Portugal Visit Visa from India
Indian citizens who want to enter Portugal must apply for and obtain one of the Portuguese Schengen visas. The type of visa you must obtain largely depends on the reason for your travel to Portugal.
If you need more information about the Portugal Visit visa or how we can assist you in entering Portugal, Total Law can help. Reach out to one of our immigration advisers at Total Law. Call us on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or contact us online.
Page Contents
- Do Indians Need a Visa to Travel to Portugal?
- Types of Portugal Visas To Enter Portugal from India
- What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Short-Stay Portugal Visa From India?
- What Additional Documents Do I Need to Get a Portugal Visa to Work or Study?
- Portugal Schengen Visa Fees
- How Do I Apply for a Portugal Schengen Visa from India?
- Portugal Schengen Visa Processing Time
- What Should I Do if My Portugal Visa Is Refused?
- Can I Travel to Portugal If I Have Obtained a Schengen Visa from Another Country?
- Portugal Tourist Visa
- What to Do When You Arrive in Portugal
- How Can Total Law Help
- Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indians Need a Visa to Travel to Portugal?
Indian citizens must obtain a Portuguese visa to enter Portugal. This is because India and Portugal do not have a visa-free agreement.
The visa-free agreement allows citizens of the 27 countries in the Schengen region to enter the member states for various purposes without a visa. Therefore, as an Indian citizen, if you want to enter Portugal, you must obtain a type of Portuguese Schengen visa that suits your travel purpose.
The Portuguese Schengen visa permits you to enter Portugal and other countries in the Schengen area and stay for up to 90 days. But if you wish to stay for more than 90 days in Portugal, you can apply for a Portugal National visa.
The Portugal Schengen visas are also known as Short-Stay visas. You can also enter other Schengen member states with your Portuguese visa.
Additionally, you can stay in those countries for up to 90 days without getting another visa. But if you want to stay for more than 90 days in those countries, you must obtain a certificate of registration.
Types of Portugal Visas To Enter Portugal from India
If you want to enter Portugal from India, there are different types of visas available for you. You must obtain the visa type that serves your travel purpose. These visas include:
Tourist Visa
This is one of Portugal’s visas that allows the holder to enter Portugal as a tourist. It is designed for Indian citizens and other country nationals who want to visit Portugal. You must meet Portugal Tourist visa requirements for Indian citizens before you can qualify for the tourist visa. A Portuguese Tourist visa is a type of Portugal Schengen visa that will allow you to stay in Portugal for 90 days.
Work Visa
Indian citizens and other non-EU nationals who want to work in Portugal must obtain a Portugal Work visa. To qualify for a Work visa, your employer must have issued you a job offer.
The job position must have been posted for a minimum of 1 month to assure the Portuguese authorities that no EU or Portuguese citizen could fill that position. The Work permit application must be made by your employer to the Portuguese Labour Authorities on your behalf.
Business Visa
If you want to enter Portugal and carry out business activities (meetings, contract signings), you must obtain a Portuguese Business visa. This visa is also a type of Portugal Schengen visa, which only allows the holder to stay for up to 90 days in the country.
Study Visa
Indian nationals who want to come and remain in Portugal for educational purposes must apply and get a Portugal study visa. This visa is also known as the Student Schengen visa because it is designed for non-EU nationals who gained admission into a Portuguese educational institution.
National Visa
The Portugal National visa allows the holder to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days. This visa offers Indian citizens a route to permanent residency in Portugal.
The Portugal National visa is also known as Long-Term visa and permits you to stay in Portugal for more than 1 year. Indian nationals may obtain this Portuguese visa type if they expect their purpose of travel to Portugal to last for more than 90 days.
What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Short-Stay Portugal Visa From India?
To apply for a Short-Stay Portugal visa from India, you must present some documents at the embassy of Portugal in India. They include:
- Your completed Portuguese visa application form that has been printed and signed.
- Your valid passport that was issued to you within 10 years. It must have at least 2 blank pages and should have a minimum of 3 months validity beyond your planned date of leaving Portugal.
- Two identical passport-sized photographs that meet the requirements of the Portuguese Schengen visa application.
- Old copies of your visa (if you have been issued a visa by any country before).
- Proof of sufficient funds for travel and upkeep throughout your stay in Portugal. If you can prove you already have accommodation and food covered during your stay in Portugal, you may no longer be required to prove that you have sufficient funds.
- Proof of accommodation. This could be your hotel reservation in Portugal.
- Your round-trip flight itinerary, showing your details, flight numbers, and dates of entry and exit from Portugal.
