Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa 2023 ⭐ Terms and fees

Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa

What is the Portugal D2 Visa?

The Portugal D2 Visa allows entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent service providers to reside in Portugal. The Portuguese government started this visa in order to raise external resources and investments to grow the Portuguese economy. This visa only applies to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who wish to start a business or relocate their existing business to Portugal. You can also choose to invest in an existing business in Portugal. The Portugal D2 Visa is less known than the D7 Visa and the Golden Visa but can be a viable route to permanent residency and citizenship for those looking to work for themselves in Portugal.

There are various ways to obtain permanent residence in Portugal; Flexible and up-to-date methods, suited to the conditions of applicants for residence and immigration to Europe through Portugal.

One of the attractive methods in Portugal’s immigration laws is the Portuguese entrepreneur visa (or the D2 visa).

The attractions of the Portugal Entrepreneurial Visa 2023

The D2 visa is intended for entrepreneurs and business owners. An attractive method is an example of an arrow and two signs.

Those eligible for the Portugal Entrepreneur Visa can:

• develop their business in Portugal
• obtain permanent residency in Portugal for themselves and their families.
• In Portugal’s D2 visa, everything is clear from the beginning; Both in terms of the immigration method and knowing what to do after entering Portugal.
• The question may arise, what is the difference between the Portuguese entrepreneurship visa (Portugal D2 visa) and the Portuguese golden visa (Golden Visa)?
• Stay with us. We have said everything about the conditions, benefits, and procedures for obtaining a D2 Portugal visa.

What are the benefits of the Portugal program?

One of the most successful immigration programs in Europe, the Golden Residence Permit Program in Portugal, grants the right to live, work and study in the country, with visa-free access within the Schengen zone. The program provides a wide range of investment options, such as the purchase of real estate for a minimum value of €280,000 – €500,000, depending on when it was built and the location (if it is within low GDP or low populated density areas). In addition to real estate, alternative investment options are available under the program, such as a capital investment of €1,500,000 or the creation of at least 10 jobs.

Visa-free travel to 26 European states!

Portugal Residence by Investment Program offers visa-free access within Schengen Zone — get visa-free access to 26 EU states, including Switzerland, Luxemburg, Italy, and Germany. Go on a last-minute business trip or take your family on a spontaneous holiday in Europe — open up Europe with Astons.

Portugal is open to entrepreneurs.

Portugal is one of the best choices for residence and investment in Europe. Several factors have been involved in improving the position of this country among other options. Factors such as:

1. high security;
2. modern infrastructure;
3. strategic position in the European Union;
4. low-income tax;
5. high general health;
6. The standard and modern system of higher education;
7. overall high standards of living.

Portuguese law, supporting foreign investors

According to paragraph 2 of Article 60 of Portuguese Law No. 23/2007 known as Residence for Independent Professional Activity or for Entrepreneurial Immigrants (Visa for Entrepreneurial Immigrants), foreign nationals can start a suitable business through investment for themselves and other family members. Obtain Portuguese residency. This is a smart way to attract foreign funding, as well as guarantee investment security in Portugal.

Of course, this investment must be made by a newly established company in Portugal and within the framework of a specific business plan. A business plan that follows appropriate economic, social, scientific, technical, or even cultural perspectives.

Conditions for immigration through Portugal D2 visa

Like any other immigration method, the Portugal Entrepreneur Visa (Portugal D2 Visa) is also subject to its own conditions. As mentioned, the first step to applying for a D2 Portugal visa is to submit a business plan that complies with the rules of this immigration method. By preparing and arranging this business plan and providing the necessary financial resources to implement it, you have taken the first step to obtain a residence in Portugal. After this, only one thing remains consultation, to know the correct way to obtain a D2 Portugal visa.

Simple Portuguese law for company registration

Before referring to the legal requirements for investing in Portugal, we must provide a brief explanation of the companies that can be registered in Portugal through the D2 visa. Limited Liability Company (Company for Limited Liability Quotas) is considered the best option for investment in Portugal; Companies that have at least 2 board members and sole proprietorships that only need one shareholder.

