Portugal could not be left out of the countries that offer a visas for digital nomads and, undoubtedly, I consider it to be one of the best places to develop professionally due to the unique environments offered by its cities. There is no better source of inspiration!
Self-employed people and entrepreneurs from all over the world can benefit from this visa. Today, I will tell you everything you need to know about it. But first, I’ll give you a brief summary of its most relevant aspects:
- The duration of the visa is 1 year.
- There is no limitation by nationality or activity.
- Monthly earnings as a digital nomad, freelancer or self-employed person should be at least 580 euros.
- A criminal record certificate is required.
Find easily:
How does the digital nomad visa Portugal work?
The functioning of the digital nomad visa does not differ much from other visas of this type. In this case, the country offers two types of visas for citizens who want to be self-employed in the country. I’ll tell you about it in detail.
1. Visa for digital nomads or freelancers
In this case, they are those workers where you earn money based on the work you do without being tied to any kind of contract. The most obvious examples are translators, photographers, copywriters and graphic designers.
2. Visa for digital nomad entrepreneurs or business owners
These are cases in which a businessman or entrepreneur wants to open a business in Portugal. In this case, it is necessary to comply with the procedures established by the immigration authority.
As for the duration, the digital nomad visa for Portugal has a duration of 1 year and is extendable to 5 years, with the possibility to opt for a permanent residence permit. This is the best feature of your visa!
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How to apply for a digital nomad visa in Portugal?
- Check that the requirements for obtaining a visa are met.
- Fill in an official form at the following link on the Ministério Dos Negócios Estrangeiros website.
- Submit the requested information at the Portuguese Consulate by appointment.
Visa delivery time
There is no official information on how long it takes to obtain a digital nomad visa in Portugal. However, we can use as a reference that the deadline for the residence visa is 60 days and for the temporary stay visa is 30 days.
Requirements to apply for a digital nomad visa in Portugal
The requirements to apply for this visa for digital nomads will vary depending on the two types of visa you need. Therefore, below, I will tell you what they are in relation to each type of visa:
1. Visa for digital nomads, freelancers and self-employed
- You must have an original and valid passport. This must be valid for at least 6 months before the time of application.
- Earn more than 580 euros per month.
- Have international travel insurance or health insurance for the Schengen area if you are not part of the European Union or the Schengen area.
- Submit a criminal record certificate.
- Have a statement from a competent authority demonstrating professional competence in the specialized activity.
2. Visa for nomad entrepreneurs or businessmen
- Have travel insurance if you are not part of the European Union or the Schengen area.
- Obtain a signed contract with a startup incubator in Portugal.
- Submit a criminal record certificate.
- Have a means test or financial resources to start a business in the country.
I have to remind you that all these documents and requirements are mandatory, but you may be asked to submit additional documents at the consular office where you submit the documents.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Portugal?
Travel insurance is mandatory for all non-EU citizens.
In this sense, all EU citizens will only need to have their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access the country’s healthcare system free of charge. However, you should be aware that not all medical expenses are covered!
For this reason, it is always advisable to take out long-stay travel insurance to cover any mishaps you may experience during your stay in Portugal.
Although in the case of non-EU citizens it is, in particular, mandatory, I also recommend you to hire one, even if you are a citizen of the European Union. I recommend the best one for these cases below!
What is the best travel insurance for Portugal?
Among the wide variety of insurance policies that you can find on the Internet today, it is difficult to find the best one for your stay in Portugal as a digital nomad.
That’s why I’ve dedicated this section to tell you which is the best travel insurance for Portugal: Cap Adventure by Chapka Insurance.
I’ll tell you why!
Cap Adventure is an ideal policy for trips lasting more than 3 months and offers its policyholders a wide range of cover with the aim of making their stay in Portugal as worry-free as possible. In the following table, I summarize some of the most important ones.
Coverage of Cap Adventure | |
Incidents on the journey | €8500 |
Optical expenses in the event of an accident | €200 |
Emergency dental expenses | €1.000 |
Baggage insurance | €3.000 |
Psychological, psychiatric, physiotherapy, chiropractic, and physiotherapy expenses | €1.000 |
Search and rescue costs | €5.000 |
Private civil liability | €500.000 |
Accident compensation | €50.000 |
In addition to these coverages, there are a few that I must mention:
- Unlimited medical and hospitalization expenses.
