D2 Entrepreneur Visa in Portugal

Unlike similar schemes in other EU Countries, the Entrepeneur’s business start-up visa (D2) is accessible to most.

There is no minimum amount of investment specified nor is there a restriction on the type of business that may be set-up – it could be a shop, bar or restaurant. That said, your business plan will need to be approved before the visa may be issued.

Indeed, if you have an existing business, you may set-up a branch or move the entire business to Portugal.

Typical options would be a limited company or self-employment. This, of course, would mean becoming subject to Portugal’s corporation and income tax environment.

The visa is issued for an initial period of 1-year, renewable for 2-year periods.

If you travel to Portugal on a tourist visa under the standard tourist visa for 90 days, you can get residence by working in Portugal.The employment options include:

• You can be employed by a Portuguese company.
• You can start s self-employed business
• You can incorporate your own company and work as an employee for it.

If you have a job working remotely from other countries and still want to live in Portugal, then you can become self-employed in Portugal, providing services to the company that you formerly worked for and pay Portuguese taxes as a resident. 

Another potential option that could be interesting for those who don't wish to set-up a business but want to purchase a house in Portugal as an investment. You can create a company that manages an Airbnb in that house and be employed by the company as a manager of the business. As a result you would get the benefit of a property investment as well as an income as well as obtaining residency!

In all this options, depending on the work that you do, you can benefit from NHR statute, witch means that you can pay less taxes in Portugal than other countries.

• An initial discussion with lawyers highly experienced in making successful applications for residency visas based on an innovative business start-up
• A business plan or application for a D2 visa is prepared, and all other documents required for a successful application are assembled under the guidance of your lawyer
• Assistance and advice on the documentation required and completing the to ensure the application(s) is/are approved
• Assistance upon arrival with obtaining foreign residency cards
• Advice and assistance on setting-up the business, registration with the Portuguese commercial registry, tax and social security agencies.
• Employment law services to ensure that employee contracts and conditions are dealt with in a manner consistent with Portuguese health and safety and employment law
• Ongoing tax, accounting and payroll services to help with the compliance aspects of your business are also available upon request