27 de July, 2026
If you’re planning to move to Europe relying on retirement income, rental income, dividends, or other recurring income, Portugal and Spain offer perfect structures for legal and secure residency. The question is: which route is more advantageous for your financial and family situation?
Here we bring you a comparison of the Portugal D7 Visa versus the Spain Non-Lucrative Visa. Understand in detail how the minimum proof-of-income costs vary, the timeframe for obtaining a European passport, and the process of bringing your family — and discover which country is the ideal match for your planning.
Realizing your goal of living in Europe or obtaining European citizenship can be simpler than you think. We offer personalized support to make the immigration process more accessible and uncomplicated.
Foreigners from outside Europe can legally live in countries like Spain and Portugal through special visas for passive income, such as the D7 Visa and the Non-Lucrative Visa. These are ideal programs for retirees or people with income who wish to establish residency without investing large sums in businesses or properties.
Both countries stand out as popular destinations for retirees and passive income holders. In 2025, Portugal was ranked as the second best country in the world to live in retirement, according to the Global Retirement Report. In the same ranking, Spain took 5th place. Both countries have held prominent positions in this ranking for several years.
Also read: Golden Visa or D7 Visa for Portugal | Find Out Which Path to Follow
| Criterion | Portugal – D7 Visa | Spain – Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum income | 100% of the Portuguese minimum wage for the main applicant + percentages for dependents | 400% of the IPREM for the main applicant + 100% of the IPREM per dependent |
| Savings | Deposit in a Portuguese bank account | Demonstration of financial resources, with no obligation to keep the amount in a Spanish bank |
| Bank account | Mandatory to open an account at a Portuguese bank | Recommended, but not mandatory for the visa application |
| Tax number | NIF mandatory | NIE recommended, but usually not mandatory |
| Health insurance | Travel insurance valid for 1 year | Spanish private insurance, no co-payment, full coverage, valid for 1 year |
| Medical certificate | Not required | Mandatory |
| Criminal background | From the country of origin or last country of residence. Cannot have a conviction for crimes punishable by more than 1 year. | From all countries of residence over the last 5 years. Cannot have any conviction. |
| Proof of accommodation | Invitation letter or long-term rental agreement (usually 12 months) | Hotel reservation, temporary accommodation, or rental agreement usually accepted |
| Family members who can be included | Spouse/partner, minor children, unmarried adult children who are studying, parents over 65 | Spouse/partner, minor children, incapacitated adult children, and dependent parents or those over 80 |
| Visa processing time | Varies depending on the consulate or VFS. Can take from 2 weeks to 4 months. | Legal deadline of up to 3 months, varying by Spanish Consulate |
| Visa validity | 120 days (usually with two entries) | 90 days for entry into the country |
| Ability to work | Yes | No. It’s possible to apply for authorization after one year of residency. |
| Citizenship | 10 years | 10 years |
| Exam | Portuguese (A2) and general culture | Spanish (DELE – A2 level) and constitutional and sociocultural knowledge test (CCSE) |
To qualify for either of these visas for retirees or passive income holders, you’ll need to prove sufficient passive income to support yourself without needing to work in the country of your choice.
Portugal
Spain
*IPREM is the Public Multiple-Effect Income Indicator (Indicador Público de Rendimento de Efeitos Múltiplos), set at €600 in 2026.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (lower amount).
To apply for the visa, the applicant must prove they can support themselves in the country for 12 months without needing to work. For this reason, they must have means of subsistence — in other words, savings. There is a minimum reference amount to be deposited for the retiree visa application:
Portugal
Spain
To apply for the non-lucrative visa, you must have an amount of €28,800.
It’s worth noting that this amount is only for the main applicant. If the application is for a family, the amounts increase based on the number of dependents, following the same rules applied to income. The big difference in 2026 isn’t just who you can bring, but when you can bring them.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (lower amount).
When all family members intend to move to Portugal at the same time, it’s recommended to apply for the family accompaniment visa, allowing the spouse, children, and other eligible family members to submit their applications simultaneously with the main applicant.
On the other hand, if the D7 visa holder travels alone and wishes to bring the family only later, it will be necessary to resort to family reunification, a procedure that, after the 2026 legislative changes, has become subject to stricter rules and can take significantly longer to complete. We have a full article covering these issues and the different ways to bring your family to Portugal.
In Spain, on the other hand, family members normally submit their visa applications together with the main applicant, as long as they meet the legal requirements and sufficient financial capacity is proven for the whole family.
| Portugal (D7) | Spain (Non-Lucrative Visa) |
|---|---|
| Spouse or partner in a recognized civil union (de facto union) | Spouse or partner in a recognized stable union |
| Minor children, biological or adopted | Minor children, biological or adopted |
| Adult children who are incapacitated and dependent | Adult children who are incapacitated and dependent |
| Unmarried adult children, provided they are studying and financially dependent on their parents* | Adult children only when proven to be incapacitated and dependent |
| Parents of the applicant or spouse/partner, over 65 years old, when dependent, as provided by law | Parents over 65 in specific situations of dependency, or over 80 years old, with no need for proof |
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (broader family grouping).
Besides proof of income, both countries will ask for identification documents, health insurance, and criminal background checks. But pay attention to the details, as there are differences:
In Portugal, you must present a criminal background certificate from your country of origin or your last country of residence. For example, if the applicant is Brazilian but has lived in Dubai for 2 years, they can present only the Dubai criminal record. The applicant cannot have convictions for crimes punishable in Portugal by a custodial sentence of more than 1 year, regardless of whether the sentence was served.
