In recent years, an increasing number of Americans are choosing to migrate to Portugal as part of a global trend of digital nomadism following the pandemic. Digital nomadism allows individuals to work remotely with just a computer and internet connection, and Portugal’s fast internet speed, pleasant climate, high level of English proficiency, and stable cost of living have made it an attractive destination for many. This has resulted in the emergence of more and more American immigrants in the country, alongside the commonly searched options of moving to Mexico or immigrating to Canada.
Portugal introduced the Digital Nomad Visa on October 30, 2022, allowing individuals to secure a one-year work visa by obtaining explicit authorization from their employer for remote work and a monthly income of at least four times the country’s minimum wage, which is 3,280 euros. According to investment consultant Chen Yan, who is currently residing in Portugal, nearly 7,000 Americans have chosen to live in Portugal, with most of them settling in cities such as Lisbon, Faro, Porto, Azores, Setúbal, and Coimbra. The low immigration barriers, stable costs, and the opportunity to hold multiple passports while maintaining a good quality of life are among the factors that attract American immigrants to Portugal.
Chen Yan, who was born in Brazil and has experienced three international relocations before immigrating to Portugal, has been running a popular fan page and YouTube channel called “Sweet Yan’s Portuguese Whisper,” where she shares interesting insights about Portugal. Recognizing the abundance of misleading information about immigration online, she also strives to provide accurate legal and tax information to those genuinely seeking to relocate.
With regard to visa types preferred by Americans, the D7 visa (also known as the Passive Income Visa or Retirement Visa) is currently the most sought-after. To qualify for this visa, applicants must demonstrate passive income sources such as rentals, dividends, funds, or stocks that exceed the country’s minimum wage of 820 euros per month. However, visa requirements may be adjusted based on the number of applicants.
Applicants for either the Passive Income Visa or the Digital Nomad Visa are required to reside in Portugal for a minimum of 183 days per year and can apply for Portuguese citizenship after legally residing in the country for five years. Notably, acquiring Portuguese citizenship does not necessitate renouncing one’s American nationality, as Portugal recognizes dual citizenship. This makes immigrating to Portugal an easily attainable opportunity for many Americans desiring to settle in Europe.
For those who are unable to immediately relocate to Portugal due to fixed employment in the US but have aspirations to immigrate, Chen Yan suggests considering the Golden Visa, also known as the Investment Immigration Visa. This option, which underwent legal revisions last year, no longer offers residency through property investment but allows applicants to qualify through specified options like a 250,000 euro designated art donation, a 500,000 euro high-risk private equity fund investment, establishing a company, or capital increase. The most appealing aspect of the Golden Visa is the possibility of three generations of family members obtaining residency, requiring only seven days of presence in Portugal each year for a consecutive five-year period to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship.
According to data from the Portuguese Immigration Authority, the Golden Visa program received a total of 12,718 family applications from October 2012 to September 2023, generating over 7.3 billion euros in investments for Portugal. While the US ranks third in the total number of applications, behind China and Brazil, Americans topped the list of Golden Visa applicants in 2022.
Portugal’s proximity to the US, with direct flight options from cities like New York to Lisbon offered by airlines such as TAP, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Azores Airlines, adds to its appeal for American immigrants. The Portuguese Tourism Board reported a 17.6% growth in North American visitors to Portugal last year, with the US standing out as the highest non-EU visitor population. In addition to Portugal, other countries popular among Americans looking to relocate include Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Israel. Since 2017, over 821,000 American citizens have moved to 40 different countries seeking lower tax burdens, better quality of life, and the rise of digital nomadism as contributing factors to their decisions to live abroad.