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The residence of third-country nationals in Portugal is defined by the motive of their entry and duration of their stay. For short-stays, the third-country nationals must respect the Schengen rules. For long-stays, for more than 3 months, they have to respect the current national legislation.

There are some exceptions that allow the entry and staying of third-country nationals in Portugal, with visa exemption.

NATIONAL VISAS (LONG-STAY)

Long-stay visas, in compliance with existing domestic law, can be either temporary or for residency authorization purposes.
All third-country nationals that desires to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days must obtain a long-stay visa.

The nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, that intend to for more than 90 days must request a Registration Certificate (Certificado de Registo) from the city council hall in their area of residence.

These visas may be request for the following purposes : investment, work activity (subordinate or independent), study, professional training, research, highly qualified activity, retirement, living and out of individual revenues and medical treatment.

Temporary stay visa

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.

Work

  • Temporary stay visa for subordinate season work for a duration of over 90 days
  • Temporary stay visa for independent work
  • Temporary stay visa for scientific research, higher education professorial activity or highly qualified activity purposes for a period of less than a year (includes cultural/artistic activities)
  • Temporary stay visa for amateur sports purposes
  • Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to the WTO, for provision of services or professional training.

Research

  • 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.

Study, professional training or volunteer work

  • Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to the WTO, for provision of services or professional training.
  • Temporary stay visa for courses in an educational or professional training institution.
  • 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.

Health

  • Temporary stay visa for medical treatment purposes.
  • Temporary stay visa for accompanying family member undergoing medical treatment purposes.

Youth mobility scheme

  • 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.

Stay for up to 1 year for exceptional reasons

  • Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, in exceptional and dully justified cases: retirement purposes; people living out of individual revenues

Religious

  • Temporary stay visa for periods of over 3 months, in exceptional and dully justified cases: religious training within a religious congregation or undertaking studies in a recognized institution.

Residence visa

Allow two entries and is valid for a period of 4 months in order to request a residency permit with the Immigration and Border Services (SEF).

Work

  • Residency visa for subordinate work purposes
  • Residency visa for independent work purposes or entrepreneurs, including Startup Visa
  • Residency visa for higher education teaching purposes, highly qualified activity or cultural purposes, as well as, highly qualified subordinate activity

Study and research

  • Residency visa for research, study, high-school student exchange, internship and volunteer work purposes

Professional training, internship or volunteer work

  • Residency visa for research, study, high-school student exchange, internship and volunteer work purposes

Family réunification

  • Residency visa for family reunification purposes

Fixed residency

  • Residency visa for retirement purposes, religious purposes or for people living out of individual revenue.

Residence Permit

Temporary Residence Permit

  • The temporary residence permit will be valid for a period of 1 year, from the date of its issuance, renewable for successive periods of 2 years.
  • Some temporary residence permits are not dependent of a request for a long stay visa.

Permanent Residence Permit

  • This permit is valid indefinitely but must be renewed every five years or whenever there is any change in the holder’s identity details.
  • The permanent residence permit can be requested by third-country nationals, holder of a permanent residence permit.
  • Five years after being holder of a Registration Certificate, the nationals of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland can request a permanent residence certificate.

Types of Residence Permit

  • Residence permit for subordinate and independent work purposes or entrepreneurs (may be exempted from the long-stay visa requirement)
  • Residence permit for higher education teaching purposes, highly qualified activity or cultural
  • Residence permit for investment (may be exempted from the long-stay visa requirement)
  • Residence permit for research, study, internship and volunteer work purposes
  • Residence permit for family reunification
  • Residence permit for victims of human trafficking and illegal immigration (irrespective of the mode of entry)
  • Residence permit for holders of long-stay resident status in another EU member state.
  • Residence permit «European Blue Card»
  • Residence permit for special purposes:
    • Residence permit exempted from the long-stay visa requirement
    • Exceptional regime (humanitarian reasons)
    • Special regime for company relocations
    • Minor foreign nationals born in the country
  • Residence permit for a company transfer of employees « ICT » and long-stay mobility « ICT mobile»

 

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