​​Portugal Residence Permit

A Portuguese residence permit grants holders authorisation to stay in Portugal for longer than 90 days.

Portuguese residence permits are different to Residency visas. While residence permits are usually valid for a year or more, Residency visas are typically only valid for 3 or 4 months.

A Residency visa is issued by the Portuguese Embassy to grant you entry into Portugal. Once you’ve entered the country, you must register as a resident at the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) within 4 months to receive a residence permit.

Citizens from EU or EEA member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland do not need to apply. Instead, they should apply for a Registration Certificate.

Citizens from all other states, such as Pakistan, should apply for a residence permit.

You can usually renew your residency permit, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

There are several types of temporary residence permits available for Pakistani citizens, including the following:

• Resident permit for family unification
• Resident permit for investment
• Resident permit for retirement
• Resident permit for study
• Residence permit for work
• Special residence permit

To be eligible:

• You have not been convicted of a crime in any country that would be punishable in Portugal by a custodial sentence of more than 1 year, and
• You satisfy the eligibility criteria for the specific permit you applied for.

Once you have lived in Portugal for 5 years, you may then be able to apply for a permanent residence permit and, eventually, Portuguese citizenship.

Page Contents

• Overview of Portugal Residence Permit from Pakistan
• Residence Permit for Family Unification
• Resident Permit for Investment
• Resident Permit for Retirement
• Residence Permit for Study
• Residence Permit for Work
• Special Residence Permit
• Permanent Residence Permit
• How to Apply for a Portuguese Residence Permit from Pakistan
• Required Documents to Apply for a Residence Permit in Portugal
• How Much Does It Cost To Obtain a Residency Permit In Portugal?
• How Total Law Can Help
• Frequently Asked Questions

Pakistani citizens and residents may be able to travel to Portugal and live with their families through a residence permit for family unification.

Family members who are eligible for family unification include:

• Spouse or non-marital legally recognised partner of the resident
• Children under the age of 18 or dependent children over the age of 18 under guardianship
• Adopted children under the age of 18
• Dependent children over the age of 18 who are studying at a Portuguese educational institution
• Dependent 1st-degree descendants in the direct line of the Portuguese resident or their spouse
• Siblings under the age of 18 who are under the care of the Portuguese resident, following a decision by the relevant authority in the country of origin

Only the following family members can reunite with a family member in Portugal who is the holder of a residence permit for study:

• Spouse
• Dependent children under the care of the resident or spouse
• Adopted children under 18 years old

Your permit will be granted for an initial period of 2 years. Following this, you will be able to renew your permit in successive 3-year periods for the duration of your family member’s visa.

You will be entitled to an autonomous residence permit if:

• You are joining a spouse or partner and have been married for 5 years.
• After the initial 2-year period, you have underage children living in Portugal.

Depending on the terms of your visa, you may be able to work while you’re in Portugal and apply for permanent residency after living there for 5 years.

A temporary residence permit for investment purposes allows Pakistani citizens and residents to stay in Portugal to conduct business activities under the Portugal golden visa scheme.

To be eligible for a Golden visa, you must satisfy the following criteria:

• You’re at least 18 years old and a non-EU, EEA, or Swiss national.
• You have a clean criminal record in your home country and Portugal.
• At least 1 qualifying investment is made through one of the following routes:
  • The purchase of property in Portugal with a value of at least €500,000 or €400,000 in a low-density area
  • The purchase of property in a Portuguese urban regeneration area that has a value of at least €350,000 or €280,000 if in a low-density area
  • Investment of a minimum amount of €500,000 in a qualifying investment fund
  • A capital transfer of a minimum amount of €1 million
  • A capital transfer of a minimum amount of €350,000 for scientific or technological research by a public or private scientific research institution in Portugal
  • A minimum €250,000 capital transfer that supports the arts or reconstruction of Portuguese heritage.
  • The purchase of company shares worth a minimum of €1 million
  • The investment of at least €1 million in a Portuguese company
  • The creation of at least 10 jobs in Portugal
  • A €350,000 investment to create a commercial company or reinforce the share capital of a commercial company, from which a minimum of 5 full-time jobs are created
• You will maintain the investment for a minimum of 5 years.
• The funds for the investment will come from outside Portugal.
• You will stay in Portugal for at least 7 years during the first year of your visa, and at least 14 days in the subsequent years.

By holding a Golden visa, you will be visa-exempt when travelling within the Schengen Area and be entitled to family reunification.

Once you obtain your visa, you can then apply for the necessary residency permit.

Your permit will be renewable and valid for 2 years from the date of issue. You’ll also be able to apply for permanent residence and Portuguese citizenship after living in the country for 5 years.

It’s important to note that as of October 2023, the InstituteInsitute of Registries and Notaries has announced major changes to the Golden visa programme and it is expected that it will be discontinued by the end of 2023.

