Long-stay visas, in compliance with existing domestic law, can be either temporary or for residency authorization purposes, depending on the duration of the stay and granting the visa holder an authorization to stay in the country according to different purposes: study, internship, work, medical treatment, among others. There is also a new type of visa that allows foreign citizens to travel to Portugal in order to look for work.
Temporary stay visas allow entry and stay in Portugal for less than a year. Temporary stay visas are valid during the entire stay and allow for multiple entries.
Residency visas allow two entries and is valid for a period of 4 months. During that time, the holder of a residency visa is required to request a residency permit with the Immigration and Border Services (SEF).
The job seeker visa entitles its holder to enter and remain only in Portugal for the purpose of looking for job; authorizes its holder to carry out a subordinated work activity, until the visa expires or until the residence permit is granted.
How do I know which is the adequate visa, according to both purpose and duration of stay?
TEMPORARY STAY
Work and investigation
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Subordinate seasonal work | Temporary stay visa for seasonal work for a duration of over 90 days. |
Independent work | Temporary stay visa for independent work. |
Highly qualified activity | Temporary stay visa for scientific research, higher education professorial activity or highly qualified activity purposes for a period of less than a year. |
Remote Work / Digital Nomad |
Temporary stay visa for the exercise of a professional activity done remotely - "digital nomads" |
Professorial activity | Temporary stay visa for scientific research, higher education professorial activity or highly qualified activity purposes for a period of less than a year. |
Amateur sports activity | Temporary stay visa for amateur sports purposes. |
Transfer of workers or service providers when the applicant has been working for over one year | Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to the WTO, for provision of services or professional training. |
Investigation | Temporary stay visa for scientific research, higher education professorial activity or highly qualified activity purposes for a period of less than a year. |
Study
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Secondary Education | Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, for study programs, student exchange, training, unpaid internship, volunteer work purposes, as well as commitments pursuant to international agreements or conventions. |
Bachelor´s Master´s PhD Post-Doc |
|
Mobility program / Exchange program |
Professional training, internship or volunteer work
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Transfer of workers or service providers when the applicant has been working for over one year. |
Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to the WTO, for provision of services or professional training. |
Transfer of workers or service providers when the applicant has been working for less than one year. |
Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to the WTO, for provision of services or professional training. Or Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, for study programs, student exchange, training, unpaid internship, volunteer work purposes, as well as commitments pursuant to international agreements or conventions. |
Unpaid internship | Visto de estada temporária para permanências períodos superiores a 3 meses; frequência de programas de estudo, intercâmbio de estudantes, formação, estágio profissional não remunerado, voluntariado ou compromissos decorrentes de convenções ou acordos internacionais. |
Volunteer Work | Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, for study programs, student exchange, training, unpaid internship, volunteer work purposes, as well as commitments pursuant to international agreements or conventions. |
Professional training | Temporary stay visa for courses in an educational or professional training institution. |
Health
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Medical treatment | Temporary stay visa for medical treatment purposes. |
Accompany a family member undergoing medical treatment | Temporary stay visa for accompanying family member undergoing medical treatment purposes. |
Youth Mobility - International Agreements
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Work and holiday / Exchange pursuant to international instruments |
Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, for study programs, student exchange, training, unpaid internship, volunteer work purposes, as well as commitments pursuant to international agreements or conventions. Applicable only to nationals from countries with whom Portugal has signed Memorandum of Understanding. Check further information at Youth Mobility. |
People living on their own income
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Retired | Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, in exceptional and dully justified cases. |
People living on their own income |
Religious purposes
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Religious training within a religious congregation | Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, in exceptional and duly justified cases. |
Religious person undertaking studies in a recognized institution. |
Familiar
PURPOSE | TYPE OF VISA |
---|---|
Accompanying family member holding temporary stay visa | Temporary stay visa for accompanying family member holding temporary stay visa |