South African applicants · Portuguese Republic
D7 visa (passive income / retirement) for South African citizens
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Residence visa for non-EU retirees and other applicants who can live from stable income of their own.
This page covers the D7 visa (passive income / retirement) specifically for South African applicants — including document requirements, consular procedures, and common issues specific to South Africa. The route's general criteria are summarised below, but the current corridor-specific filing, visa-issuance, and entry position above can still determine whether the route is usable.
- Processing time
- 2 monthsPublished consular deadline; excludes the separate post-arrival AIMA residence-permit process.
- Worked-example cost
- €90
- Typical duration
- Residence visa valid for the entry/residence process; temporary residence generally 2 years then a 3-year renewal. Permanent residence may be available after 5 years; naturalisation generally requires 7 years of legal residence for eligible EU/CPLP nationals and 10 years for other foreign nationals.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
Bilateral context
- Schengen Area
Consular processing: a Portuguese Republic consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence
Tourist entry vs. this route
Tourist-entry rules for South African nationals change periodically and are separate from the D7 visa (passive income / retirement). Check the destination government's current entry guidance before travel.
Key figures for South African applicants
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
€11,040/yr
D7 — passive income minimum
Verified 1 January 2026 · AIMA — Residence visas
Worked-example route cost
€90
Single applicant, confirmed consular fee only
Fees are assessed per application and post-arrival residence service. Confirm each family member with the competent consular post and current AIMA table; financial-means uplifts are eligibility evidence, not fees.
Verified 21 July 2026 · gov.pt - Residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income
How long it takes
2 months
Portugal government guidance gives a 60-day deadline for the residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income.
Published consular deadline; excludes the separate post-arrival AIMA residence-permit process.
Verified 21 July 2026 · gov.pt - Residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income
Time to permanent residence
Arrival → permanent residence eligibility at 5 years → citizenship eligibility at 10 years for most non-EU/CPLP applicants under the law effective 19 May 2026.
Leads to Autorização de Residência Permanente, then Portuguese citizenship.
Visa overview
Portugal's D7 is the commonly used name for the residence-visa route for retirees and people living from income of their own. Applicants must prove the source, amount and availability in Portugal of qualifying income, together with accommodation, insurance and criminal-record evidence. The entry visa leads to an AIMA residence-permit application; temporary residence is generally issued for two years and renewed for three. Permanent residence may be available after five years. Citizenship now has a separate, longer residence clock: under the law effective from 19 May 2026, eligible EU and CPLP nationals generally need seven years of legal residence, while other foreign nationals generally need ten years and must meet the other naturalisation conditions.
Additional sources
Primary source
Diário da República — means-of-subsistence rules ↗ · Portuguese Republic official gazette
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Evidence of pension or other income of your own, including its amount and availability in Portugal for at least 12 months.Portuguese Republic official gazette ↗
- ✓2026 baseline means: EUR 920/month for the first adult, EUR 460/month for each additional adult and EUR 276/month for each child or dependent — respectively EUR 11,040, EUR 5,520 and EUR 3,312 for 12 months.Portuguese Republic official gazette ↗
- ✓Accommodation in Portugal and travel medical insurance for the visa stage.Portuguese Government ↗
- ✓Required criminal-record documents and permission for the Portuguese authorities to check the Portuguese criminal record.Portuguese Government ↗
Common blockers
- !The evidence does not show the required 12-month amount or that the income is genuinely available in Portugal.Portuguese Republic official gazette ↗
- !The household calculation omits the 50% uplift for an additional adult or 30% uplift for a child/dependent.Portuguese Republic official gazette ↗
- !Applying through the wrong post or relying on an unavailable consular channel; the official service directs applicants to the competent Portuguese consular post.Portuguese Government ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Completed application, valid passport and two recent photographs.Portuguese Government ↗
- ·Pension, rental, investment or other qualifying income records, plus bank evidence showing the applicable 12-month amount and availability in Portugal.Portuguese Republic official gazette ↗
- ·Accommodation evidence and travel medical insurance.Portuguese Government ↗
- ·Criminal-record certificate from the country of origin or country of residence for more than one year, plus Portuguese-record-check consent.Portuguese Government ↗
Application pathway
Confirm the competent filing post
Use the official service page and current consular notices to establish where your application can actually be accepted before paying for time-sensitive documents.
