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What Is the D3 Tech Visa?
The D3 Tech Visa is a residence visa designed for highly qualified professionals in the technology sector. Available only to companies certified under Portugal’s Tech Visa program, it simplifies the process of hiring international talent outside the EU.
Certified employers can sponsor non-EU talent for long-term employment — typically in shortage occupations like software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, or IT management.
Why It’s Designed for Companies
Unlike standard work visas, the D3 Tech Visa is exclusively B2B-focused — only companies holding a Tech Visa certification issued by IAPMEI (the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation) can use it.
This means:
- Only approved tech employers can sponsor talent.
- The process integrates faster background and qualification validation.
- Employees receive a priority residence permit valid for up to two years and renewable.
Benefits for Employers
Benefits for Employees
Application Process
- Employer Certification (Tech Visa Step): If you're an employer, start by registering your Portuguese company on the IAPMEI Tech Visa portal. Prove your legitimacy, no debts to taxes or social security, financial stability, and a focus on international business. Approval takes 20-23 working days, allowing you to hire up to 50% (or 80% in remote areas) of your workforce via this route. Once certified, issue a digital "Term of Responsibility" to your candidate.
- Secure a Job Offer: Applicants need a binding employment or service contract for at least 12 months from a certified company. The role must align with Portugal's National Qualifications Catalogue for tech and innovation fields, with a minimum salary of €1,097 (2.5 times the social support index) or up to 1.5 times the national average (~€1,300 gross monthly).
- Gather Documents: Prepare your passport, proof of qualifications (bachelor's degree or 5+ years experience), clean criminal record, language proficiency (English, Portuguese, etc.), health insurance, and financial self-sufficiency proof.
- Submit Visa Application: Apply online via the E-Visa Portal, at a Portuguese Consulate, or VFS Global in your home country. Include the employer's Term of Responsibility. Expect a 20-60 day wait.
- Enter Portugal and Convert to Residence: The approved visa is valid for 120 days (double entry). Upon arrival, book an AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum) appointment within four months to swap it for a residence permit. Note: AIMA backlogs could delay this, but extensions are valid until June 2025.
For urgent hires, certified companies can fast-track to 15-30 days.
Validity
The D3 Visa kicks off with a 120-day entry stamp, giving ample time to settle. It converts to a temporary residence permit valid for one to two years initially, tied to employment contract. This permit lets talent live, work, and thrive in Portugal without restrictions. Seamless extensions keeps talent covered as long as the job lasts, building toward that five-year milestone for permanence.
Conclusion
In 2025, Portugal is fast becoming Europe’s very own Silicon Valley by the sea—and the D3 Tech Visa is leading the charge. Designed for ambitious innovators, it offers a smooth application process, family-friendly benefits, and a clear path from your first day of work to eventual citizenship.
For employers, it’s a chance to future-proof your teams with global talent. For tech professionals, it’s an invitation to bring your skills to Lisbon’s thriving startup scene—where career growth meets coastal living.
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The D3 Tech Visa is a residence visa for highly qualified tech professionals from outside the EU with a valid job offer or contract in Portugal. It facilitates the legal relocation and employment of specialized tech talent.
Eligibility requires a job offer or contract from a Portuguese company, a minimum qualification level (usually ISCED level 6 or specialized experience for level 5), and a salary at least 2.5 times the Portuguese social support index (IAS).
Companies must apply for Tech Visa certification through the IAPMEI portal, demonstrating they operate in innovative tech sectors and have a positive business profile. Certification enables the company to recruit highly qualified non-EU tech workers more easily.
A minimum employment contract duration of 12 months is required for employees under the D3 Tech Visa. The salary must meet or exceed 2.5 times the IAS (€522.50 as reference).
Companies certified under the Tech Visa program can hire up to 50% of their workforce through this visa, with an increase to 80% in less populated regions of Portugal.
Key documents include the employment contract, proof of employee qualifications, company certification, minimum salary proof, and a Terms of Responsibility issued by the certified company.
The process is relatively fast compared to other visa types, especially if the company is certified under the Tech Visa program, but it varies based on individual consulate processing times.
Yes, D3 Tech Visa holders can apply for family reunification, enabling their spouse and dependents to join them in Portugal.
Employees must have command of Portuguese, English, Spanish, or French, appropriate to their job duties.
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