Head to head
Portugal D7 passive income visa vs Greece Independent means permit
Two retirement and savings routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.
Key differences
- MoneyPortugal D7 passive income visa asks for income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030; Greece Independent means permit for income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910.
- First stayThe first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal D7 passive income visa and 3 yrs on Greece Independent means permit.
- RenewalRenewable on both.
- Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence on both.
- CitizenshipPortugal D7 passive income visa: after 10 years of residence. Greece Independent means permit: after 12 years of residence.
- FamilyPortugal D7 passive income visa: spouse can work. Greece Independent means permit: spouse can't work.
- Government feesThe first government fee listed is €114 ≈ $130 for Portugal D7 passive income visa and €1,000 ≈ $1,120 for Greece Independent means permit; the table lists every fee.
- Tax residencePortugal: more than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year). Greece: more than 183 days (any 12-month period).
Side by side
Portugal D7 passive income visa | Greece Independent means permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Independent means permit |
| Type | 1D7 passive income visa Retire or live on savings | 2Independent means permit Retire or live on savings |
| Money needed | 1D7 passive income visa Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2Independent means permit Needs income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910 |
| First stay | 1D7 passive income visa 2 yrs | 2Independent means permit 3 yrs |
| Renewal | 1D7 passive income visa Renewable DetailsValid two years from issue, then renewable in successive three-year periods while subsistence, housing and tax and social-security conditions are still met. File renewal at least 30 days before expiry. | 2Independent means permit Renewable DetailsValid 3 years and renewable for equal periods while the income conditions are met. |
| Spouse can work | 1D7 passive income visa Can work | 2Independent means permit Can't work |
| Government fees | 1D7 passive income visa €114 ≈ $130 · €110 ≈ $120 Details
| 2Independent means permit €1,000 ≈ $1,120 Details
|
| Permanent residence | 1D7 passive income visa After 5 years of residence DetailsPermanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese. | 2Independent means permit After 5 years of residence DetailsLong-term resident status needs 5 years of continuous legal residence and income at least the annual minimum wage (plus 10% for dependants); absences under 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total are allowed. |
| Citizenship | 1D7 passive income visa After 10 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence on any residence title or visa (7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU states), plus Portuguese language and culture, and means of subsistence. | 2Independent means permit After 12 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 12 continuous years of legal residence on a permit like this one, but only 7 years once you hold a long-term resident permit or another listed title, plus Greek language and history tests. Ministry of Interior, National Registry of Administrative Public Services |
| Processing | 1D7 passive income visa Up to 60 days DetailsThe consulate must decide a residence visa within 60 days; after arrival AIMA must decide the residence permit within 90 days, extendable by 30 in exceptional cases. | 2Independent means permit |
| Where to apply | 1D7 passive income visa From abroad DetailsApply for the residence visa at the Portuguese consulate, then book an AIMA appointment after entry for the residence authorization. | 2Independent means permit |
| Employer needed | 1D7 passive income visa No | 2Independent means permit No |
| Tax residence test | 1D7 passive income visa More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year) | 2Independent means permit More than 183 days (any 12-month period) |
| Foreign-source income | 1D7 passive income visa Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income. | 2Independent means permit Greek tax residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 9% to 44% (scale applied from tax year 2026); residence follows the main home, habitual abode or centre of vital interests, or presence over 183 days. |
| Official source | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Independent means permit |
| Checked against official sources | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Independent means permit First checked |
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Official sources
Portugal D7 passive income visa
- Residence visa for retirees and people living on own income · Portuguese Government (gov.pt / DGACCP) · checked 2026-10-10
- Means of subsistence for long-stay visas (2026 RMMG EUR920) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · checked 2026-10-12
- Residence visa documentation by purpose · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · checked 2026-10-12
- Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026 · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
- 2026 guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG) EUR920, Decreto-Lei 139/2025 · DGERT · checked 2026-10-10
- National visa fees · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese visa portal · checked 2026-10-12
- AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11
- AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei n.º 61/2025 of 22 October (amends Law 23/2007, Arts. 98-105) · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11
Greece Independent means permit
- Law 5038/2023, Migration Code (Government Gazette A 81/01.04.2023) · Ethniko Typografeio (Government Gazette) · checked 2026-10-11
- Joint Ministerial Decision 225679/2024 on sufficient resources (Government Gazette B 5223/17.09.2024) · Hellenic Republic Government Gazette (copy hosted by University of Athens) · checked 2026-10-10
- Migration Code, art. 163 (other permits: I.5 Canada youth mobility, I.8 sufficient resources), consolidated text · Taxheaven legal text repository (consolidated Migration Code, Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 144 (long-term resident status: conditions), consolidated text · TaxHeaven (consolidated Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 143 (long-term resident status: scope), consolidated text · TaxHeaven (consolidated Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Naturalisation of non-ethnic-Greek aliens (Politografisi Allogenon Allodapon) · Ministry of Interior, National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) · checked 2026-10-11