The D2 visa has been overshadowed by more popular immigration routes to Portugal. However, this option is definitely worth your attention, as with a D2 visa, immigrants from countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland can move with their families to a prosperous European country, where they can run a business, work and improve their professional skills for 5 years:
First, you obtain a D2 consular visa, valid for 120 days from the date of issue.
Then you travel to Portugal on a D2 visa, where you apply to the AIMA agency for a residence permit.
Your first Portuguese residence permit will be issued for 2 years, after which you will have the opportunity to extend your resident status for another 3 years. In total, this gives you 5 years of legal residence in Portugal.
Before the extended residence permit expires, you will have the opportunity to become a permanent resident. Portugal is still a country where you can obtain European citizenship relatively quickly, after 5 years, but in the near future, there may be reforms and revisions to the length of residence required for naturalisation.
Who is eligible for a D2 visa?
There are three categories of foreign nationals for whom a D2 visa is suitable for moving to Portugal:
1. Entrepreneurs
Foreign businesspeople who intend to register a new company in the Portuguese Republic, or who already have a business at home and intend to expand internationally through a branch or subsidiary.
2. Self-employed
Self-employed professionals who provide their services to both foreign and Portuguese clients.
3. Start-ups
As a rule, these are novice entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas who are attracted by the favourable business climate in the Portuguese Republic, special conditions for technology start-ups, government programmes to support small and medium-sized businesses, etc.
In this case,the entrepreneur obtains a residence permit under the Startup Visa programme, with the support of the IAPMEI agency and an accredited business incubator.
What opportunities does a D2 visa offer?
With entrepreneur immigration status, you can apply for a 2-year residence permit in Portugal with the possibility of extending it for another 3 years.
Applicants for a D2 visa can bring their family with them to Portugal – not only their spouse and minor children, but also children over 18 (provided they are going to the Portuguese Republic to receive an education) and parents over 65 (provided they are dependent on the main applicant).
Entrepreneurs who come to the country on a D2 visa, along with a residence permit, get access to a high-quality and affordable national healthcare system.
Children of D2 visa holders have free access to high-quality education in Portuguese state schools. And if you are in favour of private education, in Portugal, you can always send your child to study at one of the international schools.
An important advantage for ambitious businesspeople is the possibility of visa-free travel with a Portuguese residence permit within the Schengen area. Once you have obtained a D2 visa residence card, you will be able to establish business connections in 29 European jurisdictions without any obstacles.
After 5 years of living in the country, you will have the opportunity to apply for permanent resident status or citizenship. However, please note the element of uncertainty associated with the immigration law reform announced by the Portuguese authorities, which may change the minimum period of stay in the country required for naturalisation.
Unlike the Golden visa programme, the Portuguese immigration programme for entrepreneurs (D2) does not have a minimum investment amount set by law. However, there are practical recommendations on how much money you will need to show as a potential contribution to business development.
“The D2 visa is an excellent option for those who want to live and do business in Portugal. But before you can take advantage of all the benefits of this immigration category, you will need to prove the economic viability of your business. One such proof could be a well-thought-out business plan, which will be drawn up for you by the best specialists at Imperial & Legal.”
What risks does a D2 visa applicant face in 2026?
During the application process, entrepreneurs face two risks:
When drawing up a business plan that must satisfy the immigration authorities of the Portuguese Republic.
When they expect to receive a residence permit in Portugal quickly, when, on the contrary, they need to allow additional time for bureaucratic procedures.
1. Why is a business plan necessary?
An entrepreneur applying for a D2 visa must provide a business plan that is as realistic as possible and based on reliable data. It should reflect a working business strategy and confirmed financial calculations. It is important to show how much you are willing to invest in your business project and to give an idea of your professional competence.
The business plan should give an idea of the social and economic contribution your company will make to the development of the Portuguese Republic — creating new jobs, offering a unique product or service that has no analogues in the local market, etc.
A business plan without a clear and attractive business idea often becomes a stumbling block in the process of applying for a D2 visa. The Portuguese Consulate only considers business plans that demonstrate the viability of the project and real sources of funding.
Our company’s employees will draw up a detailed business plan for your company that will not raise additional questions from the immigration authorities.
2. Lengthy bureaucratic process
Many expats are discouraged by the speed with which the Portuguese immigration authorities make decisions.
