If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and want to relocate to Portugal, there are several visa options available. However, if you have high-level professional qualifications, you might qualify for Portugal’s D3 Visa.
The Portugal D3 Visa is a residency visa designed for highly qualified professionals seeking to live and work in Portugal for a minimum of one year. It is also known as the Portugal Highly Qualified Activity visa and offers a pathway to Portuguese residency and potentially citizenship after five years (for now).
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain all the essential information about the Portugal D3 Visa, including:
- What is the Portugal D3 Visa
- The benefits of the D3 Visa
- The Portugal D3 Visa application process
- Residency and citizenship through the D3 Visa
⚠️ Portugal Nationality Law Changes 2025
On June 23, 2025, the Portuguese Government announced plans to amend the Nationality Law and the legal framework governing immigration. The proposals have passed the plenary vote on October 28, 2025, which marks a significant step forward in the legislative process.
Among the measures under discussion are an increase in the residence requirement for nationality from five years to ten years – seven years for nationals of CPLP and EU countries – and a change to how residency time is calculated, so that the clock would start when residency is issued rather than when the application is submitted.
These changes are not yet law. They must still undergo Presidential review. At that stage, the President may promulgate the law, issue a veto, or request a review by the Constitutional Court. The final text may still be amended, including any transitional provisions or possible grandfathering rules, but they might not be enacted because the law is not final until its promulgated.
For the latest information regarding these changes, read Portugal Nationality and Citizenship Changes 2025
What is the Portugal D3 Visa?
The Portugal D3 Visa is a priority settlement visa designed to attract highly qualified professionals to Portugal. It provides residency and work permits after one year of participating in high-skill activities in the country.
Also known as the Portugal Highly Qualified Activity visa, you can renew your permit for up to five years. After five years of temporary residency, you can apply for Portuguese permanent residency.
It provides a two-year residence permit and additionally allows holders and their families to enter Portugal and apply for the EU Blue Card after 18 months, which permits residency and work in 25 EU countries (excluding Ireland and Denmark).
The D3 Visa offers benefits like legal residence, family reunification, tax advantages, a pathway to permanent residence, and ultimately EU citizenship after five years. It also provides employers with a streamlined process to hire specialists from outside the Schengen Area, with a processing time of 30 to 60 days.
What is a highly qualified activity?
According to Portuguese Law on Foreigners, highly qualified work is “the exercise of an activity that requires specialized technical skills of an exceptional nature or an adequate qualification for the respective exercise of the function.”
For example, highly qualified professionals can be classified as business and management professionals, senior public administration officers, experts with professional qualifications in science or education, health professionals, or IT specialists with a professional certificate or a bachelor’s degree in a specific field.
The European Commission defines a highly qualified activity as that exercised by professionals falling into either of the two following groups:
- Management Positions: This category includes executives, officers, legislators, senior public administration officers, company directors, administrative and commercial managers, and service managers.
- Experts in Intellectual and Scientific Activities: This group comprises engineers, scientists, educators, healthcare professionals, business professionals, information and communication technology specialists, cultural professionals, and legal experts.
D3 Visa Portugal Benefits
Portuguese residence permit: Highly Qualified Professionals Visa holders can get a temporary residence visa valid for two years. It allows you to live, work, and access state-funded health insurance.
Portuguese citizenship: After five years of legally authorized residence, you qualify to apply for permanent Portuguese residency, citizenship, and a Portuguese passport.
Schengen Area travel: D3 holders can travel to the 29 countries in the Schengen Area without additional visas.
Quick process: The Portuguese government considers the D3 priority settlement visa, so it intends to fast-track applications and they are processed between 30 and 60 days.
Eligibility for the EU Blue Card: Once you have held legal residency status in Portugal, you become qualified to obtain the EU Blue Card, which allows holders to work and live in 25 of the 27 EU countries (excluding Ireland and Denmark)
Family reunification: Family members (including the spouse, children, parents, or siblings, dependent on either spouse) can join the applicant in Portugal through family reunification.
EU citizenship birthright: Children born to legal residents in Portugal for 12 months acquire EU citizenship birthright.
D3 Visa Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the D3 Visa, you must have:
- A valid employment contract or a self-employed service provider contract for a Portuguese company.
- Be over 18 years old
- Be a non-EU/EEA national
As well as having employment contracts, for a Portuguese D3 visa, you must have a higher education degree and relevant work experience in specialised skill sectors that are in demand in Portugal.
Additionally, you’ll need to provide evidence that the expected annual salary is at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary or three times the social support index (IAS).
However, employment in professions considered particularly in need of third-country nationals is permitted at 1.2 times the national average gross wage or twice the IAS value. Eligible professionals include:
- Management and leadership positions: As executives, officers, and legislators, senior public administration officers, directors, administrative and commercial managers, service and similar managers, and company directors.
