abroad explains the basics. If tax is your main concern, compare countries that don't tax foreign pensions.

From consulate to AIMA: the four steps

Two stages: a visa from a Portuguese consulate at home, then a residence permit from AIMA, the migration agency, inside Portugal.

Step 1: Gather your documents

The official list for a residence visa includes (MNE Visas, 2026):

1. The signed application form and two passport photos.
2. A passport valid for at least 3 months after your planned stay.
3. A criminal record certificate from your country of origin or residence, with an apostille or legalisation.
4. Travel health insurance that covers medical costs.
5. Proof of your pension, or other passive income, and that you can receive it in Portugal.

Many consulates also ask for a Portuguese tax number (NIF), a local bank account and proof of where you will live. Check your consulate's own list.

Step 2: Apply at the consulate, then travel

Apply at the Portuguese consulate or visa centre for your area and pay the €110 fee. The legal deadline for a decision is 60 days, but plan for delays. The visa is valid for 4 months. In that time you must apply for your residence permit with AIMA in Portugal.

Step 3: Get your residence permit from AIMA

At AIMA you show your passport, visa, proof of income, a signed statement of your address, and health insurance or SNS cover. Your first permit lasts 2 years. After that, you renew it for 3 years at a time (AIMA, 2026). AIMA appointments are often slow, so keep copies of everything.

A warning about long trips home: a temporary permit can be cancelled if you are away for 6 months in a row, or 8 months in total during its validity, without a good reason (Law 23/2007, article 85). This matters if you plan long visits to grandchildren.

Step 4: Permanent residence, then maybe citizenship

After 5 years on temporary permits, you can apply for permanent residence. You need basic Portuguese at A2 level, no serious criminal convictions, and your tax and social security in order (AIMA, 2026).

Citizenship is now a longer road. A new nationality law (Organic Law 1/2026) came into force on 19 May 2026. Most non-EU applicants now need 10 years of legal residence. Citizens of EU countries and Portuguese-speaking countries need 7. You must also pass a test or show a certificate on the Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols, and know your civic rights and duties. Applications filed before the change keep the old rules (Ministry of Justice, May 2026). The way years are counted has also changed. The time you wait for your first permit no longer counts, and for most non-EU citizens the 10 years must fall within a 12-year window. Check your own dates with a lawyer.

Saudade is real: settling in

The Portuguese have a word for the longing you feel for people and places far away: saudade. Expect it, even on a sunny terrace, once the holiday feeling wears off.

Two things make it harder. Family: your grandchild's first steps may come by video call, and long trips home are capped by the permit rules above. And language: many retirees live in English-speaking bubbles that feel safe but stay small. You need A2 Portuguese for permanent residence anyway, and even basic Portuguese changes how neighbours treat you.

The people who settle well rent first, often for a full year. They pick a town for its pharmacy and hospital, not only its view. They join something: a walking group, a choir, a volunteer project. Our guide to building a social life in a new country has practical ideas.

Who the D7 is not for

The D7 is probably not for you if:

• Your only income is close to €920 a month and you want the coast. You may qualify for the visa but struggle to pay rent.
• Low tax on your pension is your main reason to move. NHR is closed to new arrivals, and pensions are now taxed at normal rates.
• You need frequent specialist care but cannot afford private insurance. Public waits can be long.
• You plan to spend more than half the year back home. Long absences can put your permit and your tax position at risk.
• You want a passport quickly. Most non-EU retirees now need 10 years of legal residence for citizenship.

If Portugal does not fit, compare it with other options in our guide to the best countries to retire abroad.

Frequently asked questions

How much income do I need for the Portugal D7 visa in 2026?

You need at least €920 a month, Portugal's 2026 minimum wage. Add 50% for a spouse and 30% for each child, so a couple needs at least €1,380 a month. Your means must cover at least 12 months, and the figure changes each year.

Can I still get NHR tax status as a new retiree in Portugal?

In most cases, no. Portugal revoked the NHR regime from 1 January 2024, and only some people under transition rules kept it. The replacement, IFICI, only covers income from qualifying work such as research or start-ups. It does not cover pensions.

Do retirees on a D7 visa get free healthcare in Portugal?

Once you hold a residence permit, the SNS covers your care on the same basis as Portuguese citizens. Most SNS care has no user fee, but an emergency visit without referral does. Before your permit is issued, you need private or travel insurance.

How long does it take to get Portuguese citizenship through the D7?

Under the nationality law in force since 19 May 2026, most non-EU citizens need 10 years of legal residence. Citizens of EU and Portuguese-speaking countries need 7 years. You can get permanent residence earlier, after 5 years, if you pass basic A2 Portuguese.

Can I leave Portugal for long periods on a D7 residence permit?

Only within limits. A temporary residence permit can be cancelled if you are away for 6 months in a row, or 8 months in total during its validity, without a good reason.

Run your own numbers first

Portugal is no longer a secret, and no longer cheap everywhere. Start from your real monthly budget, not the €920 floor. Pick a region for an ordinary Tuesday in February, not a week in August. Rent before you buy, and talk to your family before you book the flight.

Want to know if Portugal fits your income, health and plans? Take our free migration assessment. It takes about 2 minutes. You can also read our full Portugal migration guide.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and figures change often. Always confirm with the official source, your Portuguese consulate, AIMA, and a regulated tax adviser before you act.