Schedule
Portuguese Visas
  1. Golden Visa
  2. D7 Visa
  3. Digital Nomad Visa
  4. Resident Permit D3
  5. D2 Visa
  6. D1: work visa
  7. Student Visa
  8. Job Seeker Visa

D3 Visa

With the D3 Visa, you can travel to Portugal and apply for a Residence Permit at the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA, I.P.) for the exercise of a highly qualified activity. You can choose between the Residence Permit for Portugal or the EU Blue Card.
The EU Blue Card differs from other residence permits because, after 18 months of granting, its holder may move to another EU Member State to exercise a highly qualified activity with his family. That is, after this period, if you obtain a promise of employment or an employment contract with a company located in another Member State of the European Union, as long as the conditions of time and minimum monthly remuneration are observed, you can request the exchange of your EU Blue Card issued by Portugal for the Member State where you intend to reside, without further bureaucracy.
Both residence permits are valid for an initial period of one year. Then, they are renewed for successive periods of two years.
Visto D3
Residence for highly qualified activity
A residence visa is granted for the exercise of a highly qualified activity carried out by a worker subordinate to third-country nationals who:
  • Holds a valid work contract or promise of work contract with at least one-year duration, to which corresponds an annual remuneration of at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary or three times the social support index value (IAS);
  • In the case of a regulated profession, holds high professional qualifications, duly proven in compliance with the provisions of Law no. 9/2009, of March 4, or specific Law regarding the recognition of professional qualifications necessary for the access and exercise of the profession indicated in the employment contract or promise of employment contract;
  • In the case of an unregulated profession, hold high professional qualifications appropriate to the activity or sector specified in the employment contract or promise of employment contract
What is a highly qualified activity?
The Law defines a highly qualified activity as one whose exercise requires specialized technical skills of an exceptional nature or an adequate qualification for the practice of the function.
More specifically, it is the activity performed by professionals falling into any of the two groups below:
  • Leadership and management positions as executives, officers and legislators; senior public administration officials, managers; administrative and commercial managers; service managers and the like; company directors;
  • Specialists in intellectual and scientific activities include engineers and scientists, health professionals, teachers, business and administration professionals, information and communication technology professionals, cultural professionals, and legal experts.
What is needed to qualify for a D3?
To apply for a D3 Visa, the applicant must already have a work contract or a promise of a work contract and must also meet the following specic requirements:
  • That the activity to be developed is framed as a highly qualified activity and that the professional proves adequate qualification or experience for its exercise;
  • The contract must be stipulated for an indefinite period or, at least, have a duration of 1 year;
  • That the envisaged salary corresponds to an annual remuneration of at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary or three times the social support index (IAS)*. However, for employment in professions considered to have a particular need for third-country national workers, 1.2 times the national average gross wage or twice the value of the IAS is required.
 

The IAS is the reference value for calculating Social Security in Portugal. Therefore, if the Visa applicant wishes to obtain the EU Blue Card following this, the expected salary must be slightly higher, corresponding to an annual remuneration of at least 1.5 times the national average yearly gross salary.