Can we combine incomes for the Portugal D8 visa?
Updated · Income & work guide · Not legal advice
Generally no: the D8 is granted to a person whose own remote work meets the €3,680 average, and family members join that person. If both partners work remotely, the common approaches are for each to qualify on their own, or for the higher earner to apply with the other as a family member and show the household total.
| Situation | Usual approach |
|---|---|
| One earns €4,140+ | That person applies; partner as family member |
| Both earn €3,680+ | Two separate D8 applications (each pays a fee) or one + family |
| Each earns less than €3,680, together more | Weak case: ask the post before filing |
| One remote worker, one not working | Remote worker applies; partner as family member |
Why posts are strict here
The legal test is about the applicant's remote professional activity. A partner's income can show the household can support itself, but it doesn't turn a below-threshold applicant into a qualifying one. Get the post's view in writing if you rely on it.
Quick answers
- Can we combine incomes for the Portugal D8 visa?
- Not to meet the main applicant's own threshold, in most posts. The partner's income can support the family uplift.
- Can my spouse be the main applicant?
- Yes, if their remote work meets the threshold. Pick whoever has the cleanest proof.
- Do unmarried partners count?
- Yes if you have a de facto union of more than two years; see unmarried partners.
What to do next
Enter your income and household in the free D8 check: it shows the exact gap (if any) against the current threshold and what proof to bring. A human review of the full file is $599 one applicant, $999 family.
Check my income for the D8Sources
- MNE (Vistos): documents for residence visas, incl. remote work
- Diário da República (official gazette: Law 23/2007, Law 18/2022, minimum wage decree)
Checked: . Rules change; confirm current values on the official pages above before you file.