Portugal Visas From Mexico

Overview

If you are a Mexican national who wants to enter Portugal and stay for a long time, you are required to obtain a Portugal visa that allows for longer stays in the country. These visas are created to help you enter Portugal to achieve the aim of your trip, stay up to 5 years in the country, and even qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency.

Some of the Portugal visa types for longer stays in the country include:

• Portugal Golden Visa
• Portugal D7 Visa
• Portugal Study Visa
• Portugal Work Visa

Overview

As a Mexican national, you may be issued the Portugal Golden visa after you have made a significant investment in Portugal. The Portugal Golden visa is also known as the Residence Permit Programme which allows non-EU investors to invest in Portugal. You will be allowed to enter countries in the Schengen zone and the European Union with your Portugal Golden visa.

The Portuguese government created this visa type to attract foreign investors to Portugal, and ultimately help to grow the nation’s economy. When you invest in Portugal, you are required to maintain the investment for a minimum of 5 years.

Within those 5 years, you are required to stay for 7 days per year, that is for a total of 35 days in Portugal. Your investment in Portugal could be by donating to research organisations either, government-owned or privately owned, setting up a business to create employment opportunities or buying an already existing business, etc.

If you maintain your investment for 5 years and meet all the requirements for a Portugal Golden visa, you may become eligible to obtain Portugal citizenship or permanent residency. Note that, unlike other routes to permanent residency or citizenship in Portugal, the Golden visa only requires you to be in Portugal for 7 days per year for 5 years.

Eligibility for Portugal Golden Visa

Before you can apply for a Portugal Golden visa, you must meet its eligibility criteria. They include:

• Be 18 years old or above.
• Be a national of a non-EU country.
• Have a clean criminal record.
• Have a NIF.
• Have a bank account in Portugal.
• Invest in Portugal.
• Invest at least €250,000 in Portugal.
• Be the owner of the investment money.
• Accept to maintain the investment for 5 years. After those 5 years, you are free to liquidate the investment.
• Have about €30,000 for your medical health insurance during your stay in Portugal.

Requirements for Portugal Golden Visa

As a Mexican citizen, you must meet the following requirements if you want to apply for a Portugal Golden visa:

• Provide your 2 passport-size photographs that meet the Portuguese visa photo standard.
• Get your Mexican international passport that must have a minimum of 2 blank pages. You must have received this passport within the last 10 years. It must also be valid for an additional 3 months after you have left Portugal.
• Bring your Portugal Golden visa form. You can download the visa form from their E-visa portal when you have filled it out.
• Provide an affidavit that you will maintain the investment for 5 years in Portugal.
• Get evidence of having at least €30,000 as medical health insurance to cover any expenses that may arise while you are in the Schengen zone.
• Get a payment receipt from the Portuguese ARI portal.
• Present proof of having no criminal record. You must prove this by presenting the records certificate (Constancia de Datos Registrales) issued by the General Prosecutor’s Office in Mexico. It must be obtained in the last 3 months.
• Provide any other document related to your investment in Portugal.

Processing Time

The time it takes to process your Portugal Golden visa is about 2 years.

Fees

Mexican applicants for the Portugal Golden visa are required to pay €5,325 for the application fee and pay €2,663 for its renewal. Applicants must pay about €533 for the processing of the visa and pay the same amount to renew it. Your dependents who would like to join you in Portugal will pay €83 and also pay the same amount to renew it.

Overview

Mexican nationals can obtain the Portugal D7 visa, otherwise known as the Passive Income visa or a Retirement visa that grants residency status to non-EU citizens. This visa is suitable for independent income earners, retirees, and remote workers.

Because of how beautiful the cities of Portugal are, and the affordability of the cost of living, retirees prefer to spend their golden years in Portugal. The Portugal D7 visa also allows remote workers to enter Portugal to work for their overseas employers.

However, with your D7 Portugal visa also known as the Portugal Digital Nomad visa, you are not required to work for a Portuguese employer in the country. Rather, you must work remotely for 2 years and earn your income from overseas.

When those 2 years have elapsed, you may then renew your residence permit for another 3 years and may qualify for permanent residency or citizenship when you have stayed for about 5 years in Portugal.

Your dependents are allowed to join you on a Portugal D7 visa and enjoy the rights you have as a Portuguese resident. Additionally, your movement into other countries in the Schengen area will not be restricted.

Eligibility for Portugal D7 Visa

Mexican citizens must meet the following D7 Portugal visa requirements to qualify:

• Be willing to stay in Portugal for 16 months within the first 2 years.
• Earn about €8,460 yearly as passive income.
• Obtain a NIF number.
• Have a Portuguese bank account.

