Portugal intra-company transfer (ICT) permit

For less than a year, the temporary stay visa for transfers between WTO member states covers service provision or professional training within the same company or group. It applies to partners or employees who have been with the company for at least one year and are senior managers, technical staff essential to the activity, or people coming for professional training.

The ICT permit (art. 124-B) is for a worker hosted by an entity established in Portugal to which they are transferred within the same company or group, to work as a manager, specialist or trainee employee. You must have worked for the company or group immediately before the transfer for an uninterrupted three to twelve months as manager or specialist, or three to six months as a trainee employee, and hold the corresponding qualifications or, for trainees, a higher-education degree.

AIMA asks for the passport, authenticated criminal record, address declaration, tax and Social Security registration, the employer’s declaration of the contract specifying manager, specialist or trainee status, a document from the employer showing the host entity, salary and working conditions during the transfer, proof that both entities belong to the same group, proof of the prior employment period and qualifications, health insurance where you are not covered by the NHS, and the host’s guarantee that it complies with Portuguese pay and working conditions.

AIMA decides first ICT permits within 90 days and renewals within 30 days; for certified companies these deadlines are halved to 45 and 15 days. Any change to the conditions of the permit must be notified to AIMA within 15 days.

The ICT permit holder is guaranteed the right to family reunification under article 98 of the Foreigners Law.

A refused national visa can be challenged by a complaint to the consulate within 15 days, a hierarchical appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs within three months, or an action before the Administrative Court of Lisbon within three months. The routes are not mutually exclusive, and each appeal procedure costs EUR 75 (except for visas following a family reunification approval). Since Lei 61/2025, a visa is also refused to anyone who entered or stayed in Portugal illegally and is subject to an entry ban.