- Blog Post
- Immigration, Live in Portugal
D1 Work Visa for Portugal: The Complete Guide (2026 Process)
Got a job offer from a company in Portugal? The D1 work visa is the residence visa for non-EU citizens who will work as employees (trabalho subordinado) for an employer in Portugal. But be careful: the process has changed significantly in 2025 and 2026, and the employer now plays a much bigger role. Here’s how it works today.
💼 What Is the D1 Visa?
The D1 is a residence visa for subordinate work. It allows you to:
- Enter Portugal to start working for your employer
- Apply for a residence permit at AIMA once you arrive
- Bring your family, under the family reunification rules
- Build towards permanent residence after five years
It’s the right visa for most jobs — from hospitality and construction to retail, healthcare and services. For highly qualified roles, the D3, Tech Visa or EU Blue Card may be better options.
🆕 What's New: The Employer Leads the Process
The biggest change in recent years is that the D1 is now an employer-driven process:
- No more “come first, regularise later”: since the end of the manifestação de interesse and the 2025 reform, you must get the D1 visa before moving.
- Employer pre-request: at several Portuguese consulates (for example, in Brazil), the employer must first submit a request to the consulate before the worker can book an appointment at the visa centre. The worker can only schedule once the consulate responds.
- Consulate checks on the employer: consulates increasingly verify the company’s situation (activity, tax and Social Security compliance) and the worker’s housing conditions.
- “Green lane” protocol (Via Verde para a Imigração): since April 2025, large employers and business associations that sign a protocol with the State can use a fast-track process — the employer sends the application, and the visa should be decided within around 20 days of the consular appointment. In return, employers commit to providing a valid contract, adequate housing and Portuguese language training.
- Faster decisions and more flexibility after arrival: with Law 62/2026 (in force since 11 September 2026), AIMA has 90 days (extendable by 30) to decide on residence permit applications, and workers can change employer by simply notifying AIMA, instead of needing a new permit.
Procedures can differ between consulates — always check the current rules of the consulate responsible for your country.
✅ Main Requirements
- An employment contract, a promise of contract, or an individual declaration of interest from the employer
- A salary of at least the Portuguese minimum wage (€920/month in 2026)
- Professional qualifications recognised in Portugal, if the profession is regulated (e.g. nurses, engineers)
- Means of subsistence — usually proven by the contract itself
- Accommodation in Portugal
- Clean criminal record
- Travel/health insurance (some nationalities, such as CPLP citizens, may be exempt in certain cases)
- Legal entry and stay — people who previously stayed in Portugal illegally may be refused
📋 Documents You'll Usually Need
- Visa application form, completed and signed
- Two recent passport photos
- Passport valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay
- Employment contract, promise of contract or employer’s declaration
- Criminal record certificate (apostilled, usually issued within the last 90 days) and authorisation to check your Portuguese record
- Proof of qualifications, for regulated professions
- Proof of accommodation in Portugal
- Travel/health insurance
- NIF (Portuguese tax number)
- Employer documents, if requested by the consulate (company registration, compliance certificates)
🛤️ Step by Step
- Sign your contract or promise of contract with the Portuguese employer.
- The employer submits the pre-request to the consulate, where this is required (or uses the Via Verde protocol, if eligible).
- Book your appointment at the consulate or visa centre (often VFS Global) once authorised.
- Submit your application in person, with biometrics and original documents.
- Wait for the decision — legally up to 60 days (often longer in practice; around 20 days under the Via Verde).
- Receive your visa — valid for four months, with two entries.
- Travel to Portugal and start working.
- Get your NISS (social security number) — your employer needs it to register you.
- Attend your AIMA appointment and receive your residence permit.
📅 After You Arrive
- The first residence permit is valid for two years, renewable for three years.
- You can change employer by notifying AIMA (under the 2026 rules).
- Keep your Social Security contributions and tax situation up to date — they’re checked at renewal.
- Your family can join you under the family reunification rules — note the two-year waiting period for some family members, introduced in 2025 (minor children are exempt).
- After five years, you can apply for permanent residence.
⚠️ Common Mistakes and Warnings
- Paying intermediaries for “guaranteed jobs” or visa appointments — a common scam. Legitimate employers lead the process themselves.
- Contracts below the minimum wage or with unclear terms.
- Unrecognised qualifications for regulated professions.
- Entering as a tourist to look for work — it no longer leads to residence and can lead to refusal later.
🚀 Final Considerations
The D1 remains the main route for people who want to work in Portugal — but it now starts with the employer. Choosing a reliable employer, preparing your documents carefully and following your consulate’s current procedure are the keys to success.
📢 Expert Advice: Before you sign, check that your future employer knows the current consular procedure. A well-prepared employer can save you months.
Hiring a foreign worker or moving to Portugal for a job? Step Inside Portugal can guide both employers and workers through the D1 process — find out more about our immigration services here. ✨
This article is for general information only and doesn’t constitute legal advice. Procedures vary by consulate and change frequently; confirm the current rules for your case.
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