Portugal Visas & Immigration

Because Portugal has one of the lowest expenses of living in Europe, it is a popular choice for those looking to relocate to Europe.

In addition, you will be entitled to free healthcare as well as quality education, and if you stay there for an extended period of time, you will have the same rights as other EU citizens.

Moving to Portugal as a citizen from a country that is a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area does not need you to seek a visa if you are an EU citizen. If you want to remain longer than 3 months, you are required to submit an application for a registration certificate. The application can be submitted to the local Council.

Moving to Portugal as a citizen of a country that is not a member of the EU requires you to submit an application for a national (long-term) visa. These visas typically have a validity period of more than 1 year and can open the way for permanent residence in Portugal.

Page Contents

• Moving to Portugal Overview
• What Are The Types Of Portugal Visas?
• Choosing The Right Portugal Visa
• The Famous Portugal Golden Visa Program (D9)
• Portugal D2 Visa Option
• Portugal D1 Visa
• Portugal D6 Visa
• Study Visa In Portugal
• Portugal Schengen Visa
• Permanent Residency In Portugal
• Portugal Citizenship
• Benefits of Moving To Portugal
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing the right visa according to your condition can be good for your future while living in Portugal. If you want to stay in Portugal for less than 3 months, you can go for a Portugal Schengen Visa. If you want to remain for longer and become a permanent resident, there are D1 Visa, D6 Visa, or Portugal Golden Visa options.

This is a Portugal investment visa which allows people to move to Portugal with a minimum investment of €500,000. Once you get the visa, you can require a permanent residence card.

Eligibility

There are several choices to be eligible to apply for a Golden Visa:

• You may also qualify for the visa by making a minimum financial commitment of 1.5 million Euros.
• You can generate work opportunities in Portugal. Either you invest an initial investment of €500,000 in a local firm and create not fewer than 5 new full-time employees over the following 3 years, or you may create a minimum of 10 new full-time roles in a business that you own. Both of these options are available to you.
• You have the opportunity to contribute at least €250,000 to the protection of Portugal’s national heritage or at least €500,000 to the country’s research and development efforts.

Requirements

These are the requirements:

• Fill out the application form
• Passport
• 2 photographs that are the appropriate size for a passport and meet the criteria for obtaining a visa for Portugal
• Documentation demonstrating possession of health insurance that is acceptable in Portugal
• Evidence that the individual has not been convicted of a crime in the past. You must provide a certificate from any nation in which you have resided for more than 1 year. The certificate must have been granted by the appropriate authorities within the most recent three months and then translated into Portuguese before it can be considered valid
• A sworn affirmation under oath that you will hold on to your investment for no less than 5 years is required
• Payment receipt from the ARI site.

D2 Visa is for business people outside the EU that want to build a business in Portugal to improve the local economy. You can prove that you have a company in Portugal or have the funding to build a company there.

Eligibility

If an applicant meets any one of the following criteria, they are eligible to submit an application for a D2 visa:

• Acquire a share in a Portuguese firm or buy a Portugal company
• Currently operate businesses in other countries, with the intention of establishing a subsidiary in Portugal
• Attach a detailed business plan for the new firm you want to start in Portugal

The criteria for businesses are not very stringent; an applicant may choose any industry, and there are no minimum standards for profitability or the number of employment created.

However, applicants are required to demonstrate not only that your proposed companies will contribute positively to Portugal’s economy and society but also that they have sufficient financial resources to invest in your businesses as a direct result of your business ideas.

Requirements

The required documents to apply for D2 Visa:

• A visa application that has been filled out
• 2 colour pictures measuring 3 by 4 centimetres each
• A passport and a copy of the passport
• A statement from the bank
• A legally binding agreement for the purchase, lease, or exchange of a rental property in Portugal
• A certificate stating that there are no criminal records that have been apostilled
• A licence to do background checks on criminals in Portugal
• Insurance for medical care
• A plan for the business
• Founding papers and financial accounts in the event that the business is already operational
• If the business has not yet been established, a declaration from the Bank of Portugal indicates the amount of money that is available to establish a company.

The D1 visa for Portugal is an official document that allows you to engage in paid employment in the nation for a particular period of time. You can find a job in Portugal and get a work visa to stay there.

Eligibility

You must already have a job offer to work in Portugal.

Requirements

The requirements to get Portugal D1 Visa are:

• A letter of invitation from the Portuguese firm that recruited you, including details on the specifics of your employment and the length of the contract;
• A passport that is valid and that has at least three months left to run on it from the day that you enter Portugal;
• A recent picture (sized 3 by 4 inches);
• A duplicate of your professional identification card;
• Certificate from a doctor stating that you do not suffer from any communicable diseases or any other medical conditions that might endanger the general population’s health in Portugal; and
• You must have health insurance that is valid for at least 30 days beginning on the day you enter Portugal;
• Visa payment proof.

You are eligible to apply for the Family Reunification Visa or D6 Visa for your family members if you are a lawful resident in Portugal, which means that you have either arrived in the country on another visa or have established citizen status as an EU citizen. If your application is approved, you will be able to bring your family members, such as your spouse or children, to live with you in Portugal.

