Portugal D7 Visa vs. HQA Visa: What Are the Differences?
To have a passport of an EU member state is the cherished desire of many foreigners. Portugal, which joined this organization in 1986, offers several types of visas at once, which, in the future, give access to Portuguese citizenship with all its advantages.
HQA and D7 visas give the right to live in Portugal. However, they have different conditions for obtaining and are suitable for foreigners with different purposes. To prepare for life in an EU country, you need to decide in advance which visa to apply for https://immigrantinvest.com/portugal-d7-visa-en/.
D7 vs. HQA visa: Which one is better?
Highly Qualified Activity is issued to foreigners who are interested in investing in an innovative entrepreneurial start-up. This will require an amount of 175,000 euros. After a successful investment, the business cannot be sold for 3 years. Thus, this visa is suitable for those who want to do business in Portugal.
The D7 visa is an ideal choice for those who are going to live in Portugal for a long time while having passive income in the form of pensions, dividends, rental income, etc. Relevant requirements: residence in Portugal for 6 months without a break and proof of regular passive income in the amount of €705 per month.
Both programs offer the foreigner to include his/her family members in the application. At the same time, in the case of HQA, you will have to pay the necessary fees and insurance costs for each person, and D7 requires more passive income to provide for the whole family.
Comparison of Portugal D7 and HQA visas
Application processing time
HQA visa can be obtained as early as 3 months after application. In the case of D7, foreigners will have to wait 2 times longer. Usually, approval of this visa takes 7 months.
Taxation
D7 visa holders become tax residents in Portugal from the moment they receive the visa. HQA applicants must be in the country 183 days a year to receive tax benefits.
Mandatory residence time in the country
The difference between the Portugal D7 and HQA visas in terms of compulsory residence is that in the first case, the applicant must stay in the country for 6 months without a break. In the case of HQA, the requirements depend on the business activity.
Compulsory fees
The D7 visa requires a fee of between 45 and 300 euros. Also, due to the residence requirements, the foreigner must prepare for the costs of moving to Europe. HQA, in addition to the investment of 175,000 euros, must also have approximately 9,000 euros per year for living and pay fees of up to 90 euros for processing an application + almost 200 euros for a residence permit.
Portugal D7 vs HQA visa: Post-visa requirements
Professional lawyer Evgeniya Morozova from Immigrant Invest emphasizes that after the approval of the application, the foreigner must continue to follow all the rules of the program, especially if they want to obtain citizenship within 5 years.
The D7 visa requires the applicant to maintain a regular source of passive income. That is, it will not work to sell assets immediately after obtaining a visa. The situation is similar in the case of the HQA visa in Portugal. A startup must live for at least 3 years, after which the entrepreneur decides whether to keep it or sell it.
D7 vs. HQA visa: Which one is easier to get?
If you consider these visas a way to acquire Portuguese citizenship, HQA looks a little easier because it does not require such a long time of residence in the country. In addition, the required amount of 175,000 euros is likely to be less than what the investor will spend to generate a passive income of 705 euros per month for a D7 visa.
On the other hand, by analyzing all the D7 and HQA visa differences, a foreigner can choose the preferred option based on his/her criteria and conditions.