Portugal HQA Visa: Guide to the Highly Qualified Activity Visa

What is the Portugal HQA Visa program?

The Portugal HQA Visa, which is a short form of Highly Qualified Activity Visa, is a Portuguese residence visa for non-EU nationals. Launched in 2019, the HQA program attracts highly qualified professionals, researchers, specialized workers, and teachers.

The HQA Visa is for applicants whose work requires professional qualifications and technical experience. The program is backed by the Portuguese Nationality Law and Ministerial Order No. 328/2018.

The Portuguese government, together with Portugal’s top research and development institutions, designed the HQA Visa as a practical alternative to the Golden Visa. Not only does it boost the local economy, but it also brings foreign talent to Portugal.

Interested in more details about Portugal’s nationality law? Read about the latest changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law.

HQA Visa: Passive vs active investments

The HQA Visa in Portugal has two options:

• Active investments for starting or running a business
• Passive investments through qualifying projects

If you choose the active option, you join a start-up program. You help create and grow a company in Portugal. You must meet certain business performance requirements. A business incubator and an advisor will support you. For detailed information, check our guide to starting a business in Portugal.

If you prefer a hands-off approach, you can choose passive investment. You invest in an approved project but do not manage it every day. This option is good for people who want to support the Portuguese economy without running a company.

You can use either option to apply for permanent residency or citizenship after five years of legal residence.

The Portugal HQA Visa vs D3 Visa

The HQA Visa is a subcategory of the D3 Visa. Both programs offer temporary residence in Portugal, but target different people.

Portugal’s Highly Qualified Activity Visa is for specific sectors like tech, research, and education. The Portugal D3 Visa covers highly qualified professionals across all sectors recognized by Portuguese law.

The table below covers the main differences between the HQA Visa and D3 Visa.

The Benefits of the Portugal HQA Visa for Investors, Entrepreneurs, and Executives

Portugal is an economically stable country in the EU with golden beaches, a stunning coastline, and warm weather. It provides a strong tech and start-up ecosystem with real estate growth. Here are other reasons global investors and young professionals choose Portugal for the HQA Visa.

• EU residency and citizenship: With the Portugal HQA Visa program, you get a fast-track path to Portuguese permanent residency or citizenship. You get a temporary residency permit initially valid for two years. After five years of legal residency, you can become a permanent resident or apply for Portuguese citizenship.
• Visa-free travel: The HQA Visa gives you full access to the European Union and the Schengen Area. This means you can visit any Schengen country for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without applying for another visa.
• Exceptional safety and high quality of life: Portugal ranks 7th in the Global Peace Index for 2025, making it one of the safest and most reliable countries in the world to set up a business or raise a family.
• Universal healthcare: As a resident, the Public healthcare system (SNS) gives you free medical services with minimal out-of-pocket costs. Private care is more expensive than public, but it is still significantly more affordable than in the United States. This is one of the main reasons why Americans are moving to Portugal.
• Banking and tax advantages: Portugal offers major tax benefits for highly qualified professionals, particularly through the Tax Incentive for Scientific Research and Innovation (IFICI), which is part of the NHR 2.0 program. The banking system is also stable and entrepreneur-friendly. You get easy access to investment services, financing options, and business accounts.
• Dual citizenship: Dual citizenship in Portugal is allowed. So, if your country also permits dual nationality, you don’t need to renounce your original passport after you get Portuguese citizenship.

Who is this HQA Visa best for?

The Portugal HQA Visa Program is for applicants from various sectors, such as startup founders, senior executives, researchers, academics, engineers, healthcare experts, and industry specialists, such as cybersecurity specialists, blockchain developers, and e-commerce experts.

Highly qualified professionals with a diploma in higher education or industry-specific certificates can apply for the visa, as long as their job position matches their field of study or professional training.

Specialists working in these industries can meet the Portugal HQA Visa requirements:

• Medical and healthcare technology
• Pharmaceutical medicine
• Fintech, nanotechnology, and biotechnology
• Information technology (IT)
• Crypto and blockchain technology
• Industrial processing
• Process optimization and industry processing
• Marketing companies (MAAS; MarTech)
• Software As A Service (SAAS) businesses
• Renewable energy production and carbon offsetting
• Hardware and microchip enterprises
• e-Commerce and e-Commerce businesses
• Media and digital communication

Portugal HQA Visa Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Portugal HQA Visa, you need to have the following criteria:

• Be 18 years or over
• Be a citizen of a non-EU/EEA/Swiss country
• Have a clean criminal record
• Have a valid health insurance coverage
• You must work as a qualified professional in an occupation that involves intellectual or highly skilled activities
• You hold a university degree and have either a signed employment contract or a formal job offer from a Portuguese company.
• You meet the minimum salary requirement. That means, your gross monthly salary is at least 1.5 times the Portuguese national average gross wage or three times the IAS (Social Support Index), which in 2026 is €537.13 per month. As of 2026, the minimum monthly wage in Portugal is €920.

Additional Portugal HQA Visa requirements for 2026 include:

• You must hold at least a Level 6 qualification under the ISCED 2011 classification system. This means you have a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree.
• If your qualification is Level 5, you need to demonstrate outstanding technical expertise supported by at least five years of relevant professional experience.

