Hey there! I’m an American software engineer with plans to move to Portugal by the end of 2026 or early 2027. My goal is to stay for 5 years and eventually apply for citizenship. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far about the process:
First off, I’ll need to save up more than 10,000 Euros before I can apply for the long-term D8 visa. Currently, I’m on a W2 with my company, but to make this move work, I’ll need to switch to a contractor role. I’m currently making 95k, and I reckon I could make even more as a contractor.
In terms of taxes, it looks like under the NHR 2.0 scheme, I’d be looking at around 31% in taxes (20% income tax plus 11% social security tax). Not too shabby, I suppose.
To eventually apply for citizenship after 5 years, I’ll need to reach at least a Portuguese A2 level in the language. That sounds doable, but I’ll definitely need to put in the effort.
Getting the D8 visa itself takes some time, around 2-4 months. So, I’ll need to plan accordingly and be patient throughout the process.
On a personal note, I’d love to live somewhere in Portugal where I can surf. I’m not much of a partier, but I do enjoy socializing and making new friends. Oh, and I’m also a musician, so finding a community that appreciates music would be a huge plus.
If you’ve gone through the D8 to Citizenship route in Portugal, I’d love to hear about your experience. Any tips or advice you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!