Spain, on the other hand, requires criminal background checks issued by the countries where the applicant has lived over the last 5 years. The applicant cannot have any type of conviction at all. This can make access more restricted for some applicants.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (less demanding requirement).
For the D7 Visa, proof of means of subsistence is provided by depositing the required amount into a checking account at a Portuguese bank. In other words, the applicant is required to open an account at a bank in Portugal.
For the Non-Lucrative Visa, it is valid to open an account at a Spanish bank. However, it’s possible to prove income in other ways, including a deposit in a checking account in the visa applicant’s home country.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Spain (does not require opening an account)
Obtaining the NIF, the Portuguese tax identification number, is necessary, especially since the document is required to open an account at a national bank.
Obtaining a NIE — Foreigner Identification Number — in Spain is highly recommended and will be important for anyone intending to reside in Spain. It serves as a personal identifier and tax number. Despite this, presenting it is not mandatory for the non-lucrative visa application.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Same (naturally, you will apply for a tax document either way).
Both countries require applicants and family members to have health insurance to apply for the visa.
Portugal accepts standard travel insurance (valid for 1 year) at the time of application.
Spain requires long-term health insurance (valid for 1 year) contracted with a Spanish private company, with no co-payment and no cap/limit. The Spanish government also requires repatriation insurance in case of death.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (less demanding).
Portugal does not require a medical certificate, only health insurance or travel insurance.
In contrast, to obtain the entry visa for Spain, the applicant must present a medical certificate proving they don’t have any serious illness that could impact the local health system or the safety of Spanish citizens. It’s a simple certificate, but a mandatory one.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (no certificate required).
Portugal requires proof of a rental agreement for a minimum period of one year. As a rule, invitation letters or hotel reservations are not accepted. Rentals arranged through platforms such as Uniplaces are also valid. See the precautions to take with your proof of residence to avoid problems when issuing your visa.
In Spain, on the other hand, a hotel reservation or local accommodation booking is already accepted as proof of residence for those wishing to move to Spain through the Non-Lucrative Visa.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Spain (less demanding)
Realizing your goal of living in Europe or obtaining European citizenship can be simpler than you think. We offer personalized support to make the immigration process more accessible and uncomplicated.
In Portugal, gathering documents can take longer, and the timeframe varies quite a bit depending on the office where the visa application is submitted. In 2026, the timeframe we’ve observed in practice ranges from 2 weeks to 3 months. There’s no standard timeframe. On average, we’d say the process takes about 60 days.
In Spain, the document-gathering process usually takes 1 to 2 months. However, the timeframe for the consulate to assess the application is a bit longer: 90 days (legal deadline).
💡 Best option on this criterion: Spain (in practice, it’s now faster)
The D7 Visa is valid for 120 days.
The Non-Lucrative Visa is valid for 90 days. It’s important to note that, upon arriving in Spain, the applicant has only one month to apply for residency.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Spain. Although the visa itself has a shorter validity, the issuance of the residence permit has been faster, taking 30 to 45 days.
The first Portuguese permit is valid for two years. It’s renewable for another two years, and then for one more year.
The first Spanish permit, when requested via consulate, is valid for one year. It’s renewable for another two years, and then for two more years.
💡 Best option on this criterion: In Portugal, the permit’s validity is longer, but obtaining it is more bureaucratic and time-consuming. We consider this a tie.
Upon arriving in the country where you will reside, you need to apply for the residence permit.
In Portugal, it’s necessary to schedule an appointment in advance with AIMA. Many visas already come with an AIMA appointment scheduled, but not all. Due to the large number of visa applications in Portugal, these appointments are frequently being scheduled for dates 4 or 5 months after the visa’s validity period ends!
In Spain, the residence permit application is made at the Oficina de Extranjería, with no need for a prior appointment, in a more practical and faster way.
After legally living in Portugal for a period of 10 years, a American/Canadian can apply for Portuguese citizenship.
They need to have all their documentation in order, must not have been convicted of any crime, and must have renewed their permit within the established deadlines. In addition, they must also take a Portuguese language test and, with the change in the Nationality Law, a general culture test.
In Spain, the minimum residency period in the country for the purpose of applying for Spanish citizenship is 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries such as Brazil. In other words, much faster, especially when considering the overall picture, including the issuance of the visa, residence permit, and citizenship application. In Spain, it’s also necessary to take citizenship exams and prove an advanced level of Spanish and general knowledge about the country.
💡 Best option on this criterion: same.
In both countries, it will be necessary to prove that the applicant and their family members can support themselves without working in the country, but…
With the D7 Visa, both the main applicant and their accompanying family members can work normally in Portugal to earn extra income, if they wish.
The Non-Lucrative Visa, however, does not allow paid work in Spain.
However, after one year of residency in Spain with the Non-Lucrative Visa, it’s possible to apply for a work permit at the time of renewing the residence permit.
💡 Best option on this criterion: Portugal (more flexibility).
For those who don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese, it’s worth noting that Portugal has the advantage of having a large part of its population fluent in English, including public officials involved in immigration processes. And that can be an important detail.
Portugal is the ninth country in the world with the highest English proficiency, according to the English Proficiency Index. Spain ranks 33rd in the same ranking.
So, D7 Visa Portugal or Non-Lucrative Visa Spain? Which is the best visa for retirees?
Now it’s your turn — what’s your choice when it comes to the retiree visa?
Do you want to live in Portugal or Spain? Talk to an Expert>
Author:
Atlantic Bridge
