Residency Visas in Portugal
Find out about all the visas you need to enter Portugal. From tourist visas to residence visas, all the information you need is here.
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If you aren't a EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, to live in Portugal, you'll need to apply for a residency or long-stay visa.
But you may wonder, which Portuguese visa should I apply for? Or, what do I need to do to apply for a Portuguese visa? Fear not! In this guide, you will find a panorama of what you must know about Portuguese visas!
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Portugal rating from AnchorLess
⭐️ Overall Living
💶 Cost of living
7.8/10
💻 Internet
9.5/10
👍 Safety
9.1/10
👥 Community score
8.5/10
Your Life in Portugal
Number of Expats Living in Portugal:
🌍 Over 500,000 expats currently residing in Portugal
Cost of Living:
👤 Average monthly cost for a single person: €1,500
👪 Average monthly cost for a family: €3,000
☕ A cappuccino in major cities costs around €3.50, while in Lisbon, it’s €1.87!
Quality of Life:
👍 Portugal ranks 6th on the Global Peace Index
🚑 Average cost of healthcare plans in Portugal: from €30 to €150 per month
☀️ Average annual sunshine: 2,800 hours
🎓 High-quality education with several international schools available
⏩ Fast Visa Application
✅ Easy Visa to get
Types of visas in Portugal
Portugal has three types of visas:
- Touristic: suitable for stays of up to 90 days.
- Short-stay visas: E-level visas are for those who wish to live in the country for up to one year. These visas are not eligible for citizenship.
- Residency or long-stay visas: D-level visas are for those who wish to live in the country, apply for a residence permit, and qualify for Portuguese nationality.
Here, we will explore the residency or long-stay visas available in Portugal.
Who can apply for a Portuguese visa?
Every adult, non-citizen of EU/EEA/Switzerland, with a clean criminal record and a valid passport can apply for a Portuguese visa. Children must submit applications through their parents or legal guardians.
General requirements for a Portuguese visa
There are a variety of visas in Portugal; however, all of them require the same general requirements. Check the list below:
- A valid passport with at least 3 months of validity after your arrival in Portugal, or 6 months of validity when applying for a visa. The passport also must have two black pages.
- Two passport pictures.
- Criminal record in the country of origin and any other country where you lived for 12 months or more.
- Travel insurance covers the visa-length period, covering between 30,000 euros in medical and repatriation expenses.
- Proof of accommodation in Portugal for up to one year.
- Visa fee.
⚠️ These are general requirements for a Portuguese visa application. Furthermore, each visa must meet specific requirements for successful issuance.
Portuguese Residency visas
D1
Work visa
The D1 visa is a subordinate worker's visa. Those with a job position contract or a promise contract are eligible.
Not all job positions are eligible for this visa. To be eligible for this visa, a job position must be approved by the IEFP (Institute for Employment and Vocational Training, 'Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional'). An official statement from the IEFP confirming this requirement is also necessary, and the contract must cover one year.
Extra requirements are:
- Vacancy authorized and endorsed by the IEFP;
- Offer letter with specifications such as duration and information about the role, company, and employee;
- Copy of professional card (if applicable);
- A medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or the absence of a contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System.
⚠️ This is not a visa for those who want to come to Portugal and look for a job. It's a visa for those who already have the job offer, and it fits the requirements within the IEFP.
Visa D1
D1 Visa in Portugal: Subordinate Work Visa
Begin Your D1 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
Entrepreneur Visa
The Entrepreneur Visa, or D2 visa, is suited for those wishing to start or expand a business in Portugal.
Several business lines are eligible for this visa; however, robust documentation is required to support your application.
Qualifiers are:
💵 Purchase a company in Portugal
👤 Already own a company abroad
💻 Provide services in Portugal
🤝 Intention to open a branch, or a business plan to open a company in Portugal.
