🛂 Madeira Digital Nomad Visa: the D8 and D7 explained
If you want to live here legally, the Madeira digital nomad visa is almost certainly what you are looking for. The island runs on the same national immigration rules as the rest of Portugal, so there is no special "Madeira visa". Instead you pick one of two national residence visas: the D8 for people who earn an active remote salary, or the D7 for people who live off passive income like a pension or rent. They sound similar. The money behind them is very different. Get the wrong one and your consulate appointment ends in a polite rejection. This guide walks you through both, the 2026 income thresholds, the paperwork, and the AIMA step in Funchal that turns your visa into an actual residence card.
Last updated: June 2026The Madeira digital nomad visa is the Portuguese D8 visa, which in 2026 requires proving remote income of four times the national minimum wage, around 3,680 euros a month, plus savings of about 11,040 euros. The D7 visa is the cheaper passive income route, needing just 920 euros a month from pensions, rent or investments. Both are applied for at a Portuguese consulate, and once you land you book an AIMA appointment in Funchal within 120 days and pay about 170 euros for the residence card.
Decide: D8 (active income) or D7 (passive income)
The Madeira digital nomad visa is the D8. You qualify if you work remotely for a company or clients based outside Portugal and you can prove it: an employment contract, freelance invoices or a services agreement. The D7 is for people who do not work for that income at all. Think pensions, dividends, rental income from property you already own, or investment returns. If most of your money lands in your account every month from a job you actively do, you want the D8. If it arrives whether you get out of bed or not, you want the D7.
Check you clear the 2026 income threshold
For the D8 you must show monthly income of four times the Portuguese minimum wage. In 2026 the minimum wage is 920 euros, so the bar is roughly 3,680 euros a month, plus around 11,040 euros sitting in savings. The D7 is far gentler: about 920 euros a month in passive income, plus savings worth roughly a year of that income. Both visas scale up for family: add 50 percent for a spouse and 30 percent for each child. Bring 12 months of bank statements that actually back up the numbers.
Gather the document pack
You will need a valid passport, two photos, the national visa form from vistos.mne.gov.pt, proof of accommodation in Madeira (a rental contract or a booking covering your first months), proof of income matching your chosen visa, a clean criminal record certificate from your home country, travel and health insurance covering Portugal, and a Portuguese tax number (NIF) plus ideally a Portuguese bank account. Have everything translated and, where required, apostilled. Missing one item is the single most common reason people get turned away.
Apply at your Portuguese consulate
You apply from your country of residence, not from inside Madeira, usually at the Portuguese consulate covering your area or through its appointed visa centre (VFS in many countries). You lodge the application in person. A temporary stay decision can take about 30 days and a residence visa about 60, though in practice book early because slots are scarce. Your approved visa is valid for four months and comes with a pre booked AIMA appointment date for when you arrive.
Fly to Madeira and attend your AIMA appointment in Funchal
Once you land you have a window of up to 120 days to convert the visa into a residence permit through AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum. In Madeira this runs through the AIMA presence in Funchal. You attend in person, give biometrics, and pay a card fee of around 170 euros. The physical residence card is then posted to your Madeira address within a couple of weeks. That card, not the visa, is what proves you live here.
Renew and count toward permanent residency
The D8 and D7 cards are initially issued for two years, then renewable for three more, as long as you still meet the income rules and spend enough time in Portugal. After five years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residency or even citizenship, which is the real prize: an EU passport. Keep your tax situation clean, file in Portugal, and do not let the card lapse.
AIMA Funchal (Loja AIMA Madeira)
Rua Nova da Alfândega, Funchal, Madeira
🕒 Weekdays by appointment only
Get relocation help
The paperwork is where most people lose weeks. A vetted local relocation specialist can sort your NIF, bank account, translations and AIMA booking so your visa actually gets approved. Tell us what you need and get free quotes.
Get free relocation quotes Explore the newcomer hubFrequently asked questions
Is there a special Madeira digital nomad visa?
No. Madeira uses the same national immigration system as the rest of Portugal, so the Madeira digital nomad visa is simply the Portuguese D8 visa applied for through a consulate and finalised at AIMA in Funchal. There is no separate regional visa, though Madeira does run a well known Digital Nomad Village programme to welcome remote workers once they are here.
How much money do I need for the D8 visa in 2026?
You must prove monthly remote income of four times the Portuguese minimum wage. With the 2026 minimum wage at 920 euros, that is roughly 3,680 euros a month, plus around 11,040 euros in savings. Add 50 percent for a spouse and 30 percent for each dependent child.
What is the difference between the D7 and the D8?
The D8 is for active income you earn by working remotely, like a salary or freelance invoices, and needs about 3,680 euros a month. The D7 is for passive income such as pensions, rent or dividends, and needs only about 920 euros a month. Both lead to a Portuguese residence card.
How long does it take to get residency in Madeira?
Expect the whole process to run six to nine months. The consulate visa decision takes roughly 30 to 60 days, then you have 120 days after arriving to attend your AIMA appointment in Funchal, after which the residence card is posted within about two weeks.
Do I need a Portuguese tax number and bank account first?
Yes, in practice. A Portuguese tax number (NIF) and ideally a local bank account are needed to sign a rental contract, show savings and pay fees. Many newcomers arrange the NIF before applying, often through a fiscal representative or a relocation service.
Can my family come on the same visa?
Yes. Both the D8 and D7 allow family reunification for your spouse and dependent children. You just need to show higher income, adding 50 percent for a spouse and 30 percent per child, and provide marriage and birth certificates that are translated and apostilled.