Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture: salt cod and grilled sardines are national dishes, the Algarve’s beaches are a major destination and much of the nation’s architecture dates to the 1500s–1800s, when Portugal had a powerful maritime empire.
If you come from a country that requires a Portugal Schengen visa, this article provides valuable information for your application process.
In short, the easiest way to get your Portugal visa approved is to follow the below steps in order:
- Choose an appropriate visa type and the right consulate
- Book an Appointment at the consulate (or VFS office)
- Collate all the documents you need for your visa.
- For tourist & business visa, create a day wise travel plan (travel itinerary).
- Create a cover letter with the travel itinerary, purpose of travel, documents you will submit for your visa.
- Get Flight itinerary or ticket and proof that you have a place to stay (proof of accommodation)
- Get Schengen-approved travel insurance.
- Fill Portugal Schengen visa Application form.
- Reach the consulate at the time of your appointment.
- Submit your documents and wait for your visa approval.
At any point if you need help, then you can use our Portugal visa consultation service to help you.
Because we provide guidance on Schengen visas daily, we consistently maintain current knowledge of the visa procedures. This grants us the distinct advantage of being well-informed about the latest visa processes, resulting in expedited processing and reducing the likelihood of errors leading to visa rejection.
Types of Portugal Schengen visa
The type of visa you need depends on your purpose of travel & duration. These can be categorized as :
- Portugal Transit Visa : If you are having a layover in one of the airports of Portugal, then you may need to get a transit visa.
- Portugal Tourist Visa : Want to backpack across the Alps of Portugal? Then you can get a tourist visa for a maximum period of 90 days.
- Portugal Visitor visa : This visa if for those who have a relative or friend who is living in Portugal.
- Portugal Business visa : If you are attending any trade fair, meeting clients or engaging in any business related activity you need a business visa.
- Portugal Diplomat visa : for official visits of national delegations or government officials.
- Portugal Medical visa : If you want to get some surgery or medical treatment in Portugal.
- Portugal Student Visa : Enrolling in a university in Portugal. Then you can get a student visa or study visa.
- Portugal visa for Sports, Film Crew : If you are attending any football event or shooting a movie ? then you need to get a culture visa.
- Portugal Spouse Visa : If you want to join your spouse who either is a citizen or has a work permit in Portugal.
So look at the list and determine the type of Portugal Schengen visa you must get . The next section we will book a Schengen visa appointment, so keep yours and your co-applicants passports ready.
How do I book an appointment for Portugal Schengen Visa?
It is very important that you book your visa appointment ASAP as without this step your whole travel plan can be ruined.
Without an appointment, All your flight, hotel and travel itinerary is going to be useless when you are planning a trip and then you hear no appointment slots are currently available VFSGlobal.
The consulate releases appointments for the next 3 months at a time, you can schedule your appointment at that time. Also, you need to get a separate appointment for each co-applicant, so better keep their details ready.
If there are no Schengen visa appointments available, then get in touch with us and we will help you with alternative methods.
Where to book an appointment for Portugal Schengen visa ?
You can get an appointment for your visa online. But because the link to get an appointment depends on your location, we cannot share a common link and you need to check yourself.
You will need to get an appointment with either the Schengen consulate or with any of the third party visa processing companies such as VFSGlobal or BLSS Spain. Or you can use other 3rd party services to get appointments for you.
Can I get one appointment for my whole family ?
No, Each individual applicant must have one single appointment for each family member . On the VFSGlobal portal, one account can book upto 5 Schengen visa Appointments. But dates for everyone to get the appointment on the same day might not be possible.
What details should I enter book the appointment?
We will need your name, passport number, expiration date passport issue date, etc. You can either type this information in or send us a photo of your passport, and we will take care of that for you.
From one country to the next, the consulate requires different information. So we will be in touch with you for additional information.
When you book an appointment you will get an ARN (appointment reference number ) take a printout of it to submit it as part of your visa documentation.
To know more about Schengen visa appointments, visit here.
Documents needed for Portugal Schengen visa
The next step is to prepare the documents required for your Portugal visa and there depend on several factors such as type of visa, age of the applicant & work status.
