Do you need a Portugal tourist visa?
If you need a Portugal tourist visa or not is a matter of your nationality. You need to know that Portugal is a member of the Schengen Area. So the EU, EEA, and Switzerland nationals don’t need a visa to enter the country. They can visit Portugal by passport or travel documents. However, the visit must be short terms for up to 90 days.
Apart from the EU nationals, a few other countries are free from the Portugal short-stay visa. For instance, the US, Japan, South Korea are among them. Such non-EU countries can visit Portugal for the short term without a visa. Yet, they need a visa for the long term. In other words, they have to get a visa for stays longer than 90 days.
See the link provided above. If your country is among them, you have to apply for a Portugal tourist visa. If not, Congratulations. You can move to the country with your valid passport.
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Portugal Tourist Visa
Portugal tourist visa requirements
The requirements for a Portugal tourist visa are the required documents for a Schengen visa. They prove the applicant’s eligibility. He/she has been honest with his/her application. Yet, you might have to provide further documents depending on your:
- Nationality
- Job-status
- Traveling alone or by family
A general list of requirements are as follows:
Travel document
You can define it as a passport or travel ID. It must be valid for over the duration of your stay in Portugal. Holding at least one blank page with the passport is a must.
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You can find the links and extra information explained in the video here:
The list of countries that need and don’t need a Portugal tourist visa
The list of Portugal embassies and consulates to submit your application
Photo
You need two photos for a tourist visa. They must be identical to the instructions. A few Photography’s know about the visa photo. They can give you good tips. See if you can find one of them in your city.
If you apply to a visa center like VISAMETRIC and the photo doesn’t comply, they take new ones. For the embassy, you need to be careful. The embassies often don’t provide such services.
Application form
Completing the Schengen visa application form is a must. You can get the form from the Portugal Embassy or the visa center’s website. If you apply from a visa center, you’re better off getting the form from them. They might have a particular option in the form for your country, you not knowing.
Complete the form with your information, then print the date and sign it.
Insurance
You need insurance to enter Portugal. It must be valid for all the Schengen Area members and cover your expenses for 30.000 EUR.
Be careful with the insurance you purchase. See if it’s valid in Portugal or not. Don’t be misled by fake advertisements. Also, see if they return your money in case of visa rejection.
In case of applying to a visa center, determine if they provide insurance services or not. Their prices are a bit more reasonable than others.
Cover letter
It is a letter stating the purpose of your trip. Try to explain everything with details in it. If you have a relative or friend in Portugal, mention her/his details.
Proof of accommodation
Explain where you will stay during your visit. A rental agreement or reserved hotel could make it clear. Providing that you will be staying with a friend or family member, provide his/her details.
Reserved flight ticket (if applicable)
Proof to have enough funds
The Schengen officials are really strict about this item, so don’t take it easy. You can provide bank statements proving you have enough money. But consider one point with the statement. Banks are often inconsiderate with the bank statement, and it might not fulfil the rules.
Check the dates and make sure it’s in Euro, not your local currency. The numbers must also be Latin, as the numbers are different in some languages. For instance, in Persian, “۲” is for two.
Invitation letter
In case visiting a friend or family, ask her/him to provide you an invitation letter. He/she must write don full details:
- Name
- Passport Number
- Contact Number
- Mail Id
- Place of residence in Portugal
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Requirements based on your job status
You need to provide further documents based on your employment status:
Employed
- Job contract
- Bank statements for the latest six months
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
- Permission leave
Self-employed
- Business license copy
- Banks statements of the company for the latest six months
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
Attention: Depending on your situation and nationality, the officials might ask you for further requirements. You need to have the original documents translated to English or Portuguese.
Portugal tourist visa application process
The application process for a Portugal tourist visa is up to your nationality. You might have to go through different procedures by the country you live in. However, a comprehensive way to follow is as follows:
1. Do you need a Portugal visa?
The article explained that not everyone needs a Portugal tourist visa. We can say not everyone needs a Portugal short-stay visa. Many countries are exempt from it. Many more have to receive it.
Determine if you need a visa or not. The section above is your guideline on this stage.
If you need the visa, follow the below steps.
2. Where to apply?
Find out where you should apply for the Portugal visa. Again, it is up to where you live. You might have to visit:
- Portugal embassy or consulate
- An authorized visa center like VFS
- The embassy or consulate of Portugal in a neighboring country
For instance, there is no US embassy in Iran. Its citizens have to visit the Swiss embassy for visa services. It is also common that they get to Turkey to visit the US embassy in Istanbul.
The same thing might be true about the Portugal embassy in your country.
3. Filling the application form
When you find where to apply, get the application form for a Portugal tourist visa from them. You could receive it from the Portugal embassy’s website.
Complete it with your information and print it.
Be careful when you complete the form. The written information must be identical to your documents.
Many applicants make a mistake with names. For instance, Juhan, Juho, Janno. They all look the same but have subtle differences. You need to write the spelling identical to your passport.