Extra requirements are:
- A Portuguese NIF with a tax representation;
- A Portuguese bank account;
- Proof of subsistence for 1 (one) year, which means a savings account with the equivalent of 12 months of the Portuguese minimum wage, and;
- An extensive business plan detailing needs and profits, or;
- Clients' contracts or incorporation documents, or;
- Declaration of investment, stating your plan to invest in Portugal, detailing value, timeline, and nature of investment (creation of job opportunities and nature of business will be evaluated), or;
- Capital shares of a company, with social capital at the minimum of 5,000 euros, and financial means to afford the company;
- A medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or the absence of a contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System.
Visa D2
D2 Visa in Portugal: The 2024 Guide
Begin the D2 visa application from your current location; stay relaxed, we will handle the rest.
D3
Highly Qualified Worker Visa
The D3 visa is a highly qualified activity visa. The D3 visa is available to individuals with an offer for highly skilled employment. It refers to "undertaking a role that requires specialized technical expertise of an exceptional nature or appropriate qualifications for the job's performance." 🧑🔬
Extra requirements are:
- Vacancy authorized and endorsed by the IEFP;
- Offer letter with specifications such as duration and information about the role, company, and employee;
- Proof that the role meets the high-qualified position criteria.
- Proof that you meet the high-qualified worker criteria.
- An annual salary equivalent to 3 x IAS (IAS 2024 = 509,26 euros) is approximately 21.500 euros.
- A medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or the absence of a contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System.
Visa D3
D3 Visa in Portugal: The 2024 Guide
Begin the D3 visa application from your current location; stay relaxed, we will handle the rest.
D4
Student Visa
D4 stands for student, research, volunteer, and internship visas. It is suitable for those enrolled in long-term higher education programs, such as bachelor's or master's degrees, vocational education programs lasting more than one year, or internships or volunteer projects lasting more than one year. 🧑🎓
Extra requirements are:
- Offer letter from the university program with enrollment.
- Proof of funds to secure your stay in Portugal (e.g., a tax return from the parent or responsible, bank extracts with the annual Portuguese minimum wage value, scholarships).
- Medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or absence of contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System (including tetanus).
- Motivation letter explaining your reasons to seek education or volunteer in Portugal.
Visa D4
D4 Visa in Portugal: Student Visa
Begin Your D4 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
D5
Mobile Student Visa
D5 is quite similar to D4, however, it caters to a specific group: those non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals already enrolled in an EU program who wish to transfer to Portugal. 🧑🎓
Extra requirements are:
- Academic transcript from original institution.
- Offer letter from university program with enrollment.
- Proof of funds to secure your stay in Portugal (e.g.: tax return from parent/or responsible, bank extracts with annual Portuguese minimum wage value, scholarships).
- Medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or absence of contagious disease that may be a risk for Portuguese Health System (including tetanus).
- Motivation letter explaining you reasons to seek education/volunteering in Portugal.
Visa D5
D5 Visa in Portugal: Mobility Visa
Begin Your D5 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
D6
Family Reunification Visa
The D6 visa is known as a family reunification visa. It's a special visa for family members of those living in Portugal (as legal residents) who wish to move in with their family members. 👪
Qualifiers are:
👩🦱 Spouse or legal partner (must be recognized through civil partnership or present proof of partnership, such as utility bills or documents from the same address and declaration of a 2-year, or plus, partnership living in the same household);
🧒 Children (including adopted) - under 18 years of age;
🧑 Stepchildren (including adopted) - under 18 years of age;
👤 Any dependents that you may have custody of (such as parents or siblings).
Extra requirements are:
- Proof of visa holder legal residency in Portugal, either CRUE or residency card with NIF number settled;
- Proof of relationship with the visa holder (such as birth, adoption, or marriage certificates, documents proving civil partnership, or economic dependency for under-65 family members);
- Proof of funds to secure the visa holder's family members' stay in Portugal (e.g., tax returns from the visa holder, bank extracts with the annual Portuguese minimum wage value);
- Proof of family members' legal residency in the current country;
- Medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or absence of contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System (including tetanus for minor children attending school).
