Portugal Visas From Israel

Overview

The Portugal Long-Stay visas are designed for Israeli nationals and other non-EU citizens who wish to enter and stay in Portugal for the foreseeable future. Some of these Long-Stay Portugal visa types offer routes to Portuguese permanent residency and citizenship.

If you intend to enter Portugal and remain indefinitely, you may try out the following Portugal Long-Stay visas:

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

Overview

The Portugal Golden visa was created by the Portuguese government for Israeli citizens and other non-EU nationals who want to invest in Portugal. The sole aim of the Portugal Golden visa is to help boost the Portuguese economy.

The Portugal Golden visa, or the Residence Permit Programme, is created for investors willing to invest at least €250,000 in Portugal. After your investment, you will be required to maintain it for a minimum of 5 years.

There are various investment options available for you. You may choose to donate to government-owned or privately-owned charity organisations. Or you could either buy an already existing business or establish your own in Portugal.

When you have invested in Portugal and maintained it for up to 5 years, you will be issued the Portugal Golden visa. Before you are issued the Portugal Golden visa, you are only required to have stayed in Portugal for about 35 days (7 days per year) within those 5 years.

After obtaining your Portugal Golden visa, you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency having met all other requirements. You will be allowed to enter other Schengen and EU countries with your Portugal Golden visa and your family members can also join you in Portugal on your Golden visa.

Eligibility for Portugal Golden Visa

You may apply for the Portugal Golden visa if the following applies to you:

• You are a non-EU national.
• You are willing to invest in Portugal.
• You have at least €250,000 to invest.
• You are 18 years old or older.
• You must own your investment capital.
• You will maintain the investment for at least 5 years.
• You have a clean criminal history.
• Have a NIF.
• Have a Portuguese bank account.
• Have about €30,000 for medical health insurance.

Requirements for Portugal Golden Visa

Israeli nationals and other non-EU applicants are required to provide the following documents:

• Your Israeli international passport issued to you in the last 10 years. It should be valid for about 3 months after your visa has expired. It must also have at least 2 blank pages where your visa will be affixed.
• Two passport-sized photographs that meet the Portugal visa application photo criteria.
• Your Portugal Golden visa application form.
• Your criminal record certificate, otherwise known as a Criminal History Certificate. It should prove that you do not have criminal charges against you. You can apply for it at the nearest police station or online on the website of the Israeli Police.
• An affidavit that confirms you will maintain the investment for 5 years.
• A medical insurance worth €30,000.
• Other relevant documents about your investment in Portugal.

Processing Time

To get a decision on a Portugal Golden visa, Israeli applicants have to wait for about 2 years.

Fees

Israeli applicants must pay €5,325 for the Portugal Golden visa application fee and pay €2,663 for its renewal. The application will be processed for €533 and the same amount is required for its renewal. Your dependents must pay €83 for the processing fee and the same amount for a renewal.

Overview

The Portuguese government created the Portugal D7 visa to bring independent income earners into Portugal. If you wish to stay in Portugal on a long-term basis as an independent income earner, this visa option may be the best for you.

The Portugal D7 visa is also known as the Passive Income and Digital Nomad visa because it is suitable for retirees, freelancers and remote workers. With the Portugal D7 visa, you will be granted a 2 years visa in Portugal.

During your stay in Portugal on the D7 visa, you are only allowed to work for an employer who is not within Portugal. Also, your income must be paid from overseas and not within Portugal.

You can renew your Portugal D7 visa for up to 5 years, after which you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency. Your dependents can also join you in Portugal on your Portugal D7 Visa. You and your dependents will be free to enter and leave other EU and Schengen countries without needing an additional visa.

Eligibility for a Portugal D7 Visa

Israeli nationals who want to obtain the Portugal D7 visa must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Have a NIF.
• Have a Portuguese bank account.
• Agree to stay in Portugal for a minimum of 16 months within your first 2 years.
• Earn at least €8,460 per year.

Requirements for a Portugal D7 Visa

To obtain this visa, Israeli nationals must meet the following D7 Portugal visa requirements:

• Provide your Israeli international passport which must be valid for an additional 6 months after your visa expires.
• Get your cover letter.
• Get your Portugal D7 visa application form.
• Get your 2 passport-size pictures.
• Show that as a freelancer, you earn €3,040 monthly and earn €8,460 per year as a passive income earner.
• Prove that you have €30,000 for your medical insurance.
• Prove that you have no criminal record in Israel.
• Show that you have accommodation in Portugal. A hotel reservation, rental agreement, and so on can serve as proof.

Processing Time

Israeli applicants must await a decision on their Portugal D7 visa application in 90 to 180 days.

