General documentation
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Passport or additional travel document valid for 3 months after the duration of the stay;
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Two passport photos, up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;
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Valid travel insurance, allowing medical coverage, including medical emergencies and repatriation;
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Proof of being in a regular situation when from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being applied for;
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Request for criminal record enquiry by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF);
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Criminal record certificate from the country of origin or the country where the applicant is residing for over a year (children under the age of 16 are exempt from producing a criminal record);
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Proof of means of subsistence as stipulated by law;
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Proof of subsistence means can be made through a statement of responsibility, signed by a Portuguese national or by a foreign national legally resident in Portugal.
Specific documentation related to the purpose of stay
Subordinate work activity
- Work contract, work promise or demonstration of interest;
- Declaration issued by the Employment and Training Institute (IEFP);
- Professional certificate, when such profession is regulated in Portugal.
- To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through a work contract or work contract promise should be taken into consideration.
- Proof of means of subsistence can be produced through a statement of responsibility issued by the workers hosting entity.
Independent work activity or migrant entrepreneur
Independent Professional Activity:
- Contract or written service provider proposal for liberal professions; and, if applicable, declaration by competent authorities certifying professional competence for the referred activity;
Migrants Entrepreneurs:
- Investment operations executed;
- Proof of financial means available in Portugal, including those obtain through a financial institution is Portugal, and proof, by any means, of intention to invest in Portuguese territory; or,
- Declaration issued by the Agency for Competition and Innovation (IAPMEI), certifying the signing of an incubation contract with a certified incubator, in accordance with Article 6o of Normative Order n.º 4/2018 of the Minister of Economy, of 2 February that regulates the «Startup Visa» Program.
Teaching purposes, highly qualified or cultural activity, or highly qualified subordinate activity
Professorial activity, highly qualified activity and cultural activity (art. 61.º):
- Work contract, work promise or service provider contract; or,
- Invitation letter issued by a higher education institution or professional training institution; or,
- Statement of responsibility provided by a certified company as stipulated by law; or,
- Inivitation letter issued by a company or institute developing a relevant cultural activity, in the Portuguese territory, reconized by the government agent responsible for cultural activities, or as stipulated by law; or,
- Invitation letter issued by a research center;
- To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through a work contract or work contract promise should be taken into consideration. Proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility signed by the workers hosting entity.
Subordinate highly qualified activity (art. 61.º-A):
- Valid work contract or work promise, for a minimum period of one year and for a salary of 1,5 times de annual gross salary, or three times de indexed value for social welfare support (IAS);
- Professional certificate, when required, for regulated highly qualified professions, as stipulated by Law n.º 9/2009, 4 March, or specific legislation referring to the recognition of professional qualifications necessary for the profession mentioned on the work contract or work promise;
- Professional certificate, in case of un-regulated professions, adequate for the referred field of work or sector stipulated in the work contract or the work promise. For work related activities in the 1st and 2nd international category types (CITP) groups, as stipulated by the Council of Ministers, and following the opinion of the Permanent Commission for Social Harmonization (CPCS). For professional activities considered particularly in need for professionals from third countries, de minimum salary should (Article 1, a) ) correspond to 1,2 times de annual gross salary, or two times de indexed value for social welfare support (IAS);
- To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through a work contract or work contract promise should be taken into consideration. Proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility signed by the workers hosting entity.
For further information on types of activities and for the purpose of verification of professional experience of third-country nationals, line ministries responsible for employment, education and science should provide their formal opinion prior to the decision to issue the visa.
Research, study, higher education students exchange, internships and volunteer work
Research purposes:
work contract or agreement with the research center or university, letter of acceptance by the research center or university scholarship or research stipend or statement of responsibility signed by the research center or university to cover admission and living costs.
Researchers that have been admitted to officially recognized research centers or universities are exempt from producing any health insurance or similar, work contract or agreement, travel insurance or means of subsistence.
To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through grants or scholarships should be taken into consideration. Proof of means of substience will not be necessary when the applicant benefits from a scholarship or research grant. Researchers admitted to officially recognized research or higher education centers (Article 91o-B Law 23/2007) are exempt from providing proof of means of subsistence.
Higher education purposes:
Fulfills admission criteria or has been accepted to university for a study program and has sufficient resources to attend such program. Students that have been admitted to officially recognized university are exempt from producing any health insurance or similar, proof of compliance with admission criteria or acceptance to the university, travel insurance or means of subsistence.
Document issued by the higher education institution certifying admission or eligibility for admission. This document is waived when benefiting from a scholarship.
To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through grants or scholarships should be taken into consideration. Students benefiting from a scholarship are exempt to provide proof of means of substitence, as well as nationals from portuguese-speaking countries.
Secondary Education purposes:
Proof of acceptance in high-school; respect the maximum age limit set by law; proof of host family or of adequate housing, for the duration of the stay. These documents will not be necessary when benefiting from a scholarship from the Instituto Camões.
To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through grants or scholarships should be taken into consideration. In case of student exchange, proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility issued by the organization in charge of student exchange programs.
For intership purposes:
Proof of internship acceptance by certified host institution, proof of practical and theoretical training in the field of studies obtained or ongoing, including:
- Description of training program, including objectives and learning components;
- Duration and schedule for training;
- Location and supervising conditions;
- Legal status of the intern within the host institution;
- Statement that internship does not constitute a replacement for a professional post and acknowledgment of responsibility of payment by the host institution of living costs and removal in case of illegal stay.
To determine means of subsistence, means obtained through grants or scholarships should be taken into consideration. Proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility issued by the entity hosting interns.
For volunteer work purposes:
Proof of contract with host institution responsible for volunteer program, including description of content and duration of program, schedule, supervising conditions, and living costs guarantee (housing and food), including a minimum living stipend or per diem; subscription of a civil liability insurance except for volunteers participating in the European Volunteer Service.
In case of student exchange, proof of means of subsistence can be made through a statement of responsibility issued by the organization in charge of volunteer work programs.
Family reunification
- Notification of family reunification authorization by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF);
- Proof of family relationship: birth certificate or marriage certificate;
- Minors or unfit persons require a travel authorization by the parents or legal guardian.
Fixed residency for retirement purposes, religious purposes or people living out from individual revenues
For religious purposes:
Certificate from the church or congregation they belong to, as long as such church or congregation is recognized by the Portuguese legal system.
For retirement purposes:
Document certifying retirement amount.
For people living out from personal revenue:
Document certifying revenue from movable and immovable property; intellectual or financial assets.
The referred documents are the mandatory initial documents to be submitted. The consular post may request additional documents, at their discretion.
