John Hanafin promotes Portugal D3 visa cards in four months

John Hanafin promoted Portugal’s D3 visa route to Gulf families on Oct. 21, saying in a Gulf News GN Focus article that clients receive residence cards in around four months.

Hanafin said the route requires a €175,000 university or research contribution, compared with €500,000 for Portugal’s remaining Golden Visa options, as Gulf residents seek European residence without relocating.

The D3 framework, described by Hanafin as Portugal’s Highly Skilled Visa, involves a formal collaboration agreement with a Portuguese university or research institution. He said the contribution supports research, academic development or innovation.

Hanafin, founder of johnhanafin.com, said the question from Dubai clients has shifted from “how do I get a passport?” to “how do I secure a future for my family in Europe, quickly, and without tying up a fortune?”

A Portuguese residence permit allows the family to live, work and study in Portugal, and to travel within the 29-country Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, Hanafin said in the article. He said permanent residence follows after five years and citizenship after ten under Portugal’s new nationality law.

The adviser contrasted the D3 route with investment-migration programmes. Portugal removed property from its Golden Visa programme in 2023, Spain scrapped its programme in 2025, and Hanafin said some Golden Visa files have been with Portugal’s immigration agency for years.

Hanafin said the route is not suitable for every applicant. He said it fits graduates, experienced professionals and business owners, and that any exemption from long absences in Portugal must be based on documented international business activity.

He also said applicants should take legal and tax advice before committing. The article was written by Hanafin and is presented as general information, not legal, tax or investment advice.

Source: GN Focus article, Gulf News, Oct. 21, 2026