Portugal Visa & Immigration Advice

Living in or visiting Portugal

Portugal comes with an abundance of rich culture and warm, relaxing climates. For these reasons, the country has fast become a highly desirable location for those wishing to travel temporarily or emigrate on a long term basis.

With considerably low property prices and general cost of living, Portugal has attracted thousands of British citizens wishing to move abroad. Although Portuguese is widely spoken as the national language, English speakers are ample throughout the country.

Relocating to Portugal requires careful consideration. It is essential that you seek the correct permission to enter the country, therefore, it is vital that you understand which of the multiple immigration routes is best suited to your needs.

If you are considering traveling or emigrating to Portugal, IAS can assess your needs and advise you on which route you are best suited to. For further information on how we can help, call us today on +44 (0)333 414 9244, or reach out via our live chat function.

Types of Portugal visas

There are three main types of visas in Portugal. The Portugal visa you require will depend on your personal circumstances and intentions in the country.

Short-stay visas (Schengen visa)

The Short Stay visa permits individuals to stay in Portugal for up to 90 days. This visa type is suitable for those traveling for leisure, visiting family, and airport transit.

Temporary Stay visas

A Temporary stay visa will allow you to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days. Once granted this visa type, the visa holder has permission to stay in Portugal for up to one year. During this 12-month period, you can enter Portugal whenever you wish.

Long Stay National visas

Known widely as a Residency visa, Long Stay National visas allow a foreign national to stay in Portugal for more than one year at a time. You must be able to prove your financial status in order to be considered by the Portuguese Embassy.

Which Portugal visa is most suitable for me?

There is an extensive range of Portugal visas available to foreign nationals. Ultimately, the visa you require will be based on your personal circumstances, the length of your stay, and your intentions within the country.

For those who wish to stay in Portugal for longer than one year, a Long Stay visa will be required. There are many options available. These include a Work visa, Study visa, D7 visa, D2 Entrepreneur visa, and a Portugal Golden visa.

If you are unsure on which visa type meets your requirements the best, you can get in touch with a trained immigration specialist from IAS who can advise you on your available options, for a seamless Portugal visa application process.

Call our legal experts today on: +44 (0)333 414 9244

Portugal D7 visa

Sometimes alternatively known as the Retirement or Passive Income visa, the Portugal D7 visa offers the ideal platform to enter Portugal as a remote worker or a digital nomad.

Provided that you can prove to live off a stable income, you may be eligible for the D7 visa. You must provide evidence of a regular salary, a pension, or real estate-based income. Typically, you must have an annual income of at least 8,460 euros.

If you are approved for this visa, you must actively remain in Portugal for at least 16 months during your first two months of residency.

After five continuous years of lawful residence, you may be eligible to apply for a Portuguese Residence Permit.

D9 Portugal Golden Visa

Open to foreign nationals looking to make a secure investment in the country, the D9 Portugal Golden visa poses as a route to permanent residence. One of the main selling points of this visa type is that those granted it do not have to reside in Portugal full-time. In fact, you must only remain in the country for 7 days in your first 12 months, and 14 days for every year to follow.

Real estate is no longer permitted as an investment for the Golden Visa. There are four different routes to investment accepted on the Golden visa scheme. These include:

• Investment fund
• Job Creation
• Donations
• Capital Transfer

You should consider seeking expert legal advice if you intend to apply for a Golden visa. Based on your route of investment, the eligibility criteria you need to meet may vary.

Portugal D2 visa

The Portugal D2 visa is aimed at entrepreneurs with the intention of expanding their business into Portugal. Once granted, the visa allows individuals to live in Portugal whilst working on expanding their business overseas.

Such a prestigious visa comes with a strict set of criteria that must be met. One of the key requirements is that applicants are able to submit a detailed business plan to show a genuine intention of overseas expansion.

The business plan in question must demonstrate one of the following:

• You have the required financial means to come to Portugal
• You have intentions of investing in Portugal
• You have previously invested in Portugal

After five years of holding a D2 Portugal visa, you may be able to apply for permanent residence- however, to do so, it is essential that you have spent at least 6 consecutive months in the country.

D1 visa

Category D1 is a Portuguese visa that offers entry clearance to overseas individuals who have already accepted an offer of employment in Portugal. Sometimes labelled the Subordinate Worker visa, it will allow you to work and live in Portugal for more than 12 months.

As part of the application for D1 Portugal visas, you must be able to provide evidence that the job you have accepted was not able to be filled by a person with Portuguese citizenship.

D6 visa

The Family Reunion visa (D6) was implemented to permit immediate family members of a Portuguese citizen to come to Portugal to live, work and study in the country.

In order to become eligible, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• A married or registered partner
• A child under the age of 18 (including adopted children)
• Dependant children enrolled in a Portuguese educational facility
• Immediate relatives dependent on the Portuguese citizen
• Minor siblings under legal custody

If you are unsure of whether you qualify as an immediate family member, you can seek the assistance of a trained immigration specialist at IAS who will be able to advise you on your eligibility. Call our experts today on: +44 (0)333 414 9244 or contact us through the chat.

D3 visa

Aimed at highly qualified professionals who wish to work in Portugal, the D3 visa permits overseas individuals to work for a national company in Portugal.

One of the key benefits of this visa type is that it allows applicants to bring their family with them whilst they work.

In order to be considered for a D3 visa, you must demonstrate the following:

• The employment contract will last for a minimum of 12 months
• The salary will exceed the national annual gross salary by at least 1.5 times the minimum
• You have the relevant skills and qualifications to carry out the job role specified in the contract

You must have a secure offer of employment in order to qualify for a D3 visa.

Study visas

If you require a Portuguese visa for studying abroad, there are two options available to you.

The D4 and D5 Portugal visas are available exclusively to students wishing to emigrate for educational or training purposes. The key difference between the two types of Study visas is based on the length of study.

For those wishing to study on a short-term basis, the D4 visa is best suited to your needs. On the other hand, those planning on a long-term study course, should apply for a D5 visa.

As part of your application for a Portugal visa for study, you must be able to prove you have an offer of education from a Portuguese educational facility.

Portugal Schengen visa

Non-EU citizens who wish to travel to Portugal for fewer than 90 days may need to apply for a Schengen visa, or a Short Stay visa.

Typically, the Schengen visa application will cost 80 Euros for an adult and 40 Euros for minors. You must apply directly to the Portuguese embassy for a Schengen visa where your application will be assessed for approval.

The exact evidence you need to provide with your application will depend on the purpose of travelling to Portugal.

A trained immigration specialist can advise you on the documents you may need to supply. Contact our legal experts today on +44 (0)333 414 9244.

Healthcare in Portugal

Unlike in the UK, healthcare under the SNS in Portugal is not free. Therefore, you should consider whether you have the means to afford healthcare.

A lot of citizens or visa holders consider accessing health insurance to cover these fees- however, this is not legally required. Although healthcare is not free, the cost is considerably lower than neighbouring countries.

How can our Portugal immigration specialists at IAS help?

Immigration Advice Service understands that applying for a Portugal visa can seem very daunting. With a lot of factors to consider, the process is often cumbersome and can require a lot of attention.

Our team of expert Portugal immigration specialists have extensive experience in visa application cases and are ready and waiting to share their expertise with you.

If you are considering traveling or emigrating to Portugal, our team at Immigration Advice Service can assess your needs and advise you on which route you are best suited to. For further information on how we can help, call us today on +44 (0)333 414 9244, or reach out via our live chat function.