Question 1

What is the D8 digital nomad visa in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

The D8 visa (Digital Nomad / Remote Work Visa) was introduced in October 2022 to attract remote workers to Portugal. Two variants: the temporary stay visa (up to 1 year, no residency) and the residence visa (renewable 4 months + 2-year permit + 3-year permit, leading to permanent residency in 5 years). Minimum monthly income required for 2026: 4× the Portuguese minimum wage = approximately EUR 3,480/month (EUR 41,760/year). Income must be from work performed remotely for entities outside Portugal.

Question 2

How does a D8 digital nomad invoice clients in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

D8 holders typically operate under recibos verdes (self-employment / Categoria B in IRS). You open activity at the Portuguese Tax Authority, choose either the simplified regime (income taxed using a 75% coefficient on services + 25% expenses for Cat B) or organised accounting regime (taxed on real profit, requires a Certified Accountant). Invoices are issued via certified Portuguese software (Moloni, Sage, FacturaPlus). For services to EU B2B clients, the reverse-charge mechanism applies. For EU B2C digital services above EUR 10,000 cross-border, OSS registration is mandatory.

Question 3

Can a D8 visa holder qualify for IFICI tax regime?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and this is the most common combination HVR sees. D8 visa is the immigration vehicle; IFICI is the tax regime. They work together. If your remote work falls within an IFICI-eligible activity (software development, data science, scientific research, qualified professional roles), you become Portuguese tax resident under D8 and apply for IFICI in your first year. Result: 20% flat tax rate on Portuguese-source income for 10 consecutive years instead of standard rates up to 48%. Hard deadline: apply by 15 January of the year after becoming resident.

Question 4

Simplified regime vs organised accounting — which should a D8 freelancer choose?

Accepted Answer

Simplified regime is available below EUR 200,000 annual turnover and is generally favourable for low-expense freelancers (services-only, minimal capital expenditure). The Tax Authority uses fixed coefficients (75% taxable for services). Organised accounting taxes you on real profit (turnover minus actual expenses) and requires a Certified Accountant. Organised becomes more advantageous typically above EUR 50,000-70,000 of turnover with significant deductible expenses (equipment, coworking, professional development, business travel). HVR runs a 5-question check during the free call.

Question 5

When should a D8 digital nomad form a Portuguese Lda?

Accepted Answer

Forming a Portuguese Lda becomes attractive for D8 holders typically above EUR 100,000-150,000 annual revenue, where: corporate tax rate (20% IRC for first EUR 50k of profit, 21% above) plus dividend treatment beats the 20% IFICI rate on personal income; or where you want to retain profits in the company; or where you have multiple revenue streams (consulting + product) requiring legal separation; or where you plan to hire employees. HVR structures the founder compensation as salary (IFICI 20%) + dividend (corporate-taxed first, then withholding) for optimal effective rate.

Question 6

What is OSS and do I need it as a digital nomad?

Accepted Answer

OSS (One-Stop Shop) is the EU mandatory VAT regime for cross-border B2C digital services. If you sell to consumers (not businesses) in other EU countries above EUR 10,000 of cross-border turnover per year, you must register with OSS in Portugal and charge VAT at the rate of the customer's country. OSS lets you file one quarterly return covering all EU sales. For B2B services to EU companies, the reverse-charge mechanism applies (no Portuguese VAT, customer self-accounts). HVR handles OSS registration and quarterly returns for digital nomad clients.

Question 7

Are there exit tax considerations when leaving Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Portugal has an exit tax under Article 10-A of CIRC (corporate) and rules in IRS for certain personal asset categories. Key triggers: leaving Portuguese tax residency while holding significant company shares (deemed disposal taxed on unrealised gain), substantial change of tax residency under treaty tie-breaker rules, and certain pension transfers. For most D8 freelancers without significant Portuguese-acquired assets the impact is limited; for D8-IFICI founders with a Portuguese Lda, exit planning is critical. HVR includes exit-tax modelling in the founder bundle.

Question 8

How much does HVR charge for D8 accounting?

Accepted Answer

D8 Freelancer setup + first-year accounting: EUR 650 setup + EUR 450/year IRS filing. D8 + IFICI combo (most common for tech): EUR 650 + EUR 1,500 IFICI = EUR 2,150 one-off + EUR 450/year. D8 upgrade to Lda when revenue scales: from EUR 2,500 setup + EUR 300/month accounting. All packages include double tax treaty optimisation, OSS registration where applicable, and a year-end planning call. See full transparent fees at /en/fees.

Question 9

Can I keep my UK / US / Brazilian company while on D8 in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Generally yes — you can hold shares in a foreign company while resident in Portugal. However: dividends from the foreign company are taxable in Portugal at standard rates (28% withholding, possibly reduced under double tax treaty); the foreign company's effective place of management may shift to Portugal if you make all decisions from here, triggering Portuguese corporate tax exposure for the foreign company itself. For US founders: PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company) rules may apply. HVR analyses your specific structure during the free call.

	Simplified Regime	Organised Accounting
Available	Up to €200,000 turnover	Any turnover (mandatory above €200k)
Tax base	75% coefficient applied to services revenue	Real profit (revenue − actual expenses)
Accountant required	No	Yes (Certified Accountant OCC)
Best for	Service freelancers with low expenses	Freelancers with significant deductible expenses (equipment, travel, coworking)
HVR fee	€450/year IRS filing	€150-250/month accounting

Annual revenue (services)	D8 standard IRS	D8 + IFICI	Annual saving
€60,000	~€20,400 (≈34%)	~€12,000 (20%)	~€8,400
€100,000	~€38,800 (≈39%)	~€20,000 (20%)	~€18,800
€150,000	~€63,600 (≈42%)	~€30,000 (20%)	~€33,600
€200,000	~€88,400 (≈44%)	~€40,000 (20%)	~€48,400

D8 Digital Nomad Visa Portugal — Accountant for Remote Workers

Who this page is for

The D8 visa in 60 seconds (the bits that affect tax)

How a D8 digital nomad invoices in Portugal

Step 1 — Open activity at the Tax Authority (recibos verdes)

Step 2 — Choose simplified vs organised regime

Step 3 — Issue invoices via certified software

D8 + IFICI — the combination that makes Portugal cheap for tech

Effective tax rate examples (2026, single individual, no other income)

IFICI eligibility for D8 holders — fast checklist

OSS for digital nomads with EU clients

When to upgrade from recibos verdes to a Portuguese Lda

Exit tax — what to know before leaving Portugal

Pricing for D8 holders — transparent

Frequently Asked Questions