Portugal

Visa Portugal

Europe · Europe du Sud

In Portugal, visas fall under the ministry of foreign affairs, which publishes the “Vistos” portal. The pages consulted on 2026-09-17 distinguish Schengen visas — short stay, seasonal work, airport transit — from national visas: temporary stay, obtaining a residence permit, seeking qualified employment. The application is filed with the Portuguese consular post responsible for the country of residence or with the external service provider that post designates.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros — Portugal's ministry of foreign affairs, publisher of the “Vistos” portal
Filing channel: Portuguese consular post responsible for the country of residence, or external service provider when the post designates one. The portal also links to an “e-Visa” service
Electronic visa: The portal names an “e-Visa” service, hosted on a separate domain that was not consulted; its scope is therefore not stated here
Portal language: Portuguese (Portuguese version consulted)

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

“Visto de curta duração” — Schengen short-stay visa: According to the page on Schengen visa types, it allows transit through the Schengen area and short stays, “até 90 dias em cada período de 180 dias” — up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Official page (new tab)
“Visto de curta duração para trabalho sazonal” — Schengen visa for seasonal work: According to the same page, it is granted for seasonal work of a duration “igual ou inferior a 90 dias” — equal to or less than 90 days. Official page (new tab)
“Visto de escala aeroportuária” — airport transit visa: According to the same page, it allows transit through the international area of an airport. Duration not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)
“Visto de estada temporária” — temporary stay visa (national visa): According to the page on national visas, it allows entry for stays in Portugal of less than one year; it is valid for the duration of the stay and for multiple entries. Official page (new tab)
“Visto para obtenção de autorização de residência” — visa for obtaining a residence permit: According to the same page, it allows entry with a view to obtaining a residence permit; it is “válido para duas entradas e por quatro meses” — valid for two entries and for four months. Official page (new tab)
“Visto para Procura de Trabalho Qualificado” — visa to seek qualified employment: According to the same page, it allows a person with specialized technical skills to enter and stay in order to look for a job; it is valid until the visa expires or until the residence permit is granted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to file the application

The “Onde deve solicitar visto” page publishes, country of residence by country of residence, the responsible Portuguese consular post or embassy, as well as the external service provider when the post designates one. The application is therefore filed with the Portuguese mission covering the place of residence, or with that service provider.

The portal organizes the information in two sets: Schengen visas and national visas, each with its general sections (visa types, who needs a visa, competence for acceptance, place of filing, biometrics, forms, time limits, fees) and its documentation sections. It also links to an “e-Visa” service hosted on a separate domain.

Steps in the procedure

Determine whether it is a Schengen visa or a national visa, according to the length and the purpose of the stay.
Identify the visa type in the corresponding “Tipo de visto” section.
Consult the “Onde deve solicitar visto” page to find the consular post responsible for the country of residence and, where applicable, the external service provider.
Gather the documents indicated by the “Documentação instrutória” section specific to the visa type applied for.
Download and fill in the form published in the “Formulários” section.
File the application with the consular post or the service provider, biometrics being covered by a separate section of the portal.
Pay the fees set for the visa applied for.

Documents mentioned by the authority

Application form, published in the “Formulários” section of the portal.
The portal devotes a section to means of subsistence (“Meios de subsistência”).
It devotes a section to travel medical insurance and health insurance (“Seguro médico de viagem e seguro de saúde”).
It devotes a section to minors (“Menores”).
It publishes documentation specific to each purpose: airport transit, short stay, seasonal work, residence, CPLP, seeking qualified employment, temporary stay, youth mobility.
The detailed content of these sections was not read: the list of required documents is therefore not reproduced here.

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the individual situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Fees and processing times stated

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the “Emolumentos” page for Schengen visas states a general fee of 90 euros and a reduced fee of 45 euros for children aged 6 to under 12. It provides for an exemption for children under 6 on the date of the application, for pupils, students and teachers traveling for study or training, for researchers, for representatives of non-profit organizations aged under 25 taking part in an event organized by such an organization, and for family members of citizens of the Union, the EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom under the withdrawal agreement.

The same page provides for other amounts under facilitation agreements concluded by the European Union and under Council implementing decisions; these amounts depend on the nationality and are not reproduced here. Refer to the nationality selector on this page and to the official page. Time limits are covered by a separate “Prazos” section, which was not opened: the processing times are therefore not stated here.

After the decision

The decision rests with the responsible Portuguese consular post. The portal devotes a section to appeal mechanisms (“Mecanismos de Impugnação”), separate for Schengen visas and for national visas; its content was not read.

The portal also links to the agency responsible for integration, migration and asylum for the rest of the stay in Portugal, and publishes a section on the rights attached to the visa and Schengen information systems.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Portugal to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a visa to travel to Portugal?

It depends on the nationality and the purpose of the trip; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

With the Portuguese consular post or embassy responsible for the country of residence, or with the external service provider that this post designates. The portal publishes this list country by country.

What is the difference between a Schengen visa and a national visa?

According to the portal, the Schengen short-stay visa allows transit and stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while national visas cover a temporary stay of less than one year, obtaining a residence permit or seeking qualified employment.

How much does a Schengen visa cost?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the general fee is 90 euros and the reduced fee 45 euros for children aged 6 to under 12. Other amounts and exemptions are provided for depending on the situation; the official page is authoritative.

What is the processing time?

Not stated here: the portal devotes a “Prazos” section to time limits, which was not opened when this text was written.

Is there an electronic visa?

The portal links to an “e-Visa” service hosted on a separate domain. This service was not consulted and its scope is therefore not stated here.

Official sources

Vistos — portail du ministère portugais des Affaires étrangères (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

Vistos (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Tipo de visto (vistos Schengen) (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Tipo de visto (vistos nacionais) (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Onde deve solicitar visto (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Emolumentos (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The “Prazos” section, which gives the processing times, was not opened either for Schengen visas or for national visas.
The fees for national visas appear on a separate page that was not consulted: only the Schengen fees are quoted here.
The documentation sections (means of subsistence, insurance, minors, residence, CPLP) were not read: no required document is therefore reproduced.
The portal also names specific schemes (“tech visa”, “startup visa”, “mobilidade jovem”) that were not consulted.
The scope of the “e-Visa” service could not be verified: the domain hosting it was not consulted.
Portugal applies different fees under European Union facilitation agreements; these amounts fall under the rules by nationality and have not been taken up here.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

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