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
For non-EU professionals with a Portuguese job offer. We check the salary threshold and qualification recognition, choose the right channel (national HQA, EU Blue Card, or Tech Visa), and manage the consular and AIMA process.
First call: confirm route fit, check the contract against the current salary floor, and map qualification recognition and timeline. From there we manage the case and coordinate the licensed lawyers who file.
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.
Employment and tax review routed early
Movingto coordinates the work and keeps the evidence moving. Tax, employment, and legal advice are handled by the qualified specialists responsible for that scope.
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 manages the route, evidence, consular path, and specialist coordination 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 or tax advice directly from Movingto instead of the separately engaged professional responsible for that scope
Service scope
How the case is managed.
You get an end-to-end managed case. Qualified specialists handle legal, tax, and employment advice within their professional scope.
- 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 immigration lawyers
Immigration legal work and filing
Movingto's Portuguese immigration lawyers handle immigration legal analysis, filing strategy, preparation, filing, representation, and authority responses within the agreed professional scope.
Handled by the relevant specialist
Tax or employment advice
Engaged tax or employment advisers handle tax residency, employer compliance, and contract terms.
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, output, or handoff so the case does not drift.
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
Coordinate consular handoff
Assemble the application package, flag consulate-specific issues, and coordinate lawyer review where required.
- Step 5 of 5
Track the residence path
Keep arrival, AIMA appointment, residence card, renewal, family, and long-term planning visible.
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 sourceAIMA
Source
AIMA - EU Blue Card (Art. 121-A)
View sourceAIMA
Credential register
Portuguese Bar registration
View sourceOrdem dos Advogados
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 coordination, consular workflow support, legal filing handoff where required, and residence-path tracking. Employment, tax, and legal advice remain with the relevant specialists.
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 manage the case end to end - coordinating the licensed lawyers who file.
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.