All types of Portugal visas: which one should you get?

Whether one needs a visa to Portugal or not depends on their citizenship.

How to get Portugal residency with a D7 visa

62 countries and territories have a visa-exempt regime with Portugal, including the Schengen states, the UK, the USA, and others. Citizens of these countries don’t need visas for brief visits of up to 90 days.

For longer visits over 90 days, foreigners obtain national visas regardless of their nationality. The only exception is EU citizens who can simply register at a Portuguese address to be able to reside in the country long-term.

Countries whose citizens can enter Portugal visa-free

Citizens of other countries need either a Schengen visa or a national visa to enter Portugal.

Schengen visas are granted to those who plan a short trip to the country for tourism purposes. National visas are intended for foreigners who plan to stay in Portugal for longer than 90 days at once.

Citizens of countries that have a visa-free agreement with Portugal can stay in the country for up to 90 days every half a year.

EU citizens can stay in Portugal indefinitely if they register with local municipal authorities.

Nationals of countries that do not have a visa-free regime with Portugal, need to obtain a short-term or long-term visa. The type of visa should be chosen according to the intended duration of stay and its purpose.

All Portuguese visas can be divided into four categories, depending on the intended stay’s duration and purpose.

Residence visas are granted to foreigners planning to stay in Portugal indefinitely and are eligible for a residence permit. This includes relatives of the country’s nationals, entrepreneurs, employees of Portuguese companies, students of local universities who intend to stay for longer than a year, and others.

Typically, a residence visa is valid for 4 months and allows two entries to the country. The holder of such a visa is expected to apply for residency once they arrive in Portugal.

Residence visas are also often called type 1 visas; however, this name is not official.

Temporary stay visas allow multiple entries and are valid for one year maximum. They are granted to students, employees, interns who intend to stay in Portugal for less than a year, and foreigners arriving for medical or religious purposes.

The Job Seeker visa is a single-entry visa granted for 120 days and extendable for another 60 days. As the name implies, it is granted to foreigners who don’t have a job in Portugal yet but are willing to find one.

A short-term tourist visa is a uniform visa valid in Portugal and the other 27 Schengen states.

Schengen visas are granted to foreigners planning a short visit to Portugal for tourism, business or medical treatment. It allows staying in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days every half a year within the validity period.

Schengen visas can be single-entry or multiple-entry — it is up to an embassy to allow or restrict multiple entries and set the validity period for each applicant.

A foreigner can obtain a residence visa to Portugal for employment, study, sufficient passive income, family reunification, and business investments.

Residence visas to Portugal allow two entries into the country and 4 months of stay. A holder of this type of visa is expected to apply for a residence permit once they enter the country.  

How to become a Portuguese resident

1. Business initiatives. Entrepreneurs willing to fund a business in Portugal can apply for one of the two long-term visas:

• a Startup Visa for those starting innovative projects;

• a D2 visa for other types of businesses.

Neither of the options requires applicants to invest a certain amount; however, entrepreneurs are expected to have rented or owned accommodation in Portugal and sufficient funds for everyday expenses. For instance, an applicant’s minimum amount in their bank account to apply for a Startup Visa is €5,200.

2. Employment. Two different types of visas are intended for foreigners employed by Portuguese companies — D1 and D3.

The D1 visa allows foreign employees of Portuguese companies to obtain residency in the country. To get the visa, applicants must provide a work contract for at least 12 months and proof of accommodation. The D1 visa does not require higher education.

The D3, or HQA, visa is granted to highly qualified professionals with higher education in specific fields. Typically, this includes IT professionals, engineers, doctors, scientists, and top management. Applicants for a D3 visa need to provide a job contract with a salary of €1,441 or higher.

Practical Guide

Practical Guide

Will you obtain the Portugal HQA Visa?

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3. Professional training, internship, or volunteer work. Foreigners who have an agreement with a Portuguese institution about an unpaid internship, volunteer work or training can apply for a special type of visa. This also applies to high-school student exchange program participants.

Aside from proof of accommodation and sufficient funds, applicants need to provide an invitation letter from a Portuguese institution.