When submitting your Portugal HQA Visa application, you must present proof of the following:

• A signed employment agreement or a formal job offer valid for at least 12 months
• A salary that complies with the required threshold of 1.5 times Portugal’s average gross wage
• Adequate command of Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, or other appropriate languages, as required for the duties of the position

Family reunification on the Portugal HQA Visa

You can use the Portugal HQA Visa Program to bring immediate family members with you. Your spouse, parents, children, and siblings who are dependent on either of the spouses can join the primary applicant.

Your family members can enjoy the benefits of the HQA residency permit, such as public healthcare and education.

Portugal HQA Visa Requirements: List of Documents

When you apply for the HQA Visa in Portugal, collect the following documents:

• Valid passport (copy)
• Proof of adequate accommodation in Portugal (such as housing, rental contract, or hotel reservation)
• Proof of income
• Valid health insurance in Portugal
• Certificate of a clean criminal record
• Degree or higher education diploma (copy)
• Filled out HQA Visa application form
• Work contract or promise of employment
• Two passport photos
• CV (Curriculum Vitae)
• Documentation for an approved start-up project or business idea (if applicable)

Note: Your documents must be up to date and accurate. Most official documents, such as educational, professional, and personal certificates, must be translated into Portuguese by a certified translator.

How to Get Portugal HQA Visa: Step-by-Step Application Process

Before applying for the HQA Visa, highly skilled professionals must sign a job contract with a Portuguese employer or get a written job offer after the visa is approved.

You can find a job in Portugal remotely. Once you have an online-signed work contract, follow the steps to start the HQA Visa application process:

Step 1: Prepare documents

Collect all the necessary documents. Fill out the HQA Visa application form online on the official website of the Portuguese Embassy.

Step 2: Apply at a Portuguese Consulate

Schedule a visa interview, which you can attend either at a Portuguese Consulate or a local application center.

Step 3: Get your visa

AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) will process your application and issue the visa. Since the HQA is a priority residency visa, the average processing time is 30 to 90 days.

You will receive an HQA (D3) Visa sticker in your passport, which allows you to enter Portugal.

Step 4: Travel to Portugal and receive your residence permit

For the HQA Visa, you do not need to book a residency permit appointment with the AIMA yourself, as it is often automatically scheduled once your visa is issued. Bring all the paperwork to this in-person appointment with Portuguese immigration authorities.

The processing time for your initial residence permit is 6 to 10 weeks.

HQA Visa renewal timeline

Portugal HQA Visa Processing Time

The HQA Visa is a fast-track residency option. If you qualify, pass your interview, and get approved, your visa can be ready in about 30 to 90 days, or around four to five weeks from the day you submit the application.

Portuguese HQA Visa Tax Incentives

The Portugal HQA Visa offers significant tax benefits, especially after the recent changes to the tax system. Since January 2024, the Portugal NHR (Non-Habitual Resident) program no longer accepts new applicants.

Portugal replaced it with the Incentive for Scientific Research and Innovation (NHR 2.0). This program helps HQA Visa holders in sectors like tech, research, and education.

Key Benefits of NHR 2.0 for HQA Visa holders

NHR 2.0 provides a 20 percent flat tax on income earned in Portugal. It can also exempt certain foreign income, such as capital gains, interest, dividends, and rental income. These benefits can last up to 10 years.

Double taxation agreements make taxes lighter for expats. Those who don’t qualify pay standard rates of 25 to 28 percent. Even with these changes, the HQA Visa remains a great way to make use of Portugal’s favorable tax system.

If you wonder how to obtain tax residency as a foreigner, check our guide on taxes in Portugal.

Portugal HQA Visa vs Portugal Golden Visa

The HQA Visa program is a more cost-effective solution to the Portugal Golden Visa. The Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program (RBI) for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. However, the HQA Visa is a talent-based residency visa.

The HQA Visa is work-driven, meaning only highly qualified professionals, researchers, and specialists in strategic sectors can get it based on their skills, employment, and contribution to specific industries, not just capital investment.

While there was talk that the Portugal Golden Visa was ending in 2023, it went through some changes. For example, the real estate investment option was discontinued (including the Azores and Madeira Golden Visa), as were capital transfer pathways. Since then, the program has remained as strong as ever.

The table below compares the differences between the HQA Visa vs Golden Visa:

Portugal HQA Visa vs Other Visa Types

Below, we will compare the HQA Visa with the Portugal D7 Visa and the Start-up Visa.

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.

Why choose Goldcrest?

• Local knowledge: With offices located across Portugal, our presence nationwide allows us to assist you personally across the country.
• Independent service: As an independent buying agent, we do not represent any development or project. Our service is entirely tailored toward each individual client, providing you with everything you need to secure the perfect property at the best possible price. As an impartial advisor on the market, we work solely on behalf of our client and provide a service tailored to your needs and requirements.
• Streamlined process: Our real estate agents speak English and Portuguese, and our service is completely focused on providing you with a hassle-free buying experience, saving you time.
• Experienced team: Our expert real estate team has a vast local knowledge of the Portuguese property market. We have cutting-edge technology and metasearch tools at your disposal to provide full market coverage, ensuring the best investment choices and negotiated prices.
• Network of partners: We have a close network of partners, including lawyers, property management services, builders, architects, designers, and landscape gardeners, again saving you time and hassle by providing you with trusted experts in their field of work.