Fees

Pay about €180 for your D7 visa application service fee. Pay €320 to the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) to obtain your residence permit.

Overview

Israeli nationals may enter Portugal and take a short study course that lasts for 90 days without obtaining a visa. But if you want to advance your educational career for a study that lasts anywhere from 3 months and beyond, you must obtain a Portugal Study visa that suits your study duration.

There are types of Portugal Study visas namely; Short-Term Study, Temporary Study, and Long-Stay Study visa. The Short-Term Study visa is designed for studies that last for up to 90 days.

Because Israeli nationals are allowed to stay in Portugal for 90 days visa-free, you would not need this type of Study visa as it is suitable for non-Israeli residents in Israel whose countries do not have visa-free agreements with Portugal.

The Temporary Study visa is designed for studies that last anywhere from 90 days to 1 year. Whereas the Long-Stay Study visa is created for studies that last for more than 1 year and it is renewable until your course duration ends.

You can switch to a Work visa when your Study visa expires. When you remain in Portugal for up to 5 years on a Work visa, you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency status. The reason is that your stay on a Study visa does not add up to the minimum stay requirement to obtain Portugal citizenship or permanent residency.

Eligibility Requirements for a Portugal Study Visa

Israeli nationals who want to obtain a Portugal Study visa must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Get your Israeli international passport or travel document.
• Get your passport-size photographs that meet the Portugal visa application photo criteria.
• Present your Portugal Study visa application form.
• Present your evidence of paid tuition fees.
• Bring your letter of acceptance into a Portuguese educational institution.
• Show proof of sufficient funds to cater for your needs in Portugal. Your bank statements, proof of sponsorship, etc. can serve.
• Present proof of having medical health insurance worth €30,000.
• Provide your criminal history certificate also known as Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• Show that you have accommodation in Portugal, such as a dormitory, an invitation from a family member or friend resident in Portugal, a hotel reservation, etc.

Processing Time

Israeli nationals applying for a Portugal Study visa must wait for a decision for about 3 months.

Fees

Israeli applicants are required to pay €90 for a Portugal Study visa application fee at the VFS office in Tel Aviv. You must pay the SEF €83 to process your residence permit. You must pay an additional €72 to get your residence permit from the SEF.

Overview

Although you may be allowed to work in Portugal for 90 days without a visa as an Israeli national, you can obtain a standard Portugal Work visa to be permitted to work in Portugal for more than 90 days. The Portugal Work visa gives you the privilege to enter other countries in the Schengen region and Europe among other privileges.

Israeli applicants who want to remain in Portugal indefinitely can apply for a Portugal Work visa. Your employer must first offer you a job before you apply for a Portugal Work visa.

This same job must also have been advertised by your employer for 30 days, looking for Portuguese or EU/EFTA candidates. If no one is qualified for the position, the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training in Portugal (IEFP), will allow your employer to extend the job offer to you.

Thereafter, your employer will apply for a work permit on your behalf to the Portuguese Labour Authorities. The work permit will explain the type of job you are offered and the location. Also, whenever you change jobs or locations, you must obtain another work permit to reflect those changes.

After that, you may now apply for your Portugal Work visa and request a residence permit. Your residence permit is valid for 1 year and renewable for up to 5 years. When your total stay in Portugal clocks 5 years, you may qualify for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency provided you meet all requirements.

Eligibility Requirements for Portugal Work Visa

Israeli nationals who intend to stay and work in Portugal for more than 90 days must have the following documents:

• Israeli international passport.
• Two passport-sized photographs.
• Your employment contract.
• Your criminal history certificate is also known as a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• Your permission for the SEF to go through your criminal history.
• Proof of enough funds.
• Evidence of health insurance worth €30,000.
• Proof of accommodation.
• Your visa to prove your legal stay in Portugal (if you are already in Portugal).
• Your residence permit or visa to prove your legal stay (if you are applying from another country apart from Portugal).

Processing Time

Israeli applicants must wait from 2 to 3 months to get a decision on their Portugal Work visa application. To obtain a residence permit from the SEF, it will take about 60 days.

Fees

Pay €90 visa fee at the VFS office in Tel Aviv. When you enter Portugal you must pay €83 to start processing your residence permit. To get the residence permit, you will pay €72 to the SEF. Note that there are other Portugal visa fees you must pay during your application, such as courier fees, translation fees, etc.

All the documents you must provide must be translated from Modern Hebrew into Portuguese or English. A translator endorsed by the Portuguese authorities must translate your documents, and also ensure that they are notarised.

If you need more clarifications regarding the Portugal visa application process from Israel, our immigration advisers at IAS can help you at any time. All you need to do is to call us on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online for an instant response.

