Portugal work permit visa: the visas for working there
To work in Portugal you need a work permit visa, which is a national visa: a temporary stay visa for jobs of up to a year, such as seasonal work, or a residence visa for people moving there to work (source).
Which contract you have to show
For residence with a professional activity, the visa website asks for a work contract, a job promise or a service contract, or an invitation from a higher education or research institution (source).
For highly qualified employment, a contract or job promise for at least six months (source).
| Temporary stay | Residence | |
|---|---|---|
| For | Work of up to a year | Living and working there |
| Decision time | 30 days | 60 days |
| Fee | €110 | €110 |
Processing times: source; fee: source.
Where to apply
| Office | Visas |
|---|---|
| Washington, New York, San Francisco | VFS Global (source, source, source) |
| Boston, Newark | Booked with the consulate (source, source) |
| New Bedford | Appointment by email (source) |
| Providence | Does not process visas (source) |
- Work contract, job promise or service contract
- Proof of means of subsistence (minimum wage of €920 in 2026)
- The general application documents
- A €110 fee
The reference minimum wage is the one on the means-of-subsistence page (source).
- The visa form, filled out and signed
- Two recent passport-type photos
- A passport valid three months beyond the planned return, and a copy
- Travel insurance covering medical costs and repatriation
- A criminal record certificate from your country of nationality or of residence for over a year, apostilled
- Proof of means of subsistence
The general list comes from the foreign ministry’s visa website (source); applicants who are not nationals of the country where they apply also prove their legal residence.
Timing and warnings from the U.S. offices
New York gives a minimum processing time of 4 to 8 weeks for national visas (source). San Francisco advises applying three months ahead and warns that VFS appointments are only booked on VFS’s official website, because of fraud (source).
New Bedford takes visa applications from residents of its five Massachusetts counties and of Rhode Island, and the first step is an email asking for an appointment (source).
Means of subsistence, in numbers
| Household | Monthly minimum (2026) |
|---|---|
| One adult | €920 |
| Two adults | €1,380 |
| Two adults and one child | €1,656 |
The percentages are those of the means-of-subsistence page: 100% of the minimum wage for the first adult, 50% for each additional adult and 30% per minor (source).
Every office, one by one
| Office | How visas are filed |
|---|---|
| Washington (and Palm Coast) | VFS Global: Chicago, Houston, Miami or Washington DC (source) |
| New York | VFS Global, 128 East 32nd Street, New York (source) |
| San Francisco | VFS Global, booked on the VFS website (source) |
| Boston | Online booking with the consulate itself (source) |
| Newark | By prior appointment only (source) |
| New Bedford | Appointment requested by email, also for Rhode Island (source) |
| Providence | Does not process visas (source) |
Questions people ask
The real questions people search about this procedure, with the short answer:
How do I get a work visa in Portugal?
With a contract or job promise, at the Portuguese office for your area in the U.S. (source).
Questions people ask
The real questions people search about this procedure, with the short answer:
Is the job seeker visa still available?
The visa website lists the skilled job seeker visa as suspended (source).