D3 Visa Portugal 2025: Requirements and Eligibility

If you are a non-EU citizen and possess high-level professional qualifications, the Portugal’ D3 Visa offers a pathway for you to relocate to Portugal.

The D3 Visa is a residence visa designed for highly qualified professionals, such as researchers, professors, senior executives, health professionals, and IT specialists who are looking to work in Portugal, allowing them to apply for a temporary residence permit that is initially valid for two years.

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

An Overview of the Portugal D3 Visa

With the Portugal D3 Visa, also referred to as a Highly Qualified Activity Visa, applicants of exceptional nature can travel to Portugal and will be granted residency and work permits after one year of engaging in high-skilled activities in Portugal. You can renew your permit for up to five years. After this five-year period, you can then apply for a Portuguese permanent residence permit.

The Portugal D3 Visa provides you with an initial two-year residence permit, allowing holders and their families to apply for the EU Blue Card following 18 months of residency in Portugal. The EU Blue Card allos you to live and work in 25 other EU countries (excluding Ireland and Denmark).

Beyond this, the D3 Visa offers several key benefits, including legal residence in Portugal, family reunification, potential tax advantages, and a pathway to permanent residency and Portuguese citizenship.

For employers, the D3 Visa makes it easier to hire specialists from outside the Schengen Area, with applications typically processed within 30 to 60 days.

What is a highly qualified activity?

The Portuguese Law on Foreigners defines highly qualified work as “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 include:

• Business and management professionals and individuals with specialized technical skills
• Individuals in leadership and management roles, such as company directors, executives, and senior professionals in public administration or administrative management
• Specialists in various scientific and intellectual fields, including those in science, IT, engineering, education, culture, and legal matters
• Health professionals, higher education professionals, including management positions in those fields

Who can apply for a D3 Visa?

The D3 Visa is aimed at attracting highly qualified professionals with either specialised technical skills, professional qualifications, a professional certificate, or any other adequate qualification.

Overall, the visa program aims to attract and accommodate highly skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds, fostering innovation and growth in Portugal’s economy and society.

D3 Visa eligibility criteria

You will need:

1. To be over 18 years old
2. Be a non-EU/EEA national
3. A valid employment contract or a self-employed service provider contract for a Portuguese company
4. Alongside having an employment contract, you will need to have a higher education degree and relevant working experience in a specialized skill sector that is in demand in Portugal.
5. You will also need to demonstrate that your expected annual salary is at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary or three times the social support index (IAS).
6. Be working in an eligible profession (outlined above).

Requirements for the Portugal D3 Visa

So, how to get Portuguese residency through the D3 Visa? First of all, intellectual and scientific activities of highly qualified workers are favored in the D3 Visa application process.

• A clean criminal record, proven by a criminal record certificate
• The applicant must have a valid employment contract or a preliminary employment contract, which is valid for a minimum of twelve months.
• There has to be proof of professional qualifications or a professional certificate.
• The applicant has to show that their work is a highly qualified activity and that they have the required experience for the job.
• Proof that the D3 Visa applicant’s expected annual salary is at least 1.5 times the Portuguese national average salary or three times the Index of Social Support (IAS), which is €480,43 as of 2023.

Required documents

To apply for the D3 Visa, you will need the following documents:

• Two identical passport photographs
• A valid passport (at least three months beyond the intended stay duration)
• Proof of travel
• Valid travel insurance, including health insurance
• Police clearance certificate from your country of origin
• A completed form allowing the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (SEF) to access your criminal record (except for minors under 16)
• Proof of accommodation arrangements in Portugal
• Proof of financial means to support yourself during your stay in Portugal
• An invitation letter from a professional training institution, if applying for a Portuguese education institution, such as a teacher or researcher
• A valid work contract from a Portuguese company
• For regulated professions, evidence of qualifications allowing you to practice in Portugal
• For non-regulated professions, proof of qualifications relevant to the activity or sector specified in your contract

D3 Visa Application Process

The Portugal D3 Visa application process is relatively straightforward, and the processing time is quite fast, with a typical 30-60 day processing time, as D3 Visa applications are prioritized.

