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Portugal Visa Cancellation Hits Job-Seeker Applicants

Effective October 23, 2025, the Portuguese government canceled all scheduled appointments for work-seeking visas. This immediate action follows the introduction of Law No. 61/2025, which fundamentally changes Portugal’s immigration handling. This Portugal Visa Cancellation has left hundreds of thousands of applicants in limbo.

The Law, published in Portugal’s Official Gazette on October 22, 2025, abolishes the previous general job-seeker visa. Instead, it introduces a “highly skilled work-seeking visa” for qualified professionals. However, applicants cannot submit applications yet because the necessary regulations for this new visa have not been prepared.

The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all appointments scheduled after October 23, 2025, were automatically canceled. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of applicants face an indefinite wait without knowing when they can apply for the new highly skilled visa.

Immediate Cancellation Creates Regulatory Gap (Internal & External Links Added)

Portugal’s Parliament voted for Law No. 61/2025 on September 30, and it came into effect just one day after its publication. The Law revised Article 57-A of the “Foreigners Law” (Law No. 23/2007).

The new skilled work-seeking visa establishes a much tighter regulatory framework than its predecessor. It will be issued only to people who have “specialized technical competencies.” Furthermore, a joint ministerial order, which is yet to be prepared, will define these competencies. Currently, no such regulation has been enacted by the government. The Portuguese Department of Foreign Affairs states that applicants cannot apply until the appropriate regulation is in place. For details on the official law, refer to the [Official Portuguese Gazette (OUTBOUND LINK)].

Key Changes Introduced by Law No. 61/2025

1. What has been eliminated:
   • The previous job search visa allowed any foreigner with sufficient funds (approx. €2,460) to enter and look for any kind of work.
   • The visa was valid for 120 days (renewable for 60 days) and was a Schengen visa, permitting travel throughout the Schengen Area.
2. What replaces it (The Skilled Job Search Visa):
   • The new visa retains the 120-day validity and provides an automatic appointment with AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) for residence authorization. However, it introduces key restrictions:
     • Qualification Limit: Limited to holders of “specialized technical competencies” (definition pending).
     • Territorial Limitation: Valid only for Portuguese territory, removing the automatic right to Schengen access.
     • Stricter Consequences: If employment is not achieved within 120 days, the applicant must depart and wait one year before re-applying.

Article 46(2) of the revised law states that “temporary stay visas, residence visas, and skilled job search visas are valid only for Portuguese territory.” This explicitly removes the free Schengen mobility that once made Portugal an attractive gateway.

Manifestation of Interest Ends December 31

Law 61/2025 also terminates Portugal’s “manifestation of interest” (Manifestação de Interesse) regularization pathway. This mechanism allowed non-EU nationals to enter as tourists, find employment, contribute to Social Security for 12 months, and then apply for residence authorization.

The mechanism, which created a backlog of approximately 400,000 pending cases, will end permanently on December 31, 2025. Article 4 sets this date as the absolute final deadline for pending cases, stating that applications must be submitted by that date “under penalty of forfeiture.” Prime Minister Luís Montenegro had announced the goal to “put an end to excessive abuse of hospitality by migrants.”

Guidance for Current Applicants

If your appointment was canceled: All appointments booked at VFS Global, BLS International, and TLScontact have been automatically canceled. Do not cancel the appointment yourself. Instead, continue checking official sources for news on when Portugal will accept applications for the skilled visa.

If you already submitted your application: Contact the Portuguese consulate that processed your application to find out its current status.

Note: The Portuguese government has not given information regarding refunds. Visa fees are generally non-refundable.

Alternative Portugal Visa Options Remaining (Keyphrase Used)

Several other Portugal visa options remain available following the Portugal Visa Cancellation:

• D8 Digital Nomad Visa: Unaffected. Requires minimum monthly income of €3,548 from remote work for non-Portuguese entities.
• D7 Passive Income Visa: For those with steady passive income (pensions, rent). Requires minimum monthly income of €870 plus bank savings of €10,440.
• D2 Entrepreneur Visa: For entrepreneurs and freelancers starting businesses. Requires a viable business plan and available investment funds.
• D3 Highly Qualified Professionals Visa: For highly qualified workers with valid employment contracts (minimum one year).
• Golden Visa: An investment-based residency program. Investment options include €500,000 in venture capital funds. For more information about the Portugal Golden Visa click here [Portugal Golden Visa Guide (INTERNAL LINK)].

Alternative EU Options – Germany Takes the Lead

Of all the alternative EU job-seeking visa options, Germany’s Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) is arguably the best.

• Chancenkarte: Allows job searching for 12 months (extendable up to three years). It permits unlimited trial jobs (up to two weeks) and part-time work (up to 20 hours/week). Importantly, Germany accepts vocational training (minimum two years) and university degrees. Applicants must score at least six points based on qualifications, experience, age, and proficiency in German (A1) or English (B2).