- 24-hour assistance and repatriation.
- Medical teleconsultations.
- COVID-19 coverage.
- Legal advice abroad.
More information: https://www.chapkadirect.com/cap-adventure
What activities are permitted and prohibited?
Portugal’s digital nomad visa allows the pursuit of any type of self-employed activity in the country. In this sense, it grants total freedom to develop or work in your sector of activity anywhere in the country – a real advantage!
What nationalities are permitted and prohibited?
In terms of nationality, Portugal has no restrictions whatsoever, so anyone in the world can travel to the country as a digital nomad or remote worker. Moreover, if you are a national of a Schengen country, you will not need to apply for this type of visa to enter the country.
However, you should know that if you intend to stay for 3 months or more, which I suppose you will as the digital nomad that you are, you will have to go to your local town hall to apply for a Certificate of Registration for EU Citizens, which is enough to telework in Portugal if you are an EU citizen!
Pros of the digital nomad visa for Portugal
Among the main benefits of opting for a digital nomad visa for Portugal are the following:
- It allows you to work remotely in the country for 1 year, but is extendable up to 5 years. In addition, after these 5 years, you can apply for a permanent residence permit.
- Travel insurance is not compulsory if you are a national of any EU or Schengen country.
- There are no nationality or activity limits for the approval of this visa.
Cons of the digital nomad visa for Portugal
Portugal’s digital nomad visa also has a number of drawbacks – don’t worry because I’ll summarize them below!
- The visa fee is €83 and the residence permit fee is €72. Both fees are compulsory.
- A criminal record certificate from the country of origin is required.
- Proof of means of subsistence in the country and a minimum of 580 euros per month as a self-employed person are compulsory.
Countries with digital nomad visas
Portugal is not the only country that offers visas for digital nomads to stay in the country. In fact, more and more countries are joining the list to offer such visas.
To name each one of them would be too much reading. That’s why I’ve listed on the table below all the countries you can travel to as a digital nomad – you have dozens to choose from!
Planet-Nomad.com | |||||
41 / 195 | Trend in | Duration | Tax | Mandatory insurance | Proof |
COUNTRIES | February 2023 | in month | to pay | See recommanded | of income |
Anguila | 12 | $2000 | Yes | Yes | |
Antigua Barbuda | 24 | $1500 | Yes | Yes | |
Aruba | 3 | $75 | Yes | No | |
Barbados | 12 | $2000 | Yes | Yes | |
Bermuda | 12 | $260 | Yes | Yes | |
Brazil | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Cape Verde | 6 | $60 | Yes | Yes | |
Colombia | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Costa Rica | 24 | $550 | Yes | Yes | |
Croatia | 12 | $155 | Yes | Yes | |
Curaçao | 6 | $300 | Yes | No | |
Cyprus | 12 | $65 | Yes | Yes | |
Dominica | 18 | $900 | Yes | Yes | |
Ecuador | 24 | $450 | Yes | Yes | |
United Arab Emirates | 12 | $610 | Yes | Yes | |
Estonia | 12 | $100 | Yes | Yes | |
Georgia | 12 | $35 | Yes | Yes | |
Germany | 36 | $100 | Yes | Yes | |
Grenada | 12 | $1500 | Yes | Yes | |
Greece | 12 | $90 | Yes | Yes | |
Hungria | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Iceland | 6 | $60 | Yes | Yes | |
Indonesia | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Italy | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Latvia | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Cayman Islands | 24 | $1470 | Yes | Yes | |
Seychelles Islands | 12 | $50 | Yes | Yes | |
Malta | 6 | $315 | Yes | Yes | |
Malaysia | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes | |
Mauritius | 12 | $0 | Yes | Yes | |
Mexico | 12 | $45 | Yes | Yes | |
Montserrat | 12 | $500 | Yes | Yes | |
Norway | 48 | $630 | Yes | Yes | |
Panama | 9 | $300 | Yes | Yes | |
Portugal | 12 | $165 | Yes | Yes | |
Czech Republic | 12 | $165 | Yes | Yes | |
Romania | 12 | $125 | Yes | Yes | |
Saint Lucia | 12 | $70 | Yes | Yes | |
Spain | 🆕 | 🆕 | – | – | |
Sri Lanka | 12 | $500 | Yes | Yes | |
Thailand | 🆕 | 🆕 | Yes | Yes |