If you are applying for a D2 visa under the Startup Visa programme, it can take up to six months to get your business idea approved, sign a contract with a business incubator, and obtain a declaration from IAPMEI.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) reviews residence permit applications within 90 days. Moreover, the very process of registering to submit documents often becomes a separate challenge for applicants: available slots fill up quickly, and the process can take months. We take on this task ourselves — we track available dates and arrange an appointment for you without unnecessary delays.
It should be noted that in 2026, the immigration process to Portugal still takes a very long time, even for D2 visa applicants.
Three paths of the D2 immigration route — what are their distinctive features?
1. Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs need to demonstrate that their company will have a positive impact on the Portuguese economy: it will create new jobs for Portuguese citizens, pay a lot of taxes, carry out export operations, etc. The entrepreneur’s business plan must be a realistic action plan.
Documents must be provided either confirming the investment in the business or confirming the intention to invest funds (for example, opening a bank account in the Portuguese Republic and transferring the required amount there).
As already mentioned, there is no legally stipulated amount that a D2 visa applicant must plan to invest in their company. Imperial & Legal consultants recommend that future Portuguese entrepreneurs show €50,000-100,000.
2. Self-employed professional
In order to obtain a D2 visa, it is important for a self-employed professional to show that they have contracts with Portuguese customers or a preliminary agreement on cooperation with local companies.
Equally important is the applicant’s willingness to register their activity in the Portuguese Republic and pay taxes regularly.If the professional activity of a self-employed applicant is regulated in Portugal, documents confirming their admission or relevant qualifications (e.g. licence, certificate or diploma) must be submitted to the consulate.
3. Start-up
An aspiring entrepreneur planning to launch a start-up in Portugal must first obtain the support of the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI) in order to obtain a D2 consular visa.
In essence, unlike entrepreneurs and self-employed persons, start-ups obtain a Portuguese residence permit in three stages rather than two.
- First, they submit their documents to IAPMEI, after creating an account on the agency’s website. The idea for the start-up must be innovative, scalable and sufficiently realistic. However, unlike an entrepreneur’s project, a start-up does not require investment support.
If their documents are correctly drawn up and the business idea is sufficiently realistic and meets the criteria set out above, it will receive preliminary approval and be posted on the IAPMEI website.
Accredited business incubators should take an interest in your start-up idea and offer their assistance. In practice, the process is simpler: a budding entrepreneur or their representatives, in the form of Imperial & Legal employees, contact leading business incubators and offer cooperation. If the idea is attractive enough, the incubator will offer to sign a contract. This contract becomes the basis for obtaining an IAPMEI declaration. - The IAPMEI declaration is usually issued for six months. This document, together with the business incubator agreement and the D2 visa application, is submitted to the consulate.
- After receiving a consular visa, the future start-up entrepreneur travels to Portugal and, with the help of our specialists, applies for a residence permit.
Financial requirements for D2 visa applicants
1. Funds necessary for the entrepreneur and his family to live in Portugal
As with investments, there is no specific amount that must be available to the applicant. However, market practice requires that the applicant have at least 12 times the minimum wage in Portugal in their bank account.
In 2026, this amount should be ≥ €10,440 for a single entrepreneur. If you are travelling with your family, you will need more money.
How much will the amount of savings required for a family applicant for a D2 visa increase?
| Minimum for one applicant | ≥ €10,440 |
| If your spouse is travelling with you | +50% to the minimum |
| If a child under 18 is travelling with you | +30% to the minimum |
| If you are travelling with an adult dependent | +50% to the minimum |
Your funds can be in any freely convertible currency. They can be held in a bank account abroad. The main thing is that they exceed the minimum requirement and that the immigration authorities have no doubt that you have free access to these funds.
2. Investment amount
The entrepreneur must have sufficient funds to maintain the company and develop the business in Portugal. As a rule, applicants for a D2 visa show no more than €100,000.
3. Accommodation in Portugal
Since the D2 is a residence visa, consulates require applicants to provide proof of address in the Portuguese Republic.
This can be pre-purchased or rented accommodation. The requirements for the rental agreement may vary depending on the consulate. The minimum term of such an agreement must be at least 120 days. Some Portuguese consulates require that the rental agreement be concluded for 12 months.
Our company’s staff at will help you find suitable residential property in Portugal and will take care of most of the negotiations with the owner.
4. Medical insurance
To obtain a D2 visa, it is usually sufficient to purchase tourist medical insurance for six months, covering €30,000 in medical expenses.