- Specialists in intellectual and scientific activities: Engineers and scientists, health professionals, teachers, business and management professionals, cultural professionals, legal experts, and IT professionals (there are two different regimes to apply for the Portugal D3 Visa — the general regime and the Tech Visa — and IT professionals are eligible for both).
D3 Visa Requirements
This visa is aimed at highly qualified professionals or researchers, so the employment contract needed for the D3 Visa application in Portugal must comply with several requirements:
- Clearly show that you have the necessary qualifications and expertise for a highly skilled role.
- State that your salary will be at least 1.5 times the national average gross wage or three times the value of the social support index (IAS).
- Specify the duration of the employment contract – this should be for at least one year or an indefinite period.
There’s a slight variation for US nationals. If you’re applying from the US, your expected annual salary needs to be equivalent to at least 1.2 times the national average annual gross salary or twice the IAS value. It’s worth noting that this visa route is often prioritized for specialized talent, which can mean a quicker path to residency.
Portugal D3 Visa checklist and required documents
The required visa documents are:
- Two identical passport photographs
- A valid passport
- Proof of travel
- Proof of accommodation for the applicant and their family
- Valid travel insurance that includes health insurance
- A criminal record certificate issued by the applicant’s country of origin
- A completed form allowing AIMA to access your criminal record certificate
- Proof of financial means to support yourself during your stay in Portugal. The proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility signed by the entity that will be hosting you. You should also submit bank statements and tax returns.
- An invitation letter from a professional training institution, if applying for a Portuguese education institution, such as a teacher or researcher
- A valid employment contract or a promise of employment with a recognized establishment with operations within the Portuguese territory
- For regulated professions, proof of professional qualifications allowing you to practice in Portugal is required
- For non-regulated professions, a professional certificate relevant to the activity or sector specified in your employment contract
- Marriage certificate if you include your spouse in your visa application
- Children’s birth certificates, if you include your dependent children in your visa application
- A completed D3 Visa application form
D3 Visa Application Process
How to apply for the Portugal D3 Visa
The application varies according to the Portuguese Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence. It may be done through one of the following options, depending on the jurisdiction:
- The E-Visa Portal, which is the Portuguese Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, or the Portugal D3 Visa official website
- VFS Global (an intermediary appointment system)
Afterward, applicants must schedule their visa interview at a Visa Application Centre or the Portuguese Consulate. Portugal aims to fast-track processing for this visa so that applicants under the D3 scheme can expect a swift 30-day processing time.
Once the process is completed successfully, the visa will be issued to the applicant. The visa will be valid for 120 days and allows double entry in Portugal within its validity. Upon arrival in Portugal, applicants should apply for legal residency status or permits within four months.
Getting a Portuguese residency permit
After securing your visa, you can travel to Portugal. The next step is obtaining your Portuguese residence permit. Here’s how:
- Schedule an appointment with AIMA either by phone or online.
- Attend your appointment at AIMA with all the necessary documents required.
- Depending on your eligibility, you may receive a Highly Qualified Professional permit or an EU Blue Card, both of which are initially valid for one year.
- Renewal grants two more years of validity, and after five years, you can apply for permanent residence and, eventually, citizenship.
Processing Time and Fees
The Portugal D3 Visa processing time is between 30 and 60 days, which is relatively fast compared to other programs, such as the Portugal Golden Visa and the Portugal D7 Visa.
The application fee depends on each country, but it usually costs €90. This amount is non-refundable even if your application is rejected, so it’s advisable to work with immigration lawyers to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements, have all the required documents, and that your application process goes smoothly.
You’ll also need to pay for your residence permit, which usually costs €85. The application process can take two to twelve weeks.
In addition to the fees, you should factor in additional costs such as relocation to Portugal, accommodation, and legal fees if you work with Portuguese immigration lawyers on your application, which may be covered by the company that holds your work contract.
Can I apply for permanent residency or citizenship with a Portugal D3 Visa?
The Portugal D3 Visa offers a pathway to obtaining permanent residency or citizenship in Portugal. However, meeting the eligibility criteria and maintaining a clean criminal record during five years of residency in the country are prerequisites for these opportunities. Applicants must also remain employed and retain employment contracts during that period.
Upon completing five consecutive years of residency in Portugal, individuals can apply for Portuguese citizenship. An additional requirement is proving an A2-level of proficiency in the Portuguese language.
Portugal provides one of the swiftest routes to citizenship within the EU, contrasting with Greece, where the process takes seven years, and Spain, where it takes ten years.
⚠️ Update on Portugal's Nationality Law Changes
On 28 October 2025, Portugal's parliament approved key amendments of the Nationality Law, including increasing the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 10 years, and 7 years for CPLP nationals and EU citizens. This will significantly impact how visa holders and residents acquire citizenship.
However, these changes are not yet law. They must still undergo Presidential review where the President may promulgate the law, issue a veto, or request a review by the Constitutional Court. The final text may still be amended but they might not be enacted because the law is not final until its promulgated.
For the latest information regarding these changes, read Portugal Nationality and Citizenship Changes 2025
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