D7 Visa Portugal: Document Translation for Passive Income Visa

€920 per month in passive income - that’s all it takes to qualify for residency in Portugal. Pension, rental income, dividends, royalties - it all counts. But between you and that Portuguese residence card sits a stack of 8-12 documents, and about half of them need to be translated into Portuguese and apostilled. Let’s break down exactly what you need and how much it costs in 2026.

What is a D7 visa and who it’s for¶

The D7 visa is a residence permit for people with passive income who want to live in Portugal. Official name - “visto para titulares de rendimentos” (visa for income holders). It was originally designed for retirees, but today it works for anyone receiving stable income from outside Portugal.

What qualifies as passive income:

• Pension (state or private)
• Rental income from property
• Dividends and interest
• Royalties
• Investment income

What doesn’t qualify: salary from a foreign employer (that’s the D8 Digital Nomad visa), income from a business you’re actively running, or one-off payments. AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo - the agency that replaced SEF in 2023) has gotten stricter about verifying the “passive” part in recent years.

The D7 grants a temporary residence permit (autorização de residência temporária) for 2 years. After that, you renew for 3 more years. After 5 years total, you’re eligible for permanent residency or even Portuguese citizenship.

Financial requirements in 2026¶

The minimum income is tied to Portugal’s minimum wage. In 2026, that’s €920 per month, so the requirements look like this:

On top of regular income, you need to have the equivalent of one year’s minimum in a Portuguese bank account. For a single applicant - €11,040 at the time of your residence permit application.

How to prove it: bank statements for the last 6-12 months, rental contracts, pension certificates, tax returns. Everything needs to show consistency - a single large transfer doesn’t cut it.

One Ukrainian on an expat forum shared her experience: “I applied with my pension and rental income from a Kyiv apartment. Total was about €1,100 per month. The consulate accepted it, but asked for 12 months of statements instead of 6 - they wanted to see income stability.”

Full document checklist and what needs translation¶

Here’s the complete document list for a D7 visa application with translation requirements:

One thing to know: AIMA inside Portugal accepts documents in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish without translation. But consulates abroad usually require translation specifically into Portuguese. If your documents are in English, check with your specific consulate - some accept them as is.

Apostille and translation: getting the order right¶

The order is always: apostille first, then translation. Not the other way around. The translator translates the document together with the apostille stamp, making the entire package legally complete.

Step 1: Apostille in Ukraine¶

Both Ukraine and Portugal are members of the 1961 Hague Convention, so consular legalization isn’t needed. An apostille is enough.

Where to get the apostille:

• Birth and marriage certificates - through DRACS or Ministry of Justice
• Criminal record - through the Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Diplomas - through the Ministry of Education

Cost of apostille in Ukraine: free or up to 300 UAH depending on the issuing body. Timeline - 1 to 10 business days.

Step 2: Translation into Portuguese¶

Here’s where it gets interesting. Portugal doesn’t have a “sworn translator” system like France (traducteur assermenté) or Spain (traductor jurado). Instead, translations are certified by a notary or a lawyer with notarial powers (advogado com poderes notariais).

How it works:

1. A translator produces the Portuguese translation
2. A lawyer or notary certifies the translation’s accuracy with their signature and stamp
3. The document becomes legally valid

Cost of translating one document from Ukrainian to Portuguese:

Ukrainian-Portuguese isn’t the most common language pair, so there are fewer translators and prices tend to be slightly higher than, say, English-Portuguese. Still, it’s more affordable than Spain, where there are only 4 sworn translators from Ukrainian in the entire country.

Pro tip: sometimes it’s easier to translate via English as an intermediate language - Ukrainian→English→Portuguese. There are way more English→Portuguese translators available, and the rates are lower.

How to apply: step-by-step process¶

Stage 1: Preparation (2-4 weeks)¶

• Gather all documents
• Get apostilles in Ukraine
• Order Portuguese translations
• Open a Portuguese bank account (you can do this remotely through Millennium BCP or ActivoBank)
• Get a NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal - Portugal’s tax number) through a fiscal representative (€30-150 per year)

Stage 2: Consulate submission (30-60 days wait)¶

Submit your documents at the Portuguese consulate. For Ukrainians, that’s the Portuguese Embassy in Kyiv or consulates in other countries where you’re legally residing.

Visa fee: ~€90. Processing time: up to 60 days by law, typically 30-60 days in practice.

The visa is valid for 4 months - you need to enter Portugal within that window.

Stage 3: AIMA and residence permit (3-6 months)¶

Once you arrive in Portugal, you book an appointment with AIMA for your residence permit. This is where the real waiting game begins.

AIMA has a massive backlog - hundreds of thousands of pending applications. In Lisbon and Porto, waiting for an appointment can take 3-6 months. In smaller cities it’s faster, sometimes just 2-4 weeks.

What to bring to AIMA:

• Everything from the consulate submission + originals with apostilles
• NISS (Número de Identificação de Segurança Social - social security number) - mandatory since April 2025
• NIF (tax number)
• Proof of address in Portugal
• Residence permit fee: ~€170

Since April 2025, AIMA requires a “complete application” - all documents must be ready at the time of your appointment. If anything’s missing, they won’t start processing.

Total cost breakdown¶

For preliminary document translation - to understand the contents and prepare the right package - you can use ChatsControl. AI-powered translation with formatting preserved in minutes helps you figure out what’s in each document. Then order the final certified translation from an official translator for your submission.

Common mistakes when applying for D7¶

1. Expired criminal record certificate. It’s valid for 3 months maximum from the issue date. If the process drags on (and with AIMA, it always does), you’ll need a new one with a fresh translation

2. Income isn’t passive. AIMA has gotten stricter: if your income comes from freelancing or an active business, they may reject you. For active income, there’s the D2 (business) or D8 (digital nomad) visa instead

3. No Portuguese bank account. Some consulates accept applications without one, but AIMA requires a Portuguese account with the minimum balance at the time of your appointment

4. Translation in English instead of Portuguese. Consulates typically want Portuguese. AIMA might accept English, but it’s not guaranteed - it depends on the individual officer

5. Missing NISS. Mandatory for all applicants since April 2025. Many people don’t know about this and only find out at their appointment

One person on an expat forum wrote: “We applied in November, got our AIMA appointment only in March. By then our criminal record certificate had expired - had to order a new one from Ukraine, get it translated again, pay again. Build in at least a 4-5 month buffer from when you start gathering documents.”

FAQ¶

How much does a D7 visa for Portugal cost in 2026?¶

Official fees run about €260 (€90 for the visa + €170 for the residence permit). Add translation costs (€150-350), apostilles, and health insurance. Total budget for a single applicant: €450-770 without insurance, €750-1,400 with insurance.

Can you work in Portugal on a D7 visa?¶

Yes. Despite the “passive income visa” label, the D7 doesn’t prohibit employment in Portugal. But at the application stage, you need to demonstrate passive income as your main source. Once you have your residence permit, you can take up employment legally.

How much time do you need to spend in Portugal with a D7 visa?¶

At least 16 months during the first 2 years. You can’t be outside Portugal for more than 6 consecutive months. Break this rule and they may not renew your residence permit.

Will Portugal accept a notarized translation from Ukraine?¶

No. Portuguese institutions require translations certified by a local notary or lawyer with notarial powers. A notarized translation done in Ukraine won’t be recognized for official procedures.

How long until you can get Portuguese citizenship with a D7 visa?¶

After 5 years of legal residence. You’ll need to pass a Portuguese language test (A2 level - basic). Portugal allows dual citizenship, so you don’t have to give up your Ukrainian passport.