How I ACTUALLY Moved to Portugal

Thinking of moving to Portugal? Here’s how I became an American living in Portugal. 

Honestly, Portugal was not even on my radar when my husband and I decided to move our family abroad. We had a few other countries at the top of our list like Ireland, Canada, and the UK.

But when our research revealed the visa process to be much more complicated in those countries, we did the same thing that has probably led you here - we Googled searches like “top places to live abroad” and “best countries to be an expat.” This led us to Portugal.

You’ve seen it on all the top ten lists and may be wondering if you can ACTUALLY move to Portugal. Well, I did and I’m here to tell you exactly how I did it. 

Why Move to Portugal? 

I knew nothing about Portugal at first, but during my initial research I came upon Josh and Kalie’s ExpatsEverywhere YouTube channel. They share so much great information about Portugal, moving abroad, and the visa process.

My husband and I couldn’t get enough of their content about moving to Portugal. Josh and Kalie’s videos are grounded in the reality of what it’s really like living abroad. 

Two years ago, my husband and I jetted off on our first trip to see if Portugal was the right place for our family. We got off the plane, took a nap, and went right to one of ExpatEverywhere’s meetups for expats and those curious about moving abroad. We met Josh and Kalie, as well as many other friendly expats who graciously answered our questions about what it’s really like living in Portugal. 

During our trip, we visited Porto, Lisbon, and the Algarve (the typical expat areas here in Portugal).

And… we loved it! We fell in love with the local people we met, the food, culture, and energy of Portugal.

Can You Afford to Live in Portugal?

Portugal is often lauded as an inexpensive and “cheap” place to live. One of the first things we did in our journey to Portugal was understand the cost of living. 

In 2025, the minimum wage in Portugal is €870 per month. And by the end of 2024, the gross average monthly salary was €1,777. However, a housing crisis and global inflation have contributed to rising rental costs.

Gone are the days of €600 in Portugal’s cities. In Lisbon and Porto, expect to pay significantly higher - around €1,200–€1,750 for a one bedroom. But there are always different neighborhoods to explore that can help stay to your budget. Outside the cities, housing costs are lower.

If you want a more in-depth look at expenses in Portugal, check out ExpatsEverywhere’s Cost of Living 2025 YouTube video.

Every year, Josh and Kalie go deep into what they’re spending and how costs have changed in Portugal. 

It’s important to look at your monthly income and have a plan for any possible changes when moving abroad. 

You Decided to Move to Portugal. Now What?

After our trip, we had to decide which type of visa to Portugal was right for us. The country offers many pathways to gain a visa and, eventually, residency.

The most popular and accessible include the D7 retirement/passive income visa, D8 digital nomad visa, and the Golden Visa. Let me break them down for you. 

D7 Retirement/Passive Income Visa

Portugal’s D7 visa allows non-EU retirees and those living on passive income (like investments or rental income) to enter the country and apply for residency.

You must show at least €870 of income per month, or €10,440 annually for yourself. You must also have proof of accommodation in Portugal. Many expats secure a 12-month rental lease to show at their visa application appointment.

Among the many other requirements and documentation needed, you must also acquire a Portuguese bank account and NIF (tax number). 

D8 Digital Nomad Visa

The D8 visa allows remote workers to live and work in the country. You can choose two different paths - a temporary visa that lets you live in Portugal for up to one year or the residency visa that provides a four month stay with the option to apply for a two-year renewable residency (much like the D7 visa). This is a great option for any remote worker whose company allows employers to live internationally. 

Golden Visa

Portugal’s Golden Visa program remains to be very popular. It grants visas to those who make significant investments in the country.

However, in 2024 new rules went into place and the country no longer accepts real estate investments for the Golden Visa. Instead, applicants must invest a minimum of €500,000 in a Portuguese investment fund, existing business, or in the creation of a new business. 

This visa has a low stay requirement, meaning you only need to spend a small amount of time in Portugal (typically 14 days out of the year) to maintain the visa. 

Our Path to a Portuguese Visa

My husband and I couldn’t decide if the D7 or D8 visa would give us the best chances of approval, so we turned to Kalie for help. She offers consultations and ExpatsEverywhere has videos and courses to guide you through the visa process, which is honestly ever-changing and can be overwhelming.

Thanks to her expertise, we decided on the D7 visa, got rid of all of our belongings, and rented out our house in New York to fulfill our passive income requirement. 

Our Portugal Visa Appointment

Thanks to Kalie, I felt confident that we had all of our documentation in order. Turns out, we were over prepared! But that’s always a good thing when it comes to Portuguese visa applications. I had all the paperwork needed for me, my husband, and my daughter (over 400 pages of documents!).

It was A LOT of work getting everything together, but it was worth it. While we waited in the immigration office for our number to be called, we overheard other people being turned away during their appointments because they didn’t have all the required documentation. It was nerve wracking. But our appointment was thankfully smooth sailing because ExpatsEverywhere prepared us. 

We applied in New York and were told it was okay to travel while we awaited the embassy’s approval. We were told the decision could take up to 60 business days.

So a few weeks later, we jetted off to Portugal to our rental in Porto. Sure enough, 58 business days after our appointment we received our approval email! We traveled back to New York for our visa stamps. 

All in all, the decision time took roughly three months. But we were happy to set up our rental and settle in before officially entering the country with our visas.

Our Life in Portugal

My family is loving our new life in Portugal. It has been, and remains to be, an adjustment as we continue to learn how to navigate life in another country.

But we quickly made a great group of friends who have been a wonderful support system.

We explore, take part in cultural events, and experience things we never would have back in the United States. 

We are so thankful to be American expats in Portugal. 

Are you thinking of making the move to Portugal, too? As Josh and Kalie like to say, “Let’s get moving!”

Want to go over the visa and moving process? Kalie is available for one-on-one consultations, or you can bundle a course and a consult.