D8 Visa Documents
D8 Visa Employer Confirmation Letter: Sample, and What to Do If HR Hesitates
If you're an employee (rather than a freelancer or business owner), the consulate wants written confirmation — from your employer, not from you — that your role is genuinely remote and that they're authorizing you to work from Portugal. This is the one D8 document you can't generate entirely yourself: someone at your company has to sign it. Below is what a good one looks like, and what to do if your HR department hesitates.
Example — fictional company
[Halcyon Software — Company Letterhead]
To Whom It May Concern,
This letter confirms that Sarah Mitchell has been employed by Halcyon Software as a Senior Product Designer since June 2021. She is a full-time remote employee, and her role does not require physical presence at any company location.
Sarah Mitchell's current gross monthly salary is $6,200. Halcyon Software confirms that she is authorized to continue performing her duties remotely from Portugal for the duration of her employment.
Please contact the undersigned with any questions regarding this confirmation.
Priya Anand, Director of People Operations
Halcyon Software
priya.anand@halcyon.example · (512) 555-0134
September 20, 2026
What the letter needs to say
- Your job title and how long you've been employed there
- An explicit statement that your role is remote and doesn't require physical presence
- Your gross monthly salary, in the currency you're paid in
- Explicit authorization to work remotely from Portugal specifically, not just "remote work in general"
- A named signatory (usually HR or your direct manager) with contact details, on letterhead if possible
Note what it deliberately doesn't need: a lawyer, a notary, or company legal review in most cases. It's a factual confirmation, not a contract amendment — treat the request to HR accordingly, which matters for the conversation below.
If HR hesitates: a script that actually works
This is genuinely the most common friction point in the whole D8 process — not because companies object to remote work, but because an unfamiliar request framed as "immigration paperwork" sounds bigger than it is. Most hesitation clears up once HR sees the actual letter (it's short and asks the company to confirm facts it already knows), so lead with the draft rather than the ask.
Try this framing:
"I'm applying for a Portugal digital nomad visa, which requires a short letter from my employer confirming my role, salary, and that it's remote. I've drafted it already — it's three short paragraphs and doesn't commit the company to anything beyond confirming what's already true. Could you (or whoever's appropriate) review and sign it?"
If they push back specifically on liability or precedent concerns: point out the letter doesn't change your employment terms, doesn't commit the company to permanent remote work beyond your stated visa period, and is a factual statement rather than a contractual one. If your company genuinely can't or won't provide it — some larger companies route this through legal and it takes weeks, or a company policy simply prohibits it — that's worth knowing early, since it may affect whether the employee-letter path or a different visa approach makes sense for you.
Frequently asked questions
What if I'm a freelancer or business owner, not an employee?
You don't need an employer letter at all — a freelancer/business income narrative replaces it, describing your client base and income stability instead. NomadPacket generates whichever one applies based on how you answer the employment-type question.
Does the employer letter need to be notarized or apostilled?
Generally no — unlike your criminal record certificate, this is a standard business letter on letterhead, not a document requiring legalization. Confirm with your specific consulate if you're unsure.
What if my employer will only confirm employment, not the remote-work part?
Push for the remote-work confirmation specifically — it's the detail the consulate actually needs. A generic employment-verification letter (the kind used for loan applications) usually won't state that your role is location-independent, which is the whole point for a D8 application.
Generate the draft to send to your HR team
NomadPacket writes the employer confirmation letter from your answers — ready to send as a starting draft for your employer to review and sign.
Start your applicationThis tool assembles documents based on publicly available Portuguese consulate and AIMA requirements. It does not provide legal advice and cannot guarantee visa approval — no service can. Requirements vary by consulate and may change; always confirm current requirements with your nearest Portuguese consulate or an immigration lawyer, particularly if your situation involves a criminal record, prior visa refusals, or unusual income sources.