Spain Non-Lucrative Visa vs. Portugal D7 Visa: Which Fits Your Income Profile in 2026?
Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa and Portugal’s D7 are both popular with retirees and people living from their own income—but the 2026 financial thresholds, work rights, family calculations and residence framework are very different.
Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa and Portugal’s D7 are often described as equivalent “passive income visas.” That comparison is useful at a high level, but it hides important legal differences.
Spain’s NLV is expressly a non-working residence visa. Portugal’s D7 is a residence route for retirees and people who live from their own income, but Portuguese residence law generally gives residence-permit holders the right to carry out employed or self-employed activity without a separate immigration work authorization.
Spain NLV vs. Portugal D7 at a Glance
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
- For residence in Spain without gainful work/professional activity.
- 2026 main-applicant threshold: €28,800/year.
- Each accompanying family member: +€7,200/year.
- Private/public health insurance meeting Spanish requirements.
- Initial application is a consular visa process.
Portugal D7
- For retirees and people living from their own income.
- 2026 first-adult threshold: €11,040/year.
- Additional adult: +€5,520/year.
- Child/dependent: +€3,312/year.
- Residence visa first, followed by the AIMA residence-permit stage.
| Issue | Spain NLV | Portugal D7 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary profile | Person living in Spain without gainful work/professional activity | Retiree or person living from pension / own income |
| 2026 main threshold | €2,400/month | €920/month |
| Family formula | +€600/month per dependent | +50% for each additional adult; +30% for children/dependents |
| Remote work | Not compatible with the visa’s non-working purpose | D7 is not a remote-work visa, but Portuguese residence-permit holders generally have statutory work rights |
| Initial application | Consular NLV application | Portuguese residence visa |
| General residence duration | Initial residence generally 1 year | Temporary residence generally 2 years, renewable for successive 3-year periods |
Spain NLV: The 2026 Income Requirement
Spain ties the Non-Lucrative Visa threshold to the IPREM. For 2026, IPREM remains €600 per month.
Each accompanying family member: +100% of IPREM = €600/month = €7,200/year
Spanish consular pages describe the requirement as sufficient financial means to cover the initial year of residence, or a regular source of income sufficient for the applicant and accompanying family.
For the full route, see our Spain Non-Lucrative Visa guide.
Portugal D7: The 2026 Income Framework
Portugal’s subsistence rules are built around its guaranteed minimum monthly remuneration. The 2026 minimum wage is €920/month.
Each additional adult: €460/month = €5,520/year
Each child/dependent: €276/month = €3,312/year
For the D7 category, Portugal’s rules specifically contemplate pensions and income from movable or immovable property, intellectual property and financial investments. The required means are generally assessed over at least a 12-month period.
See our Portugal D7 Visa guide.
The Biggest Difference: Work Rights
Spain NLV: no gainful work
Spain’s official description is direct: the NLV is a visa to reside in Spain without carrying out any gainful work or professional activity.
Several Spanish consulates go further. Los Angeles currently asks working-age employed applicants for a termination letter or self-employed applicants for a notarized statement that they will not work while residing in Spain.
Portugal D7: visa purpose and residence-permit rights are not identical
The D7 is not Portugal’s digital nomad visa. The visa application is built around retirement or living from qualifying own income, not around proving an overseas remote-work relationship.
However, Article 83 of Portugal’s immigration law generally gives residence-permit holders the right to carry out both employed and self-employed professional activity without a separate immigration work authorization.
Family Thresholds: Spain Gets Expensive Faster
Example: couple with one child
Spain NLV
Main applicant: €28,800/year
Spouse: +€7,200/year
Child: +€7,200/year
Total: €43,200/year
Portugal D7
First adult: €11,040/year
Second adult: +€5,520/year
Child: +€3,312/year
Total: €19,872/year
Accommodation
Portugal’s current U.S. D7 checklist asks for proof of intended accommodation. It accepts examples such as a signed lease, an invitation/declaration from a qualifying host, and in some cases a long-stay hotel or Airbnb reservation; the current checklist identifies a minimum six-month stay for such hotel/Airbnb evidence.
Spain’s NLV also requires genuine plans to reside in Spain, but the exact accommodation evidence requested at the visa stage varies by consular post.
Health Insurance
Spanish NLV guidance generally requires public or private health insurance contracted with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain and covering the risks insured by Spain’s public health system.
Portugal’s D7 visa stage also requires appropriate medical/travel insurance under the national-visa checklist, followed by the Portuguese residence stage after entry.