4. Remote work. For freelancers, foreign company employees, and self-employed third nationals who work remotely, Portugal offers a Digital Nomad Visa that allows them to obtain residency in the country for two years and then exceed the period of stay.

To obtain a Digital Nomad Visa, a remote worker must prove an income of €3,040 monthly and rent or buy a residential property.

Individual cost calculation of the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa

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5. Study and research. International students of Portuguese universities, as well as researchers, can apply for a residence visa. It is available to those who already have the offer to study in a bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, or Postdoc program.

Aside from a letter from a university or research institution, applicants are required to show proof of accommodation and enough funds to live in Portugal.

6. Passive income. Foreigners with a stable passive income can obtain a D7 visa to get residency in Portugal.

For the D7 visa, almost any legal income obtained remotely from sources outside Portugal qualifies as passive income. This includes salary from a remote job, pension, rental payments, interest, royalties, etc.

The income should equal or exceed the minimum wage in Portugal. The threshold changes every year. In 2023, it’s €760 monthly, and it’ll rise to €820 on January 1st, 2024.

Long-term visa for retirement. The D7 visa is also an option for retirees looking for a slow life pace in Portugal.

Portugal is the 7th safest country in the world, according to the 2023 Global Peace Index. Portuguese residents have access to the National Health Service, which means they can receive treatment and all medical procedures on the same conditions as citizens of Portugal.

Individual cost calculation of the visa D7 in Portugal

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7. Family reunification. Close family members of Portuguese citizens and residents can apply for a residency visa. It is available to the resident’s or citizen’s spouse and dependent children, parents and siblings.

To apply for this type of visa, applicants must present documents that prove their relationship to a Portuguese national or resident, such as a marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption papers, or a copy of the custody decision.

Additionally, a Portuguese citizen who wants to provide their family members with permits must present evidence of suitable accommodation for everyone and sufficient funds to support their relatives.

The process of applying for a Portugal residency visa has two stages. During the first stage, the applicants prepare and submit the documents for a residency visa in the country of their permanent residency. In the second stage, they submit the documents for residency in Portugal.

1. Fill in the application. When applying for residency, the applicant completes the form for a National Visa.

2. Collect the required documents. To apply for this type of visa, the applicant has to submit the following papers:

• two identical photographs in colour;

• a passport or another valid travel document;

• evidence of sufficient means;

• proof of accommodation in Portugal;

• consent for a Portugal criminal record check;

• a criminal record of the country of origin.

Aside from this, the applicant should provide the supporting documents proving their right to residency in Portugal: a work contract, an invitation letter from a university or an agreement with a business incubator.

3. Pay the fees. The fee for a residency visa is €90.

4. Book an appointment at the consulate or a visa centre. The officials also collect your biometrics during your visit.

5. Wait for the decision on your application. The deadline to decide on a resident visa application is 60 days. However, in certain cases stipulated by law, this period may be reduced.

6. Collect your passport with a visa. Once the visa is approved, book an appointment at the consulate or a visa centre and receive your documents. Check the data on a visa.

The residency visa is valid for 4 months and allows 2 entries.

7. Enter Portugal and apply for residency. Once a residency visa holder is in Portugal, they should submit their documents to AIMA — Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum of Portugal.

8. Have your fingerprints recorded. You also have to book an appointment for fingerprinting. On a chosen day, you must appear in person for the officials to collect your biometric data.

9. Collect your residence permit card. After AIMA approves your application, you must pay fees to issue a resident card. The card is issued within two weeks.

Foreigners willing to contribute to the country’s economy can obtain Portugal residence permits.

The Golden Visa Program implies multiple investment ways, including property purchase, acquisition of fund units, investments in scientific research or culture, and other options. The minimum investment to join the program is €250,000.

Along with the main applicant, their close family members can obtain residency. This includes spouses, as well as dependent children, parents, and siblings. Permits obtained under this program are to be renewed every two years.

Portugal is a crypto-friendly country. Long-term gains with bitcoins, crypto-to-crypto sales and non-fungible assets are tax-free there. When the money has been held for less than a year, short-term gains are subject to a tax of 28%.

