D3 Visa – Highly Qualified Activity

• Visa application form;
• Passport valid for more than 3 months;
• Plain copy of the passport (identification page and pages with stamps);
• Means of subsistence (financial statements / income tax return / etc.);
• Photocopy of proof of your academic and professional qualifications, together with a Curriculum Vitae;
• Proof of accommodation (letter of invitation / statement of responsibility / lease agreement / loan-for-use agreement / property purchase);
• Letter written by the company detailing the reasons for hiring;
• Health insurance or, for those entitled to it, the Certificate of Entitlement to Medical Care (CDAM), issued in Brazil under the Brazil–Portugal social security agreement;
• Travel insurance meeting the standards of the European Union;
• Criminal Record Certificate;
• Two recent 3×4 color photos with a plain background;
• Certified copy of a valid personal identity document with a Hague apostille;
• International Certificate of Vaccination (which can be requested at the airport);
• If married: short-form marriage certificate with a Hague apostille;
• If you have children: short-form birth certificates with a Hague apostille;
• Statement acknowledging that the applicant must not travel to Portugal without the proper visa;
• Authorization for AIMA – Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum to consult the applicant's Portuguese criminal record; and
• Payment of the Consulate fee slip (boleto).

In addition to these documents, an applicant who falls under the category of “SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH”, “TEACHING ACTIVITY”, “HIGHLY QUALIFIED ACTIVITY” or “DOCTORAL-LEVEL STUDY” must submit: an employment contract or promise of employment contract, a service agreement or promise of a service agreement, or a scientific research grant, signed by both parties;

If the applicant falls under the category of “TEACHING ACTIVITY OR HIGHLY QUALIFIED EMPLOYED ACTIVITY”, they must submit: a valid employment contract or promise of employment contract lasting at least six months, with annual pay of at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary or three times the value of the social support index – IAS (Article 61-A of Law 23/2007 (Lei));

IAS 2026: €537.13 (Ministerial Order 480-A/2025/1 (Portaria)). The EU Blue Card requires a contract of at least six months and annual pay of at least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary (1.2 times for professions considered a priority) – Article 121-B of Law 23/2007.

Once the applicant has gathered all the documents, the visa application will be processed in 2 stages:
Stage 1 – Filing of the visa application with the Consulate or Embassy of Portugal in Brazil: once the documents have been properly submitted, the applicant will be notified to attend a “personal interview” at the Consulate. Once the application is approved, the “D3 Visa” will be affixed to the applicant's passport and the applicant will have up to 120 days to enter Portuguese territory. But that's not the end of it!

Stage 2 – Application for “Conversion of the Visa into the corresponding Residence Permit” with the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) in Portugal: upon arriving in Portugal, the applicant must attend the scheduled appointment at AIMA, bringing the documents previously submitted to the Consulate General of Portugal and also:

(i) NIF – tax identification number;
(ii) NISS – Social Security registration number; and
(iii) Official form – AIMA (Form 1).

The applicant's residence permit application is granted and, as a result, a residence card is issued for an initial period of two years from its date of issue, renewable for successive periods of three years.

Done! Your status in Portuguese territory is now regular.

After 7 years of legal residence (the period applicable to citizens of Brazil and of other Portuguese-speaking countries, under the Nationality Act (Lei da Nacionalidade)), you may apply for Portuguese citizenship by naturalization, provided you meet the other legal requirements.

Contact us to learn how Sene & Araújo Advogados can guide you at each stage of the process.