FBI, RCMP, Apostilles and Translation
North American applicants should not assume that Spain and Portugal use the same criminal-record timing or translation rules.
Spain requires the applicable criminal records with apostille/legalization and Spanish translation where required, but the freshness rules should be checked against the consulate handling the actual NLV application.
Current U.S. Portugal national-visa guidance uses a police-clearance freshness rule of less than 90 days before submission and requires the Hague Apostille.
For document coordination, see our North American Document Concierge.
Taxes: Neither Visa Gives You a Special Tax Regime Automatically
Immigration residence and tax residence are separate questions. Spending enough time in Spain or Portugal can create local tax residence and worldwide-income reporting obligations, subject to domestic law and tax treaties.
Spain’s NLV does not itself grant a special tax regime. Portugal’s D7 does not either. Portugal’s old broad NHR regime is no longer generally open to new entrants, while IFICI is a separate and narrower regime for qualifying profiles.
Portugal Nationality: Old 5-Year Claims Are Outdated for New U.S./Canadian Applicants
Portugal amended its Nationality Law effective May 19, 2026. Under the current general rule, nationals of countries outside the EU and CPLP—including ordinary U.S. and Canadian applicants—generally need 10 years of legal residence, together with the other statutory requirements.
Transitional rules apply to procedures already pending when the new law took effect.
Which Route Fits Common Profiles?
| Profile | Route to investigate | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Retired couple with pension income | Spain NLV or Portugal D7 | Both fit retirement / own-income profiles |
| Investor living from dividends or rents | Spain NLV or Portugal D7 | Both can use non-work financial means; D7 expressly contemplates own income from assets |
| Remote employee keeping U.S./Canadian job | Spain DNV or Portugal D8 | These are the dedicated remote-work routes |
| Freelancer continuing client work | Spain DNV or Portugal D8 | Spain NLV is non-working; Portugal D8 is designed for remote professional activity |
| Applicant who may want to work later | Portugal D7 may provide more post-residence flexibility | Portuguese residence law generally gives permit holders work rights |
Deciding Between Spain and Portugal?
We can help organize the North American document side of either route—FBI/RCMP records, federal/state/provincial apostilles, civil records, translations and filing-timeline coordination—and connect broader cases with independent licensed immigration and tax professionals where specialist advice is needed.
North American Document Concierge Discuss Your RouteFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa income requirement in 2026?
Spain requires 400% of IPREM for the main applicant. With 2026 IPREM at €600 per month, that is €2,400 per month or €28,800 for the initial year. Add €600 per month, or €7,200 per year, for each accompanying family member.
What is the Portugal D7 income requirement in 2026?
Portugal’s subsistence rules use the 2026 minimum wage of €920 per month. The first adult is calculated at 100%, each additional adult at 50% (€460 per month), and children/dependent adult children at 30% (€276 per month).
Can I work remotely on Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa?
Spain’s official NLV guidance describes it as residence without carrying out gainful work or professional activity. Applicants who intend to continue remote employment or freelance work should normally investigate Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa instead.
Can I work after getting a Portugal D7 residence permit?
Portuguese immigration law generally gives residence-permit holders the right to carry out employed and self-employed professional activity without a separate immigration work authorization, subject to any special provisions and the ordinary employment, tax and Social Security rules. The D7 application itself should still be based on the qualifying pension or own-income residence category.
Does Portugal still offer citizenship after five years on the D7?
Not under the current general rule for a new ordinary U.S. or Canadian applicant. Portugal changed its Nationality Law effective May 19, 2026. The current general naturalization residence period is 10 years for nationals of countries outside the EU and CPLP, subject to the other statutory requirements and transitional rules for pending procedures.
Official Sources
- Consulate General of Spain in New York — Non-Lucrative Residence Visa
- Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles — Non-Lucrative Residence Visa
- Portugal gov.pt — Residence Visa for Retirees and People Living From Own Income
- Diário da República — Portaria n.º 1563/2007, Means of Subsistence
- VFS Portugal USA — D7 Residence Visa Checklist
- AIMA — General Temporary Residence Permit Duration
- Diário da República — Article 83, Rights of Residence-Permit Holders
- Diário da República — Current Portuguese Nationality Law
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute immigration, tax, financial or legal advice. DigitalNomadInSpain.org is not a law firm or tax advisory firm. Immigration and tax advice should be obtained from appropriately licensed professionals based on the applicant’s facts. Government requirements and procedures can change.