- Your cover letter explaining the reason you are applying for a Portugal visa, the duration of your stay, when you plan to leave Portugal, etc.
- Proof of civil status, which could be a birth certificate of children, marriage certificate, or death certificate (if a spouse is dead), etc.
- Your travel health insurance with a minimum of €30,000 to cater for unforeseen medical bills.
The Portuguese embassy or consulate may ask you to provide additional documents depending on your employment status. If you are self-employed, you’ll need the following documents:
- Your business’s bank statement for the last 6 months.
- Your income tax return.
- One copy of your business license.
If you are employed you may be asked to provide the following documents:
- Leave permission from your employer.
- Your employment contract.
- Your current bank statement for the last 6 months.
- Income tax return.
If you are a student, you may be asked to get:
- A no-objection letter issued by your University in India.
- Your proof of enrollment.
- Advertisements.
- Evidence of regularly generated income by your property within the last 6 months (if applicable).
In the case of minors, their parents or guardians must come with them to the Portuguese embassy or consulate in India to submit the Portugal Schengen visa application.
The following are the documents to be provided for a minor:
- The child’s birth certificate.
- A visa application form signed by the child’s parents.
- Valid identification documents and passports of the child’s parents.
- A family court order if the child is in full custody of one of the parents.
If someone else (apart from the parents of the child) will travel with the child, then provide:
- The accompanying person’s passport with information about the person and a copy of a valid visa, expiry date, and latest photograph.
- A parental authorisation to enter Portugal that has been signed by the child’s parents or guardians.
What Additional Documents Do I Need to Get a Portugal Visa to Work or Study?
After providing the generally required documents for a Short-Stay visa in Portugal, you need to provide specific additional documents if you want to work or study in Portugal.
Additional Documents for Portugal Work Visa
Here are the additional documents for a Work visa in Portugal:
- Your current bank statements.
- Your employment contract.
- Criminal record certificate from India or wherever you have lived for the last 1 year.
- Permission of SEF to go through your criminal history.
- Proof of legal stay, such as a residence permit, if you’re applying from another country apart from India.
- Your income tax return.
- A no-objection letter from your employer in India.
Additional Documents for Portugal Study Visa
Here are the additional documents for a Study visa in Portugal:
- Acceptance letter from a Portuguese University.
- Your Portugal Student visa application form (may be issued by the embassy).
- Evidence you have cleared your tuition fees. You may provide a document from a University that awarded you a scholarship if you have a scholarship.
- Evidence you have sufficient financial means to sustain your stay. You can prove this either through bank statements, a scholarship, proof of financial aid, or proof of sponsorship.
- A criminal record certificate.
- Evidence of accommodation such as a school dormitory or a letter from a family member you will stay in their home in Portugal.
Note that all the mentioned documents must be submitted in Portuguese or English. A certified translator must translate and notarise them if they are not in Portuguese or English.
Also, you may have to legalise some documents, such as civic or diploma documents through the Portuguese embassy in India or through an Apostille Stamp.
Portugal Schengen Visa Fees
Indian nationals must pay the Schengen visa fee to start their application. The Portuguese Schengen visa fee for adults is €80, whereas the Portuguese Schengen visa fee for children is €40.
Some categories of applicants may obtain the Portuguese Schengen visa free of charge. They include:
- Children below 6 years old.
- Students or pupils, and accompanying teachers during school excursions.
- Researchers on a scientific research trip.
- Diplomatic, official, or service passport holders who are travelling for official purposes.
How Do I Apply for a Portugal Schengen Visa from India?
To apply for a Portugal visa, Indian nationals need to follow this step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Select the Type of Visa
Pick the visa type that aligns with your travel purpose. Also, you should assess your documents and know if you have all the paperwork required for the application.
Step 2: Make Your Application
Complete and submit the visa application form at a Visa Application Centre in your area. Portuguese visa application website may be an alternative for your visa application form submission. Ensure you attach all the documents required of you for your chosen visa type.
Step 3: Set Your Appointment
After filling out your application form and having booked an appointment, a letter of appointment and an email of confirmation follows immediately.
Step 4: Pay Required Fees
Once you have finished applying, pay your visa application fees. If you have downloaded and printed the visa application form, you may be allowed to pay the visa application fee during your appointment.
Step 5: Proceed to the Visa Application Centre
Visit your nearest Visa Application Centre and file your visa application form immediately after completing it.
Step 6: Follow-Up Your Application
Updates through SMS would be sent to your phone directly if you wish to have more detailed tracking information regarding your visa application progress. But you must know whether your Visa Application Centre has this service. Also, email updates about your visa application’s progress will be sent to you.
