The D3 visa is an authorization to enter the country for highly qualified professionals who have received a job offer or have already concluded a work contract with a Portuguese employer. The visa entitles the holder to a two-year residence permit.
You can apply for a visa with your family. This is easier than reunification within Portugal.
✅ Firstly: determine how documents should be submitted in your country - directly at the consulate or through the VFS Global visa center.
✅ Application Registration: Register to apply by entering personal information and attaching required documents. Upon completion, a PDF file containing the application form will be sent to your email. You can edit the form if necessary before submitting.
✅ Application Form: Fill out the application form using Latin letters. Complete all mandatory fields marked with an asterisk (*) and do not use symbols, including commas, in some areas.
✅ Select Consular Office: In the "Consular Office" section, select the line for the Portuguese Embassy in your city/country (e.g. "Consular office of the Portuguese Embassy in Serbia").
All applicants over the age of 16 must provide a certificate of no criminal record from their country of citizenship and any countries where they have lived for more than a year after the age of 16.
Obtaining the Certificate: Request the certificate in paper format from your country, then obtain an apostille, translate the certificate into Portuguese, and have it notarized by a notary.
Validity: The validity of a certificate is 90 days. If you have a criminal record, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a lawyer. The type of offense and the length of time since the conviction may impact the decision regarding your visa.
Translation and Notarization: Remember to translate the certificate into Portuguese and have it notarized before submitting it to the consulate or VFS.
The first document that residency applicants receive is a Portuguese tax number, known as NIF. You will need it to open a bank account, sign a long-term rental agreement, and to enroll in many educational institutions.
You can obtain it either remotely before arriving in Portugal, or in person at a Finanças office by making an appointment (which is free of charge).
💡 You can go to Finanças and apply for a NIF in your own name (or the name of your child), which will be a simplified version without a representative. You can open a bank account and rent property, but you cannot open self-employement or conduct any other active tax work. If you open a NIF with a representative, it will be a standard NIF for non-residents with full functions. If you open a NIF yourself and later want to open a sole proprietorship, you will need to add a representative in any case.
To apply for a DN/D7 visa, many consulates are asking for a one-year rental contract in Portugal. For a D2/ D3 visa short-term accommodation might be acceptable.
💡 However, the official requirements listed on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal's website indicate only a 4-month contract for the duration of the visa.
To ensure that you have the most up-to-date information, we advise that you contact the Portuguese consulate in your country before beginning the document collection process. In some countries even short-term Airbnb reservations are acceptable, while in others they require receipts from Financas proving that the lease is officially registered by the landlord. In CPLP countries you may submit the letter from a guarantor providing you accommodation instead. Don’t forget to include their rental contract or property certificate.
👉 Documents for Landlords
Prepare your income tax returns, contracts, and a motivation letter (preferably in Portuguese) explaining why you want to live there and how you plan to cover the expenses.
👉 You may be asked to provide a guarantor
Some landlords may require a guarantor who resides and works in Portugal (usually asking for a tax return). If you don't have a guarantor, you can sometimes address this by offering to pay several months' rent in advance or multiple deposits (equivalent to one month's rent) at once.
👉 The agent's services are free for the tenant, with the landlord covering the costs. However, there are instances where agents might be reluctant to cooperate if they need to share the commission with your agent. Therefore, we recommend offering the agent an extra commission so they can convince other agents. Also, ask the landlord to register the contract with the Finanças (tax office). Registering the contract is crucial, as staying illegally can lead to significant issues for both parties.
👉 A NIF (Tax Identification Number) and a bank account are required to sign a rental contract: Any bank that allows you to transfer money to the landlord will suffice for rent payments. Naturally, a Portuguese bank is the more reliable option. If you are unable to open a bank account yet, you can visit a bank branch and make cash payments for the rent and deposit through the operator.
To prove higher education, you must provide an apostilled university diploma with a Portuguese translation. Ideally, your current profession should match the earned degree.