4. Visa appointment
Schedule a meeting with the Portugal embassy or consulate. You need to find the place to submit requirements before this part.
When getting the time, see if you can keep up with it. You have to prepare the requirements by then.
5. Requirements
The requirements for a Portugal tourist visa are the supporting documents. They prove you are qualified to enter the country.
Keep in mind that you might have to provide further documents. It is up to the officials’ decision. See the part above to get familiar with them
6. Visa interview
Go to your visa meeting on time. Try to reach there early enough so as not to be late, even for a few minutes. Keep in mind to bring the requirements, including your passport. It will stay with the officials until they issue the visa.
Submit all the documents to the authorities when you meet them. You also need to pay the fee for visa processing. The fee is different. In case your family accompanies you, you need to pay more.
If you haven’t visited the Schengen Area in the last five years, you might have to submit your biometrics. The embassy will also ask the purpose of your visit. Of course, it is to see a friend, family, or visiting tourist attractions. Be honest and give true answers.
7. Processing
The Portugal embassy or visa center needs time to work on your application. Providing that the embassy requires further documents, they will tell you. So the processing will get longer. If they ask you to give further explanation for the purpose of your trip, you need to wait for a longer period.
Keep in mind that you can not apply earlier than three months to the date you want to enter Portugal. You may not apply later than 15 days either.
When your visa is ready, the officials will post it to your address. You might have to get it yourself from the embassy. It’s up to the embassy you apply to.
Now you can move to Portugal.
How long is the Portugal tourist visa valid for?
The validity of a Portugal tourist visa depends on the officials’ decision. The visa might be valid for up to five years. Yet, you can stay in Portugal for 90 days in six months. You have to apply for another visa to stay longer.
Bear in mind that the allowed times to enter the country is also different. You may have a:
- Single entry-permits you to enter Portugal once in the authorized time.
- Double entry-lets you enter the country twice in the legal given time.
- Multiple entry-permits you to enter Portugal several times in the permitted time.
The type you will receive will depend on:
- Officials’ decision
- The purpose of your visit
- Your background
The better and stronger background you have, the more likely to receive a multiple entry visa.
Portugal tourist visa length
Many applicants ask about the length of validity of a Portugal tourist visa. It’s only valid for 90 days in six months. You may not stay for longer than 90 days in a six month period.
The times you can enter Portugal or the Schengen Area depends on the type of visa. It could be a single entry, double-entry, or multiple-entries.
The decision on the type is up to the officials, your purpose, and background.
Portugal tourist visa from the UK
The residents or national of the UK don’t need a Portugal visa if they hold one of the below passports:
- British subjects (BS)
- British overseas citizen (BOC)
- British overseas territories citizen (BOTC)
- British protected person (BPP)
- A full UK passport
However, many non-EU nationals living in the UK might need a Portugal Schengen visa.
The guaranteed way to know if you need a Schengen visa from the UK is the Schengen visa checker.
When you enter the site, you have to complete two blanks. Your country of citizenship is the first one. Then it asks about your residing status in the UK. If you have a Residence permit, will it be valid for at least three months after you return to the UK?
If it is so, you may apply for a Schengen visa from the UK. You have to apply from your home country.
Let’s sum up…
If you are going to visit Portugal for sightseeing or visiting friends, you might need a Portugal tourist visa. It is up to your nationality that you need it or not. The above section explained your answer well.
The text also covered how to apply for a tourist visa in Portugal, requirements, and FAQs.
To know more about Portugal visa, see the left sidebar.
In case you hold one or two experiences with a Portugal visa, please write it down in the comment section.
- Published by
- Max-B.
- 8 Comments
Hello. How can I get insurance after entering Portugal?
Hey there. Thanks for leaving a comment on our website. Insurance cover is one of the requirements of a Portugal tourist visa, so you should get it before entering the country.
I own a house in Portugal so need to e tend the 90 day tourist visa to 180 day how do I do that
Hello there. Thanks for leaving a comment on our website. We will be happy to guide you through the application process. However, we should first beware of the purpose of your visit to help you in a more precise way.
great post to read
Thank you. It’s a pleasure for us that you found the content useful.
How much fund required to be eligible for retirement visa ?
Portugal D7 Visa (Retirement Visa) applicants in 2024 will need to have passive income equivalent to the Portuguese minimum wage. In 2024, the minimum wage in Portugal is €820 per month. Application for a D7 visa requires proof of a yearly income of €9,840 (€820 times 12 months). If the applicant’s spouse is also an adult family member, the annual income requirement for that person rises to €4,230, a 1.5-fold increase.
According to another source, the monthly income requirement is €3,040, which is four times the Portuguese minimum wage. The Digital Nomad Visa, and not the Retirement D7 Visa, may be the intended recipient of this data. The D7 Visa appears to primarily require a €820 monthly passive income.