Head to head
Portugal Startup Visa vs Spain Entrepreneur visa
Two business routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.
Key differences
- MoneyPortugal Startup Visa asks for savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200; Spain Entrepreneur visa for savings of €600+ a month ≈ $670. The two figures cover different periods.
- First stayThe first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal Startup Visa and 3 yrs on Spain Entrepreneur visa.
- RenewalRenewable on both.
- Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence on both.
- CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence on both.
- FamilySpouse can work on both.
- Government feesThe first government fee listed is €133 ≈ $150 for Portugal Startup Visa and €90 ≈ $100 for Spain Entrepreneur visa; the table lists every fee.
- Tax residencePortugal: 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 Startup Visa | Spain Entrepreneur visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | 1Startup Visa | 2Entrepreneur visa |
| Type | 1Startup Visa Business / Startup | 2Entrepreneur visa Business / Startup |
| Money needed | 1Startup Visa Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2Entrepreneur visa Needs savings of €600+ a month ≈ $670 |
| First stay | 1Startup Visa 2 yrs | 2Entrepreneur visa 3 yrs |
| Renewal | 1Startup Visa Renewable DetailsThe programme lasts as long as the incubation contract; the residence permit is valid two years and renewable in three-year periods. | 2Entrepreneur visa Renewable DetailsValid three years, then renewable for two-year periods while the conditions are met. |
| Spouse can work | 1Startup Visa Can work | 2Entrepreneur visa Can work |
| Government fees | 1Startup Visa €133 ≈ $150 · €114 ≈ $130 · +1 more Details
| 2Entrepreneur visa €90 ≈ $100 Details
|
| Permanent residence | 1Startup 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. | 2Entrepreneur visa After 5 years of residence DetailsPermanent residence is possible at five years (Art. 69). 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. |
| Citizenship | 1Startup 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. | 2Entrepreneur visa After 10 years of residence DetailsNationality 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. |
| Processing | 1Startup Visa 30 working days DetailsIAPMEI decides the application within 30 working days, then you have 40 working days to sign the incubation contract; the residence permit decision is due within 90 days. | 2Entrepreneur visa 20 working days DetailsThe Large Companies Unit must decide within 20 working days of electronic filing (silence means approval); the consulate then decides the visa within 10 working days. Boletín Oficial del EstadoLarge Companies and Strategic Groups Unit |
| Where to apply | 1Startup Visa | 2Entrepreneur visa Abroad or in-country DetailsApplicants abroad file one request for authorization and visa; entrepreneurs already holding a stay, residence or visa can apply from within Spain. Large Companies and Strategic Groups UnitBoletín Oficial del Estado |
| Employer needed | 1Startup Visa A sponsor there | 2Entrepreneur visa No |
| Tax residence test | 1Startup Visa More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year) | 2Entrepreneur visa More than 183 days (calendar year) |
| Foreign-source income | 1Startup 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. | 2Entrepreneur visa Beckham regime (6 years) DetailsForeign-source income outside the qualifying work and entrepreneurial income is not taxed in Spain under this regime. |
| Tax note | 1Startup Visa | 2Entrepreneur visa |
| Official source | 1Startup Visa | 2Entrepreneur visa |
| Checked against official sources | 1Startup Visa | 2Entrepreneur visa 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 Startup Visa
- Residence authorization for immigrant entrepreneurs (Startup Visa), Art. 89(4) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- 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
- StartUP Visa: criteria and 2026 IAS reference (12 x 537.13 = 6,445.56) · IAPMEI · checked 2026-10-10
- Legislative Order n.º 4/2018: StartUP Visa eligibility and procedure · IAPMEI · checked 2026-10-10
- Portaria n.º 480-A/2025/1: IAS 2026 EUR537.13 · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence visa documentation by purpose · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · 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
- National visa fees · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese visa portal · checked 2026-10-12
- 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
Spain Entrepreneur visa
- Entrepreneur visa · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley 14/2013, support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation: consolidated text (Arts. 61-76, 74 bis-quinquies) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Entrepreneurs and business activity (Arts. 69-70 Ley 14/2013): application instructions · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Monthly and annual values of SMI and IPREM 2026 · Public Employment Service (SEPE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Orden AUC/891/2024 setting the fees for processing visas · Official State Gazette (BOE) · checked 2026-10-11
- FAQs: residence and work authorizations for international teleworkers · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11