Passive Income Visa

It is not uncommon to hear people saying that they have passive income because they have investments in Bitcoins, a website that generates continuous income and so on.

Although they can be considered passive income, we have to consider that Portugal has its own rules in the description of passive income.

You can find in article 24 of Decree 84-2007 that passive income is the result of “movable, immovable, intellectual property and financial investments”.

Therefore, we can assume that this type of passive income is included: pension income, rent, interest, dividend or intellectual property.

It is very unlikely that Portugal will grant you a D7 visa if you show other types of income, even if you have a huge bank account.

Depending on where the first stage of the process takes place, the applicant may have to wait for different periods.

Normally, from the visa application to its approval, if the process is well done, the applicant can wait up to 45 days to receive the passport with the stamped visa.

After the visa approval, the applicant must travel to Portugal for a meeting at SEF, which is a necessary procedure to issue the residence permit.

From the meeting at SEF and receipt of the residence permit card, it can take up to 2 months, depending on SEF’s location in Portugal.

Although it is impossible to say how long the process will take from start to finish, we can estimate that it will take up to 4 months if there is no setback.

After the approval of the D7 visa at the Consulate of Portugal, the meeting at SEF, in Portugal, will be probably be automatically scheduled for the applicant.

Thus, at this stage, the applicant may travel to Portugal to carry out the procedure, showing at the scheduled meeting.

As we’re talking about a residence type of visa, this authorization will be valid for 4 months after its issuance.

Therefore, the applicant has up to 4 months to do this interview in order not to be considered irregular by the government of Portugal.

NHS (National Health System) is responsible for providing basic health care services to people and expats living in Portugal.

The quality of the healthcare service is simply excellent!

I, myself, like to have a complete checkup of my health conditions twice a year, and the way this service is performed is simply remarkable.

According to the 2018 Euro Health Consumer Index, Portugal was ranked 13th for its quality of its health system.

It is important to note that Public Healthcare in Portugal is not 100% free, as you will have to pay a small amount to be consulted, but it probably won’t exceed 15€.

If you’re an expat, you won’t have problem registering at the Local Health Post (Posto de Saúde) in order to obtain your Utente Number and start using Portuguese Public Health Service.

A Residency Certificate and NIF number will be required for this registration.

Portugal wants to know if the applicant has enough money to live in this country for at least a year without needing to bring more money from abroad.

That is why there is proof of subsistence requirement.

The applicant must prove that he / she has an amount around 8,000€ deposited in a Portuguese bank account. In addition, if the applicant intends to bring his / her family along, there is a need to add the following values:

• 4,000€ if bringing a partner
• 2,400€ for each child

This amount must be deposited in a Portuguese bank account before the visa application.

So, if one applicant plans to bring his wife and two kids, he will have to deposit the amount of 16,800€ in a Portuguese bank account.

It is possible to open a bank account remotely by a lawyer empowered to do so, and Viv Europe can assist you in this demand.

This requirement is also associated with proof of subsistence.

Portugal needs to know that the applicant can live in Portugal relying only on his passive income.

Therefore, in addition to depositing a amount in a Portuguese bank account, it is recommended to prove that the applicant receives the following income:

• Applicant: 665€/month
• Partner: add 332.5€/month
• Each child: add 199.5€/month

So, considering the application of a person who wants to bring to Portugal his husband and three children, she will have to prove receiving, at least, 1,600€/month as passive income.

If the husband also has passive income, this value can be considered for the analysis.

Yes, you can travel outside Portugal.

The only restriction is that during the valid period of the residence permit, you can not be absent from Portugal for more than 6 continuous months or 8 non-continuous months.

It will be possible to leave the country for a longer period if approved by SEF.

Other than that, there are no restrictions related to leaving the country.

Recently, the validity of the Resident License has changed from 1 to 2 years (for the first license) and from 2 to 3 years (for subsequent licenses).

In fact, it is possible to apply for the D7 visa without assistance, so why spend money to hire assistance?

First, the risk of visa denial is reduced.

Viv Europe has lawyers who handle immigration procedures every day.

There may be some situations in which an inexperienced applicant will find himself lost due to a lack of reliable information.

Second, some activities need to be carried out in Portugal, such as opening a Portuguese bank account, obtaining a tax number, among others.

Since Viv Europe is headquartered in Braga (and with branches throughout the national territory), these activities can be carried out by this company.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, you will have peace of mind. Why worry about a process (that can be complex) when you can focus your attention to plan your life in Portugal?

Of course, there is a cost associated with assistance, but this is a one-time investment you make to avoid any problems (such as spending unnecessary money) during this process.