Employment Residence
A practical guide to Portugal residence based on employed work, including the visa stage, employment evidence and the AIMA residence-permit process.
Residence Pathways
Self-Employed Professional Residence
Portugal residence for self-employed professionals providing services or carrying out qualifying independent professional activity.
Entrepreneur Residence
Portugal residence for entrepreneurs who intend to create, acquire or develop a genuine business activity in the country.
StartUP Visa
Portugal’s StartUP Visa programme for foreign entrepreneurs developing innovative projects with certified incubator support.
Highly Qualified Activity
Residence in Portugal for research, teaching or other professional activity that meets the highly qualified standard.
Tech Visa
Portugal’s Tech Visa framework for highly qualified workers recruited by companies certified under the IAPMEI programme.
EU Blue Card
Portugal’s EU Blue Card residence framework for qualifying highly skilled employment and mobility from another EU Member State.
Researcher Residence
Portugal residence for researchers admitted to collaborate with an officially recognised research centre.
Teaching Residence
Residence in Portugal for qualifying teaching activity in education, professional training or research institutions.
Digital Nomad & Remote Work
Portugal residence for remote employees and self-employed professionals working for employers or clients outside Portugal.
Job Seeker to Residence
The route from a valid Portugal job-seeker visa to employed residence after a qualifying employment relationship is formalised.
Higher Education Study
Portugal residence for students admitted to qualifying higher-education programmes.
Secondary & Vocational Study
Portugal residence for qualifying secondary education, vocational programmes and recognised professional-training courses.
Higher Education Mobility
EU higher-education mobility in Portugal for students already holding qualifying student residence in another Member State.
Professional Trainee Residence
Portugal residence for qualifying non-remunerated professional traineeships linked to higher education.
Volunteer Residence
Portugal residence for participation in a recognised non-profit volunteer programme.
Family Reunification
Portugal residence for eligible family members joining a person who already holds qualifying residence in Portugal.
Passive Income & Retirement
Portugal residence for retirees and people supported by regular own-source income, commonly associated with the D7 visa.
Religious Activity Residence
Portugal residence for qualifying religious activity carried out through a recognised organisation or institution.
Performing Arts Residence
Portugal residence for qualifying artists and workers engaged in performing-arts activity on a longer-term basis.
Cultural Activity Residence
Portugal residence for third-country nationals collaborating in qualifying cultural projects recognised as being of interest to the country.
Investment Residence (ARI)
Portugal’s ARI investment residence framework for qualifying third-country investors under the current non-real-estate investment options.
CPLP Residence
Portugal residence framework for eligible citizens of Community of Portuguese Language Countries under the current uniform residence-card system.