Portugal · Work
Portugal Blue Card
Income needed: from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930
EU Blue Card (Art. 121-A ff. REPSAE)
Checked against official sources on Rule changed 18 May 2026Change log
Key facts
Blue Card is a work route for Portugal. Applicants need income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Money needed
- from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930
- Government fees
- €169 ≈ $190 · €161 ≈ $180
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: 2 government fees listed below; income to show from €1,726/mo ≈ $1,930; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€169 ≈ $190 · €161 ≈ $180
- EUR 169.2 (≈ $190)Application review fee for the EU Blue Card; EUR 126.90 (≈ $140) when filed digitally.
- EUR 160.5 (≈ $180)Fee for issuing or renewing the temporary EU Blue Card residence title; EUR 120.40 (≈ $130) when applied for digitally.
Shown, not spent€2,157+/mo ≈ $2,410 · €1,726+/mo ≈ $1,930
- EUR 2,157 a month (≈ $2,410)1.5 times the national average gross annual salary; AIMA states this as EUR2,157 (≈ $2,410) per month on its highly qualified activity page (2023 reference).
- EUR 1,725.6 a month (≈ $1,930)1.2 times the average gross salary for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 under Art. 61-A(2); AIMA states EUR1,725.60 (≈ $1,930) per month.
RenewalRenewable
The card is valid two years and renewable in three-year periods, or the contract length plus three months if the contract is shorter. File renewal at least 30 days before expiry.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Permanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese.
CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence
Naturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence on any residence title or visa (7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU states), plus Portuguese language and culture, and means of subsistence.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
AIMA must decide a residence permit application within 90 days, extendable by 30 days in exceptional cases; renewals within 60 days.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply at a consulate, or at AIMA if you already stay lawfully in Portugal; a Blue Card holder from another EU state applies within 30 days of entry.
Presence rulesStay rule
A temporary permit can be cancelled if you are away from Portugal without good reason for 6 consecutive months or 8 months in total during its validity, unless you worked or ran a business abroad.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Portugal
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The role is highly qualified employment compatible with the contract.
- A person who has lived at least 12 months in another member state as a Blue Card holder can obtain a Portuguese permit; 6 months is enough after one earlier move between member states (Art. 121-M).
- Not eligible: asylum applicants, EU family members, researchers, long-term residents of another member state and seasonal or posted workers.
What you must show1
- Annual remuneration of at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary, or 1.2 times for listed shortage occupations.
Documents4
- Employment contract or binding offer of at least six months.
- Health insurance or National Health Service cover.
- Proof of high professional qualifications, or professional certification for a regulated profession.
- Valid passport, residence visa or other member state Blue Card, criminal record and Portuguese address proof.
Steps3
- The worker or the employer applies by appointment, and the worker attends for biometrics.
- A Blue Card holder arriving from another member state applies within 30 days after entry.
- A Blue Card holder moving from another member state applies within 30 days of entering Portugal.
After you arrive2
- The card is valid two years and renewable in three-year periods, or the contract length plus three months if shorter.
- In the first 12 months of legal employment the holder is limited to work that meets the Blue Card conditions.
What happens at day 183
How Portugal decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax yearResidence by presence.
- Foreign-source income
Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income.