In summary the minimum documents you need for Schengen visa are:
- Schengen visa application form
- Two Photographs as per Schengen visa specifications
- Passport
- Travel Itinerary
- RoundTrip Flight Itinerary
- Schengen Approved Travel Insurance
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of Sustenance
- Proof of civil status
Additionally, the documents needed depends on an applicants work status so these documents may need to be provided as well.
Are you employed ?
- Employment contract
- Copy of latest bank statements of atleast 6 months. These needs to be signed by the bank.
- Leave approval letter from your company.
- Income tax Returns (ITR ) forms.
Are you self-employed ?
- A copy of your business registration like Tax or Company TIN or PAN
- Copy of latest bank statements of atleast 6 months. These needs to be signed by the bank
- Latest Income tax Proofs (ITR)
Are you a Student ?
- Proof of Enrollment
- No objection certificate from School or college.
Are you retired ?
- A copy of your pension order for last 6 months
- Bank statements signed by the bank.
Is the visa applicant a minor ?
* Birth certificate of the minor travelling to Portugal.
* Portugal Visa application form signed by both parents.
* Family court order. In cases where only one parent has full custody of the child.
* Certified copies of ID/passport of both parents
* Consent from the Guardianship Authority. If the minor will be travelling with only one parent, or alone with another person
If your main income is from a different source ?
- Any other proof of regular income such as rental certificate.
You will also need to submit additional documents based on the type of visa that you are applying for.
Additional Documents for Portugal Tourist Visa
- A Travel itinerary explaining your day wise travel plan.
- Proof of accommodation such as hotel, hostel or an invitation letter.
- Flight itinerary for visa or a fully refundable flight ticket.
Additional Documents for Portugal Business Visa
- An invitation letter from the company that is inviting you to Europe.
- A leave approval letter from your current employer stating both the approval of your leave/travel as well as reason for your travel.
- Business Bank Statement of the last 6 months.
- Memorandum of Association (MOA) copy of the original certificate.
- Trade licensing Approval (if any)
- Proof of Trip Sustenance : A clear letter from the employer stating who is responsible of the expenses of the trip. If the payment is done to the employee and the employee will be reimbursed later. It needs to be mentioned in the letter.
Additional documents for Portugal Medical Visa
- Evidence of payment for therapy (if any)
- A letter from your own nation’s hospital declaring the necessity for treatment in the visiting country.
- Letter of support for the treatment (if any)
- Appointment with a hospital in a foreign country (if any)
- A letter from the Ministry of Health indicating that they would cover your costs (if any)
Additional documents for Portugal Student Visa
- Evidence of enrollment in the institution
- Certificate of no objection from your current college
Additional Documents for Portugal Visitor Visa
The visitor visa format will be as follows:
- An invitation letter is now required in the visa requirements section.
- If visiting and staying with friends or family in Portugal (without financial sponsorship):Invitation letter from the host, the letter must clearly identify the host and the invitee (name, address, birth date, official identification number, occupations and permanent residence); the purpose of the visit; length of stay and accommodation status (where the invitee stays and who pays for it). Copy of the host’s passport and proof of residence.
- If visiting and staying with friends or family in Portugal (with financial sponsorship):If your visit is supported and paid for by a sponsor residing in Portugal, an electronic affidavit which can be obtained by the host from the nearest aliens police in Portugal is required.
- In some cases you might be asked to provide an “Electronic Guarantee Letter“. This service is free of charge and provided by the local aliens police. The authority dealing with your EVE will forward the information to the Portugal Embassy within 48 hours. You will receive an ID-number which the visa applicant should provide at the interview.
Additional Documents for Portugal Transit Visa
- Flight ticket to the ultimate destination.
- A visa to the target country is necessary (if required)
Additional Documents for Portugal Sports, Culture Visa
- Event Information. As:
- Invitation letter from the relevant body in Poland with details upon the nature of events or activities that are to be held in Poland.
- Entry tickets to the event.
- Enrolment conditions.
- Detailed program of the event in Poland.
- Other documents that present the Names of the applicants (crew members) and other relevant information about the event.
- Proof of previous performances. Participation in previous festivals and ceremonies (cultural, religious), sports competitions, winners certificates, proof of world/international ranking (sports).