15 most crypto-friendly countries

It is possible to buy real estate in Portugal via cryptocurrency. Thus, in 2022, an investor purchased a three-bedroom apartment for 3 bitcoins, equalling €110,000. That was the first real estate purchase for cryptocurrency in Portugal and the European Union.

Residents have to live in Portugal for five years before they may apply for citizenship. Those who apply for Portugal citizenship must have proficiency in the basic Portuguese language.

The citizenship application can be submitted online, offline in person or by mail. The online application can only be done by a lawyer or a solicitor with a valid digital certificate.

In the case of offline applications, the future Portuguese has to follow a procedure consisting of 6 steps:

1. Fill in the application form. You can find the form on the official government website; complete and print it out.

2. Pay the fees. Via the mentioned site, you can pay the fee of €250. There are different payment options. It is possible to pay by a bank card or by cheque.

3. Collect the required documents. Along with the completed application, it is necessary to provide a copy of a birth certificate translated into Portuguese with an apostille from the Portuguese consular, a request for citizenship to the Minister of Justice written in Portuguese and signed in the presence of the Registry employees, a document proving sufficient knowledge of the Portuguese language, a translated to Portuguese and signed certificate of no criminal record from the country of birth, nationality and residency from the age of 16.

4. Submit the required documents at one of the IRN counters or send them by mail.

5. Wait for the decision. You can track the status of your application online or request it in the Central Registry Office. The process of obtaining citizenship takes around a year.

6. Get a citizen ID card. When the application is approved, the government issues a card, which takes around two weeks. Then, they send an ID card by mail to the applicant’s official registration address in Portugal.

Temporary stay visas are issued to people who need to stay in Portugal for over 3 months but less than a year. For instance, this type of visa could be granted to exchange students and seasonal workers.

Visa types. The full list of Portugal temporary stay visas includes:

• a temporary work visa;

• a seasonal work visa;

• a study visa;

• a scientific research purposes visa;

• an internship or volunteering visa;

• a youth mobility visa;

• a medical treatment visa;

• a temporary stay visa for a family member who accompanies the patient in the medical treatment;

• a religious purposes visa;

• a short-term digital nomad visa;

• an amateur sports purposes visa;

• an academic or professional training purposes visa;

• a self-support visa;

• a family reunification visa for close relatives of a person holding a temporary stay visa for other reasons.

Holders of temporary stay visas don’t need to get a residence card. Their visa is valid for the whole duration of their stay and allows multiple entries into Portugal.

How to get a temporary stay visa. To obtain a temporary visa to Portugal, one has to take seven steps:

1. Fill in a Temporary Stay Visa application: complete the form and sign it. Parents or guardians fill out and sign an application for the minors.

2. Collect the required documents. Applicants for temporary stay visas submit documentation related to their purpose of stay, for instance, a work contract, a medical report, an invitation from a university for an exchange program, etc.

3. Pay visa fees. The visa fees for processing a Temporary Stay Visa are €75. There are several categories of citizens who are exemption from the fees: residence permit holders’ descendants if they apply for a family reunification visa, students whose scholarship is granted by Portugal, scientists with highly qualified research activity purposes, and patients and those who accompany them, travelling under Cooperation Agreements in the Field of Health with Portugal.

4. Book an appointment in the consular or in an authorised visa centre.

5. Submit the application and biometrics. You can do it in the Portuguese consular post in your country or an authorised visa centre.

6. Wait for the decision on your application. The waiting period is up to 30 days. Some visa centres provide a service for tracking your application online.

7. Collect your passport with a visa. Collect your passport from the consular or a visa centre. Sometimes, you need to book a new appointment to get a passport. When obtaining a passport with a visa, check the data carefully.

Documents. Aside from the application form and proof of the purpose of stay, applicants provide the following:

• two identical passport-type photos in colour;

• a passport or another valid travel document;

• travel insurance valid for the whole duration of stay;

• a criminal record certificate from the country of origin;

• a request for criminal record enquiry by SEF;

• proof of financial means;

• a copy of a return ticket.

