Vlad Shifter
Founder
Entrepreneur and corporate consultant with 10+ years of experience with PwC, P&G, Coca Cola, Unilever and others. TechCrunch 200 Alum.
We don't just file your D3 visa. We're your Portuguese employer.
One team coordinates your employment contract, visa dossier, Portuguese payroll, and IFICI timing. You get a real Portuguese job, not a paperwork template.
- 7,000+ cases handled
- 99.2% completed-case success rate (see methodology)
- Multi-year Portuguese payroll track record
- 30+ nationalities served
- 7,000+ cases
- 99.2% completed-case success rate
- Free re-file on directly handled Portuguese cases if your document set was complete
- 30+ nationalities
- HQ in Portugal
Most visa agencies stop at the dossier. Payroll platforms only sell to companies. We do the one thing that makes a D3 actually work for an individual: Relovisa combines immigration case management with Portuguese payroll/EOR infrastructure for D3-qualified professionals: one team coordinates employment, visa dossier, payroll, and IFICI timing. You do not stitch together a lawyer, an accountant, and an employer. You hire us once.
Pick the profile that fits
Each routes to the same coordinated setup.
Senior professional, no EU employer
You have a degree or 5+ years of senior experience but no company in the EU willing to employ you in Portugal. We become that employer so your D3 has a compliant qualifying-employment basis.
Remote employee of a foreign company
Your employer will not open a Portuguese entity or run Segurança Social for one person. We employ you locally at your agreed salary; your foreign employer keeps its structure.
Freelancer weighing D8 vs D3
You bill clients today, but freelance income can be reclassified at renewal. Structured Portuguese employment removes that ambiguity and unlocks IFICI cleanly.
Founder optimizing for IFICI 20%
You own a company abroad (Delaware, UK Ltd, Dubai FZE). We build the Portuguese salary layer so you draw compliant local income and time the IFICI application correctly.
What "we're your employer" actually means
A real Portuguese employment contract
Standard contract, your agreed gross salary, role title, and start date. Portuguese labour protections apply.
Segurança Social + IRS, run monthly
Employee social security registration, monthly payslips, IRS withholding per Portuguese brackets, 14 payments per year as Portuguese law requires.
IFICI timing built in
For qualifying highly-qualified activities, the 20% flat IRS rate for 10 years. We file by 15 January after your first full tax-residency year, from the same desk that runs your payroll.
One point of accountability
Employment, payroll, social security, IRS and the D3 dossier coordinated end-to-end, not split across three vendors who blame each other.
Our service fee is separate from government fees and from your own salary. Government fees on a D3 are modest: consulate visa €110, AIMA residence-permit fee €307.20 (effective 1 March 2026). Your gross salary is what we agree; net is what you receive after standard Portuguese deductions.
Pricing
Essential
€2,490
+ €990 per family member
For people who already have an EU/Portuguese employer and only need the visa done right. No EOR.
- Eligibility review and strategy
- Full document preparation
- All forms completed by us
- Pre-submission double-check
- NIF
- Consulate slot booking where the jurisdiction allows it (or step-by-step instructions where in-person verification is required)
- End-to-end case management through visa issuance
Recommended
Full Service
€6,900
+ €430/month · + €990 per family member
The flagship: employer + visa + payroll + IFICI, coordinated by one team. Includes everything in Essential.
- Eligibility review and strategy
- Full document preparation
- All forms completed by us
- Pre-submission double-check
- NIF
- Consulate slot booking where the jurisdiction allows it (or step-by-step instructions where in-person verification is required)
- End-to-end case management through visa issuance
- Portuguese employment contract via our in-house employer-of-record service
- Segurança Social registration
- IRS payroll withholding and monthly payslips
- IFICI application
- Ongoing payroll compliance for as long as you need it
Why not Deel, Remote, or RemoFirst
Global EOR platforms are built for companies hiring employees, not for an individual who needs a visa. Three concrete gaps.
They are enterprise-gated
Visa sponsorship on those platforms is a corporate feature, not a service an individual applicant can buy.
The D3 dossier is not their product
They run payroll; they do not assemble and file an AIMA-compliant D3 case.