To apply for the D3 Visa, applicants from outside the European Union/EEA/Switzerland can conveniently do so through:

• The E-Visa Portal in their home country, 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)

Following the initial application, you should schedule a visa interview at a Visa Application Center of the Portuguese Consulate. If you are successful, a visa will be issued that will be valid for 120 days and which permits double entry into Portugal within its validity period.

Once you are in Portugal, you will need to apply for legal residency within four months of your arrival.

Getting a Portuguese residency permit: Step-by-Step

After you have your initial visa and have traveled to Portugal, the next step in the process is to obtain your Portuguese residence permit.

1. Schedule an appointment with AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum), either online or by phone.
2. Attend your appointment with AIMA and present all required documents
3. Depending on eligibility, you may receive a Highly Qualified Professional Permit or an EU Blue Card, both of which have a one-year validity.
4. Renewal grants two additional years of validity
5. After five years, you can apply for permanent residence and, eventually, citizenship.

Book a free consultation with an expert today

Having an expert talk through your D3 Visa application process can be useful before you submit your application. To find out if the D3 Visa is the best option for you or if other options, such as the Portugal Golden Visa Program, D8 (Digital Nomad) Visa, Portugal Tech Visa, or a D2 Startup Visa, may be a better fit, book a free consultation with our colleagues at Global Citizen Solutions, our residency and citizenship division.

The Portugal Tech Visa, for example, grants individuals a residency visa to those looking to work in the field of technology, while the Portugal Golden Visa allows applicants to secure residency in return for an investment in Portugal. Speaking with experts will help you decide which visa route is right for you.

Bear in mind that capital transfer and real estate investments (including the Azores and Madeira Golden Visa) are no longer viable Golden Visa investment routes, as of October 2023.

D7 Visa Portugal Processing Time and Fees

The D7 Visa processing time is 30-60 days, which is much faster than many other Portuguese visas, such as the Portugal D7 Visa.

The D7 Visa application fee will depend on the country you are applying from, but as a ballpoint it will cost around €90. This amount is non-refundable should your application be rejected, so it is advisable to work with legal advisors to ensure a successful application and that you have all the required documents.

Additionally, you will need to pay for the residency permit, which will set you back around €85. The application process ranges from 2 to 12 weeks.

Can I apply for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship with a Portugal D3 Visa?

Yes, the Portugal D3 Visa offers a clear route to permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship after five years of legal residency. You will need to have a clean criminal record, and applicants will need to remain employed or retain employment contracts during the period. An additional requirement to apply for Portuguese citizenship is to pass a CIPLE Portuguese language exam (A2 level).

⚠️ Portuguese Nationality Law Update: October 2025

On 28 October 2025, Portugal's parliament approved key amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law. This includes increasing the residency requirements for citizenship from five to ten years - and to seven years for EU citizens and CPLP nationals. This is a significant change that impacts how visa holders and residents can acquire citizenship. 

These changes are not yet law as they need to undergo Presidential review. The President may promulgate the law, issue a veto, or request a review by the Constitutional Court. The final text can still be amended to reflect any transitional provisions or potential grandfathering rules. Changes are not yet in effect, as the law will only become official once it is promulgated.

Read the latest updates on the Portugeuse Nationality Law.

In Summary: The Portugal D3 Visa

The Portugal D3 Visa, or Highly Qualified Activity Visa, is a great option for those with higher professional technical qualifications, qualified professionals from medical and science backgrounds as well as cultural professionals who want a residency permit and legal residency status in Portugal.

Applicants are also eligible for the EU Blue Card and can ask for their family members to be included in the application under the D3 Visa benefits of family reunification. What’s more, there is a clear pathway to permanent residency and Portuguese citizenship.

Goldcrest: How We Can Help You 

Goldcrest is a buyer’s agent that is based in Lisbon. We provide expert, impartial advice on real estate investments and how to buy property in Portugal. From scouting out the perfect property through to property acquisition, we have you covered throughout the process.

If you are looking to purchase property in Portugal, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our team of skilled experts is available to solve all your real estate doubts, helping you with the property search and offering insightful expertise and strategic advice.

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