Step 7: Receive Your Passport
Once a decision has been made regarding your visa application, go and collect your passport from your Visa Application Centre. But if you don’t want to go in person, you may arrange for a courier to get it for you, although it will attract more fees.
Portugal Schengen Visa Processing Time
After you have submitted your Portugal Schengen visa, it takes about 15 days for your visa application to be processed. That being said, there are some factors that may prolong your visa processing time.
Some of these factors could be incomplete documentation, errors in your application, time of the year, how busy the visa application centre is, etc. Therefore, to avoid or minimise this delay, it is advised that you apply about 3 months or at least 2 weeks before your planned departure date.
What Should I Do if My Portugal Visa Is Refused?
Some Portugal visa applications get refused because of several reasons, such as incomplete documentation, errors and omissions in the visa application forms, etc. Upon the refusal of a visa application, you just need to correct the mistakes you made initially and reapply.
But if you believe that your initial application was wrongly refused, you can appeal that decision. Before you take this route, you must be sure that there was no reason for your application to be rejected and that the decision was wrongly made.
The appeal must be made by writing a letter for Schengen Visa Refusal, pointing out solid reasons you believe your application’s rejection is wrong and why that decision must be changed.
Note that you only have 15 days to appeal your Portugal Schengen visa starting from the day you receive your visa application rejection form.
Appealing a visa application refusal is not an easy thing to do. You may not know how to put out your solid reasons against your visa application refusal. This is why we recommend you reach out to us at Total Law.
We can help you make a compelling appeal against your visa application refusal. Call us today on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or contact us online.
Can I Travel to Portugal If I Have Obtained a Schengen Visa from Another Country?
Yes, you can enter Portugal with a Schengen visa from another country. This is because Portugal is a Schengen member state that has a visa-free agreement with other Schengen member states. You can only stay for up to 90 days in Portugal with the Schengen visa.
Portugal Tourist Visa
Indian citizens who want to enter Portugal as visitors or tourists can apply for and obtain a Portugal Tourist visa. This visa is one of the Portuguese Schengen visas popularly known as the Short-Stay visa.
They are known as Short-Stay visas because the holder’s travel duration would not be more than 90 days. Also, the applicant’s purpose could be just for tourism and to visit family. But if you wish to stay for more than 90 days in Portugal, you may apply for the Portugal National visa, which may allow you to stay in Portugal for up to 1 year.
Other Short-Stay visas include Business visa, Short-Term Study visa, Transit visa, Medical visa, etc. With the Portugal Tourist visa, you may be allowed into the other 26 countries in the Schengen region and stay for up to 90 days without getting a visa for any of those countries.
What to Do When You Arrive in Portugal
On arrival in Portugal, it is expected of you to bring out your visa, travel documents, and/or passport, which was issued to you within the last 10 years with 3 months validity beyond the date you should return to India.
After checking the mentioned documents, the border officer will ask you some questions you must answer and back up with documents (if required), such as your invitation letter from someone in Portugal, evidence of your round-trip ticket, etc.
Note that your passport must be stamped by the border officer, because you may be fined or detained for not having it stamped.
How Can Total Law Help
If you want to get a Portugal Visit visa from India, you must meet some requirements including the Schengen visa bank statement requirement. You must also have all the required documents to make an application.
The process of assembling all your documents for visa application is rigorous and requires expert guidance. That being said, you may find it really difficult to do all these things by yourself.
Remember that you must submit a visa application form that is error-free and meets the criteria of the Portuguese embassy. Along the line, you must pay your visa fees, as any wrong payment will not be refunded. Total Law can help you with your Portugal visa application.
We have experienced immigration advisers who have helped several Indians to get their Portuguese visas. We will help you choose the visa type that meets your travel purpose, assemble your documents, make the correct payments, and be there for you throughout your visa application process.
We can also help you appeal a visa application refusal. We already know our way around all immigration-related matters.
For more information about Portugal Visit visa requirements or other services we offer, just contact us today at Total Law. Call us on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or contact us online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Tourist visas are open for Portugal from India. All you need to do is to obtain a Portugal Tourist visa from India. However, you must meet the eligibility requirements for a Tourist visa before you can apply.
As an Indian citizen, you must prove that you have a minimum bank balance for a Schengen visa, which is €40 per day and at least €75 anytime you enter Portugal.
Yes, you can work in Portugal on your Portuguese Tourist visa. You are allowed to do seasonal work in Portugal, but if you wish to work for more than 90 days in Portugal, you will need a regular work visa.