They do not touch IFICI
The 20% regime needs a timed personal tax filing. Platform payroll does not include it.
Why not a €500-1,000 agency
| €500-1,000 visa agency | Relovisa Full Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Employer for your D3 | No employer. They cannot give you the qualifying-employment basis a D3 requires; you still need to find one. | A real Portuguese employment contract: we become your employer so your D3 has a compliant qualifying-employment basis. |
| Accountability after filing | Accountability ends at submission. File-and-forget. If AIMA questions employer substance, you are alone. | One point of accountability: employment, payroll, social security, IRS and the D3 dossier coordinated end-to-end. |
| Payroll, Segurança Social, IFICI | No payroll, no Segurança Social, no IFICI. The parts that make residency and tax actually function are missing. | Segurança Social and IRS run monthly, plus IFICI timing built in: the 20% flat rate filed by 15 January. |
Cheap visa agencies sell a checklist, not an outcome.
How Relovisa's payroll setup works
From employment contract to ongoing payroll compliance, we handle every step.
1. Strategy call
We test your role and salary against the D3 threshold (1.5x national average, roughly €2,100/month for most roles) and the IFICI qualifying-activity list.
2. Employment contract
Portuguese contract through our employer-of-record service at the agreed gross salary, role and start date.
3. Segurança Social + IRS setup
Employee social security registration; IRS withholding configured (20% flat rate applied after IFICI approval).
4. NIF + bank guidance
We obtain your NIF and send a step-by-step guide for opening the Portuguese bank account payroll requires.
5. D3 dossier + consulate
Full AIMA-compliant D3 case with the employment contract as the qualifying basis; consulate appointment booked.
6. Ongoing payroll + IFICI
Monthly payslips, social security filings, IRS withholding, year-end support; IFICI filed by 15 January after your first full tax-residency year.
Let your personal case manager and lawyer handle all the paperwork
No more dealing with bureaucracy, we take care of every detail.
1. Understand Your Immigration Options
During a consultation, our expert evaluates your profile and outlines pathways, helping you make an informed decision.
2. Tailored Strategy for Approval
Lawyer analyzes your case, identifies challenges, and creates a step-by-step roadmap to maximize success.
3. Complete Document Preparation
With minimal input from you, we handle certificates, translations, and applications.
4. Smooth Application Process
Your manager schedules appointments, ensures compliance, communicates with authorities, and tracks progress.
5. Bureaucratic Tasks Solved
We handle finding housing, tax registrations, and residence permits, eliminating paperwork stress.
Talk to the team that will actually employ you.
Bring your role, your salary target, and your current setup. In 40 minutes we tell you whether D3 + payroll fits, what it costs end to end, and what your IFICI timing looks like. The €40 consultation fee secures a dedicated expert for the call.
About “Relovisa Advisors”
Relovisa is a premium full-service immigration consultancy (HQ Portugal, "Made in Portugal"). It is not a law firm: it works with licensed immigration lawyers and tax advisors per jurisdiction. Relovisa delivers EU/UK/US residency and citizenship to founders, skilled professionals, investors, and remote workers, handling the paperwork end-to-end. Distinctive: its own Portuguese EOR/payroll entity, packaged with the Portugal D3 and Spain DNV routes, plus deep specialist depth on the France Talent (Passeport Talent) innovative-project route, including DRIEETS dossiers and the no-incubator route with two letters of support.
99.2%
Average success rate
99.2% of clients get their visas and residence permits
7000+
Cases · 30+ countries
Clients across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS
80+
Experts and lawyers
Professionals from around the world
8 years
Average experience
In immigration law & consulting
Our team, lawyers and partners
Our legal experts and professionals take care of everything, from document preparation to final approval, with 24/7 support, so you don't have to worry about a thing.
Olia Nemirovski
COO
10+ years specialist in client and partner relations, driving innovation through deep customer understanding.
Evgenia
Immigration lawyer
Licensed lawyer with deep knowledge of UK immigration law, she excels as a case manager for Talent Visas with 99.8% success rate.
Vladimir
Immigration consultant
Over three years of project management experience in German work immigration processes.
