Visa-free travels for Portugal passport holders

Which countries are visa‑free for Portuguese citizens

The list of 187 countries includes states that allow entry without a visa for Portuguese passport holders, as well as countries that issue a visa on arrival or online. The latter states are included in the list because to visit them, Portuguese citizens do not have to go to the consulate, queue, or make appointments, that is, handle all the visa hassles people want to avoid so much. 

The difference between entry conditions

• Visa-free entry allows passing the country's border just on your passport without any additional entry permit. Portugal has visa waiver agreements with all European countries. Overall the list of visa-free countries for a Portugal passport includes 142 states.
• eTA, or Electronic Travel Authorization, is a visa type you apply for and receive online. The process can take a couple of minutes to 2—3 days, depending on the country. 10 countries issue an eTA for Portuguese citizens.
• Visa on arrival is a type of visa one gets immediately after crossing the border of the host country – for example, at the airport or the checkpoint. 35 states grant such visas to the Portuguese.

The freedom of travel that a Portuguese passport provides is one of the reasons so many people are looking to obtain citizenship of Portugal.   

Complete list of visa-free countries for citizens of Portugal 

Entry requirements to popular travel destinations for citizens of Portugal

The EU and Schengen Area. As Portugal is a part of the Schengen agreement, its citizens and residents can travel visa-free to all the Schengen countries and stay there for a maximum of 90 days in total within every 6 months. 

EU states that are not part of the Schengen Area, namely, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, and Ireland, also allow visa-free entry for citizens of Portugal. They can stay in each country for 90 days every 6 months. Stays in these countries are calculated individually. If one spends 90 days in Croatia, they can immediately travel to Romania and spend another 90 days there.

The UK. Portuguese citizens who visit the UK for tourism can stay there for up to 6 months without a visa. For that, they need only a passport valid for the whole duration of their stay in the country.

The United States. To visit the USA, holders of Portuguese passports need to apply for an eTA. The application process takes around 20 minutes, and the document is ready within several minutes. ETA allows only short-time visits for up to 90 days. The application fee is $21. 

Canada. For Canada, an eTA is also required. The document is valid for 6 months. The application process is straightforward and won’t take more than half an hour. Another thirty minutes after submission takes the issuance of an eTA.

Those who enter Canada from the USA by land or sea do not need an eTA.

Australia. For short stays in Australia, EU citizens, including the Portuguese, need an eVisitor visa. It’s a type of visa to apply for online. An eVisitor entry permit is valid for one year and allows multiple entries to the country. Each stay should not exceed 90 days.

Singapore. To enter Singapore, citizens of Portugal need to apply for an SG Arrival Card which can be obtained online. After that, it’s possible to stay in the country for 90 days.

Hong Kong. For EU citizens, including the Portuguese, Hong Kong allows visa-free entry for short stays of up to 3 months.

Japan. Short visits to Japan for up to 90 days are visa-free for Portuguese citizens.

Portugal. Portuguese citizens are not obliged to live in Portugal, but many choose to relocate or at least travel around the country. The country has something for anyone: ocean and surfing places, mountains and spectacular hiking trails, old castles and vibrant cities. On top of that, Portugal can brag about warm sunny weather all year long.

Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, is just a 40-minute drive away from Lisbon

Belem tower in Lisbon was the point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers

Porto is the second-largest city of Portugal, known for its fortified wine and vibrant old city

How to get a Portuguese passport

There are several ways to obtain a Portuguese passport. A marriage to a Portuguese citizen or employment by a local company can lead to citizenship by naturalisation. Besides, the residence by investment program operates for those willing to invest in the country’s economy and get citizenship in the future. 

The investment path to a Portuguese passport

Portugal golden visa obtainment. To be eligible for the Golden Visa, one needs to invest in the economy of Portugal. Investment options include purchasing real estate or investment fund units, capital transfer, funding a company, as well as investing in the country’s culture, business or research. The minimal investment one has to make is €250,000.

Residence permit renewals. A year after obtaining the Golden Visa, the investor needs to renew his residence permit for the first time. After that, the residence permit is to be renewed every two years. To be eligible for renewal, golden visa holders must spend at least 7 days a year in Portugal.

Application for citizenship. To apply for citizenship, one must hold a Portuguese golden visa for at least five years. The applicant also has to prove their knowledge of Portuguese. Consideration of the application usually takes about 7 months.

Andrew, 31

an owner of an IT company

Portugal citizenship in 5 years and with minimum investments

Andrew wanted to obtain citizenship in one of the EU states because he had planned to expand his company to Europe. 

The Portuguese Golden Visa program was the best suitable option for him as it offered affordable investment options while providing all the benefits of legal residence in an EU country.

Case Study

How to obtain a Portugal golden visa by purchasing real estate 

Purchase of real estate is the most popular investment option with Portuguese golden visa applicants. Here’s how the process of the golden visa obtainment goes in case of that kind of investment.  

Step-by-step procedure

Preliminary Due Diligence. Before signing a contract with an investor, we run a Due Diligence check on them to ensure they meet the Golden Visa program requirements and eliminate potential issues. 

Selection of real estate.  Focusing on the investor’s requirements, our real estate experts select properties for them to consider. After creating a shortlist of preferable options, we negotiate the terms with the sellers. 

First trip to Portugal. During this trip, the investor makes the final decision on the real estate they want to purchase, opens a bank account, gets an individual taxpayer number, and draws up a power of attorney for the lawyer to become their personal representative in Portugal.      

Purchase and sale transactions. Immigrant Invest lawyers accompany the deal until the issuance of the real estate ownership certificate.

Preparation for the application. Our lawyers provide the investor with a list of necessary documents for the golden visa application. When the documents are collected, the lawyers fill out government forms, translate and notarise the papers.  

Second trip to Portugal: fingerprinting. The investor travels to Portugal to submit the documents and biometric data for residence permit cards. This has to be done in person.

Approval and the residence permit issuance. The investor’s documents will be checked within 6 months after application. After approval, the investor pays the fee for a residence permit card and receives it two weeks after. 

Visa-free countries for Portuguese Golden Visa holders

A golden visa holder doesn’t have the same travel opportunities as a citizen. While the list of visa-free countries narrows down, it still includes all the Schengen states, as well as Cyprus, Croatia, and Romania. These are usually the most desired travel destinations. In total, 28 countries are visa-free for Portuguese golden visa holders.

Frequently Asked Questions