Visto D3
Published 8 November 2026, 22:47
Visto D3 (visa for highly qualified activity)
A national visa for those invited to Portugal for highly qualified work, teaching or cultural activity. Under Article 61 of Lei n.º 23/2007, it is issued if there is an employment contract or a promise of one, a service contract, an invitation from an educational institution or research centre, or sponsorship from a certified company. The law gives the consulate 30 days to decide on such an application.
Where you come across it. A Portuguese consulate before the move, when the work is highly qualified and there is already an employer or host.
“D3” is a label used by consulates and by newcomers themselves; the law does not use such designations. Alongside it are two similar routes: Article 61-A, a visa for highly qualified employees with a salary threshold (at least 1.5 times the national average annual salary or three times the IAS, and for professions on the government's list 1.2 times the average or twice the IAS), and the “cartão azul UE”, a separate European scheme. Not to be confused with D1, the ordinary work visa based on an employment contract.