Portugal Visa Information

Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

Who requires a visa?
Non-EU residents who wish to visit Portugal for business or a holiday will need a Portugal Visa called a Schengen Visa.

Portugal is one of the countries in the Schengen Agreement of 1995. The agreement also includes Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Schengen Visas are issued from the embassy of the country which will be your main destination during your stay Europe.

A Portuguese Schengen Visa will enable you to visit Portugal and other Schengen countries for up to 90 days for business or travel. You are not entitled to seek employment.

All countries and territories that are members of the Schengen acquis, of the EU or of EFTA. Positive visa list of countries (also known as White Schengen List) from whose citizens no visa is required to enter the territory of the EU member states for a period of maximum 90 days.

Albania*****, Andorra***, Antigua and Barbuda , Argentina, Austria*, Australia (including the Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island)**, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium*, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina*****, Brazil***, Brunei, Bulgaria*, Canada**, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus*, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, El Salvador, Estonia*, Finland*, France*(including French Guyane, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion, St Pierre and Miquelon), Germany, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras***, Hungary*, Iceland**, Ireland*, Israel**, Italy*, Japan**, Korea (South)**, Latvia*, Liechtenstein**, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Macao, Macedonia*****, Malaysia, Malta*, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco***, Montenegro*****, Netherlands*, New Zealand (including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau)**, Nicaragua, Norway*, Panama, Paraguay, Poland*, Portugal*, Romania*, Saint Christopher and Nevis, San Marino***, Serbia******, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic*, Slovenia*, Spain* (including Spanish territories in North Africa with Ceuta and Melilla), Sweden*, Switzerland**, Taiwan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Bermuda)*****, United States of America (including Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico)**, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela. Without a visa, however, citizens of the above countries may not stay longer than three months every half-year or take up gainful employment requiring a work permit. Excepted are the following.

• * Citizens of European Union member states.
• ** If required, citizens of member states of the European Economic Area and some other countries may obtain a residence and/or work permit after entry.
• *** Provided that they do not intend to enter into employment, citizens of Honduras, Monaco, San Marino may obtain any residence permit required after entry.
• ***** British Nationals (Overseas) with corresponding BN(O) passports are also exempt from the visa requirement.
• ***** The visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports.
• ****** The visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports (excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (in Serbian: Koordinaciona uprava)

Transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft, provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. However, nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia and Sri Lanka always require a transit visa, even when not leaving the airport transit area;
Citizens of nations that are not mentioned above require both a passport and a visa. Nearly all non-EU residents will need a Schengen Visa to visit Portugal.

Where to apply

• If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you need to apply at the Embassy or Consulate of that particular country.
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your main destination .
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination, you should apply at the Consulate which is your first point of entry.

Applications should be filed in person at the Embassy or Consulate in whose jurisdiction you reside. Starting May 15, 2014 the Visa Office will begin collecting Biometric data, that is, fingerprints and a digital photo, for Schengen visas as part of the Visa Information System (VIS). Fingerprints stored in the VIS can be re-used for further visa applications within the following five years, so these later applications do not have necessarily to be made in person.

What documents will be required?
Depending on nationality and duration of stay, some or all of the following may be required:

• Passport valid for 3 months after date of return and with a least one blank visa page;
• Completed application form duly filled in capital letters;
• Two colour passport size photograph;
• Copy of itinerary with confirmed reservation or acceptance letter;
• Proof of departure arrangements;
• Proof of sufficient means of support ;
• Proof of health insurance coverage.

Tourism visa:
Passport or official travel documents accepted by Schengen countries, valid for at least 3 months longer than the validity of the visa, with blank page for attachment of visa sticker;

• Application form duly filled in capital letters;
• Two passport-size photo;
• Proof of purpose of visit in the form of an official letter of invitation from host or business partner, provisional ticket booking and hotel booking where appropriate;
• Proof of sufficient funds and medical insurance may also be required. Fee (payable in cash, by postal order or by cheque);
• For postal applications, a large self-addressed envelope stamped for registered or recorded delivery.

Business visa:
Letter from employer or, if self-employed, from solicitor, accountant, bank manager or local Chamber of Commerce stating purpose and duration of the visit. References may also be required.

Time required to issue visa:
5-14 days for tourist visa.
Allow up to 2-3 months for student visa.

How long is the visa valid for?
A short-term visa is valid for a total stay of up to
30 or 90 days (depending on visa), over the period of one year.
A student visa is valid for the duration of the course of study.

Other information:
Minors travelling by themselves or with only one custodian need to
contact the Embassy or Consulate for further requirements.

Travellers visiting just one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of that country; travellers visiting more than one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of the country chosen as the main destination or the country they will enter first (if they have no main destination).

Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Portuguese Embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Portugal.

Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.

Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Portugal - URL: www.mne.gov.pt
- Governado de Portugal – URL: www.portugal.gov.pt

The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.