Portugal D2 Visa

The Portugal D2 visa is a suitable visa for foreign entrepreneurs who are planning on or seeking to do business in the country. To gain this visa, they will need to buy a local company and its shares or create a branch of a legal entity that is already in existence.

Another option would be to establish an entirely new company in Portugal. This would require providing a detailed business plan that goes into detail about the prospects of the business’s development in Portugal.

Also, occupying a Portugal D2 business visa will enable the applicant to obtain a residence permit for themselves as well as many permitted family members.

Once the applicant has had the D2 visa for 4 months, the entrepreneur can also apply for a residence permit from the Portuguese Migration Service (otherwise known as SEF).

Once you, the applicant, have lived in the country for five years, you can then apply for permanent residence to live in Portugal.

Note that there is also no minimum investment in a business for the D2 visa. Yet, to maintain your residency, the entrepreneur is required to spend 6 months in Portugal continuously during the year, or 8 months overall.

Page Contents

• What Is The Portugal D2 Visa?
• Who Can Get A Portugal D2 Visa?
• Portugal D2 Visa Requirements
• Portugal D2 Visa Steps & Application Process: How To Get A D2 Visa
• What Are The Benefits Of The Portugal D2 Visa?
• Permanent Residence: Does The Portugal D2 Visa Lead to Residence?
• Citizenship: Does The Portugal D2 Visa Lead To Citizenship?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• FAQs

Those who are eligible to apply for a Portugal D2 visa include:

• Entrepreneurs.
• Independent professionals.
• Start-ups.
• Investors.
• Company owners, shareholders, business partners, and board of directors.
• Branch owners, directors, and share-holder partners.

Those who can obtain a D2 visa for Portugal include those listed above. This visa does not work for the family members of an entrepreneur.

That being said, the spouse, children, and parents of the entrepreneur can obtain a temporary Portugal residency permit via family reunification. Yet it is also worth being aware that children over the age of 18 and their parents will need to confirm that they are financially dependent on the primary applicant (a D2 visa holder).

Spouses of the D2 visa holder will also need to be officially married or be in a civil partnership that is recognised by the state. This includes civil unions or other contractual relationships between two people who live together.

Should the entrepreneur move to Portugal with family, this would require a higher bank account balance. For example, in addition to the €9,120 required, an additional €4,560 would be required per adult family member and €2,736 per child.

The primary adult applicant for a D2 visa will need to provide a certificate showing they have no criminal record. They will also need to provide documentation regarding the company they work for or own, as well as the availability of €9,120 as needed for the application.

There is a standard set of documents that are necessary to have prepared for a D2 visa application in Portugal. These documents include the following:

• The visa application itself.
• 2 available colour photographs sized at 3x4cm.
• A passport as well as a copy of said passport.
• An official bank statement.
• A contact for the sale or lease of an apartment in the country.
• Permission to have the applicant’s criminal record checked in Portugal.
• A certificate to state that the applicant has no criminal record with an apostille.
• Health insurance.
• A valid business plan.
• Should the company already exist or be open, then founding documentation and financial information and/or statements are required.
• Should the company not yet be open, then a statement from the Portuguese bank stating the availability of money for the company to be opened.

There are several steps you must take to complete the application process to gain a D2 visa for Portugal. These steps are as follows:

1. Firstly, it is advised that you seek out advice from a lawyer or immigration advice service such as Total.Law. Whether you choose to do this or not, it is advised, as it can help you better anticipate any potential difficulties in your application and can aid in reducing the risk of rejection. If you choose not to do this, it is your own choice, but it will be harder to anticipate any issues that may otherwise arise. Total Law can help you prevent any future issues with your application and help make the process run smoother.
2. Next, you will need to gather your documents together. It is important to do this prior to applying, as you will need to have them ready when you apply. Entrepreneurs will need to draw up a business plan, buy their company in Portugal, and get together financial documents. A lawyer can help you understand what documents you will need for your specific application. This is also the time to consider opening a Portuguese bank account and registering with the tax office in Portugal.
3. Now, you will need to get an NIF, which is an individual tax number; this is a requirement to open a bank account in Portugal. Every transaction you make will need to go through an account in a bank in Portugal; this includes rental payments, such as for an apartment.
4. Once you have your NIF and bank account, you can now rent or buy accommodation in the country.
5. With all of the previous steps completed, you will need to submit your documents and get your visa. You will be registered at a consulate in Portugal. On the date of submission, you will submit your documents and pay the allocated €90 fee. It can take up to 60 days to process a D2 visa.
6. Once your visa has been approved, you will receive it.
7. Your visa will be valid for 4 months. During the time it is valid, you will have to arrive in Portugal and submit the relevant documents for a residency permit to SEF. The fees required for this will be €156 per person applying.
8. Once you are approved for a residency permit, you will get a Portugal residency permit card, which is valid for 2 years with the possibility of an extension.

The Portugal D2 visa does lead to permanent residence if the process is carried out correctly. After receiving your visa, you will be required to book an appointment with SEF to obtain a residency permit. The D2 visa is only valid for 4 months, but residency can be renewed for 5 years. After 5 years, you can then apply for permanent residency.

Once you have lived in Portugal legally for five years, you can become a Portuguese citizen. In order to do so, you will be required to learn the language and gain an A2 certificate in Portuguese, as well as have a clean criminal record and provide tax documentation, including proof of a Portuguese bank account.