Calculate and document the household means
Build evidence for 12 months using the 2026 first-adult, additional-adult and dependent amounts, and show the money or income is available in Portugal.
Secure accommodation and supporting documents
Prepare accommodation, insurance and criminal-record documents in the form required by the competent post.
File the residence-visa application
Submit through the competent Portuguese post or its instructed channel. The official decision deadline is 60 days once the application is admissible.
Enter Portugal and complete the AIMA stage
Follow the visa instructions, attend the AIMA process and provide the residence-stage evidence, including tax and social-security registration where applicable.
Renew and plan the long-term route
Temporary residence is generally 2 years plus a 3-year renewal. Permanent residence may be available after 5 years; naturalisation generally requires 7 years of legal residence for eligible EU/CPLP nationals and 10 years for other foreign nationals.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck the official D7 service ↗
Confirm eligibility, required documents, competent post and the official 60-day decision period.
Portuguese Government · verified
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck AIMA residence requirements ↗
Prepare for the residence-permit stage and check current AIMA requirements and fees.
AIMA · verified
Other Portuguese Republic routes covered for South African applicants
Not sure Portuguese Republic is right for you? Compare similar routes
Other countries offer residence general routes that South African nationals also apply to. See how they compare.
Frequently asked questions
Are South African citizens eligible for the D7 visa (passive income / retirement)?+
Eligibility for the D7 visa (passive income / retirement) is set by Portuguese Government. South African applicants must meet the general route criteria plus any nationality- or location-specific intake requirements described in the current corridor guidance above.
Where do South African applicants typically file the D7 visa (passive income / retirement)?+
a Portuguese Republic consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence. Specific intake (online portal, biometrics centre, or in-country lodgement) is determined by Portuguese Government — confirm the current intake channel on the primary source linked above before filing.
Do South African applicants need a tourist visa for Portuguese Republic as well?+
Tourist-entry rules for South African nationals change periodically and are separate from the D7 visa (passive income / retirement). Check the destination government's current entry guidance before travel.
How much does the D7 visa (passive income / retirement) cost for a South African applicant?+
The stored worked example (Single applicant, confirmed consular fee only) totals about €90. Fees are assessed per application and post-arrival residence service. Confirm each family member with the competent consular post and current AIMA table; financial-means uplifts are eligibility evidence, not fees. It may combine government charges with other stated route costs. Source: gov.pt - Residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income, verified 21 July 2026. Treat it as indicative and confirm the current official schedule before budgeting.
What salary do South African applicants need for the D7 visa (passive income / retirement)?+
The D7 — passive income minimum floor is €11,040/yr, effective 1 January 2026 (AIMA — Residence visas). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the D7 visa (passive income / retirement) take to process from South Africa?+
Portugal government guidance gives a 60-day deadline for the residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income. Published consular deadline; excludes the separate post-arrival AIMA residence-permit process. South African applicants usually file via a Portuguese Republic consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence, and appointment or post-specific backlogs can add to the wait. Source: gov.pt - Residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income, verified 21 July 2026.
How long until permanent residence in Portuguese Republic?+
Arrival → permanent residence eligibility at 5 years → citizenship eligibility at 10 years for most non-EU/CPLP applicants under the law effective 19 May 2026. The route leads to Autorização de Residência Permanente, then Portuguese citizenship. See Diário da República - Organic Law 1/2026 for the qualifying-residence rules.
Does the D7 route lead to permanent residence or citizenship?+
It can. Temporary residence is generally issued for 2 years and renewed for 3, and permanent residence may be available after 5 years if the conditions are met. Citizenship has a different clock under the law effective 19 May 2026: 7 years for eligible EU or CPLP nationals and 10 years for other foreign nationals, plus the other naturalisation requirements.
How much income is required in 2026?+
The statutory calculation uses the EUR 920 monthly minimum wage: 100% for the first adult, 50% for each additional adult and 30% for each child or dependent. For 12 months, that is EUR 11,040, EUR 5,520 and EUR 3,312 respectively. The competent post assesses the evidence and availability in Portugal.
Is a NIF or Portuguese bank account always a consular prerequisite?+
The national rules require proof that qualifying income is available in Portugal, but the official gov.pt D7 document list does not state a NIF or Portuguese bank account as a universal visa-stage prerequisite. AIMA does require tax registration at the residence stage where applicable. Follow any additional checklist issued by the competent post.
How we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Portuguese Government
Last checked: 30 July 2026