Portugal D3 Visa From Turkey

The Portugal D3 Visa is a working visa specifically designed for highly qualified individuals with a job offer or work contract valid for over a year already in place from a Portuguese employer. A D3 Visa allows both the visa holder and eligible members of their immediate family to enter the country and to apply for a Blue Card (also known as an EU residency permit) after an 18 month period.

The Blue Card portion of the visa must be renewed every 2 years, and after having lived in Portugal for a period of 5 years, the visa holder (and eligible family members) may apply for permanent residency. Provided that the applicants have remained in employment throughout the 5 year period and have not otherwise breached any visa conditions, this is usually granted automatically with no challenges.

The D3 Visa was designed by the Portuguese government to help the economy through boosting the ability of Portuguese businesses to attract highly qualified talent from overseas. As the country’s industries thrive, more highly qualified professionals than ever are applying for working residency.

In order to make the D3 Visa as attractive a prospect as possible, there are many benefits to visa holders: including tax benefits, health care provision, European Union (EU) travel freedoms, and priority processing.

Page Contents

• Portugal D3 Visa: An Overview
• Portugal D3 Visa: Main Benefits
• Highly Qualified Professionals: The Eligibility Criteria
• Application Eligibility Requirements for The D3 Portugal Visa As a Turkish Citizen
• Portugal D3 Visa Application Documentation Requirements
• D3 Portugal Visa Costs Breakdown
• How To Apply For Portugal D3 Visa From Turkey: Step-By-Step Process
• How can Total Law Help?
• FAQ

In order to be eligible for a Portugal D3 Visa over any other working visa class, applicants must meet the criteria of being a ‘highly qualified professional’.

The European Commission defines this as those carrying out professional activity falling into primarily two groups: management positions and experts in intellectual and scientific disciplines. As such, this includes:

• Professors or specialist tutors in any Portuguese education institution
• Managers or those in leadership positions within a Portuguese company
• IT professionals with a tech visa issued by a Portuguese company certified by IAPMEI (the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation)
• Specialist professionals in medicine, science, IT, engineering, education or law
• Those with a work contract or self-employment work contract in place to complete a ‘highly qualified activity’ in Portugal
• Those with a work contract or self-employment work contract in place to complete a cultural activity ‘with relevance to the country’ and recognised by the government member responsible for national culture.

However, these definitions can be broadened, on a case-by-case basis. Applicants may be accepted for a D3 Visa provided they hold qualifications to a higher education level and work in a highly-skilled sector that is somewhat related to those qualifications.

If you’re unsure whether your role and background count as ‘highly qualified’, it’s best to seek specialist advice before applying as the time and effort may be wasted. Total Law’s team of immigration lawyers are available to discuss individual circumstances and the chances of application success. Call the office now on +44 (0)333 305 9375.

Turkish citizens who wish to apply for the Portugal D3 Visa must meet the following eligibility criteria in order to be successful in their application:

• Applicants must have an employment contract offered by a Portuguese company
  • The applicant’s offered role must fit the ‘highly qualified’ definition
  • This contract must be valid for at least one year
  • The estimated annual pay for the role must be either 1.5x the gross national average salary in Portugal or 3x the Index of Social Support. Updated annually, this figure sits at €480.43 as at 2023.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate proof of their higher education qualifications
• Applicants must be aged 18 or over
• Applicants must have a clean criminal record in both their home country and in Portugal.

Alongside a completed D3 Visa application form, a number of documents must be included to support the application.

While more information or documentation may be requested once the application has been received, the following documents must be included as standard:

• Bank statements and tax returns showing the applicant’s source of regular employment income
• Term of responsibility document signed by the employing company
• Declaration form stating the purpose of travel to Portugal, signed
• Clear photocopies of relevant qualification certificates alongside an up-to-date CV
• Copy of valid passport that expires no sooner than three months after the initial intended period of stay in Portugal
• 2x recent colour passport photographs
• Confirmation of health insurance covering the applicant for the period of the initial intended stay in Portugal
• Completed and signed from granting the Portuguese Immigration and Border Service (SEF) permission to review the applicant’s criminal history
• Police Verification Certificate from the country of current residence declaring a clean criminal record
• Proof of intended residence in Portugal – be this a hotel confirmation or an invitation to stay from an existing resident of the country
• Signed declaration of understanding that the applicant will not travel to Portugal without a visa.

If the applicant is also applying for family members to join them, they will need to include a copy of their marriage certificate and copies of each child’s birth certificate.

If documents are not in Portuguese or English, they should be legalised and translated before they are included with an application.

In order to apply for a Portugal D3 Visa, an application processing fee of €90 is payable. This is an administration fee and without the sum having cleared, the visa application will not be processed. This fee is non-refundable, even in the case of a visa being declined.

Once a D3 visa has been granted, a further €85 must be paid for a residence permit.

Applying for a visa is likely to incur other costs indirectly for which the applicant is responsible, including printing and copying costs, notary fees and translation fees.