Eligibility

You must provide evidence that you have the status of your family members to advance to the first step of the D6 Visa or Portugal Family Reunion Visa application process.

You are only required to be a resident of Portugal to submit an application for a family reunion visa; having Portuguese citizenship is not necessary.

Requirements

Documents needed for Portugal residents:

• Documents proving a family member’s right to live in Portugal, known as a résidência document.
• The NIF number for each member of the family that has a residence in Portugal.
• A copy of a recent bank statement from Portugal is required as proof of sustenance.
• Confirmation proving your current residence, such as a property deed, a leasing agreement, or an Atestado de Residência.

The documentation required for a member of the family to get residence in Portugal:

• Check your criminal history which is valid for three months and a certified copy of your passport for each of the countries in which you have resided for more than a year.
• Original copy of a marriage certificate.
• Visa Fee.

You need to have a Portugal student visa if you’re accepted into higher education there. If your course is longer than 3 months, you might need a student visa and a resident permit.

Eligibility

There are several eligibility criteria for this visa:

• You must provide proof of acceptance from the university
• You must satisfy the health requirements
• You must have access to sufficient funds for living in Portugal.

Requirements

You are required to submit:

• Your current and valid passport (or other acceptable travel document).
• Letter of acceptance (LoA) from the college or institution that you attend.
• Evidence that you have already paid the required tuition costs. If you are the recipient of a scholarship, you must submit a letter from your school.
• 2 recent photos that are passport size.
• Application form for a student visa to Portugal. In most cases, this will be taken care of for you by the Embassy.
• Evidence that you have the financial resources to support yourself throughout your stay. This might be in the form of bank records, a scholarship, evidence of financial assistance, or evidence that you are being sponsored.
• Verification that you have a place to stay in Portugal. This may be in the form of a leasing contract, a letter from a Portuguese citizen with whom you will be living, or accommodation from your institution (such as dormitories).
• A Certificate of Clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau.
• Evidence that you are covered by a Schengen travel health insurance policy. After you have arrived in Portugal, you will furthermore be required to get suitable health insurance from a non-government organisation.

You need a Portugal Schengen Visa if you are a citizen of non-EU nationality. You can use this visa for travelling, business, study visits, or medical treatment.

Eligibility

In order to apply for Portugal Schengen Visa, these are the eligibility criteria:

• Your trip must be less than 3 months
• You have European medical insurance

Requirements

• Schengen Visa application form
• Two recent photographs in passport size
• Valid passport
• Travel itinerary and flight documents
• Having health insurance with minimum coverage of €30,000
• Proof of accommodation while in Portugal
• Proof of financial sources as a piece of evidence you have enough financial means during your stay
• If you visit a relative, you must show proof of invitation and your relationship with them
• Proof of your civil status
• Evidence of employment such as employment contract or business licence
• Letter of consent from legal guardian or parents for children.

You have the ability to work, live, and do business in Portugal as long as you have a permanent residency card. In order to keep your status, it is not essential to actually reside in Portugal.

After 5 years of having a residence permit, you are eligible to submit an application for permanent residency. However, you must meet several requirements to get a permanent residency card.

In order to be eligible for a residence card that is valid for life in Portugal, you will first be required to get a temporary residence visa. You are eligible to apply for permanent residency once you have maintained your status for a period of 5 years.

Portugal residence permits may be acquired by either the completion of studies or work or through marriage to a Portuguese national for the purpose of reuniting a family. In addition, your may qualify for this status if they have a source of passive income and dwelling inside the nation or if they participate in a state investment program.

It takes 8 to 10 months to get residency permits using the investment route. Investors are subject to fewer restrictions than those seeking a residence visa for another reason. A residence permit via investment only needs 7 days a year to live in Portugal, while the other routes need 183 days. Investment starts from €250,000.

Portugal Citizenship offers the freedom to live, work, and study in any EU country, as well as entry to 188 countries and territories across the globe without the need for a visa or the ability to get one upon arrival.

The majority of people who are eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship include individuals who are descended from Portuguese grandparents or parents, people who marry a Portuguese national or enter into a civil union with a Portuguese national, or those who were born on Portuguese land.

Great Visa Condition

If you wish to live and work in Portugal, obtaining a long-term visa is not too difficult, and these visas may serve as a stepping stone to permanent residency if you want to remain in the country after the first 2 years are over. In addition, given that Portugal is a member state of the Schengen region, your visa will allow you to travel freely across the rest of Europe.

Cost of Living

You’ll find that the cost of living in Portugal is substantially cheaper than in other significant Western European nations, but you still receive a similar quality of life when it comes to fundamentals such as infrastructure and medical care. Portugal is known for its inexpensive wine, but you’ll also discover that the cost of living in Portugal is significantly lower overall.

European Standard Life Quality

In Portugal, life moves at a more leisurely pace, and the culture recognises the need of maintaining a healthy equilibrium between work and play. You are never too far away from a beach or a tavern that serves delicious cuisine and wine of high quality. There is a thriving arts community as well as a wide variety of outdoor activities like surfing, hiking, and scuba diving.