Residence requirements for a D2 visa
Once you have obtained a residence permit in Portugal on a D2 visa, you must spend at least 6 months of the year in the country. Your total time outside the Portuguese Republic in the first 2 years must not exceed 8 months. Business visa holders are also not allowed to be absent from the country for more than 6 consecutive months, otherwise they will lose their residence permit.
What documents do you need to submit to the consulate to obtain a D2 visa?
The package of documents for a D2 visa applicant can be divided into three groups:
documents that are relevant to all applicants.
Documents for specific tracks – entrepreneur, self-employed, start-up.
Documents of the main applicant’s relatives.
Documents for all applicants:
Passport. Make sure that your passport is valid for 3 months longer than the visa, which in your case is 120 days.
Visa application form.
Two photographs.
Financial documents confirming that you have sufficient funds to live in the country – bank statements are acceptable.
Proof of address in the Portuguese Republic.
Medical insurance for 6 months.
Certificate of no criminal record. The applicant must obtain a certificate of no criminal record from each jurisdiction where they have lived for more than 1 year.
All foreign public documents must be apostilled. Some documents, such as a certificate of no criminal record, must be accompanied by a certified translation into Portuguese. Portuguese consulates in some countries may accept documents in English for consideration.
Documents by track:
Entrepreneur: a business plan with a detailed description of the idea, financial forecast, planned investments, number of jobs to be created, proof of planned investments in the business.
Self-employed: service contracts with Portuguese clients or a preliminary cooperation agreement. If the self-employed person’s professional activity is regulated by the authorities, proof of qualifications and a licence are required.
Start-up: supporting declaration from IAPMEI and agreement with an accredited incubator in Portugal.
Entrepreneurs and self-employed persons must obtain a NIF (tax identification number in Portugal) and submit the relevant document to the consulate.
Documents for relatives of entrepreneurs:
Marriage certificate – for spouses.
Birth certificate – for children.
Proof of additional funds for living in Portugal in accordance with the above rules.
Procedure for entrepreneurs moving to Portugal on a D2 visa
How does Imperial & Legal help enterprising foreigners immigrate to Portugal on a D2 visa?
Our company’s employees provide businesspeople and self-employed individuals with a full range of services related to legal support for moving to the Portuguese Republic:
1. Preliminary consultations
At the first meeting with the client, our specialists explain the differences between the entrepreneur, self-employed and Startup Visa tracks within the D2 category.
Then, taking into account the client’s circumstances, we assess which option is best for them and their family.
During the preliminary consultation, Imperial & Legal staff also provide recommendations on the amount of investment and proof of funds for living in the Portuguese Republic.
2. Preparation of a business plan and documents
Depending on the track you choose, we help entrepreneurs draw up a realistic business plan or prepare a package of documents for IAPMEI (for those who are applying for a D2 visa under the Startup Visa programme).
Our lawyers help to collect and prepare all the necessary certificates and documents, including those that require apostille and translation. Before booking your appointment at the Portuguese consulate, we carefully check the completeness of the document package to reduce the risk of rejection.
3. Financial issues and taxes
We advise D2 applicants on confirming their means of subsistence and investments. We help them register with the tax authorities (obtain a NIF) and open a bank account in Portugal.
We provide recommendations on the tax regimes applicable in the Portuguese Republic for businesses and self-employed professionals.
4. Renting and buying property
Imperial & Legal staff select housing in Portugal (rental or purchase) for obtaining a consular visa and residence permit. We prepare the necessary documents to confirm the applicant’s Portuguese address.
5. Support with submitting an application to the consulate
We fill out the application form for the client and contact the consulate staff to arrange an appointment for the client.
Our company’s lawyers handle correspondence with Portuguese representatives in case of additional questions for the applicant.
6. Support for the applicant in Portugal
Imperial & Legal specialists help you submit an application to AIMA and obtain a residence card.
Expatriates who have moved on a D2 visa also turn to us when they need to extend their residence permit or arrange for their family to move to Portugal (this is relevant for immigrants who did not take advantage of the opportunity to apply for entry visas for their immediate family members at the same time as their D2 visa).
7. Further cooperation
Our services include assistance in obtaining self-employed status and registering a new company in Portugal.
Our specialists provide advice on the conditions for obtaining permanent residence and second citizenship.
