Head to head
Portugal D7 passive income visa vs Italy Elective residence
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; Italy Elective residence for income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k. The two figures cover different periods.
- RenewalRenewable on both.
- Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence on both.
- CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence on both.
- FamilyPortugal D7 passive income visa: spouse can work. Italy Elective residence: spouse can't work.
- Government feesThe first government fee listed is €114 ≈ $130 for Portugal D7 passive income visa and €116 ≈ $130 for Italy Elective residence; the table lists every fee.
- Tax residencePortugal: more than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year). Italy: at least 183 days (tax year (184 days in leap years)).
Side by side
Portugal D7 passive income visa | Italy Elective residence | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Elective residence |
| Type | 1D7 passive income visa Retire or live on savings | 2Elective residence Retire or live on savings |
| Money needed | 1D7 passive income visa Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2Elective residence Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k |
| First stay | 1D7 passive income visa 2 yrs | 2Elective residence |
| 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. | 2Elective residence Renewable DetailsRequest renewal at least 90 days before the permit expires; the Questura checks that the original conditions still apply. |
| Spouse can work | 1D7 passive income visa Can work | 2Elective residence Can't work |
| Work | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Elective residence No DetailsNo work activity is allowed. |
| Government fees | 1D7 passive income visa €114 ≈ $130 · €110 ≈ $120 Details
| 2Elective residence €116 ≈ $130 · €30.46 ≈ $34 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. | 2Elective residence After 5 years of residence DetailsThe EU long-term residence permit needs five years on a valid residence permit, income at least the annual social allowance, and an Italian language test; it is issued within 90 days. |
| 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. | 2Elective residence After 10 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence (4 years for EU citizens) and Italian at level B1 or above. |
| 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. | 2Elective residence Up to 90 days DetailsA residence permit must be issued, renewed or converted within 90 days of the application when requirements are met (Art. 5(9)). |
| 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. | 2Elective residence From abroad DetailsApply in person at the Italian consulate for the national long-stay visa, then request the permit at the Questura. Consulate General of Italy in BostonConsulate General of Italy in New York |
| Employer needed | 1D7 passive income visa No | 2Elective residence No |
| Tax residence test | 1D7 passive income visa More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year) | 2Elective residence At least 183 days (tax year (184 days in leap years)) |
| 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. | 2Elective residence Flat lump sum EUR 300,000 DetailsOptional annual lump sum replacing Italian tax on foreign-source income: EUR300,000 (≈ $335,000) for people transferring residence from 1 January 2026 (Law 199/2025), EUR200,000 (≈ $223,000) for transfers between 11 August 2024 and 31 December 2025, EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) for earlier transfers; the effect ends after fifteen years. |
| Tax note | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Elective residence |
| Official source | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Elective residence |
| Checked against official sources | 1D7 passive income visa | 2Elective residence |
≈ 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
Italy Elective residence
- Elective residency visa · Consulate General of Italy in Boston (MAECI) · checked 2026-10-10
- Elective residency · Consulate General of Italy in New York (MAECI) · checked 2026-10-10
- The visa for Italy: long-stay visa types (investors, self-employment, subordinate work, elective residence, research, study, working holiday) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Cost for a visa and how to pay · Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa) · checked 2026-10-11
- How, where and how much: applying for a residence permit · State Police (Polizia di Stato) · checked 2026-10-11
- Elective residency visa (national visa) · Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco · checked 2026-10-11
- Legislative Decree 286/1998, Art. 5 (residence permit) · Normattiva · checked 2026-10-11
- Legislative Decree 286/1998, Art. 9 (EU long-term resident permit) · Normattiva (Presidenza del Consiglio dei ministri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship by residence, Art. 9 of Law 91/1992 · Ministero dell'Interno · checked 2026-10-11
- Law 91/1992, Art. 9.1 (Italian language level B1 for citizenship) · Normattiva (Presidenza del Consiglio dei ministri) · checked 2026-10-11