Additional Documents for Portugal Spouse Visa
When applying to get Portugal visa as the spouse of Portugal citizen, you must provide the following additional documents:
- Proof of Portugal citizenship (ID card or consular card or certification of Portugal nationality or naturalization order).
- Portugal marriage certificate.
- Portugal family record book.
You must include the following information in the visa requirements part of the letter:
- There are two application forms.
- Marriage certificate copy
- Copy of Spouse’s Passport and Residence Permit
Do you need a flight ticket to apply for Portugal Visa? Can you use a flight itinerary?
When applying for Portugal Schengen visa, it is not safe to have a fully paid flight ticket, you can have a temporary booking or use a flight itinerary for visa purposes. Once your visa is approved, you can book your flight ticket.
The way we create flight itinerary for our customers is using FlightGen App and you can use the app. To know more about using flight itinerary for visa.
What does a travel itinerary mean when applying for Portugal visa ?
A travel itinerary is a day-wise plan of what you intend to do in Portugal if your visa is approved. This information must be included in your cover letter or visa letter which will then be used by the consulate to decide on your visa approval.
To know more about creating cover letter or visa letter for Portugal Schengen visa.
Is a cover letter needed when applying for Portugal visa ?
Yes. A cover letter is a mandatory document when applying for Schengen visa. As per the VFS website you need to bring a cover letter during your Schengen visa appointment.
Is the travel insurance mandatory for Schengen visa application ?
Yes. A travel insurance is mandatory for any Schengen visa application including Portugal Schengen visa and the insurance must cover the whole travel duration.
You can get your travel insurance for less than $1 per day from visitorscoverage.com.
How to apply for Portugal Schengen visa ?
Once you have booked your appointment and have the documents ready, it is vital that you double check your documents once more. Verify that you have provided all the flight and accommodations to the destinations mentioned in the cover letter.
Also check if the dates mentioned in the Portugal visa application form matches with the done in your cover letter.
A cover letter is a very important document during the visa process as it is the first document that the visa officer will read and it is the only place where you can personally speak to the visa officer .
You can create cover letter for your visa application for just $5 using BlinkDocs App
Next, take two set of print outs of all the documents that you have created and arrange it in the order mentioned in the checklist.
On the day of the interview, carry with you two blue pens, a soft copy of all the documents , cash (as some visa consulates only accept cash) and be dressed formally.
You will be asked to submit your fingerprints and if any issues are found on your documentation, you will be given a few minutes to fix them and get back so do not be nervous.
If you have taken our consultation service you can ping your assigned visa expert and they will handle your queries for you.
Where to Apply for Portugal Schengen visa ?
This would depend on your country and jurisdiction, in some countries the Portugal embassy handles the visa applications whereas in others a third party VAC such as VFS Global , BLSS or TLS Contact may be given the authority to collect the visa application on the Portugal consulates behalf.
So pay special attention of this fact and make sure you know who handles the visa in your city. Even if there is an embassy of Portugal in your location they may not handle your visa application.
How long does it take to approve my Portugal visa Application ?
From the time of your document submission it can take up to 15 working days to approve your visa. But if there are long extended holidays in between, it can take up to 25 days.
Schengen visa appointments are open for 2 months at a time, so you can apply for an Portugal visa up to 3 months before your trip.
What is the fee for Portugal Schengen visa ?
The fee for Portugal Schengen visa is € 80 for adults and €40 for kids over age of 6 . Children below 6 can apply for Schengen visa for free If you are applying with VFS or BLSS, then there is a processing fee of €20 that you will need to pay with VFS or BLSS.
Who requires an Portugal Schengen visa ?
People from EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland can enter the Portugal without a visa.
People from other countries may need a visa in order to enter the Schengen Area or Portugal.
Please go to the Government Website to find out if you need a visa or not.
Foreigners who are not from an EEA country or Switzerland and want to work or do something close to work for a short time, like an internship, always need a visa (see also “Temporary work visa”).
People from countries where visas are no longer needed because of an EU law can stay in Portugal without a visa for up to 90 days every 180 days if they are not working.
Related links to Portugal Schengen Visa
https://eportugal.gov.pt/en/servicos/pedir-um-visto-schengen-de-curta-duracao