Analysis
Portugal D7 vs D8 Visa Explained (General Guide)
Portugal's D7 passive-income visa and D8 digital nomad visa compared: who each suits, the income requirement, accommodation, family and next steps.
Best for
Mobility, Not Relocation.
Programmes that do not require physical presence in the issuing country — the visa is a tool, not a relocation.
Shortlist at a glance
Programmes ranked8
Countries8
From$200K
Fastest route6 wks
Top visa-free195
Recipe applied live to the Programmes collection, what you see is what is currently active.
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Independent
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Live data
Filtered from the Programmes collection
Senior-advisor reviewed
Every recipe signed off by a partner
Why these programmes
Best for mobility,
Most CBI programmes have no physical-presence requirement at any stage — citizenship is granted on the basis of the contribution, not residency. Most Golden Visas have a minimal-stay requirement (Portugal 7 days/year; Greece zero; Spain zero). The UAE Golden Visa requires a single visa-activation entry. The programmes that do require meaningful presence — Singapore GIP, Spanish citizenship pathway, Portugal naturalisation — are the ones that lead to citizenship or full tax residency. If you want passport mobility without the obligation to relocate, this list is the relevant set.
Ranked by editorial
Top picks
8 programmes ranked for mobility,
1
UAE
Min. Investment
AED 2,000,000
Processing
7–10 working days (Dubai)
Visa-Free
180 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: No on-shore presence required to maintain the visa. Single entry to activate.
2
St. Kitts & Nevis
Min. Investment
$250,000
Processing
120–180 days
Visa-Free
157 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: No physical presence at any stage — citizenship by donation alone.
3
Portugal
Min. Investment
€500,000
Processing
6–8 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: 7 days/year is the lightest meaningful presence in the EU Golden Visa estate.
4
Malta
Min. Investment
Closed (2025)
Processing
12–14 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
5
Greece
Min. Investment
€400,000+
Processing
3–6 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
6
Singapore
Min. Investment
S$10,000,000
Processing
About 12 months
Visa-Free
195 countries
Family
Included
7
Antigua & Barbuda
Min. Investment
$230,000
Processing
3–4 months
Visa-Free
151 countries
Family
Included
8
Dominica
Min. Investment
$200,000
Processing
3–4 months
Visa-Free
145 countries
Family
Included
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Frequently asked questions
Does no-stay mean I can never enter the country?
No — it means the visa or citizenship does not require it. You retain the right to enter; you simply aren't obligated to.
Will my home tax residency change automatically?
No. Tax residency is determined by physical-presence and substance rules in your home jurisdiction. A no-stay foreign visa does not by itself change anything.
Are no-stay programmes lower-cost?
Sometimes. Caribbean CBI is no-stay and low-threshold. UAE Golden Visa is no-stay but mid-priced. Portugal Golden Visa has a 7-day-per-year minimum and is mid-priced. No-stay does not correlate cleanly with cost.
Can I activate the visa and never return?
For UAE Golden Visa, the visa requires periodic re-activation entries to maintain. For Caribbean CBI, the citizenship is permanent — passport renewal requires application but not entry.
Why is a programme missing from this list?
A programme only appears if it meets the criterion for this list and is currently active. Closed or suspended programmes are removed automatically.
Can I see the full details for each programme?
Yes. Every card links to the programme page with qualifying routes, eligibility, family rules, timelines and the latest changes.
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Programme perspective
More Citizen Sure perspective on mobility,
The mobility-without-relocation pattern is the most common UHNW use of investment migration. The right stack for this profile is typically a Caribbean CBI for visa-free reach plus a UAE Golden Visa for tax substance — both no-stay or near-no-stay. Singapore GIP and Portugal naturalisation are explicitly not for this profile; they reward presence and integration.