These permits are temporary, usually valid for one year, and can be renewed each year depending on how long the applicant needs to stay in Portugal. Holders of a temporary permit can switch to a permanent residence permit if they have lived in Portugal for at least five years.
Requirements for a residence permit in Portugal
Here are the documents you need to prepare when you apply for a residence permit in Portugal:
Valid passport.
Two recent photos of the person.
Application form (when applying for a residence visa for the first time).
Valid residence visa (visa for 3-4 months before applying for a permit).
Evidence of sufficient financial resources.
Proof of residence.
Health insurance or proof that he/she is covered by the National Health Service.
Certificate of family (if available).
Certificate of criminal case.
Parental consent (if applicable).
Employment contract.
Letter of enrollment from the university (student visa).
Tuition fee (student visa).
Please remember that your documents must be translated into English or Portuguese, if not already available, and some documents may require legalization. Be sure to check with the embassy before applying.
Apply for a residence permit
Once you have obtained a residence visa, you can enter Portugal freely and then apply for a residence permit. You must apply to SEF for a residence permit and register your social security number at the registration office.
Don't forget that you only have four months before your residence visa expires. You must visit the SEF and registration office before this time.
Benefits of a residence permit in Portugal
There are several benefits that you get as an owner of a residence permit in Portugal:
Visa-free access to the EEA/EU and the Schengen area.
Access to labor force.
Unlimited access to education.
Access to the Portuguese healthcare system.
Unemployment benefit (in case of job loss).
Ability to bring other family members.
Possibility to become a citizen of Portugal.
You can apply for Portuguese citizenship after a long-term residence in Portugal. After five years of residence with a temporary residence permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit and after a year or two for citizenship.
The Golden Visa for Portugal is one of the most sought-after investment programs in the world due to its relaxed residency requirements, low investment potential (by Golden Visa standards of course) and the appeal of an EU passport.
If you get a Portuguese Golden Visa, you and your family members will be able to live and work in Portugal, have access to its healthcare and education system, travel visa-free to the Schengen area, and after five years you will be eligible to apply application for a Portuguese passport.
Of course, you have to make a significant investment – hundreds of thousands – but many find the payoff worth the price.
To get a Golden Visa to Portugal, you need to make one of the following investments:
Buy real estate worth at least 500 000 Euros. The amount is reduced to 400 000 Euros if the property is in a low-density area.
From January 2022, you cannot buy property in metropolitan areas of Portugal such as Lisbon, Porto or the coastal Algarve.
Invest 350 000 Euros in a property located in a Portuguese urban renaissance area. The amount is reduced to 280 000 Euros if the property is in a low-density area. The project you invest in must be qualified by the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF).
Invest at least 350 000 Euros in a qualified investment fund.
Transfer at least 1 million Euros to a Portuguese bank account.
Buy shares worth at least 1 million Euros or invest at least 1 million Euros in a Portuguese company.
Create at least ten new jobs for Portuguese citizens.
Invest at least 350 000 Euros for research activities in research institutions.
Invest at least 250 000 Euros in support of the restoration of Portuguese heritage or art.
You must have no criminal record, your property must be obtained legally and you must be over 18 years of age.
Applying for a Portugal Golden Visa
Once you have made the investment, you can apply for a Golden Visa yourself or appoint a legal representative to apply to the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) on your behalf.
The application process is as follows:
Register online on the SEF portal for Golden Visa applications, on the ARI portal. There are separate application options on the website, depending on whether you are applying yourself or have a legal representative apply instead.
Complete the online application form.
Upload the necessary documents for the Golden Visa, depending on the type of investment you are making. Documents must be in PDF format, no larger than 4 MB.
Confirm the submission of your application.
Pay the Golden Visa application fee. You can pay all applicable fees using a single document called a uniform fee document (DUC).
Wait for confirmation from SEF to continue scheduling the meeting.
Log in to the ARI portal again and go to the "Calendar" section.
Choose from the SEF services where you want to apply, as well as the date and time of the meeting.
Print the schedule receipt.
