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Portugal D2 Visa for Entrepreneurs
Get help applying for the Portugal D2 Entrepreneur Visa from our team of dedicated Immigration Lawyers.
Our team of immigration lawyers are here to turn your business idea to reality in Portugal with advice and guidance on obtaining a D2 Visa for self-employed or freelance work.
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How can a lawyer help me with a D2 visa?
The D2 visa is a type of long-term visa that allows you to live and work in Portugal on a permanent basis. It is designed for individuals who have a job offer or are self-employed in Portugal, or for students who want to work part-time while studying in the country.
To be eligible for a D2 visa, you must meet certain requirements, including having a valid passport, being in good health, and having sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in Portugal. You may also need to provide proof of your employment or study in the country, as well as other supporting documents.
The D2 visa process can be complex, so it is recommended that you seek the assistance of an experienced immigration lawyer to help guide you through the process and ensure that your application is successful.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Our law firm has helped numerous clients successfully apply for a D2 visa and start their new lives in Portugal.
What is an Entrepreneur & Freelance (D2) Visa?
Like Portugal’s other visa pathways, the Portugal D2 visa is aimed at third country nationals from outside the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland.
The Portugal D2 visa is designed for people who want to open a new business in Portugal, set up a Portuguese branch of an existing business, or move to Portugal to run a business that already exists. In light of that, the D2 is also known as the Entrepreneur Visa.
Unlike the Golden Visa, you won’t need to make a hefty investment in Portugal to get the D2 visa. And unlike the D7 visa, you don’t need to prove a source of regular passive income.
Instead, getting the Portugal D2 visa mainly depends on having a viable business that you can run in Portugal. The business can be anything from a coffee shop to a wellness retreat to a real estate agency – there are no restrictions.
If you plan to start your own business or work as a freelancer while in Portugal, you will need a visa to legally perform independent professional activity or entrepreneurial work. This is called a D2 visa and there is one for entrepreneurs and another for freelancers.
You may will be free to work in the field of your choice in Portugal and register with Portugese Social Security for benefits like parental and sickness leave.
You must be able to demonstrate the viability of your project in Portugal with a business plan for an entrepreneur visa. You must also incorporate a company by registering it in the Commercial Register. Our Corporate law Department can help you set up the company remotely by means of a simple power of attorney before you move to Portugal.
In Portugal, there is some discretion when verifying and assessing the economic and employment benefit that the business activity will bring. However, most of the time, the application’s chances of success are enhanced by how qualified the service provider is or the scale of need for the business in the country.
For the Freelance visa, it is necessary to register with the Tax Office and pay contributions directly to the Social Security Service.
Who is elegible?
The D2 visa is available to any non-EU citizen who is planning to launch a business in Portugal that can be considered of “general interest”. Typically, the project must be innovative, brings new scientific or technological advancements, has a significant economic impact or has the potential to create many new jobs in Portugal.
The visa is intended for new businesses, startups, independent professionals, immigrant entrepreneurs, company managers, shareholders, partners, and board members.
Independent professional activity means that performed by autonomous professionals, or freelancers, who offer their services to clients. These clients can be individuals or companies and there’s a fixed price for the work.
Independent professions like IT specialisation, plumber, carpenter, technicians are eligible. In this same category are also included lawyers, architects, physicians and engineers, who are independent professionals, but who exercise their professional activity bound to previous registration in the respective Professional Order.
Should I apply for an entrepreneur visa or a work visa?
The D2 visa is for independent workers or those who will incorporate a company in Portugal. If you are moving to Portugal with an employment contract, you would need a highly-qualified activity work visa, or D3 visa.
With the D2 visa, you can either incorporate a company or work as an independent worker and in both cases, no need for a contract with a Portuguese company.
We recommend this visa if your priority is to work on your activity, project or idea from the day you arrive in Portugal and you consider you can fulfil the “general interest” requirement.
How does the process of obtaining an entrepreneur or freelance visa work?
First of all, the applicant has to either create a company, which we can advise on and execute, or enrol with the correct professional organization for freelancers.
Once the applicant established the company or has signed a contract delivering services as a liberal professional, they can apply for a visa at the Portuguese Consulate or Embassy in their home country.
After the respective D2 visa has been issued, the applicant can travel to Portugal and make an appointment at the Portuguese Border and Immigration Service, called SEF. At this appointment, the applicant will submit their residence permit application, collect biometric data and deliver the documentation.
After the appointment, the application is analyzed internally and the applicant is notified of the decision of approval. They then receive the residence card.
The Entrepreneur route for the D2 visa:
– Get a NIF (tax number in Portugal)
– Set up a business bank account at a Portuguese bank
– Create a Portuguese limited company (LDA)
– Appoint an accountant who understands the Portuguese tax system
– Show evidence of having sufficient financial means to set up and run the company. Incorporating a company in Portugal requires paying corporation tax every year as well as social security contributions.
The Independent service provider route for the D2 visa:
– Get a NIF (tax number in Portugal)
– Set up a bank account at a Portuguese bank
– Show proof of relevant experience or qualifications in your field, like an academic degree or CV
– Show proof of a contract with one or more clients
🇵🇹 Portugal is calling for you...
Requirements for Entrepreneur Visa
There are a few main requirements. Firstly, if you plan to be entrepreneurial and launch a company, the business must be incorporated. If, however, you are a freelancer you can have a contract to provide services in a liberal profession, like a journalist, a lawyer or doctor.
Both types of D2 visa require a legal qualification to perform any independent professional activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
To apply for a D2 visa, you will need to complete an application form and gather the necessary supporting documents. This may include your passport, proof of employment or study in Portugal, and proof of sufficient funds. You will also need to pay a fee and schedule an appointment at a Portuguese consulate or embassy.
The D2 visa process can take several months to complete, so it is important to start the process as early as possible. Processing times may vary depending on the volume of applications and the specific consulate or embassy where you apply.
Yes, you can bring your family with you to Portugal on a D2 visa. Your spouse and children under the age of 18 can apply for a dependent visa to join you in Portugal.
Yes, you can work for multiple employers with a D2 visa as long as you have the necessary work permits and permissions. It is important to follow all applicable laws and regulations regarding employment in Portugal.
Yes, you can study in Portugal with a D2 visa if you are accepted into a degree program at a Portuguese university. However, you must also have a job offer or be self-employed in Portugal to qualify for a D2 visa.
Unmarried partners who can prove a long-term relationship can also apply as dependants.
Yes, you can apply for permanent residency in Portugal after living in the country for a certain period of time with a D2 visa. To be eligible for permanent residency, you must have lived in Portugal for at least 5 years on a continuous basis, or for a shorter period if you are married to a Portuguese citizen.
Our work is to make clients happy
We are a department formed by qualified legal experts who have been trained in the field of immigration law. We work on these requests every day and it’s our passion. For us, Lexidy is a way of life and what excites us the most is to be able to deliver the happiness and satisfaction of a successful immigration process. We want to help you achieve your goals and dreams.






































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