Salary floor checked first
The D3 turns on a contract meeting the salary threshold. We check it against the current figure before the file is built.
Portugal D3 / HQA
Portugal D3 Highly Qualified Visa, Handled End to End
To get the Portugal D3 highly qualified visa, you need a Portuguese work contract of at least six months paying at least 1.5 times the national average gross salary, which AIMA lists as EUR 2,157.00 a month, or EUR 1,725.60 for listed shortage occupations. The Portugal D3 visa is a residence visa for non-EU professionals hired for highly qualified work in Portugal, with the EU Blue Card and Tech Visa as related channels.
Movingto is a Portugal-first immigration firm that puts a named, Bar-registered lawyer from its in-house legal team on your case and publishes its fees.
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First call: confirm route fit, check the contract against the current salary floor, and map qualification recognition and timeline. From there your Movingto lawyer and Case Lead run the case through to filing.
Researching the route first? Read the full Portugal D3 highly qualified visa guide
HQA, Blue Card, or Tech Visa
Three channels have different salary rules and contract lengths. We pick the right one for your case.
Recognition handled early
For regulated professions, qualification recognition is a hard prerequisite. We flag it before it delays the case.
Legal and tax in one team
Movingto's in-house lawyers handle the legal work and in-house tax counsel advises on Portuguese and cross-border tax. Employment-contract advice stays with your employer's advisers.
Who this fits
Why use Movingto for a D3 case?
A D3 file can fail if the salary threshold, channel choice, or qualification recognition is unclear. Movingto's in-house lawyers and your Case Lead handle the route, evidence, consular path, and filing end to end.
Good fit for
- Skilled professionals with a Portuguese job offer or promise of contract
- Applicants weighing the national HQA, EU Blue Card, and Tech Visa channels
- People in regulated professions who need qualification recognition planned
- Families that need dependant scope, accommodation, and timing planned together
Not the right fit for
- Entrepreneurs and the self-employed, who are better suited to the D2
- Applicants without a qualifying Portuguese employment contract
- Anyone expecting a six-figure-investment 'HQA' product (not the statutory D3)
- Anyone seeking employment-contract advice or job placement from Movingto
Service scope
How the case is managed.
You get an end-to-end managed case. Movingto's in-house lawyers handle the legal work and in-house tax counsel advises on Portuguese and cross-border tax. Employment-contract advice stays separate.
- Included workstreams
- 4
- Professional scope
- Clear
Delivery scopeMovingto delivery and specialist scope
Managed by Movingto
D3 route assessment
We map your contract, salary, channel options, qualification recognition, family scope, and the practical next decision.
Managed by Movingto
Salary and qualification file
We help check the contract against the current threshold and organise qualification and recognition evidence.
Managed by Movingto
NIF, banking, and appointment workflow
We coordinate NIF, Portuguese bank account steps, document readiness, consular workflow, and AIMA follow-up.
Handled by Movingto's in-house Portugal legal team
Immigration legal work and filing
For Portugal, Movingto's in-house licensed Portuguese immigration lawyers handle legal analysis, filing strategy, preparation, filing, representation, and authority responses within the agreed professional scope.
Handled by the relevant specialist
Employment-contract advice
Employer compliance and contract terms stay with your employer or its advisers.
Handled by the relevant specialist
Job search or qualification accreditation
Movingto does not source jobs or perform the official recognition of your qualifications.
Case path
From salary-floor check to residence-card readiness.
Each stage ends with a decision or output so the case keeps moving.
Case path05 managed stages
- Step 1 of 5
Assess the route
Confirm which highly qualified channel fits, and check the contract against the current salary floor.
- Step 2 of 5
Map salary and qualifications
Organise the contract, salary evidence, and qualification recognition for regulated professions.
- Step 3 of 5
Build the document file
Assemble identity, criminal-record, insurance, accommodation, apostille, and translation evidence.
- Step 4 of 5
Prepare the consular file
Assemble the application package, flag consulate-specific issues, and have your Movingto lawyer review it before filing.
- Step 5 of 5
Track the residence path
Keep arrival, AIMA appointment, residence card, renewal, family, and long-term planning visible.
Fees and thresholds
Portugal D3 highly qualified visa: salary floors and fees
| Item | Amount or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Salary floor, highly qualified work | €2,157.00 a month (1.5 x national average gross salary) or 3 x IAS | AIMA highly qualified activity page (2023 salary base), checked 16 October 2026 |
| Salary floor, listed shortage occupations | €1,725.60 a month (1.2 x) or 2 x IAS | AIMA highly qualified activity page, checked 16 October 2026 |
| Contract length | At least 6 months | MNE residence visa documents and AIMA EU Blue Card page, checked 16 October 2026 |
| National visa application fee | €110 per application | MNE national visa fees, checked 16 October 2026 |
| AIMA temporary residence permit | €99.80 analysis + €85.80 grant, per person | AIMA fee table applied from 1 March 2026, checked 16 October 2026 |
AIMA states its salary references are for 2023 (average salary) and 2024 (IAS); we check the current figure before filing.
Evidence
Evidence you can check.
Scope, professional ownership, and credential claims stay tied to source pages instead of sitting as unsupported marketing copy.
Source
AIMA - highly qualified activity (Art. 90)
View sourceAIMAChecked 16 October 2026
Source
AIMA - EU Blue Card (Art. 121-A)
View sourceAIMAChecked 16 October 2026
Credential register
Portuguese Bar registration
View sourceOrdem dos Advogados
Source
Residency visa documentation by purpose
View sourcePortuguese Ministry of Foreign AffairsChecked 16 October 2026
Source
AIMA fee table applied from 1 March 2026 (Portaria 307/2023)
View sourceAIMAChecked 16 October 2026
Source
National visa fees: EUR 110 per application
View sourcePortuguese Ministry of Foreign AffairsChecked 16 October 2026
Common questions
Questions before you engage.
What is included in the Portugal D3 service?
Route-fit review across the national HQA, EU Blue Card, and Tech Visa channels, a check of the contract against the current salary floor, qualification-recognition planning, document organisation, NIF and banking steps, consular workflow support, the legal filing by your Movingto lawyer, and residence-path tracking. Movingto's in-house tax counsel advises on Portuguese and cross-border tax.
What salary do I need for the D3?
At least 1.5 times the national average gross salary (AIMA publishes about EUR 2,157/month, based on the 2023 average-salary base), with lower thresholds for shortage occupations and a separate Tech Visa rule. Because these are moving multiples, we verify the current figure before filing.
Is the D3 the same as a EUR 175,000 'HQA' investment visa?
No. The statutory D3 (Article 90) needs a qualifying employment contract, not an investment. Any 'HQA visa' requiring six figures of investment is a private product, not the official route.
Can I bring my family?
Yes, family reunification is available, often with favourable adaptations for highly qualified and EU Blue Card holders. We plan dependant scope, accommodation, and timing before filing.
End-to-end D3 support
Start your Portugal D3 highly qualified visa with Movingto.
Bring your job offer, qualifications, family scope, and timeline. We confirm the channel and salary floor, then your Movingto lawyer and Case Lead manage the case end to end.
First call covers
A managed case from first call to residence card, not another generic checklist.
- Route fit
- Country, visa category, family members, and timing.
- Scope
- Documents, legal work, tax points, and investment boundaries.
- Next steps
- What to prepare for the Movingto team and any relevant specialists.