Also known as the D7 visa, the resident permit for retirement is available to anyone who meets the following eligibility criteria:

• You’re a non-EU national.
• You have health insurance covering you while in Portugal.
• You have a NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) number and will become a tax resident.
• You have a regular passive income of at least €705 per month or €8,460 per year, which comes from pensions, real estate, transferable equity, royalties, intellectual property, earnings from long-term, fixed-rate financial investment, passive business dividends, and interest from savings.
• Have a Portuguese bank account.
• You will live in Portugal for at least:
  • 16 months within the first 2 years of your permit
  • 30 months in subsequent 3-year periods afterwards

As long as you satisfy the required duration of residence in Portugal, you can be absent from Portugal for 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months.

If other family members wish to live with you in Portugal, the income requirement increases to an additional:

• 50% of the requirement for a spouse or partner, equating to €12,690.00 per year
• 30% of the requirement for a child under 18 years old, equating to €2,568 per year.

You can work in Portugal remotely or as a freelancer but cannot work for a Portuguese employer.

Your D7 visa will be valid for 2 years, after which you can renew it for a further 3 years.

Once you have obtained your D7 visa, you will be able to apply for a resident permit.

After 5 years of residency, you will then be able to apply for permanent residence and Portuguese citizenship.

There are several types of residence permits for work purposes available for Pakistani nationals and residents.

These include:

• Residence permit for employed workers
• Residence permit for self-employed workers
• Residence permit for teaching activity
• Residence permit for highly qualified activity
• Residence permit for cultural activity
• Residence permit for highly qualified activity in certified companies (“Tech visa”)

You may change the nature of your employment, such as becoming newly self-employed, by informing SEF and switching to the relevant residence permit.

Your permit will be issued for an initial period of 2 years, after which it will be renewable for successive 3-year periods.

While the above temporary resident permits are more common, there are additional temporary permits available for specific circumstances.

These residence permits are known as special residence permits and include residence permits for those who:

• Have undertaken military service in the Portuguese Armed Forces
• Are under the age of 18 and born in Portuguese territory to foreign national parents who hold a residence permit.
• Suffer from long-term health conditions that require specialist treatment.
• Are the child of a Portuguese residence permit holder, are older than 18 years old, and have regularly resided in Portugal since the age of 10 years old.
• Are at least 18 years old, were born in Portugal, have never left Portuguese territory, or have resided in Portugal before 10 years old.

A permanent residence permit grants holders long-term residence status.

To be eligible for a permanent residence permit, you must meet the following criteria:

• You have lived in Portugal for at least 5 years immediately before your application.
• You have not received a custodial sentence that individually or jointly exceeds 1 year of imprisonment. This also applies to suspended sentences for the following crimes of terrorism, highly organised or highly violent crimes.

Your permanent residence permit will be issued for 5 years and must be renewed if you wish to remain in Portugal.

Once you obtain a permanent residence permit, you can then apply for Portuguese citizenship.

All types of residence permits require the following documentation to be submitted:

• 2 recent, identical colour photographs with a blank background in which you are easily identifiable if you have an appointment at the Odivelas, Aveiro or Braga SEF bureau.
• A valid passport or travel document and a certified copy
• Evidence that you have adequate accommodation while in Portugal
• Evidence of sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependent family members while in Portugal
• Your criminal record from your country of origin and anywhere you have been residing for at least 1 year since the age of 16.

All documents must be translated into English or Portuguese and certified by either:

• Portuguese Notary
• Portuguese Consulate in the country where the document was issued; or
• The Consulate of the country the document was issued in Portugal.

In addition, you may have to provide additional evidence and documents depending on which residence permit you apply for.

This may include:

• Evidence of family relationships, such as:
• Certified Birth, Adoption or Marriage certificates
• Authenticated evidence or family relationships
• Evidence of dependency, guardianship, and parental consent
• Evidence of study such as:
  • Acceptance, registration, and enrollment confirmations
  • Confirmation of paid tuition fees.
• Evidence of employment and professional activity, such as:
  • A contract of employment or services
  • Qualifications and membership in professional associations
  • Declarations by your employer about the nature of your role
• Evidence of proficiency in the Portuguese language
• Confirmation of registration with the relevant tax authority and social security.
• Confirmation of health insurance or proof that you are covered by the National Health Service in Portugal (SNS)
• A copy of your Residency visa or Residency card

For advice about what documentation you will need to provide for your Portuguese residence visa, call Total Law on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 or contact us online.

The cost of a residency permit varies depending on the type applied for. Generally, you should expect to pay €84, plus a processing fee.

If you wish to renew your residency permit, you will have to pay an additional fee.

Other costs you will have to consider include:

• Translation and certification of any document that is not in Portuguese or English
• The application cost of obtaining a Residency visa
• Recorded delivery of supporting documents