The high standard of living, safety, lower cost of living, pleasant climate, well-educated workforce, lower labor costs, and lower corporate tax rate compared to many other EU countries have made Portugal an attractive destination for people who wish to launch their business or start-up or want to travel and trade more easily within the EU market. Portugal is also an ideal location for digital or technology-focused businesses due to its world-class infrastructure.

Portugal is located in western Europe; the only neighbor of this country is Spain, actually, this country is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean. Portugal, Spain, and Gibraltar are all located in the Iberian peninsula. Portugal was a great kingdom, but nowadays is a pioneer republic country which provided many opportunities for investors to benefit from this market to access all European markets and economies.

Unican with years of professional experience in helping applicants gather all the documents they need carefully and accurately and designing applications that are known as strong and positive cases can help you get forward with the amount of work and details that must have no conflicts in any part.

Here in this article, we present some details about the Portugal visa requirements and different types of visas relevant to your conditions such as the Portugal d2 visa, startup visa, and entrepreneur visa.

D2 Visa and things you have to remember

Your documents and application are the two and only factors that you can introduce yourself and explain your plans to the officers, it is highly important that you go through the processes with the help of professionals who have lots of experience in this particular field. Many applicants fail to get a visa for having a lack of documents in the requirements or a weak and possibly negative application structure.

Thereby in case you intend to avoid any delay or trouble during your visa application (especially Portugal d2 visa which requires much precision), make a checklist of requirements according to this article or consult Unican experts who are specialized in such affairs.

The D2 or the Immigrant Entrepreneur Visa is for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independent service providers from outside of the EU and Schengen Area who wish to start (or transfer) a business or startup, or have already invested in a business, in Portugal. If your application is approved, you will be granted residency in Portugal. This will entitle you to live and work in Portugal. It also allows you to travel (but not to relocate) within the Schengen area for work or leisure.

Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa has advantages you need to know about

It is exclusively important that all your documents and your application share the common opinions and thoughts of your personal and business plan. This is important for officers because they always try to make sure that your plans are clear and you have a specific goal of entering the country.

Any clear contradiction in your application documents may cause a rejection. In order to make sure that such an unexpected thing never happens in your files, you can ask an expert who can arrange your application perfectly without any prominent trouble in the procedure.

the D2 has several advantages as compared to other European entrepreneurship visas. Unlike the Golden Visa, there are no minimum amount requirements. Although, most immigration firms would advise you to invest at least €50,000 worth of capital to demonstrate the credibility and viability of your proposed business plan. The more money you put into your company, the better your chances of getting a visa. Although this is not a free investment, it is a reasonable amount for many entrepreneurs.

Besides, in this type of visa, the family members of the applicant are included and they can benefit from the Portugal visa as long as the applicant’s visa is valid. The Portugal D2 visa allows you and your family members to travel in Europe (the Schengen area) with no visa requirement.

As a Portugal D2 visa is valid only for a period of 120 days, the applicant or resident should apply for an extension before the end of the validity. In case you stay for 5 years in Portugal with this visa, your residency can turn into a permanent one.

Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa can be the best choice for your business

The D2 visa is directed at small and medium-sized businesses. Since the main objective of this visa is to raise external resources to help the Portuguese economy develop, you must have a solid business plan. Your business plan will be evaluated in terms of its financial viability as well as its economic, social, scientific, technological, and cultural relevance. Unlike the Start-up Visa, which is only appropriate for technological or startup-type businesses, the D2 Visa has no limitation on the type of business you decide to launch in Portugal. It could be anything from a café, restaurant, or guest house to a tech startup to an import or export business. You can even set up a Portuguese branch of your existing foreign business.

