OPTION 1: Get a job with a Portuguese employer (Portuguese residency by employment)

As a non-EU citizen, you will have to apply for an entry visa on the basis of employment at your local Portuguese consulate or embassy. The entry visa enables you to travel to and enter Portugal. The process of obtaining an entry visa can take up to 3 months.

Your work permit application may be made by yourself or your Portuguese employer, and typically takes around 60 days to process. In order to apply for this entry visa, you will be required to submit the following documentation:

1. A letter of invitation from your employer, stating that you’ll be taking up a position with their company.

2. A valid passport that has at least 2 blank pages, and that is valid for at least 2 years into the future.

3. Proof of flight reservations (a copy of your flight ticket will generally suffice)

4. Proof of pre-paid, comprehensive EU-wide health insurance with coverage of at least €30,000.

5. 2 x recent passport photos in colour – check the exact format requirements with your local embassy.

6. Biometric data (certified fingerprints and digital photos for facial recognition)

7. Proof of accommodation in Portugal (hotel booking, letter of accommodation sponsorship or a lease agreement).

On arrival, you will have 4 months to apply for a residence permit.

In order to start working for your Portuguese employer, you will have to apply for a separate Portuguese work permit, the so-called “Autorização de Trabalho”. Your chances of being approved for a work permit will be improved by having specialized skills that are in demand in Portugal.

In order to apply for the work permit, the following documents will be required:

1. A valid Portuguese residence permit

2. A valid passport

3. 2 x recent colour passport photos

4. Proof of accommodation in Portugal

5. Proof or registration with Social Security in Portugal

6. Relevant tax documentation (proof of tax status)

7. Clear criminal record (certified copy)

8. A counter-signed employment contract.

LET’S GET STARTED.

OPTION 3: Start a Portuguese company (D2 Entrepreneur Visa)

The D2 Entrepreneur Visa is not to be confused with the Portuguese Startup Visa (discussed in more detail below). Also frequently referred to as the Portugal Entrepreneur Visa, the program allows you to establish a new business or a branch of your overseas business in Portugal.

While this program typically appeals to conventional business owners, you are also able to start a technology focused business and obtain D2 residency in the process.

A key benefit of this residency visa program is that no significant capital investment is required. Having said that, capitalizing your new Portuguese business with around €20,000 can lend more credibility to your business plan, and doing so is therefore advisable.

Another aspect that makes Portugal attractive for entrepreneurs is a relatively simple tax structure. Company tax is payable at a rate of 21% on net profit, and the tax codes are relatively simple. As of December 2020, income derived from property rentals is taxed at only 10%.

The Portuguese authorities will appraise the business’ potential financial viability and socio-economic impact. The application process takes approximately 4 to 5 months, and once you’ve obtained Portuguese residency, you can bring your spouse and dependent children to Portugal on the basis of EU Family Reunification laws.

The downside is that you’ll be expected to pay Portuguese taxes and spend at least 6 months (183 days) per year in the country. If you require more flexibility, the Golden Visa or HQA Startup Visa may be better suited to your needs.

Find out more about the Portugal D2 Visa on our relevant program overview page.

OPTION 6: Apply for Portuguese citizenship under the Jewish Law of Return (Citizenship Program for Sephardic Jews)

If you are a descendant of Portuguese Sephardic Jews expelled from Portugal during the 16^th century, you have the option of applying for Portuguese citizenship under the Jewish Law of Return. In order to do so, you’ll have to have a Sephardic surname and be able to demonstrate belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin. You’ll also have to be familiar with the language.

In order to apply under the Sephardic citizenship program, you’ll have to submit the following documentation:

1. Birth registration certificate (unabridged, certified, and accompanied by a certified translation).

2. Certified proof of your identity, including full name, date of birth, birth place, nationality, affiliation, current place of residency, profession and proof of other countries in which you’ve been resident.

3. Certificate of Jewish community with details as per the legal stipulations

4. Proof of meeting the requirements for applying for Portuguese citizenship under the Sephardic return program, including proof of your family surname, family language, or collateral descent of a common parent from a Sephardic community with Portuguese origins. 

To find out more about this program’s eligibility requirements, click here.

OPTION 8: Apply for a Portugal Golden Visa (D9 Investor Visa)

The Portuguese Golden Visa Program, also sometimes referred to as the “Golden Investor Visa Program”, is one of the top investment residency programs in the world.

Given that you only need to spend 1 week per year in Portugal to keep your residency renewable, most people obtaining the Golden Visa do so as a “Plan B” – a back-up plan in case conditions were to deteriorate suddenly in their home countries.

The key benefit of the Golden Visa is that you can meet the residency requirement to become eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship while spending next to no time in the country.

In order to naturalize, however, you will have to prove that you’ve established real world ties with the country, and that you have a basic proficiency in Portuguese. (The latter requirement can be met by completing a basic Portuguese language course with a bona fide language training school or online organization).

As a downside, however, Golden Visa applications can take up to 18 months in 2021, and Porto, Lisbon and the country’s popular coastline will no longer be eligible locations for Golden Visa property investments. 

The “standard” minimum investment requirement for the program is €500,000, however based on official guidelines pertaining to per-capita GDP, property age and population density, there is also a lower minimum requirement option set at €350,000.

Should you choose to purchase a qualifying old property in a low-population, low-income area, these amounts can be discounted by an additional 20%. That effectively means that the minimum required investment amount for the Portuguese Golden Visa is only €280,000. However, you should expect to incur at least an additional 10%-15% in fees, taxes and related expenses.

Again, if you’re actually looking to immigrate to Portugal and make it your home for more than half the year or more, the D7 Visa could be a better – and far more affordable – option to consider.