All tax rules for Portugal Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Health insurance or National Health Service cover
- Police certificate and civil documents
Valid passport, residence visa or other member state Blue Card, criminal record and Portuguese address proof
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
EU Blue Card for highly qualified employment under a contract of at least six months. A person who has lived at least 12 months in another member state as a Blue Card holder (6 months if they have already moved once between member states) can move to Portugal for a highly qualified job, applying within 30 days of entry. 1 2 3 4 5
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 2,157 a month (≈ $2,410) · 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary; AIMA states this as EUR2,157 (≈ $2,410) per month on its highly qualified activity page (2023 reference). 1 3 2
- Income of at least EUR 1,725.6 a month (≈ $1,930) · 1.2 times the average gross salary for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 under Art. 61-A(2); AIMA states EUR1,725.60 (≈ $1,930) per month. 1 3 2
- A fee of EUR 169.2 (≈ $190) · Application review fee for the EU Blue Card; EUR 126.90 (≈ $140) when filed digitally. 4
- A fee of EUR 160.5 (≈ $180) · Fee for issuing or renewing the temporary EU Blue Card residence title; EUR 120.40 (≈ $130) when applied for digitally. 4
Requirements
- The role is highly qualified employment compatible with the contract. 1
- A person who has lived at least 12 months in another member state as a Blue Card holder can obtain a Portuguese permit; 6 months is enough after one earlier move between member states (Art. 121-M). 2
- Not eligible: asylum applicants, EU family members, researchers, long-term residents of another member state and seasonal or posted workers. 1
- Annual remuneration of at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary, or 1.2 times for listed shortage occupations. 1
- Employment contract or binding offer of at least six months. 1
- Health insurance or National Health Service cover. 1
- Proof of high professional qualifications, or professional certification for a regulated profession. 1
- Valid passport, residence visa or other member state Blue Card, criminal record and Portuguese address proof. 1
- The worker or the employer applies by appointment, and the worker attends for biometrics. 1
- A Blue Card holder arriving from another member state applies within 30 days after entry. 1
- A Blue Card holder moving from another member state applies within 30 days of entering Portugal. 2
- The card is valid two years and renewable in three-year periods, or the contract length plus three months if shorter. 2
- In the first 12 months of legal employment the holder is limited to work that meets the Blue Card conditions. 2
Stay
- The card is valid two years and renewable in successive three-year periods. If the contract is shorter, the card lasts the contract period plus three months.
- Initial permitted stay: 24 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Highly qualified employment; self-employment is allowed only alongside the employment.
Family
Family members can apply for reunification without the two-year wait that applies to most other permits (Art. 98(3)(c)); residence in other member states counts toward the family member's autonomous right of residence. Your spouse or partner may work in Portugal without a separate permit.
Official sources
- EU Blue Card and residence authorization, Art. 121-A ff. · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026 · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-09-10
- Residence authorization for highly qualified activity, Art. 90 · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-03-01
- AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11
Blue Card and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Card | Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Cultural activity permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Highly qualified permit | Needs income from €1,074 a month ≈ $1,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Researcher permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Blue Card?
Income of at least EUR 2,157 a month (≈ $2,410). 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary; AIMA states this as EUR2,157 (≈ $2,410) per month on its highly qualified activity page (2023 reference). Income of at least EUR 1,725.6 a month (≈ $1,930). 1.2 times the average gross salary for shortage occupations in ISCO major groups 1 and 2 under Art. A fee of EUR 169.2 (≈ $190). Application review fee for the EU Blue Card; EUR 126.90 (≈ $140) when filed digitally. A fee of EUR 160.5 (≈ $180). Fee for issuing or renewing the temporary EU Blue Card residence title; EUR 120.40 (≈ $130) when applied for digitally.
How long can I stay on the Blue Card?
The card is valid two years and renewable in successive three-year periods.
How long does the Blue Card take to process?
AIMA must decide a residence permit application within 90 days, extendable by 30 days in exceptional cases; renewals within 60 days.
Can I work on the Blue Card?
Limited. Highly qualified employment; self-employment is allowed only alongside the employment.
Can I bring my family on the Blue Card?
Family members can apply for reunification without the two-year wait that applies to most other permits (Art.
Who can apply for the Blue Card?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Blue Card lead to permanent residence in Portugal?
Time on the Blue Card counts toward permanent residence in Portugal, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Blue Card counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
How are Blue Card holders taxed in Portugal?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Blue Card. The standard rules apply: Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income.
More in Portugal
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- EU Blue Card and residence authorization, Art. 121-A ff. · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026 · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence authorization for highly qualified activity, Art. 90 · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11
- AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.