Moving to Portugal? Start with a plan.
Independent, U.S.-savvy guidance on the D7, D8 and Golden Visa, Portuguese taxes for Americans, the SNS and the move itself — with the tools, the guides and the vetted partners for each step.
By Bruno Bianchi, CEO of Spainguru (225,000+ community members) · Updated October 2026
Which path fits you?
Most Americans moving to Portugal fall into one of three buckets. Pick the one that sounds like you.
D7 Visa
Pension, Social Security, dividends or rental income at the Portuguese minimum wage level (€920/month in 2026) plus a year of savings: the route most American retirees and financially independent couples take.
Read the D7 guide →Work remotely for a U.S. employerD8 Digital Nomad Visa
Remote employment or clients outside Portugal with at least four times the minimum wage (€3,680/month in 2026): eligibility, paperwork and the AIMA timeline.
Read the D8 guide →Invest €500K+Golden Visa
A €500,000 qualifying fund buys residency with about a week a year in Portugal; the post-2023 rules, the PFIC trap for Americans and the honest comparison with the D7.
Read the Golden Visa guide →Plan your move with five free tools
Visa navigator, budget tool, tax calculator with the IFICI comparison, city finder and citizenship calculator — built for Americans, current for 2026.
Find Your Portuguese Visa
Six questions on income, stay length, family and savings.
Open the tool →Budget toolPlan Your Portugal Budget
Estimate your real monthly cost of living in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve or the interior, by household size and lifestyle.
Open the tool →Citizenship calculatorPortugal Citizenship Path Calculator
Enter your visa route and arrival date to see your earliest naturalisation date under the 2026 Nationality Law (generally ten years for Americans), and what else.
Open the tool →Tax calculatorCalculate Your Portugal Taxes
Estimate Portuguese income tax (IRS) under the standard regime and under IFICI for employment, remote, pension and passive income.
Open the tool →City finderFind Your Portuguese City
Climate, budget, pace, healthcare access and expat community.
Open the tool →What you will find on Portugalguru
Visas
Taxes & money
Vetted partners for the parts you can’t Google
When you are ready to act you need real providers: U.S. expat tax filing, a NIF from the U.S., apostilles, money transfers, insurance, movers and pet relocation. Immigration lawyers are not part of the directory yet — the AIMA guide explains when to hire one.
Partners pay Portugalguru a listing fee or a commission when you sign up. Your price never changes and our recommendations are independent. How we choose partners
U.S. expat tax filing
Software with human support, or a cross-border CPA for the treaty, IFICI and PFICs.
See tax partners →NIF, apostilles & translations
The paperwork every consulate file needs, done from the U.S.
See document partners →Currency & financial planning
A currency specialist for property, pensions and relocation budgets; cross-border planning for retirement accounts.
See finance partners →Health insurance
Cover for the move and for visiting relatives while you enrol in the SNS.
See insurance partners →Moving, shipping & pets
International movers, luggage shipping, pet relocation and a U.S. address for the IRS and your bank.
See logistics partners →Portuguese & settling in
European Portuguese tutors, eSIMs, your U.S. number abroad and home exchange.
See settling-in partners →Who’s behind Portugalguru
Portugalguru is the Portugal deep-dive of the network built by Bruno Bianchi, CEO of Spainguru — the Spain-focused community of 225,000+ members across 30+ Facebook groups, a newsletter read by 20,000 people and a YouTube channel with 1,000+ videos. The network also includes Settleguru (the hub for Americans abroad) and Moveinmexico.
225,000+
community members
30+
Facebook groups
2014
Spainguru established
Join the Move to Portugal Guru community
Real-time answers from Bruno and hundreds of other Americans working through the D7, D8, Golden Visa, NIF and AIMA. Free, actively moderated, no spam.
Join the Facebook group →Disclaimer: general information for U.S. citizens living or planning to live abroad — not tax, legal, financial or immigration advice. Thresholds, treaties and visa rules change and depend on your situation; confirm with the IRS, the relevant authority or a qualified professional before acting.