D2 visa: self-employment, a company or an investment project in Portugal

Three profiles, one visa

The consulate’s list for the D2 has two headings, and the residence permit that follows (Foreigners Act, article 89.º) mirrors them:

Independent professional activity. You will work for yourself in Portugal — as a consultant, designer, therapist, engineer, tradesperson. Evidence: a company deed (if you will invoice through your own company) or a written proposal or contract for services in a liberal profession, and, where the profession is regulated in Portugal, a declaration from the competent body that you may practise.

Immigrant entrepreneur. You will invest in a business. Evidence: a declaration that you have made or intend to make an investment, with its nature, amount and duration; and either proof that you have already invested, or proof of funds available in Portugal (including funds obtained from a Portuguese financial institution) together with a described and identified investment plan.

Start-up in a certified incubator — a variant with its own page, the startup visa, where the IAPMEI declaration replaces the business evidence.

• No minimum capital in the law — the plan and the funds must simply be credible and proven
• 920 € / month means of subsistence (RMMG 2026), 12 months for investors
• 110 € consular fee, decision within 60 days
• Art. 89.º the permit requires a company or registered activity, social security registration, means, and the professional body's approval when the profession is regulated

What makes a D2 file convincing

Consular officers refuse D2 applications more often than D7 or D8 ones, and almost always for the same reason: the business is described, not proven. A file that passes shows:

• A business plan with a market, a location, a budget, a first-year cash flow and the applicant’s role. Not required by the regulation; required by practice.
• Funds on a Portuguese bank statement — enough to start the business and to live for a year. The ministry’s own rule for investors is means of subsistence “for a period of not less than 12 months”: 11 040 € for one person in 2026, plus the business capital.
• A company already incorporated in Portugal (a sociedade unipessoal por quotas can be set up in a day through Empresa na Hora with a NIF and a NIPC), or signed service contracts with clients, Portuguese or foreign.
• Professional standing: diplomas, CV, previous company accounts, portfolio, and — for regulated professions such as medicine, law, architecture, engineering, accounting — the registration or recognition from the Portuguese Ordem.
• Accommodation in Portugal and a clean, apostilled criminal record.

From visa to residence permit (art. 89.º)

The visa gets you in; AIMA grants the permit if, besides the general conditions of article 77.º, you:

1. have incorporated a company under Portuguese law, or declared the start of activity with Finanças and Segurança Social as a natural person, or signed a service contract for a liberal profession;
2. are qualified to exercise the activity, where that applies;
3. have means of subsistence (the 920 € scale);
4. are registered with social security;
5. present the professional body’s declaration when the profession requires registration.

The permit is valid two years, renewable for three-year periods. Its holder may also take salaried employment by having the permit’s basis changed (art. 89.º n.º 3). After five years: permanent residence; after seven or ten years of legal residence: naturalisation (see citizenship by residence).

Steps and timeline

Tax and social security once you are here

A sole trader (trabalhador independente) pays income tax through the annual IRS return, with a simplified regime that taxes 75 % of service income for most professions; social security contributions of 21,4 % start after the first twelve months of activity (first-year exemption). A company pays corporate tax (IRC) on its profit and the founder is taxed on salary or dividends. VAT registration depends on turnover and on where clients are. Our accountants set this up on day one — see tax and accounting.

Questions about the D2