PT
Portugal · Visto de Residencia para Estudantes (D4) · apply in person · processing 30-60 days
Portugal's national residence visa for non-EU students admitted to qualifying study programs. The residence visa is valid for 120 days and two entries to allow the holder to enter Portugal and request a residence authorization. A higher-education residence authorization is normally valid for three years, or for the program's duration when shorter, and is renewable for equal periods.
There is no single tuition amount attached to the D4 visa. Public institutions set tuition subject to statutory limits for covered programs and student categories; master's and doctoral tuition and private institution tuition are set by the institution. International student fees and treaty or statutory exemptions vary, so applicants should confirm the rate with their institution. For 2025-2026, DGES states the public-sector maximum of EUR 697 applies to covered bachelor, integrated master's, and specified professional-access master's programs; it does not establish a general international-student price range.
Student residence authorization holders may work as an employee or independently in addition to the activity that justified the authorization. The law and AIMA's current student guidance do not specify a universal 20-hour weekly limit or a separate vacation-hours limit. The activity remains supplementary to the studies; no separate work permit is stated for holders of the student residence authorization.
| Program | Type | Duration | Min degree | Work | PR path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence authorization to seek work or create a company (Article 122(1)(p)) | Job seeker | 12 mo | Masters | No | Yes |
| Residence authorization to work after completing studies (Article 122(1)(o)) | Work permit | — | Secondary | Unrestricted | Yes |
| Fee | Type | Amount | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Visa Application Fee | Application | $123 | One time |
D4 national residence visa is issued for 120 days with two entries; the student must request a residence authorization after entry. AIMA states higher-education student authorizations last three years, renewable for equal periods, or for the shorter program duration. Student authorization permits supplementary employee or independent work. Admission language rules are set by institutions and programs; no countrywide IELTS 6.0 or Portuguese B2 rule was found. Permanent-residence eligibility and treatment of study time are subject to the distinct national and EU long-term-residence rules; see research notes.
Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 9, 2026 Source
replaced the generic post-study conversion with the separate one-year graduate search route and post-study work route Source
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