Overview

As an Israeli citizen who wants to enter Portugal on a long-term basis and potentially remain indefinitely in the country, you must obtain a residency permit to remain in Portugal for more than 90 days.

Your residency permit will allow you to live, study and work in Portugal and it is valid for up to 1 to 3 years. Your purpose of entering Portugal and the duration of your stay will determine the residency permit that will suit you.

A temporary residency visa can be renewed for up to 5 years after you receive one. You can then apply to convert it to a permanent residence permit if you want to remain in Portugal indefinitely, having met all requirements. But you can continue renewing your temporary residence permit if you do not want permanent residency status in Portugal.

How to Apply for a Permanent Residency Visa

If you are an Israeli citizen who wants to remain in Portugal indefinitely, you may take the following steps:

Apply for a Residency Visa

Israeli applicants entering Portugal must choose a specific Portugal visa that suits their motive for entering Portugal. You must, therefore, request a residency permit upon your entry into Portugal.

The processing time for a typical residency visa is 60 days and valid for 3 to 4 months. Assemble your documents as required including all the necessary details, and fix an appointment with the VFS office in Tel Aviv.

At the appointment, your biometric information will be taken, and you must submit your documents and may be interviewed. If you are entering Portugal for work purposes, your employer must submit an application for a work permit on your behalf to the Portuguese Labour Authorities.

Apply for a Residence Permit

You can apply at the SEF office to convert your residency visa to a temporary residence permit once you have entered Portugal. At the registration office, you will be issued a social security number.

Remember that your residency visa is valid for 120 days (4 months), therefore you must convert it to a temporary residence permit before that time passes.

Initially, your temporary residence permit will be valid for 2 years. Thereafter, you may renew it for an extra 3 years. Once you have lived in Portugal for 5 years, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship or permanent residency in Portugal.

Overview

Israel allows both dual and multiple citizenship, therefore as an Israeli national, you can easily obtain Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency status, provided you meet all requirements. Once you are issued an EU passport after obtaining a Portuguese passport, you will enjoy so many benefits available to Portuguese indigenes.

With your EU passport, you can enter, stay and work in any European and Schengen country of your choice. You will have the right to vote and be voted for, your movement will not be restricted and you can access the healthcare services the Portuguese government offers the citizens and residents of Portugal among many other benefits.

Israeli nationals who want to obtain Portuguese citizenship can take any of the following routes, citizenship by Sephardic Jewish heritage, naturalisation, and investment.

Israeli nationals can obtain Portuguese citizenship if they can prove that they are of Jewish ancestry or heritage. The Sephardic Jews citizenship route was created as a law of return for descendants of Jews who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century to receive a Portuguese passport.

You must provide proof of your ties to either the contemporary Portuguese Jewish community or a former Sephardic community outside of Portugal. Your birth certificate and criminal history will also be required in your application.

Israeli applicants must enter and stay in Portugal for a minimum of 5 years to become Portuguese citizens by naturalisation. The Portugal Work visa is one of the most suggested residence visas for this course.

This is because, with a Portugal Work visa, you can enter, live, and work in the country for up to 5 years. You can now seek Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency after spending 5 years in Portugal.

As an Israeli national who has a Portuguese spouse and has been married for 3 years in Portugal, you may also qualify for Portuguese citizenship by marriage. Unlike other minimum stay requirements, this route to citizenship does not require you to stay in Portugal for 5 years to qualify for Portuguese citizenship, provided you have met other requirements.

The citizenship by investment (Portugal Golden visa), also popularly known as Portugal Golden visa is designed to attract Israeli nationals to Portugal. Through this route to Portuguese citizenship, you are required to invest in Portugal and maintain that investment for 5 years.

You will be issued an EU passport after you have satisfied the demands of the Portugal Golden visa. This passport now grants you so many incentives due to Portuguese indigenes.

Eligibility Requirements for Portugal Citizenship

Israeli nationals and non-Israeli citizens resident in Israel must meet the following eligibility criteria to obtain Portuguese citizenship.

• You have stayed in Portugal for at least 5 years as a lawful resident.
• You were born in Portugal.
• Your parents or grandparents are Portuguese (for citizenship by descent).

For Sephardic Jews:

• You are 18 years old or emancipated under Portuguese law.
• You are a member of a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin.
• You are of Portuguese Sephardic descent.

Note that there are several eligibility requirements you must meet depending on the Portugal citizenship route you choose to take. Most times, your place of birth, your family’s nationality, and the years you have spent in Portugal may be factors that determine the criteria you must meet. For a Portugal nationality application, you are required to pay €250.