On the day of your appointment, report to your chosen SEF Help Desk and provide your biometrics and physical copies of the required documents.
Documents required to obtain a Portugal Golden Visa
The documents you need to submit to apply for a Golden Visa depend on the type of investment you are making.
You will need to submit:
Your passport. It must be valid for at least six months.
Two passport size photos. Images must meet Portugal visa requirements.
Proof of medical insurance. You must obtain valid health insurance for Portugal or register with the National Health System of Portugal.
Your criminal records. You must obtain a certificate of no criminal record. The certificate must be issued within the last three months and you must obtain it from any country where you have lived for more than one year.
An affidavit of preservation of investments for at least five years.
Printed payment receipt from the ARI portal.
If you purchased real estate:
Deed of purchased property or preliminary agreement.
Proof that you have transferred assets to a financial institution in Portugal.
Certificate from the land register and other documents confirming your ownership of real estate.
A document issued by the relevant entity confirming that the property is in the regeneration zone.
Declaration from the bank confirming the availability of the deposit.
Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal confirming that you have made the required deposit.
Employment contracts for each employee.
Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal confirming that you have made the required deposit.
Declaration of the Portuguese Bureau of Strategy, Planning and Cultural Assessment. The document should confirm the legibility of your investment and indicate that they have consulted with the relevant authorities in the area of your investment.
Declaration from a bank registered in Portugal confirming that you have made the required deposit.
Declaration from the public or private research institution in which you have invested, confirming the existence of your investment.
How to get a document on temporary protection, where to go?
Portugal considers applications from citizens of Ukraine in need of temporary protection under a simplified procedure.
You need to register with any branch of the Service for Foreigners and Borders (O Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, SEF), providing personal details, place of residence in Portugal and contact details.
Information on refugee assistance centers
Temporary accommodation assistance, information support, food (including hot meals), belongings, medical care, hygiene products, etc. - provided at the Casa do Tinoni Aid Center (Servico Municipal de Protecao Civil de Lisboa - Rua Cardeal Saraiva, 1070-045 Lisbon). Telephone line for consultation and assistance +351 800 910 111.
Read more:
Help in Lisbon https://www.lisboa.pt/lisboa-com-a-ucrania
Help in Cascais https://www.cascais.pt/area/campanha-de-apoio-todos-por-todos-pela-ucrania-mais-do-que-nunca
Help in Porto https://www.porto.pt/pt/noticia/somos-todos-ucrania-municipio-do-porto-lanca-campanha-para-apoiar-os-refugiados-ucranianos-2
https://somostodosucrania.pt/uk/
Refugee Assistance Center in Vila Nova de Gaia (tel. 933 159 266/913 832 906/933 159 267/913 833 293, [email protected])
Assistance in the Azores https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/prgra/acores-em-missao-ucrania
Social security for refugees
The SEF reports your registration to the tax office, the social security service and the medical service, and registration with these services will be done automatically. You can work as an employee or do business in Portugal. You can open an account at any banking institution in Portugal. You have the right to place your child in kindergarten / school. When the situation stabilizes, you can return to Ukraine.
Aid
Upon receipt of the temporary protection card, you acquire the same rights as other foreign nationals residing legally in Portugal. You have the right to receive medical care in public medical institutions. You have the right to register at the clinic at the place of residence.
Possibility to extend short-term stays and visas for citizens of Ukraine
You need to register at any branch of the SEF Migration Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, SEF).
Crossing the border without a biometric passport - yes or no?
Only land transport can enter Portugal without a biometric passport.
What to do if the passport expires?
You can renew your passport at the Embassy if it is less than three months before its expiration date and the document is biometric.
What to do if you have a child without a passport?
Information about the child can be entered in the passport of one of the parents (the child's legal representative).
Links to official information sources for refugees from Ukraine
Government websites on assistance to Ukrainians (in Portuguese) - https://portugalforukraine.gov.pt + Ministry of Justice of Portugal + https://eportugal.gov.pt/
High Commissioner for Migration (ACM) tel. 351 218 106 191 or 808 257 257 (from Portugal landlines) Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 20:00, Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00, [email protected]
Portugal