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Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa: A New Gateway for Remote Workers
Portugal's dedicated digital nomad visa, launched on 30 October 2022, provides non-EU remote workers with a clear legal pathway to live in Portugal while working for foreign employers or clients.
On 30 October 2022, a regulatory amendment implementing Law 18/2022 entered into force, creating Portugal’s dedicated digital nomad visa. For the first time, non-EU remote workers had a clear, legal pathway to live in Portugal while working for foreign employers or clients.
The new regime offers two options: a temporary stay visa (up to one year) and a residence visa (which can lead to a residence permit renewable for up to five years). Applicants must demonstrate a stable monthly income of roughly four times the Portuguese minimum wage at the time of entry into force, and must prove that the income derives from activity performed remotely for entities established outside Portugal.
This visa was designed for professionals in technology, consulting, design, finance, and other location-independent fields – a group that was already informally present in cities like Lisbon and Porto, but often relying on tourist status or legal categories not tailored to their reality.
For US, UK and Canadian citizens, as well as Israelis, Brazilians and other third-country nationals disillusioned with high costs of living elsewhere, the digital nomad visa formalised a lifestyle that had already become common: living in Portugal, earning abroad. It provides legal security (residence card, access to public healthcare in many situations, ability to register as a tax resident) while still allowing applicants to maintain their international careers.
However, the visa also brings responsibilities. Remote workers who become tax resident in Portugal may fall under Portuguese personal income tax rules, including the (now closing) Non-Habitual Resident regime or its successors. It is therefore crucial to align immigration decisions with tax planning.
Even with those caveats, the digital nomad visa confirms Portugal’s position as one of Europe’s most welcoming jurisdictions for remote work. It combines climate, safety, time zone compatibility with Europe and North America, and a now solid legal framework for long-term stay.
Official source: Diário da República, regulatory implementation of Law no. 18/2022 as of 30 October 2022 (https://dre.pt)