Portugal VISA

Portugal VISA Types and Application Process for 2023

Aside from being a popular tourist destination, Portugal is also a desirable place to set down permanent feet, pursue higher education, find employment, or make an investment. Those who are granted Portuguese residency are entitled to live in a secure and peaceful country, bring their families to join them in Portugal, and apply for Portuguese citizenship after five years of living there.

Schengen Visa for Short Trip

If you are a citizen of a country that requires a visa to enter the Schengen Area (including Portugal), but only want to visit for a few days, you will need to apply for a Portugal Schengen Visa.

So, you all have a question in your mind, what is Schengen Visa? Portugal, together with another 25 European countries, make up what is known as the Schengen Area. The Schengen Visa is a single travel document accepted throughout the Schengen area. If you obtain a visa for one of the Schengen nations, like Portugal, it will also be valid in the others.

Long-term Stay Visa

Long-term stays in Portugal (for employment or school, for example) necessitate a Portugal National Visa rather than a Schengen Visa.

List of Long-Term Portugal VISA Types

Long-term visas, known as Portugal National Visas, can be used to gain temporary or permanent residency in Portugal (by means of a Residence Permit). Common categories of Portuguese national visas include:

  • Portugal Student Visa: You will likely need to apply for a Portugal student visa if you intend to enroll in a higher education institution in Portugal.
  • Portugal Tourist Visa: One variety of Portuguese Schengen Visa is the Tourist Visa. For those who wish to go to Portugal for tourism but are not citizens of a nation with which Portugal has a visa waiver program, Portugal offers a short-term visa valid for up to three months.
  • Portugal Work Visa: Anyone who is not a citizen of an EU member state who wants to work in Portugal must first get a Portugal Work Visa. To qualify for a work visa in Portugal, you must:
    -Have an offer of employment
  • Portugal Retirement Visa: Portugal is becoming increasingly popular as a retirement destination due to its low cost of living, high quality of healthcare, sunny weather, and favorable tax laws. However, non-EU citizens who want to retire in Portugal will likely need to apply for a retirement visa.
  • Portugal Family Visa: The Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) issues family visas to applicants who meet certain requirements.
  • Portugal Golden Visa: If you and your family are granted a Portuguese Golden Visa, you will be able to work and reside in Portugal, take advantage of its healthcare and educational opportunities, visit Schengen countries visa-free, and seek for Portuguese citizenship after five years.

Application Process for Portugal Visa

The steps necessary to apply for a visa to Portugal are as follows.

  • Visa applications for Portugal can be downloaded here. The application form can be seen and downloaded on the website of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Assemble the necessary paperwork to apply for a visa to Portugal.
  • You need the following documents for your Portugal Visa: Your Passport; After leaving for Portugal, it must be valid for at least three more months, the Application form for your VISA, your Passport Size Picture;  Recent photo, having a white background, clear and visible photo.
  • You have Travel Health Insurance: It has to be appropriate throughout the whole of the Schengen Area.
  • Proof you have paid your Visa Fee: You have proof that you have paid your required Visa fee.
  • Cover Letter; You must specify the purpose of your trip, your arrival and departure dates, whether or not you plan to visit another Schengen country, the nature of your activities, etc.
  • Proof of Accommodation in Portugal: A hotel reservation or invitation letter would suffice (if you are visiting friends or relatives).

Note:
The official languages for all paperwork are English and Portuguese. A certified translator’s services will be required if they are not. The Portuguese Embassy or an Apostille Stamp is required to authenticate any civil documents, such as birth certificates.

  • Please turn in the paperwork. You may need to submit the paperwork at the Portugal Embassy, Consulate, or Visa Application Center close to your home.
  • Make a payment for your Portugal visa.
  • Hold tight while you process your visa. As a general rule, this takes roughly 15 days, but it could take longer in your particular case.
  • Bring in the visa. How and where you find out if your visa application was successful will determine when you must get your passport with the attached visa.
  • Go on a trip to Portugal. You can visit Portugal once you’ve got your visa.

Conclusion

In most cases, your Portuguese National Visa can be renewed. If you find a job in Portugal after finishing your education there, you can apply for a work visa, while work and family reunification visas lead to permanent residence in the long run.

Yousaf Saeed

I'm Dr. Engr. Yousaf Saeed, founder of the AScholarship Education Portal. My academic path includes 3 prestigious international scholarships — Australia Awards, CSC, and HKPFS — for my higher studies. I am also an IChemE affiliate whereas I've also worked for companies like Aramco and BYCO oil refinery as an production engineer at the start of my career. I completed MS, and PhD with major research publications in leading SCI journals (details on my Researchgate Profile). This aScholarship.com reflects my commitment to educating and therefore i started it for the purpose to guide aspiring international students for find scholarships for their higher education dream. As an experienced educator and mentor, I specialize in navigating the intricacies of research and patent and write useful articles on these topics too.