Portugal Retirement Visa, the application process and requirements 

Enough funds

You must have sufficient funds to cover your expenses in Portugal.

Spend enough time in Portugal

The applicant must spend 183 consecutive days in Portugal per year.

Proof of accommodation

The applicant must have arranged a place to live in Portugal and provide evidence like a rental agreement.

Portugal retirement visa requirements

To apply for Portugal Retirement Visa, you need to provide the following requirements or supporting documents:

Passport 

It must hold validity for at least another year and not be older than ten years ago. You will better renew it if your passport is about to expire in the next year.

Photo

Two photos of you are required according to the Schengen requirements. They can not be older than three months and should be in a clear white background. Remember that if your face goes through a major change, you need a new photo. It includes burning, plastic surgery losing or gaining significant weight.

Application form 

You can download the application form for a Portugal retirement visa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. It provides the form in different languages aside from Portuguese and English.

Evidence of income 

The applicant must prove to the officials that they have enough funds to cover their expenses in the country. They can do it through:

• Pension income
• Savings account
• Investment options
• Any legitimate sources of income.

Proof of accommodation 

You need to rent or buy accommodation in Portugal to state that you have somewhere to live. You don’t have to make long-term obligations. Even short term or one-month rental agreement will suffice until you move to the country and find a suitable place for your family.

Insurance 

Portugal and Schengen states law require you to travel to the area under insurance. It must support all of your medical expenses during your trip. Whatever insurance option you choose must be valid in the EU and Schengen states along with Portugal. When you enter the country, you can go on with the same one to purchase new insurance. Choices are yours.

Personal documents

They include your:

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• death certificate of spouse or partner

According to your case, you might require to submit further documents relating to your background.

Clean record certificate 

The applicant can not have a criminal record which led to one year of imprisonment. The center you can receive it is either the Police or Judiciary up to the country you live in.

Proof of residence 

In case the country you live in is not your home country, you should provide proof that your residence is legal. The evidence could be a visa or permanent residency.

Note: The list provided above is not complete, and you might have to provide further documents. It is much up to the country you live in and your case.

Portugal retirement visa application process

The application process for a Portugal retirement visa can vary according to your nationality and case. But the general application way is as follows:

1. Gather the requirements

There is a list of supporting documents for Portugal retirement visa. You must gather all of them and submit them to the authorities. You can see the list in the above section. If you cannot provide all of them, you might become ineligible for the visa, so begin this step earlier and try your best, so everything is up to the details.

2. Completing the application form

Completing the application form is a necessary step in the application process. You can receive it from the link of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided above.

Everything you write in it must be according to your documents, particularly names. The spelling must be according to your passport when you complete it, print, date, and sign it.

3. Set a visa meeting with the embassy

Now you need to schedule a meeting with the Portuguese embassy or consulate in your home country. Remember that the officials might have outsourced the visa processing to a visa center in your country. Find what the place is and book a meeting with them.

4. Visa appointment

Go to the visa meeting on the exact reserved date and bring all the collected requirements. Remember the exact date and time of the interview as you should not be late. Don’t forget to bring the requirements to the meeting. You also need to carry money to pay the visa fees. Then there is the interview and a few questions regarding your background and the purpose of your visit.

5. Visa processing

When you finish the procedures with the embassy, wait until the authorities process your visa. It takes a bit of time until they decide to grant you a visa or reject it. They will inform you through a phone call or by email. Then you have to pick up your visa and move to Portugal.

6. Residence Permit

When you arrive in Portugal, you need to apply for a Residence permit. Set an appointment with the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) and ask about the requirements. Visit the mand submit the requirements to receive your residence permit. Portugal retirement visa provides entrance to the country, and a residence permit permits you to stay in the country for one year. However, you can renew it two times for two years. Then after living for five years in Portugal, you will become eligible for permanent residency.

Portugal retirement visa income requirement

One of the requirements for a Portugal retirement visa is to be able to support your cost in the country through a source of passive income, which could be a :

• Pension
• Rental
• Dividends
• Certain categories of investment

Remember that the minimum requirements vary by the number of family members you bring to the country. The common Portugal retirement visa income requirement is as follows:

• The main applicant needs to have 100% of the least wage in Portugal; €775.8 per month, that is 9,310 euros per year, taking into account 12 payments per year.*
• Parents or spouse. 50% of the minimum wage for each person accompanying the applicant.
• Applicant’s dependent children – 30% of the minimum wage for each person is required.

*The source of the provided wage is Country Economy which provides the minimum wage in Portugal for 2021.

It is recommended that you have the minimum requirement for one year (12 months) in a bank account before applying for the visa.

Can you bring your family to Portugal?

Yes, a Portugal retirement visa permits you to bring your family members to the country. However, you are only allowed to bring the following:

• Your spouse or law partner
• A minor or disabled child
• Children over 18 must be single and study in an educational center or university in Portugal
• Applicant’s spouse and dependent parents
• Applicant’s minor siblings, he/she must be legally responsible for taking care of them.

Can you receive free healthcare coverage?

The National Health Service is responsible for providing free healthcare coverage to Portuguese citizens. Non-EU/US citizens do not receive this benefit. They have to live in the country for five years under the Portugal retirement visa, receive permanent residency to be eligible to receive free health care services.

Portugal Retirement Visa Fee

There is a fee for visa processing that you need to pay. Without paying, there won’t be any processing:

• Portugal retirement visa fee, €90
• Residence permit application at the SEF –€83
• Residence permit cost – €72

Does your pension include tax?

The tax on your pension for a Portugal retirement visa includes two tax pats. The first one is your home country that whether they impose a tax on transferring the pension or income to Portugal. Remember that Portugal has social security and tax agreement with a few countries. The US is one of them.

Transferring your pension to Portugal could also be taxed by the government. But you could apply for NHR (Non-Habitual Resident). It’s a program that offers reduced tax to ex-pats.

How long should you live under a Portugal retirement visa?

The Portuguese law requires you to spend some time in the country, so your residency becomes legal. In the first and second years of receiving the residency, you need to spend 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months each year in the country.

During the 3rd, 4th, and 5th years of living in the country, you have to spend 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months per year in Portugal.

Let’s sum up…

The retires can enjoy a great life in Portugal with lots of benefits and features. But they need to apply for Portugal retirement visa so to move to the country.

The article provided who is eligible to apply for Portugal retirement visa, requirements, the application process, and answered questions to some of the common FAQs.

You can find out about other types of Portugal visas by going through the left sidebar.

The visa information about other countries is also provided on the top menu.

Your questions related to visas will be answered in the comment section below.