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Differences between the D2 Entrepreneur Visa and the rest of the Portuguese Visas

However, the D2 Visa is not as well-known as the D7 or the Golden Visa, which is probably because the D2 is a little bit more complicated than the other two visas. With the D7, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient passive income coming into your bank account to live in Portugal, which must be at least as much as the Portuguese minimum wage. The main requirement for the Golden Visa, on the other hand, is that you have ample funds to invest in Portugal. Both items are generally more straightforward and easier to prove.

The D2 Visa falls under the residence category, which is classified as a long-term visa for more than 90 days.

Citizenship: Does the Portugal D2 Visa Lead to Citizenship?

You can become a Portuguese citizen after 6 years of legal residency. To do so, you need to learn Portuguese and obtain an A2 Portuguese language certificate, have a clean criminal record, and provide documents such as proof of a Portuguese bank account.

Portugal D2 Visa: Healthcare in Portugal

When applying for the D2 Visa, you will need to purchase health insurance for your stay in Portugal. Once you become a resident, you can access the Public Health Care System (SNS) without insurance by registering with your local health care center. Established in 1979, all Portuguese citizens and foreign residents have access to the SNS and it is mostly free. It has improved massively in the last decade, making the 13th spot for the best healthcare in Europe in 2018 under the Euro Health Consumer Index. Almost all services are free in the SNS, but you might still need to pay for specific exams, no more than €5 to €20. However, children under 18 and those over 65 do not pay any fees, as all services are completely free. From maternity care to psychiatric care, the SNS provides a wide range of services.

You can also choose to purchase private insurance and access the private system.  Health insurance prices range from €300 to €1,000 a year, depending on the company and other personal factors such as your age. The SNS does not offer dental care so having private insurance could be beneficial.

Who is eligible to apply for Portugal D2?

The D2 Visa is open to non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens who:

• either want to start a business in Portugal
• or already have a business running in Portugal, but have not yet applied for the visa

If you’re planning to check your eligibility in further more details and see your chances and choices 

for applying, contact Unican so you can learn more about the details and set appointments for your 

services.

Requirements for the D2 Visa

You must meet all requirements that are set by the Portuguese Government. Your application will be thoroughly and carefully reviewed by experts.

Unican is highly experienced in the requirements field. Our professional experts have gone through the history of files and applications and analyzed both the applications that get accepted and result in a visa and the ones that get rejected, and this process is a constant one in a loop, to make sure the applications that are under the hands of Unican are always designed and done under the latest positive details that officers in the embassies look for, and carefully avoid the ones that are known as negative points to the officers.

If you are an entrepreneur, freelancer, or independent service provider from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland looking to reside in Portugal, you might be eligible for a Portugal D2 Visa. You must show that you either have set up a company operating in Portuguese territory or that you have the financial resources in Portugal that demonstrate you can set up a company in Portugal. You can obtain these financial resources through proof of loan from a Portuguese bank. There is no official amount that you need, but the recommended amount is at least €5,000.

You will also need to show that you have enough money to sustain yourself. For yourself as the main applicant, you must have 100% of the minimum salary which is €8,460 per year. For a spouse, you must add 50% to this (€4,230) and for a dependent child, you must add 30% to this (€2,538). Therefore, for a couple with one child, you would need around €15,300 a year to be eligible for the D2 visa.

So, you must have:

• a solid, well-structured Business Plan
• a viable business
• sufficient capital (Social Capital)
• solid business reasoning for the creation of the business
• proof of the financial resources to support the setup and growth of the business
• proof of experience and connections of business managers in the proposed business area

Required backgrounds and cases for the D2 Visa

You must have a solid background for your business proposal. It is not uncommon for visa applications to be refused.

Is it necessary for you to know Portuguese?

You do not need to speak Portuguese to get a visa, but it is a good idea to learn if you plan to do business with Portuguese companies or people.

However, Unican can help you complete the processes for your application and further plans, without the need for you to speak Portuguese.

