---
title: "Portugal D2 freelancer visa vs Spain Self-employed permit"
url: https://settleanywhere.com/compare/portugal-independent-d2-89-1-vs-spain-self-employed-residence/
lang: en
updated: 2026-10-12
---

Head to head

# Portugal D2 freelancer visa vs Spain Self-employed permit

Two business routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.

## Key differences

- **First stay** The first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal D2 freelancer visa and 1 yr on Spain Self-employed permit.
- **Renewal** Renewable on both.
- **Permanent residence** After 5 years of residence on both.
- **Citizenship** After 10 years of residence on both.
- **Family** Spouse can work on both.
- **Government fees** The first government fee listed is €133 ≈ $150 for Portugal D2 freelancer visa and €90 ≈ $100 for Spain Self-employed permit; the table lists every fee.
- **Tax residence** Portugal: more than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year). Spain: more than 183 days (calendar year).

## Side by side

|   | Portugal [D2 freelancer visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/independent-d2-89-1/) | Spain [Self-employed permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/self-employed-residence/) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Country:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa [Portugal](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/) | *2* Self-employed permit [Spain](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/) |
| **Type:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa Business / Startup | *2* Self-employed permit Business / Startup |
| **Money needed:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030** | *2* Self-employed permit |
| **First stay:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **2 yrs** | *2* Self-employed permit **1 yr** |
| **Renewal:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **Renewable** Details Valid 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. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) [AIMA](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-independente-com-visto-de-residencia-art-89-o-n-o1) | *2* Self-employed permit **Renewable** Details The initial authorization lasts one year; renewal is requested in the two months before expiry. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-y-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia) |
| **Spouse can work:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **Can work** | *2* Self-employed permit **Can work** |
| **Government fees:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **€133 ≈ $150 · €114 ≈ $130 · +1 more** Details €133 ≈ $150 Application review fee for the residence permit; EUR 99.80 (≈ $110) when the application is filed digitally. €114 ≈ $130 Fee for granting or renewing the temporary residence permit; EUR 85.80 (≈ $96) when applied for digitally. €110 ≈ $120 National visa processing fee. | *2* Self-employed permit **€90 ≈ $100** Details €90 ≈ $100 National long-stay visa (type D) processing fee, collected in euros or local currency; some nationalities pay a different amount under reciprocity. |
| **Permanent residence:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **After 5 years of residence** Details Permanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Self-employed permit **After 5 years of residence** Details Long-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence; absences of up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total, or 18 for work) do not break continuity. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) |
| **Citizenship:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **After 10 years of residence** Details Naturalisation 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. [Diário da República / Assembleia da República](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2026/05/09500/0000200020.pdf) | *2* Self-employed permit **After 10 years of residence** Details Nationality needs 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying (2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal), plus good conduct and integration. [Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) |
| **Processing:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **Up to 60 days** Details The 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. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Self-employed permit **Official timeline** Details The decision is due within three months (silence means refusal); the consulate then decides the visa within one month. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-y-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia) |
| **Where to apply:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **From abroad** Details Apply for a residence visa at the Portuguese consulate for your place of residence, then book AIMA in Portugal for the residence permit. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Self-employed permit **From abroad** Details File in person at the Spanish consulate abroad; the visa follows approval. [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-y-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia) [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) |
| **Employer needed:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **No** | *2* Self-employed permit **No** |
| **Tax residence test:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa **More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year)** | *2* Self-employed permit **More than 183 days (calendar year)** |
| **Foreign-source income:** | *1* D2 freelancer 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. | *2* Self-employed permit Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income. |
| **Official source:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa [AIMA](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-independente-com-visto-de-residencia-art-89-o-n-o1) | *2* Self-employed permit [Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-y-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia) |
| **Checked against official sources:** | *1* D2 freelancer visa 12 Oct 2026 · [Rule changed 18 May 2026](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/2026-05-18-portugal-c53a9d/) | *2* Self-employed permit First checked 11 Oct 2026 |

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

**Official sources**

### Portugal D2 freelancer visa

1. [Residence authorization for independent professional activity with residence visa, Art. 89(1)](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-independente-com-visto-de-residencia-art-89-o-n-o1) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
2. [AIMA work index: residence authorizations for employment, self-employment and highly qualified activity](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
3. [AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026)](https://aima.gov.pt/documents/tabela-de-taxas-e-demais-encargos-a-cobrar-pelos-procedimentos-administrativos.pdf) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11
4. [National visa fees](https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/pt/vistos-nacionais/informacao-geral/emolumentos) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese visa portal · checked 2026-10-12
5. [AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/viver/reagrupamento-familiar-com-familiar-em-territorio-nacional-art-98-o-n-o-2) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
6. [Lei n.º 61/2025 of 22 October (amends Law 23/2007, Arts. 98-105)](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2025/10/20400/0000900017.pdf) · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-10
7. [Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
8. [Means of subsistence for long-stay visas (2026 RMMG EUR920)](https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/pt/vistos-nacionais/documentacao-instrutoria/meios-de-subsistencia) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · checked 2026-10-12
9. [2026 guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG) EUR920, Decreto-Lei 139/2025](https://www.dgert.gov.pt/retribuicao-minima-mensal-garantida-para-2026) · DGERT · checked 2026-10-10
10. [Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81)](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2026/05/09500/0000200020.pdf) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11

### Spain Self-employed permit

1. [Sheet 14 - Initial authorization of temporary residence and self-employment](https://inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-y-trabajo-por-cuenta-propia) · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration · checked 2026-10-10
2. [Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
3. [Orden AUC/891/2024 setting the fees for processing visas](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2024-17292) · Official State Gazette (BOE) · checked 2026-10-11
4. [Sheet 8 - Temporary residence authorization by family reunification](https://inclusion.gob.es/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-de-residencia-temporal-por-reagrupacion-familiar) · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · checked 2026-10-10
5. [Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11