How the D7 Income Threshold Works

Portugal’s D7 visa (officially the Passive Income Visa or Retirement Visa) requires you to prove a stable, regular income that meets or exceeds the Portuguese minimum wage. As of 2024, that base figure is 760 EUR per month for a single applicant.

The threshold is not flat across all household sizes. It scales per person using a tiered formula that Portuguese immigration authorities use to assess whether your income is sufficient to support everyone on your application without relying on Portuguese social services.

So if you are applying with a spouse and one child, your monthly income must cover at least 1,368 EUR (760 + 380 + 228). This calculator adds all of that up, converts the result to naira using your input rate, and tells you where you stand.

What Counts as Passive Income for D7

Despite the name “passive income visa,” Portugal’s SEF (now AIMA) does not strictly limit the visa to passive sources. What matters is that your income is regular, documented, and does not require you to be employed in Portugal. Common qualifying sources include:

• Rental income from property you own (in Nigeria or abroad)
• Pension or retirement payments
• Dividends from investments or shares
• Remote work income from a foreign employer or clients
• Freelance contract income from non-Portuguese clients
• Royalties or licensing income
• Income from a registered business where you are a passive director

D7 Income Requirements by Household Size (Table of Truth)

Below are common household configurations and the income threshold for each, alongside the approximate NGN equivalent at a reference rate of 1,700 NGN per EUR. The actual equivalent changes daily with the exchange rate.

Household	Monthly EUR	Annual EUR	~NGN/month	Savings proof
Single applicant	€760	€9,120	≈1.29M	€9,120
Couple (2 adults)	€1,140	€13,680	≈1.94M	€13,680
Couple + 1 child	€1,368	€16,416	≈2.33M	€16,416
Couple + 2 children	€1,596	€19,152	≈2.71M	€19,152
Single + 1 child	€988	€11,856	≈1.68M	€11,856
Single + 2 children	€1,216	€14,592	≈2.07M	€14,592

NGN estimates based on 1,700 NGN/EUR. Verify the current rate at your bank or on a reliable FX source before planning.

How Much Savings Do You Need to Show

Your monthly income is only one part of the picture. Consulates also look for evidence that you have reserves. The standard expectation is roughly 12 months of the required monthly threshold sitting in an accessible account at the time of application.

This is not a fixed law, but it is the practical standard that most Nigerian applicants encounter. Some consulates in Lagos have asked for as much as 12 to 18 months of reserves, particularly for first-time applicants without established Portuguese ties. Planning for 12 months is a reasonable minimum.

Why Nigerians Use the D7 Route to Portugal

Portugal has become one of the more realistic EU entry points for Nigerians for a few specific reasons. The income threshold is achievable for people earning in USD or GBP remotely. The cost of living, especially outside Lisbon, is still relatively moderate by Western European standards.

The D7 also leads somewhere concrete. After 2 years of residence, you can apply for renewal. After 5 years, you become eligible for permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship, which grants EU freedom of movement. For someone in the japa generation thinking 10 years ahead, that pathway is meaningful.

Portugal also does not require you to speak Portuguese to get the initial D7, though demonstrating integration effort matters at the citizenship stage. And English is widely spoken in urban areas. For Nigerians coming from Lagos or Abuja, the adjustment is not as steep as some other EU countries.

Realistic Scenarios for Nigerian Applicants

Scenario 1: Solo applicant, remote tech worker

Amara earns 1,200 EUR per month from a UK-based employer as a remote software developer. She is applying alone, no dependants. Her income of 1,200 EUR clears the 760 EUR threshold comfortably (158% coverage). She needs to show at least 9,120 EUR in savings. Her main task is documenting the income consistently across 3 to 6 months of bank statements and a contract or letter from her employer.

Scenario 2: Couple with one child

Tunde and Funke are applying together with their 8-year-old son. Their combined threshold is 1,368 EUR per month. Tunde earns rental income of 600 EUR from a property in Lagos (documented via a lease agreement and transfer history) and Funke earns 900 EUR monthly from a foreign freelance design contract. Combined, they have 1,500 EUR, which covers the threshold. They need 16,416 EUR in savings proof and all three travel documents ready.

Scenario 3: Just below threshold

Chike earns 700 EUR per month in dividends. He is applying alone. He is 60 EUR short of the 760 EUR threshold. His options are: increase his documented income through another source, apply once he has a higher income period, or consider combining sources that he has not been formally documenting. He does not qualify on current numbers alone.

Common Mistakes Nigerian Applicants Make

• Using their best month, not their typical month, as the reference income
• Forgetting to include the dependant multipliers in their savings planning
• Treating property values or investment portfolios as liquid proof of funds
• Not documenting informal or mixed income sources formally before applying
• Confusing the D7 with the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa, which has a different (higher) threshold
• Assuming the Lagos consulate and other consulates apply the same standards

D7 vs Digital Nomad Visa: Quick Comparison

Feature	D7 Passive Income	Digital Nomad Visa
Income threshold	760 EUR/month (base)	3,040 EUR/month (4x min wage)
Income type	Passive or remote	Remote employment only
Path to PR	Yes (after 5 years)	Yes (after 5 years)
Dependants	Yes, with multipliers	Yes, same logic
Best for	Lower earners, retirees	High-income remote workers

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology and Assumptions

This calculator uses publicly available Portuguese immigration income requirements. The base threshold (760 EUR) reflects the 2024 Portuguese national minimum wage. The dependant multipliers (50% for adults, 30% for minors) are derived from the standard tiered approach used by Portuguese consulates.

The 12-month savings figure is a practical estimate based on commonly reported consulate expectations, not a codified legal minimum. Some applicants have been approved with less; others have been asked for more. Treat it as a planning floor, not a ceiling.

The NGN conversion in this tool uses the exchange rate you enter. It does not pull live rates automatically. Exchange rates in Nigeria can vary significantly between the official interbank rate, the parallel market rate, and what your bank actually offers on the day of a transfer. Use a rate that reflects your actual access.