Requirements for a Portugal D7 Visa

To obtain a Portugal D7 Visa, Mexican nationals must meet the following requirements:

• Get your Mexican international passport which has to be valid for an additional 6 months after your Portugal D7 visa has expired.
• Bring your 2 passport-size pictures that meet the criteria set for Portugal visa applications.
• Provide the application form for your Portugal D7 visa that you have completed without errors or omissions.
• Get your cover letter that explains the purpose of your trip to Portugal, the countries you wish to visit in the Schengen region, etc.
• Bring your criminal record certificate.
• Provide evidence of having medical health insurance worth €30,000 to cover any unforeseen medical bills while you are in Portugal.
• Show that you earn about €3,040 per month, and earn at least €8,460 yearly or any other evidence that you can cater for your financial needs in Portugal.
• Get proof of having a place to stay when you enter Portugal, such as a hotel or Airbnb reservation, or an invitation letter from a family member or friend who is based in Portugal.

Processing Time

Your Portugal D7 visa application could take anywhere from 90 to 180 days to process.

Fees

There is a €180 application cost for the Portugal D7 visa. You must pay €320 to the Portuguese Immigration and Border Services (SEF) to receive your residency permit.

Overview

If you want to enter Portugal from Mexico for study purposes that will last for more than 90 days, you must obtain a Portugal Study visa. This visa is created for international students who would like to experience the solid education offered by the popular Portuguese educational institution.

You may be allowed to enter Portugal for a short-term study that typically does not exceed 90 days visa-free. But if your study will last for more than 90 days, you must get a Short-Term Study visa and obtain a residence permit.

The other two types of Portugal Study visas are the Temporary Study and Long-Stay Study visas. The Temporary Study visa is designed for Mexican students who want to enter Portugal and take a course that will last anywhere from 90 days to 1 year.

A Long-Stay Study visa will allow you to enter Portugal and take a course that will last for more than 1 year. Mexican students will have the option to renew their Long-Stay Study visa, provided their course is still ongoing even up to 4 or 5 years.

However, the flip side of spending 5 years on a Portugal Study visa in Portugal (if your study lasts that long) is that those years of stay in the country do not count towards Portugal citizenship or permanent residency. Therefore, you must first obtain a job offer from your employer and switch from your current student permit to a Portugal working residence permit, provided that you and your employer have met all the requirements.

Keep in mind that you must change to a Portugal Work visa 30 days before your Portugal Study visa expires. The Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) will automatically reject your application if you don’t accomplish this. Once you have successfully changed your Work visa and had it extended for 5 years, you will eventually be eligible for Portuguese permanent residency or citizenship.

Eligibility for Portugal Study Visa

Mexican students who wish to take courses that will last for more than 90 days in Portugal must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Provide your 2 passport photographs that comply with the Portuguese embassy photo requirements.
• Get your Mexican international passport or travel document.
• Provide a letter of acceptance from the educational institution in Portugal.
• Get your Portugal Study visa application form obtained from the Portuguese embassy.
• Show proof of your paid tuition fees.
• Present evidence of accommodation. It must show that you have a rental contract, dormitory, or an invitation letter from a friend or family member asking you to come and stay with them in Portugal.
• Provide proof of sufficient funds. Bring bank statements, scholarships, proof of sponsorship, etc. to solidify your claim of having enough funds to meet your expenses in Portugal.
• Provide evidence of having about €30,000 for your travel health insurance.
• Get your criminal record certificate that shows you are of good conduct while in Mexico and have no criminal charges against you.

Processing Time

Students from Mexico must wait for up to 3 months to know the outcome of their Portugal Study visa application.

Fees

You must pay €90 at the Portuguese embassy in Mexico City. You must apply for your residence permit at the SEF upon arrival in Portugal and pay €83. In addition, to collect your residence permit you will pay €72.

Overview

Because of the visa-free agreement Portugal and Mexico have, Mexican citizens can only visit Portugal and not carry out a paid job in the country. Therefore, if you want to work, get paid and even stay for more than 90 days in Portugal, you must obtain an appropriate Portugal Work visa.

Before applying for a Portugal Work visa, you need to have a job offer. In light of this, your Portuguese employer must publicise the position for 30 days before extending an offer to you.

The Institute of Employment and Vocational Training in Portugal (IEFP) will approve the job for grabs by non-EU nationals if there is no suitable candidate for the position in Portugal. Following your acceptance of this job offer, your company must request a Portuguese work permit on your behalf from the Portuguese Labour Authorities.

The work permit has to bear your job location and description. If you choose to switch jobs in the future, you must apply for and obtain another work permit because your place of employment needs to match your job description.

