POSTERN

Portugal

EU Blue Card for highly qualified employment. A non-EU national with a qualifying offer for highly qualified work in Portugal may apply for a residence and work permit. The salary and qualification tests are country-specific.

Free · The law behind every answer · Checked Sep 25, 2026

EU Blue Card for highly qualified employment

Residence and work authorization for qualifying employment in Portugal, subject to the conditions on the issued card.

Who qualifies

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

1

Does it fit your family?

One question, from the program’s own rules.

Do you have a binding job offer in that country?

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Time
The national authority's current processing time depends on the country and the application file.
Cost
Government fees and any employer or adviser costs vary by country; check the issuing authority before paying.
The hard part
Proving the job, salary and recognized qualifications meet the issuing country's current rules.
3

The road past the first permit.

Renewal and possible long-term residence depend on the issuing country's rules, continuous lawful residence, and any later nationality application.

  1. 2027
    Route candidate

    The residence and work authorization sequence still needs verification.

Language
Proof by test or certificate of enough Portuguese. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to know the language unless they plainly do not. The law sets no level; the old rules asked for A2 (CIPLE), and the new regulation is still awaited.
Civics
New in 2026: a test or certificate showing knowledge of Portuguese culture, history and national symbols, plus the rights and duties of citizens and how the state is organised, and a solemn declaration of adherence to the rule of law. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries still have to show the culture and civics part.
Time away
Years of legal residence under any permit are added up, whether continuous or broken, as long as they all fall within a 12-year window (9 years for EU and Portuguese-speaking nationals). The clock now starts when the first residence permit is issued, not when it was applied for. Separately, a temporary permit can be cancelled after more than 6 months away in a row or 8 months in total during its validity.
Two passports
Yes. You keep your U.S. citizenship.
  • We have not yet confirmed how this route counts toward residence or citizenship.
4

Living there.

Time you must spend there
The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax
Working and living in the country can create tax obligations; the permit itself is not a tax ruling.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Check Portugal's Blue Card requirements and the national application authority.Open home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ↗
  2. Round up the papers.
    • The signed job offer, salary, and recognized qualifications
    • Health cover for the move
    • Get the NIF (Portuguese tax number)
6

Or let us run it.

$900for your first year as a founding member. Then $399 a year, automatically.Standard first year: $1,200. Everyone renews at $399.One membership, the whole family. Accounts and activation included.

13 steps, from the first paper to every renewal. You do 4 of them: send what we ask for, sign, and show up. We run the rest, and keep every permit renewed on time. Accounts and activation are included, whether you move now or keep the plan ready. Accounts depend on provider availability. Government, record and approved third-party charges are extra.

Run it for my family →
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ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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