Daniela
Immigration Lawyer
Her expertise includes legal representation in court proceedings, expedited solutions for delayed residence processes, and all visa programs.
Petra
Immigration consultant
Specializes in D visas: Digital Nomad, D7, D2, D3, etc. She has experience working with various types of income.
Marilia
Immigration Attorney
Lawyer with 4 years experience works with global mobility processes for self-employed individuals through D8, D2, or IT workers through D3/Blue Card.
Thiago
Immigration Attorney
Relocated more than 300 high-qualified professionals to Portugal since 2018. Currently holding 100% success in lawsuits against AIMA (200+).
Vladislav
Tax Advisor
A licensed tax consultant with thousands of cases handled worldwide, from EU countries to Hong Kong and the USA. Specializes in finding solutions in the most unique and challenging situations.
Thomas
Tax Advisor
Thomas specializes in crypto business consultancy, with notable projects including market research for Bit2Me, a major Southern European cryptocurrency exchange.
FAQs
What is an employer of record (EOR)?
An EOR is a company that legally employs you on behalf of your work arrangement. In our case, Relovisa employs you in Portugal under a standard Portuguese contract, runs your payroll and social security, and handles IRS withholding, while your role and salary reflect what you and your foreign company or client agreed. Entity details are shared during your consultation.
Can my own foreign company engage your payroll to employ me in Portugal?
Yes, this is a common structure. Your foreign company (Delaware, BVI, UK Ltd, and similar) engages our Portuguese employer-of-record service. We then employ you in Portugal at the agreed gross salary and handle Segurança Social, IRS withholding and monthly payroll. Your foreign company keeps its profits; you receive Portuguese-domiciled income and benefits. We coordinate the inter-company arrangement with your accountant. For the fuller trade-off between running your own company and using our EOR, see our EOR vs company comparison.
How quickly can the setup happen?
Roughly 6 to 8 weeks for the employment contract, social security registration, NIF and full dossier. Then consulate processing for the D3 itself, typically 30 to 60 days. Plan on about 3 to 4 months to be ready to enter Portugal as an employed D3 holder.
What is the actual salary structure?
We agree your gross monthly salary in euros. Standard Portuguese deductions apply: employee social security and IRS withholding per Portuguese brackets. For IFICI-eligible roles, IRS withholding moves to the 20% flat rate after IFICI approval. You get monthly payslips and year-end IRS support, with 14 payments across the year as Portuguese law requires.
What is the minimum salary I need to be paid?
For D3 compliance, at least 1.5x the Portuguese national average, roughly €2,100/month for most roles, and about €2,500 to €3,000/month for managerial roles. We structure your gross salary to clear the relevant threshold.
Why is Full Service €6,900 when an agency charges €500?
The agency sells a checklist and hands the file back at submission. Full Service includes the thing that makes a D3 work for you: a real Portuguese employer, monthly payroll, Segurança Social, IRS withholding and IFICI timing, coordinated by one team. You are paying for an outcome and ongoing infrastructure, not a form.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Spouse, minor children and dependent parents apply alongside you at €990 per family member. Family processing follows your timeline.
Is IFICI guaranteed with D3 + payroll?
No, IFICI is not automatic. You apply by 15 January after your first full Portuguese tax-residency year, and eligibility requires you to perform a qualifying activity (most D3 roles do). We handle the application and coordinate the timing; we do not promise the tax authority's decision.
How reliable is the employing entity?
We have run Portuguese employer-of-record engagements for several years, with active Segurança Social filings, IRS payroll and accounting infrastructure in Portugal. Since April 2025, AIMA scrutinizes employer credibility on D3 filings, which is exactly why a compliant, established employment setup matters. Entity details are shared during your consultation.
What if my visa is refused, and what if I want to leave the payroll later?
For Portuguese cases we handle directly, if a refusal follows a complete document set you supplied, we re-file once at no additional service fee, subject to the conditions we set out in your engagement. On the payroll itself, you can exit on 30 days' notice with standard Portuguese exit documentation; at your next renewal you would need a new qualifying employer or a switch of visa category to keep residency. If your case is already stuck with AIMA, see our AIMA rescue service.