Following that, you must apply for a Portugal Work visa, which initially offers you a 1-year residence stay. Your residence permit can be renewed for approximately 5 years. After that time, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residence.

Eligibility Requirements for Portugal Work Visa

If you are a Mexican national who wants to enter Portugal for work purposes and stay for more than 90 days, you must provide the following documents:

• Get your 2 passport-size photographs that meet the demands of the Portugal visa photo guidelines.
• Provide your Mexican international passport.
• Bring your employment contract.
• Get your proof of funds to pay for your expenses.
• Provide proof of health insurance worth €30,000 to cover any unforeseen medical bills during your stay in Portugal or the Schengen region.
• Present your criminal record certificate that shows you have no criminal charges against you in Mexico.
• Get authorisation for the SEF to investigate your criminal record.
• Provide proof of entering Portugal lawfully, such as a visa, if you are in Portugal already.
• Provide proof of staying in Portugal lawfully, such as a residence permit or visa, if you are applying from another country that is not Portugal.
• Present your proof of accommodation. You need to show proof of your hotel or Airbnb reservation. You must provide a letter of invitation as proof that a friend or member of your family invited you to stay with them.

Overview

Mexican citizens and other non-EU nationals are allowed to live and work in Portugal with the Portuguese residency permit. It was created for non-EU nationals who wish to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days.

The type of residency permit you need will depend on why you are visiting Portugal. You will need a study permit if you are in Portugal to further your studies. However, if you intend to work in Portugal, you must obtain a work permit.

A temporary residency permit for Portugal may be valid for up to 1 to 3 years. However, you have the option to renew your residence permit for up to 5 years. You might then be eligible to change to a permanent residence permit.

If you do not intend to stay in Portugal continually you can keep renewing your temporary residence permit. But if you would like to remain in Portugal permanently, you can apply for a permanent residency permit.

Portugal Residency Eligibility Requirements

The following are the eligibility requirements Mexican nationals must meet if they want to obtain a Portugal residency permit:

• The visa application form you used for your residency visa application.
• Your valid residency visa.
• Mexican international passport.
• Two recent passport-size photographs that are identical and meet the required standard.
• Proof of funds.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Employment contract.
• Criminal record certificate.
• Family certificate.
• Evidence of health insurance or that you are covered by the National Health Service.
• Proof of paid tuition fees, if you are a Study visa holder.
• Acceptance letter from your educational institution in Portugal, if you are a Study visa holder.

How to Apply for a Permanent Residency Permit

Mexican citizens who want to reside in Portugal for the foreseeable future must apply for a Portugal permanent residency permit by:

Applying for a Residency Visa

You need to apply for and obtain a Portugal residency visa that will allow you to enter Portugal. It will take about 60 days for your residency visa to be processed, and it will only be valid for 3 to 4 months. Additionally, it grants the holder double entry into Portugal.

You must schedule an appointment with the Portuguese embassy in Mexico online, by email, or by phone call. Your biometric information (photographs and fingerprints) will be taken, and you may be interviewed.

If you are applying to join your family in Portugal, your family member must file an application to the SEF on your behalf. Once you enter Portugal you may now apply for a residence permit using the residency visa that allowed you to enter Portugal.

Applying for the Residence Permit

Having been allowed into Portugal with your obtained residency visa and applied for a residence permit at the SEF. You will be given a social security number at a registration office.

Keep in mind that you only have 120 days to obtain your residence permit before the expiration of your residency visa. Therefore you need to visit the SEF and the registration office during the period your residency visa is still valid. The first residence permit you will be issued by the SEF is typically valid for 1 year.

After that, you are allowed to renew it for as long as 5 years. When those years have elapsed, you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency, provided you have met other requirements.

Overview

Mexican citizens who meet the requirements for Portuguese citizenship are issued an EU passport immediately. This is because it is easier to obtain Portuguese citizenship when compared to some other EU countries.

When you are issued this EU passport, you will be free to enter, live, and work in other EU countries. There are routes to Portuguese citizenship, including naturalisation, descent, or investment.

To obtain Portugal citizenship by naturalisation, you must either be married for only 3 years or enter Portugal to live and work for up to 5 years. You must also meet other additional criteria to become a Portuguese.

To obtain citizenship by descent, you must prove that you had a parent who was a citizen of Portugal. You can become a citizen if your line of descent can be traced back to your second-generation grandparents.

Your parents and grandparents must have always maintained their Portuguese citizenship, for you to be eligible to become a citizen of Portugal. The application fee for Portuguese citizenship by descent is from €175 to €200.

If you want to obtain Portuguese citizenship through investment, you must make a significant contribution to help grow the Portuguese economy. This route is also called the Portugal Golden visa, you will be issued an EU passport once you meet all the requirements.