Portugal vs Italy: which digital nomad visa fits you?

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa and Italy Digital Nomad Visa, side by side. Every figure comes from the official government source, with the date we last checked it.

Income: Italy is lower
Family: Portugal: Not confirmed · Italy: Not confirmed
Renewable: Portugal: Yes · Italy: Not confirmed

	PortugalD8 Digital Nomad Visa	ItalyDigital Nomad Visa
Minimum income	≈ $4,128/mo€3,680 / month	≈ $2,384/mo€25,500 / year
Official rule	€3,680 per month: average monthly income over the last 3 months of at least 4× Portugal's guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG €920 in 2026)	At least 3× the minimum level for health-cost exemption (3 × €8,500 per year, i.e. ≥ €25,500/yr)
Stay	Residence permit valid 2 years	Not confirmed
Renewable	Yes	Not confirmed
Family	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
Fees	Not confirmed	€116 consular fee at the Paris consulate (cash, exact amount); varies by consulate
Processing	Not stated	Up to 120 days for digital nomads (30–90 days for remote employees), per Italian consulates
Official source	aima.gov.pt ↗Verified, checked Oct 22, 2026	amblavalletta.esteri.it ↗Verified, checked Oct 23, 2026

USD figures are approximate (FX Oct 20, 2026). The official currency figure is what the authority applies.

Key differences

Italy’s bar is lower on paper: at least €25,500 a year (3× the €8,500 health-cost exemption level, about €2,125 a month) against Portugal’s €3,680 a month (4× the minimum wage, averaged over 3 months). Remote employees in Italy must also earn at least the ISTAT average gross salary.
Italy is for highly qualified workers: a degree or equivalent experience, plus 6+ months of prior remote work. The Portugal sources we use set an income test, not a qualification test.
Portugal’s D8 leads to a 2-year AIMA residence permit, renewable for successive 3-year periods. In Italy you apply for the residence permit at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival; the Italian consulate pages we check don’t state how long it lasts.
Italian consulates say a decision can take up to 120 days for digital nomads, and ask for health insurance covering Italy plus a registered lease or deed. Italy’s consular fee is €116 at the Paris consulate (cash, exact amount).

Quick answers

Which needs less income, Portugal or Italy?

Italy Digital Nomad Visa has the lower bar: about $2,384 a month, versus about $4,128 for Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa (a gap of roughly $1,744 a month at exchange rates of Oct 20, 2026). Italy Digital Nomad Visa: At least 3× the minimum level for health-cost exemption (3 × €8,500 per year, i.e. ≥ €25,500/yr) (amblavalletta.esteri.it, checked Oct 23, 2026). Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa: €3,680 per month: average monthly income over the last 3 months of at least 4× Portugal's guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG €920 in 2026) (aima.gov.pt, checked Oct 22, 2026).

Which lets you stay longer, Portugal or Italy?

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa: After arriving on the D8 visa, you apply to AIMA for a residence permit. It is valid for 2 years and can be renewed for successive 3-year periods. Italy Digital Nomad Visa: not confirmed.

Can I bring my family on the Portugal or Italy visa?

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa: not confirmed on the official page we checked. Italy Digital Nomad Visa: not confirmed on the official page we checked.

How much do the Portugal and Italy visas cost?

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa: not confirmed on the official source. Italy Digital Nomad Visa: €116 consular fee at the Paris consulate (cash, exact amount); varies by consulate.

Full official notes

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa

Rule from the MNE visa portal (4× RMMG, 3-month average, from employment or self-employment for entities outside Portugal; proof of tax residence required). The MNE portal blocks automated access, so its text was read via a search-engine copy of the official page. RMMG €920 from 1 Jan 2026 per Decreto-Lei 139/2025 (DGERT). Residence permit from AIMA valid 2 years, renewable for successive 3-year periods.

Sources: vistos.mne.gov.pt · aima.gov.pt · diariodarepublica.pt · dgert.gov.pt

Italy Digital Nomad Visa

Highly-qualified workers only (degree or equivalent experience); 6+ months prior remote-work experience. Remote employees also need salary ≥ ISTAT average gross. Health insurance covering Italy for the whole stay and proof of accommodation (registered lease or deed) required. Consulates say processing can take up to 120 days for digital nomads (30–90 days for remote employees). After arrival, apply for the residence permit at the Questura within 8 working days.

Sources: amblavalletta.esteri.it · consparigi.esteri.it

Not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. How we verify