What you need to know about Portugal Digital Nomad Visa

If you decided to pack your things and head in the direction of Portugal which you plan to call home in the future, congratulations. Portugal is definitely one of the prettiest countries in the world, known for glorious architecture, breathtaking sunsets, Fado, tremendous food and friendly locals.

Up until recently, the rules related to getting a visa were quite strict, but now, Portugal opened its doors to nomads from around the world, as it has become increasingly easier to get this valuable document. Here are a couple of things you have to do in order to qualify.

What exactly is a digital nomad visa?

This short-term visa sits between a tourist visa and a residency visa, which is the long-term option. With this visa, nomads won’t have to pay as much attention to crossing the border every couple of months in order to renew their tourist allowance. The Government of Portugal used this law in order to attract foreign working professionals, while still taking care of their own residents.

Before the pandemic began, there were some rumblings about this type of visa, but it seems that Covid has pushed the digital nomads to travel as much as possible, which then again sped up the process of this visa becoming a reality.

When is the new law going to start being applied?

First of all, let’s inform you of the dates that are important. While this new immigration law was originally amended in July, it will start being active after October 30^th. All digital nomads who are planning a move to Portugal by applying for this visa will need to come from a country outside the EEA and EU.

However, these are not the only requirements that you will have to honor. You will also have to submit a document that proves you are self-employed, at least a three-month income average and other necessary tax residency documents. You can submit these documents to the Portuguese Consulate in your country, or to a Portugal Immigration agency.

What are the job requirements?

Because these rules apply to freelancers and other working professionals, all people interested in obtaining a nomad visa have to prove that they are self-employed, or at least work for a company that is not based in Portugal.

Here’s where this new law becomes very restricting for many. All nomads who intend to apply for this visa will need to provide proof of earning potential that exceeds 4x the amount of minimum wage in Portugal.

In many Asian or African countries, this would be achievable for most U.S.-based nomads, but when you take into account that the minimum wage in Portugal is $700, you come to the conclusion that it’s not as easy as it may seem at first. Sure, a monthly income of $2800 is not out of this world, but it’s definitely something worth considering.

How to find the best rental property in Portugal?

Finding the accommodation that fits you perfectly is not only useful, but in the case of obtaining a digital nomad visa, it’s also a necessity. All nomads who intend to sign up for this visa form need to provide proof of residency during the following 12 months.

This proof of rental needs to be registered with the appropriate tax authority, so choose carefully. As always, the world’s most popular websites, such as Airbnb and Booking remain the best choice, as they offer a plethora of choices for everyone’s liking.

Is Portugal really a good choice for digital nomads?

When most people consider their next work destination, there are plenty of things that come into consideration. Among the most frequent criteria we find things such as the cost of living, Wi-Fi coverage, the natural beauty of the country, the friendliness of the locals and national cuisine. These and many other factors are what Portugal excels at, and there’s a good reason why most travelers consider it one of Europe’s best nomad destinations.