Moving to Portugal: D7, D8 & Golden Visa Explained | Sandra Jardim Fernandes

Moving to Portugal? Portuguese immigration lawyer Sandra Jardim Fernandes explains the D7 passive-income visa, D8 remote-work route, D2 entrepreneur visa and Golden Visa—and how to choose a route before spending money on the wrong plan. Yoli Ngcakani and Sandra, Managing Partner of SJF, discuss moving as a family, retirement income, Portuguese bank accounts, AIMA appointments, tax planning and the path from residence to citizenship. Your next chapter deserves more than advice from a stranger in a Facebook group. QUESTIONS ANSWERED Do you need a Golden Visa to move to Portugal? Not necessarily. Sandra explains why a route suited to actually relocating can differ from an investor’s Plan B. What is the difference between D7, D8 and D2? D7 concerns passive income; D8 concerns qualifying remote work; D2 concerns entrepreneurial activity. Each route has its own evidence and conditions. Can couples apply together? Application sequencing matters. Sandra discusses accompanying-family applications, relationship evidence and why you should check waiting periods and exemptions early. How long does Portugal residency take? Consular appointments and AIMA availability can shape the timeline. Sandra’s practical estimates are not guaranteed processing times. What should you check before committing money? Income evidence, tax residence, banking compliance, accommodation documents and the exact conditions of your chosen route. CHAPTERS 00:00 Coming up 00:24 The Borderless Self Show 00:46 Portugal, with a plan 05:23 The routes that still work 09:54 Beyond property investment 12:05 Do you need a Golden Visa? 13:34 The tax conversation 15:14 The appointment bottleneck 19:36 From visa to residence card 23:36 Business: keep it simple 26:16 Retiring in Portugal 30:57 Moving together 34:05 Build the file before the move 37:51 The practical hurdles 42:10 Residence to citizenship 46:54 Prepare for the first conversation 51:03 Meet Sandra and SJF 53:01 Continue exploring MEET SANDRA JARDIM FERNANDES Portuguese immigration lawyer · Managing Partner, SJF Website: https://www.sjf.pt/ Email: contact@sjf.pt OFFICIAL PORTUGAL RESOURCES AIMA—residence permits and immigration guidance: https://aima.gov.pt/ Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs—visa information: https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/ Nationality and citizenship: https://justica.gov.pt/Registos/Nacio... Portuguese Tax Authority: https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/ START YOUR BORDERLESS LIFE Where should you move? What will life cost? What are the job prospects—and who can help you get there? Explore your options with Borderless Self. Website: https://borderlessself.com/ Download the iPhone app: https://apps.apple.com/app/borderless... Read and subscribe: https://borderlessself.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH BORDERLESS SELF YouTube:    / @borderlessself   Instagram:   / borderlessself   TikTok:   / borderlessself   LinkedIn:   / borderlessself   Facebook:   / borderlessself   X / Twitter: https://x.com/borderlessself Which part of a Portugal move feels hardest: choosing the visa, planning tax or getting the paperwork right? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe for practical conversations about building a life across borders. EDITORIAL NOTES Recorded 23 October 2026; editorial review 24 October 2026. General information, not individual immigration, investment or tax advice. Rules, exceptions and transitional provisions depend on your circumstances. Confirm current requirements with official sources and a qualified adviser. On-screen clarifications: the general manifestation-of-interest route ended in June 2024; €1,500 is Sandra’s suggested D7 income buffer, not a statutory minimum; a Golden Visa does not eliminate presence requirements or determine tax residence; a valid long-stay visa can allow short Schengen travel subject to its conditions. Residence and citizenship are separate applications. NHR transitional cases and IFICI eligibility require individual assessment. Destination footage: Lisbon—Masood Aslami; Porto—Simão Moreira; Madeira—Balázs Gábor, via Pexels. Illustrative footage under the Pexels licence. #MovingToPortugal #PortugalVisa #BorderlessSelf