If you do not have a higher education degree, you must provide evidence of at least five years of work experience, such as a work history, employment contracts, letters from past employers, etc. However, it is worth noting that in recent months, AIMA has been increasingly refusing to accept documents without a diploma. Therefore, it is advisable to take this requirement seriously.
To prove higher education, you must provide an apostilled university diploma with a Portuguese translation. Ideally, your current profession should match the earned degree.
If you do not have a higher education degree, you must provide evidence of at least five years of work experience, such as a work history, employment contracts, letters from past employers, etc. However, it is worth noting that in recent months, AIMA has been increasingly refusing to accept documents without a diploma. Therefore, it is advisable to take this requirement seriously.
Official requirements for the D3 visa do not mention mandatory savings for the main applicant. However, based on experience, if you apply with a promise of a contract you will need to show at least €9840 per person. To increase the chances of getting approved for a long-term visa, some applicants aim to show a deposit of 12-16 thousand euros.
You can show then on any bank account, not necessarily Portugese.If you are applying with your family, you will need to show half the amount for your spouse (0.5 x €820 x 12 months) and one-third of the amount for each underage child (0.3 x €820 x 12 months). This amount is fixed by law.Therefore, if you are applying with a spouse and one child, it is recommended to show a balance of 9840 + 4920 + 2952 = €17712, although the official requirements set a minimum threshold of €7872.
It is important to note that insurance for a D visa and a residency permit are two different things.
👉 For a D visa, it is sufficient to obtain standard travel insurance for the duration of 120 days (the length of the visa).
👉 However, for a residency permit, you will need to obtain Portuguese insurance. You will need to attach it to your application to AIMA. Options include Tranquilidade and Fidelidade, among others, and can cost as low as 8 euros per month. You may be able to obtain this insurance through your Portuguese bank when opening an account.
You do not need to purchase actual tickets, only show proof of ticket reservations for the approximate date of your planned arrival in Portugal with a D visa. Typically, it is best to show ticket reservations for a date that is 1.5-2 months after the date of your visa application with the consulate. The exact date on the tickets does not affect the processing speed of your visa application.
💡 It is not necessary, but it will help to convince the consulate
Write a letter explaining why you chose Portugal, proving your financial stability, dependability, and plans for the future in Portugal.
Although not required, a well-written motivation letter can positively impact your visa application. In the letter, you can briefly describe your source of income, reason for choosing Portugal, and future plans.
👉 List the attached documents in a separate section
👉 Explain how you plan to financially support yourself
👉 Highlight your background, skills, and reasons for choosing Portugal as your place of residency
Consider seeking the help of a lawyer to draft a more convincing letter, as they can provide references to relevant laws and regulations.
Make an appointment at the consulate or VFS and apply. In some countries (for example, in Brazil or USA) you can send all your documents by mail. Wait 1-2 months (in some countries waiting times may be longer, up to 6 months, check out country guides), and the visa is yours.
💡 If you apply in person, arrive 15-20 minutes before your appointment time, at the Portuguese consulate or VFS.
Ensure that all documents are translated, certified, and that required official documents have been apostilled. All translations must be certified by a notary. Don't forget to make changes to the Questionnaire (in the pdf editor) if you have changed any information during the preparation of documents.
Once the visa is granted, you will be scheduled to visit the AIMA. If you do not have a visit scheduled by the consulate you will need to make an appointment yourself.
⏳ Your D visa will be valid for 120 days and will allow you to enter the EU twice during that time frame.
If your appointment with the AIMA is scheduled after your visa expiration date, don't worry, you will still legally be in Portugal until your appointment. The most important thing is to arrive while your visa is still valid.
If you are not satisfied with the date assigned to you, you may call the AIMA at 217 115 000 to reschedule if there are available slots.
💸 The AIMA fee cost is €170.5, which can be paid by bank card
About two to twelve weeks after your AIMA appointment, you will receive an envelope in the mail with your residence permit card, which will be valid for 2 years.