You won’t need to know Portuguese to apply for the D2 Residency Program, but you will need to pass at least the A2 language exam if you want to apply for citizenship later on, which won’t be possible for at least another 5 years (around 6 in practice).

By providing support and reliability with all our services, we make you completely sure that your path to getting a visa for tourism or even residency is an effortless and efficient one.

Application Process for the D2 Visa

First, create your business plan and gather all necessary documents. Then, you must contact the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate in your home country and submit a D2 Visa application.

Unican can help you identify parts of your plans and documents that may go under doubt when the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate is having your application and documents under precise search. It is highly not able to say, the importance of having the documents and your business plan match in the context and not include any negative or non-effective parts.

To support your application, you will need the following documents:

• visa application form
• passport (minimum 3 months validity for the duration of the stay)
• 2 updated good quality passport photos
• valid travel insurance, with sufficient medical coverage that includes emergency medical assistance and repatriation
• if you are not a citizen in the country where you are residing, you must provide evidence that your situation is legal.
• criminal record certificate for you and your dependents aged 16 or over, issued in the last 3 months
• proof of means of subsistence. This normally means a minimum full wage annual value, plus half of that amount for your spouse and €2,160 for children. The minimum wage in Portugal is around €7,200, cut this changes every year.

Getting your visa takes about 180 days on average, assuming you meet the requirements, with a decision typically received within 60 days of submitting your application. However, it may take longer, depending on your particular case and country of origin.

Unican with years of professional experience can help you make your path easier to go through no matter which specific country or region you currently live in.

Family Members and Dependents

You can apply for a Family Reunification Visa to bring your spouse, your children, and your parents (considered dependents) to Portugal after receiving your residency card of the D-2 visa. You must demonstrate that you not only have the financial resources to support yourself, but also each family member. However, the amount for spouses and children is not as high as the amount for supporting yourself.

Residency Permit

Like the D7 and Golden Visa, the D2 provides a path to Portuguese citizenship as well as a way of living in Portugal. Under the D2 visa, Portuguese residency permits have been granted for an initial period of 1 year, after which the permit becomes renewable every 2 years.

After 5 years of residence in Portugal, those on the D2 are eligible to apply for permanent residency (renewed every 10 years). They can also apply for Portuguese citizenship with a Portuguese passport.

During those 5 years, you must spend at least 6

consecutive months living in Portugal (or 8 months with gaps) to maintain your residency and be eligible for permanent residency. If, however, your business requires you to travel outside of Portugal for work, there is a certain amount of flexibility given.

The tax regulation in Portugal

When you decide to work in a country, you should be aware of the tax law details to prevent any problems in your business affairs. An applicant for a Portugal d2 visa enters the country for business purposes and for sure is included in corporate tax.

If your country has a Double Taxation Agreement with Portugal, you can benefit from some tax exemptions. These taxes contain the incomes from out of Portugal or any non-Portuguese sources. But if you apply for a Portugal entrepreneur visa, you should be aware of the tax rates of the income you earn from your business in the Portugal market. The pension tax is a flat one which is about 10% including the insurance. Also, another mandatory tax is VAT which is issued on employment incomes from any kind of activities and skills.

Another advantage of such vis in terms of tax is that the d2 visa holder pays no tax on inheritance or wealth. But the most important tax is the regular corporate tax which is a mandatory one issued to every business in Portugal. If your yearly income is less than 25000 euros, your corporate tax equals 17%. But if you own a medium or large company, this rate is higher and relevant to your income. Also if you are an employer you should 475 euros for social security for every 2000 euros of salary paid to the workers, while the emplyee pays just 220 euros for such an amount, so if you intend to hire some workforce in Portugal, be cautious about the tax rates and social security that you should pay.

In order to avoid any interruption in your business and tax penalty during your Portugal d2 visa for entrepreneurs, you’d better consult the experts who have command of the Portugal tax regulations and acts. Unican group provides you with any necessary information you need to run and keep your business in Portugal during your application for a Portugal d2 visa.