Elsa
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 640 cases handled · 43 in this service
- 29+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Autonoma University Lisbon
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4.88(11 reviews)
D2 Entrepreneur Visa in Portugal
The D2 visa is Portugal's residence visa for entrepreneurs, company owners and independent professionals who will run their activity from Portugal. English-speaking lawyers help with the business plan, the company or freelance set-up and the consular file.
About D2 Entrepreneur Visa in Portugal
The D2 visa, usually called the entrepreneur visa and sometimes the independent professional or self-employed visa (in Portuguese visto D2, visto para empreendedores or trabalhadores independentes), is the Portuguese residence visa for non-EU citizens who will earn their living in Portugal through their own company or their own professional activity. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “D2 Visa”. The letter and number come from the Portuguese visa categories, so “D2” on its own also turns up South Korean and other visas; this page is about Portugal.
Who it suits
Founders who want to set up or buy a company in Portugal, owners of a foreign business opening a Portuguese branch, and freelancers, consultants and other independent professionals who will work for clients in Portugal, often under the recibos verdes self-employment regime. Someone whose clients and employer stay abroad is usually better placed with the digital nomad visa; someone living on a pension or investments with the D7 visa. Portugal also runs a separate Startup Visa scheme for innovative projects hosted by certified incubators, which is a different procedure with its own body.
How it works in Portugal
The file is lodged at the Portuguese consulate or visa centre of the applicant's country of residence. Its core is the business: a plan that explains the activity, the market and the money behind it, proof that the company exists or is being formed (or, for independent professionals, contracts or proposals for services), a Portuguese tax number (NIF), a bank account, accommodation, health cover and a criminal record certificate. After entry, the applicant attends AIMA for biometrics and receives the temporary residence card, which is then renewed from Portugal.
What to watch for
- As commonly reported, Portugal sets no fixed investment amount for the D2, but the consulate judges whether the plan is realistic and whether the applicant has the experience and funds to carry it out; thin plans are refused.
- Means of subsistence are assessed separately from the business capital and are tied to figures that change.
- Forming the company, registering the activity with Finanças and Social Security and opening the account usually have to be arranged before the visa decision, often by power of attorney.
- Rules on how long permit holders may stay away from Portugal apply from the first card and matter at renewal.
What a lawyer does
A lawyer reviews the plan against what consulates expect, forms the company or registers the independent activity (see business set-up), obtains the NIF and the bank account, assembles the consular file, prepares the AIMA appointment and deals with questions, refusals and renewals. For an independent professional the lawyer also checks whether the profession is regulated in Portugal and needs recognition of qualifications first.
Questions and answers
Do I need a company, or can I apply as a freelancer?
Both routes exist. A company is the usual route for entrepreneurs; independent professionals can apply on the basis of their own activity. A lawyer advises which fits the project and what paperwork each needs.
Can I hire staff, or take a job, once in Portugal?
The permit is tied to the activity described in the application. Hiring staff is possible when the business needs it; moving to employment with another company is a change of permit type.
Is the D2 the same as the Self-Employed Visa listed on this site?
In Portugal, yes in practice: the self-employed visa page describes the same D2 route for people who work independently.
Can my family come?
Family members can be included or join later through family reunification once the main applicant holds the permit.
3 lawyers who provide D2 Entrepreneur Visa in Portugal
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
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Tiago
Lawyer · Viseu, Portugal
- 472 cases handled · 13 in this service
- 7+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul
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4.98(42 reviews)
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Jorge
Lawyer · Porto, Portugal
- 116 cases handled · 5 in this service
- 9+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Coimbra
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5.00(6 reviews)
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about D2 Entrepreneur Visa
3 registered lawyers provide this service in Portugal. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
We are not just a place to list a profile: we work with every lawyer individually. Each one is registered with a bar association, and their experience, languages and client reviews are shown openly on their card.
Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
- EU Blue Card
- Citizenship Application
- Convert Student Visa to Work Visa
- D7 Visa (Passive Income)
- Digital Nomad Visa
- EU Citizen Registration Certificate (Residency Certificate)
- Family Reunification Visa
- Golden Visa
- NIF Number Application (Portugal Tax ID)
- Residency Rights after Divorce or Separation
- Return Authorization (Re-entry Permit)
- Self-Employed Visa
- Temporary Residence Card (TRC)
- Visa Refusal Appeals
- Work Visa
What our clients say about our service in Portugal
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I have worked with this lawyer and have nothing but the very best to say about him. Very professional and friendly service and unseen dedication. A recommendation from the bottom of my heart!
— Lidija18 Jan 2022 -
The lawyer and her team responded to our inquiry straight away and stayed just as responsive for the entire service. Her team clearly grasped our needs and objectives, and thanks to their network of established local contacts they achieved our goals on time, with professionalism and competence. She always offered to be available, herself or through her team, for any questions or concerns we had, and she has kept in touch to support us throughout the visa process, in English that was flawless. She clearly exceeded our expectations. We are completely satisfied, and we will no doubt have further legal matters in the future and have no hesitation in asking her to help us with all sorts of Portuguese legal questions. All in all, a fantastic job, and a huge thanks to the team and the service.
— Edwin04 Oct 2022 -
He is excellent at what he does, and I really appreciated the opportunity to use remote services. He answered all my questions and helped solve my problem, and his English was perfect.
— Patricija01 Apr 2022 -
She finds positive solutions and made the process smooth and stress free, in flawless English.
— julia29 Aug 2021 -
The lawyer helped me complete my residency promptly and efficiently, even though the remote-working policy of the government departments made things quite challenging at times. Her service was good value for money, and the help was excellent throughout. I would readily recommend her to my friends.
— Gregory07 Jan 2021 -
He was extremely helpful at every turn, and more than once he gladly spent a long time on the phone explaining things to me at no additional charge. He speaks excellent English, is very friendly, and the service offers great value for money.
— Jason12 Aug 2020TIE Card for UK Citizens (Brexit Withdrawal Agreement), Portugal -
I was happy with the service and very satisfied overall. I do have one suggestion: an email I was sent was written for Americans and used terminology that differs from British usage, which could be fixed in future correspondence.
— Lydia20 Sep 2022 -
My lawyer is a Godsend. He is trustworthy, diligent, knowledgeable, persistent and sincere, and punctual when it comes to replying to emails. I wholeheartedly recommend contacting him if you need legal representation in Portugal.
— Gregory31 Jan 2022 -
The lawyer and a colleague were excellent right from the start. She answered my numerous questions very quickly and kindly explained the procedures she handled, taking trouble to answer everything I asked. In an otherwise confusing situation she was an extremely valuable helper, and her English made it all easy to follow. The quick, effective service was also great value for money. Thank you again.
— Peter07 Jan 2021 -
Our lawyer has been outstanding in guiding and leading us through the whole visa process and giving legal support with buying the property. He is responsive, committed and friendly, and always goes the extra mile to get things done. We count ourselves lucky to have him as our lawyer and as a good friend in Portugal.
— Roy05 Sep 2022 -
The lawyer gives very useful advice and is good and responsive on emails. I will definitely turn to her for any legal matters in future.
— Rachel05 Jan 2021 -
The lawyer was easy to reach, friendly and quick to reply. I recommend her.
— Lenita16 Nov 2021