The Douro region in Portugal is known for its terraced landscape and is home to some of the best Portuguese wines. Dozens of wineries here invite visitors for a tour, a romantic dinner or even a stay at a wine hotel

The Job Seeker visa is a type of single-entry visa that is valid for 120 days and can be extended for another 60 days. It is intended for foreigners seeking employment in Portugal but have not yet secured a job.

There are seven stages of obtaining a Job Seeker visa:

1. Complete the application for a National visa. Print it out and sign it.

2. Collect the required documentation.

3. Pay visa fees. The visa fee for a Job Seeker visa equals €75.

4. Book an appointment in the consular or an authorised visa centre.

5. Submit the documents and biometrics to the consular or the visa centre you’ve booked an appointment at.

6. Wait for the decision. It usually takes 30 days to approve the application for the government. However, in some instances, this period may be increased.

7. Receive your passport with a visa. You probably have to book an appointment to collect the document from a consulate or a visa centre. Check the data on a visa carefully.

Documents. To get a Job Seeker visa, the applicant needs to provide a Portuguese consulate with the following documents:

• a filled-out National Visa application;

• two identical passport-type photos in colour;

• a passport or another valid travel document;

• travel insurance valid for the whole duration of stay;

• a criminal record certificate from the country of origin;

• a request for criminal record enquiry by SEF;

• proof of financial means;

• a copy of a return ticket;

• proof of financial resources equivalent to three minimum monthly salaries; in 2023, it’s €2,280. Starting from January 1st, 2024, the amount is €2,460.

The Schengen visa is a type of visa that allows travel throughout the Schengen Area for up to 90 days every half a year. Typically, if the intended stay does not exceed 3 months, a foreigner should apply for a Schengen visa, regardless of the purpose of the visit.

A Schengen visa can be granted for a few days to a maximum of five years. However, regardless of the length of the visa’s validity, the holder is not allowed to stay in the Schengen Area for over 90 days in a half-year period. The visa may be a single-entry or multiple-entry, depending on the consulate’s decision.

As a rule, obtaining a Schengen visa to Portugal takes 15 calendar days from lodging an application and required documents. Here is a step-by-step procedure for obtaining a short-stay visa to Portugal:

1. Complete an application. An applicant may fill in the form online or offline.

2. Book an appointment in a consular or an authorised visa centre.

3. Collect the required documents.

4. Pay the visa fees. A general fee for a Schengen visa to Portugal is €80. The reduced fee applies to children aged 6 to 12 and equals €40. Besides, citizens of some countries are subject to a simplified procedure with a fee of €35.

5. Submit the documents and biometrics. Bring the collected documents and the application to the consular post in your area of residency. The officials will also collect your fingerprints during the appointment and may schedule an interview within two weeks from the date of application.

6. Await for the decision. The process of decision-making usually takes 15 calendar days. However, some cases may take extra time — 30 to 45 days. The waiting period may also be reduced to 10 calendar days for applicants from countries with visa facilitation agreements with the EU.

7. Get your passport with a visa. You have to collect your passport with the glued visa in person. When receiving it, check the information on the sticker.

The list of documents for a Schengen visa application includes the following:

• a filled-out application form;

• a passport or another valid travel document

• two passport-type photos in colour;

• proof of funds;

• proof of accommodation, for example, a hotel booking;

• a copy of a travel document, including the return ticket;

• travel insurance covering the whole period of the intended stay.

The town of Obidos is just one-hour drive away from Portugal — it is a well-preserved example of a mediaeval walled city that is known for its frequent vibrant festivals

Foreign nationals planning a trip to Portugal have several options for short-term and long-term visas to the country:

1. Citizens of 62 countries, including all the EU states, the USA, and the UK, do not require a visa for short stays. They are allowed to visit Portugal for up to 90 days every half a year.

2. Citizens of all other countries do need to obtain a visa. There are four visa types in Portugal. The Schengen, temporary stay and the Job Seeker are short-term visas that allow staying in the country from 90 days to 1 year. Residence visas are long-term and will enable you to get a Portugal residence permit.

3. To obtain a residence visa to Portugal, one needs to provide a solid reason to do so: a work contract, proof of starting a business in the country, an invitation from a university, etc.