Visa D6
D6 Visa in Portugal: Student Visa
Begin Your D6 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
D7
Passive income visa
For retirees or those whose funds come from passive income sources (rentals, dividends, pensions, and capital gains), the passive income visa, also known as the D7 visa in Portugal, is a special category.
Extra requirements are:
- NIF and tax representative;
- A Portuguese bank account;
- Proof of subsistence for 1 (one) year, which means a savings account with the equivalent of 12 months of the Portuguese minimum wage, and;
- An extensive business plan detailing needs and profits, or;
- Clients' contracts or incorporation documents, or;
- Declaration of investment, stating your plan to invest in Portugal, detailing value, timeline, and nature of investment (creation of job opportunities and nature of business will be evaluated), or;
- Capital shares of a company, with social capital at the minimum of 5,000 euros, and financial means to afford the company;
- A medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or the absence of a contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System.
-> Learn more about the D7 visa requirements.
D8
Digital nomad visa
In Portugal, the D8 visa is commonly referred to as the Digital Nomad visa. This visa is perfect for remote workers who earn their income from international contracts, whether through freelance work or contract roles.
Extra requirements are:
- Proof of funds to secure your income in Portugal (e.g., monthly income reaching 4x the Portuguese minimum wage value in the past three months, and additional income in the case of dependents).
- Proof of international employment or service's contracts.
- Declaration of intent to move and reside in Portugal and become a tax resident.
-> If you wish to learn more about the D8 visa requirements, click here.
Visa D8
D8 Visa in Portugal: Live as Digital Nomad
Begin Your D8 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
D9
Golden visa
The D9 visa is the very popular Golden Visa, with a focus on investment in Portugal. In 2023, this visa underwent significant changes as its qualifying criteria shifted from real estate to other economic and cultural areas in Portugal. However, the principle remains, with an emphasis on investing in Portugal. 💸
Qualifiers are:
- Investment funds approved by CMVM (500,000€ into a private equity or non-real estate venture capital or, dedicated for research or, into incorporation or increase of share capital of a Portuguese company, creating five permanent jobs for three years);
- Entrepreneurial investment: creating 10 jobs in Portugal (or 8 in low-density areas, with no minimum value for both situations);
- Cultural donations (250,000 euros) to support artistic or cultural heritage in low-density localities can amount to 200,000 euros. The Directorate-General for Arts [DGArtes] must approve the project.
Extra requirements are:
- Investment funds are present in the Portuguese bank account, along with statements proving the investment.
- Proof of investment, including a bank declaration;
- Medical certificate or vaccination card proving immunization or absence of contagious disease that may be a risk for the Portuguese Health System (including tetanus for minor children attending school).
Visa D9
D9 Visa in Portugal: Golden Visa
Begin Your D9 Visa Application from Anywhere: Stay Relaxed, We Handle the Rest
CPLP
CPLP Visa
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) is an international organization that promotes cooperation and cultural exchange among nations where Portuguese is an official language.
The CPLP Portugal visa will assist the mobility of CPLP nationals who seek to enter and remain in Portugal.
Which countries are part of the CPLP?
Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Timor-Leste, and Equatorial Guinea.
What are the requirements for the CPLP visa?
- A valid passport with at least 3 months of validity after your arrival in Portugal, or 6 months of validity when applying for a visa. The passport also must have two black pages.
- Two passport pictures.
- Criminal record in the country of origin and any other country where you lived for 12 months or more.
- Travel insurance covers the visa-length period, covering between 30,000 euros in medical and repatriation expenses.
- Proof of funds.
- Educational facility acceptance letter (if applicable).
- Job offer letter (if applicable)
- Visa fee.
How should I apply for my Portuguese residency visa?
Access your embassy, consulate, or VFS Global office website to apply for a visa.
You must fill out the form and schedule your appointment, where you'll go through a visa interview and your case will be analyzed.
Your visa may typically take a couple of months to issue, but this is not always the case.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the visa fee?
How long can I stay in Portugal with the touristic visa or Schengen tourist visa?
Is it possible to extend a short-stay visa?
What's the difference between the E levels visa and D level visas?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Contact our team of experts.
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