A Tourist Visa in Portugal: A Simple Guide
Ever felt tangled in the intricate web of visa policies? Welcome to the light!
Our simple guide navigates you through the labyrinth of obtaining a tourist visa in Portugal.
A beacon for expats, we clear the haze around protocols and pave your way to a seamless Portuguese escapade
What Is A Tourist Visa For Portugal?
The tourist visa for Portugal is also known as the Schengen visa. Portugal is one of the member states of Schengen countries that have signed an agreement with each other.
People from one of these 27 Schengen countries can easily visit all the Schengen countries with just one stamp on one’s passport. Others would need to apply for a Schengen tourist visa.
The passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months before applying for the Schengen tourism visa with proof of one’s finances and return air ticket. People can stay in Portugal for a maximum of 90 days on a tourist visa.
As a holder of a Schengen tourist visa, one can visit friends and family to see all the beautiful locations in Portugal but cannot apply for a job or study in any Portuguese institutions permanently.
Thus, with the Schengen Tourist visa, one can visit all the famous locations, attend festivals, and travel to sightsee all the monuments in the Schengen area of Europe, including Portugal.
What Are Different Characteristics Of Schengen Tourist Visa In Portugal?
The Schengen tourist visa allows the citizens of the Schengen countries to travel visa-free and saves them a lot of hassle and time. However, individuals from other countries still need to go through the process of applying for a tourist visa to visit Portugal.
There are different characteristics related to the Portugal tourist visa that one needs to be aware of if one wants to apply for it to visit Portugal.
Short-Term Or Temporary Stay
The Tourist visa for Portugal and other Schengen countries is only for a temporary or short-term stay. At maximum, people can stay in Portugal for 90 days on this visa consecutively or with breaks.
They’ll need to leave Portugal after they have completed 90 days under the span of 180 days.
Several Entries
The best characteristic of Schengen visas is that they often allow multiple entries. It means that one may enter or leave the Schengen area several times within the valid limit of the period the tourist visa allows.
Thus, one might enter or leave Portugal within 6 months several times if one has yet to cross the stay of over 90 days.
Purpose Of Tourist Visa
Tourist visas in Portugal are to travel for leisure in the country and other Schengen areas. People can acquire this visa for visiting family and friends who are residents of Portugal.
One can also apply for this visa to attend cultural festivals or enjoy vacations and other leisure activities.
No Employment
One cannot look for work, apply for work, or even work part-time on a Tourist Schengen visa.
Schengen tourist visa is a short-term visa. One would either need to apply for a Schengen temporary visa, work permit, or job seeker visa for Portugal if one wants to work in Portugal.
No Study
One must apply for the Schengen tourist visa to study in Portugal. One would again need to apply for a Schengen temporary visa and obtain a resident permit in Portugal to study in Portugal.
Visa-Free Travel
For some residents of EU and EEA countries, citizens do not need to apply for this visa and are allowed to travel visa-free in all the European states of the Schengen area.
In conclusion, it is always better to be aware of all of these characteristics of the Schengen Tourist visa before applying for it to visit Portugal.
Who Can Request A Short-term Schengen Visa?
Any individual who belongs to a Member State of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) does not need to apply for the Schengen tourist visa.
So, foreigners who do not belong to any of the states mentioned above need to apply for a tourist visa.
Also, someone other than a resident of Switzerland can and must apply for a Schengen visa for touring Schengen countries like Portugal.
Thus, it is compulsory for any individual who wants to tour the Schengen area as well as Portugal to present the approved visa papers to the authorities according to their nationality to ensure they are legally permitted to travel through Portugal.
When To Apply For A Tourist Visa For Portugal?
The tourist Visa applications for Portugal must be submitted:
- 15 days before the travel date
- Under 3 months before the travel date, not before 6 months.
Where To Apply For The Tourist Visa For Portugal?
Applications for the tourist visa should be presented either through the Portuguese Consulate or Embassy or any other authorized visa application center connected with Portugal.
If a country does not have a Portuguese consulate, one can request to submit the tourist visa applications at the Consulate or embassy of any other Schengen state.
An applicant must submit the visa applications in one’s home country. Applying from countries other than one’s home country is permissible in some cases.
One would need to present a valid reason for taking such action and confirm with the relevant authorities before applying. Nonetheless, one’s application may only be accepted if it goes against the laws.
How To Request A Tourist Visa Application?
If one wants to tour Portugal and wants to access the Schengen tourist visa application, then one might be able to do that through the following ways:
Online
It is easy if one can get the visa applications online. Portugal has made it easy to access and download Visa applications through their online portal or Foreign Ministry. One would need to print the form.
However, one would need to go physically to the embassy or Consulate to submit the applications, as the acceptance of the visa application for tourists is not accepted by Portugal online.
Physically, In Person:
One can go physically to get the tourist visa applications. One would need to go to the following places to get the application forms:
- Portugal Embassy or Consulate Office
- Consular representative offices of any European Union country if there is no Portuguese consular office in one’s home country.
- In some countries, there are also some approved service providers where one can get the application forms for tourist visas.
How Long Can One Stay In Portugal With a Tourist Visa?
One can stay in Portugal with a tourist visa for 90 days within a limited period of 6 months.
The exact dates of one’s approved stay and the deadline of the stay are usually mentioned on the papers of visa stickers on one’s passport.
What Is The Deadline To Request A Schengen Tourist Visa?
One must apply for the Schengen Tourist Visa for Portugal between 6 months to 15 days before the intended travel date.
In some emergency cases, one may submit a request for the visa application when one might have less than 15 days to travel but would need to provide a valid reason for such action. The visa fee might be different for urgent cases.
What Are The Required Documents for a Portugal Schengen Tourist Visa?
Before collecting all the required documents, one needs to attach them with one’s tourist visa applications for Portugal. One needs to know in which language the documents must be approved.
The application form for the tourist visa of Portugal is also available in different languages:
- English
- Portuguese
- French
- Russian
- Ukrainian
Though the application forms are available in the languages mentioned above, if the documents that the applicant needs to attach with the application forms are present in any other language than Portuguese or English.
Then, one would need to get the documents translated or notarized and approved by the embassy of one’s home country before they could be attached to the visa application.
The table below shows that the following documents are required to be attached to the tourist visa application for Portugal:
Required Documents | Details Of Documents |
Valid Passport | Has at least 2 blank pagesIt needs to have the applicant’s signature.It must be at most 10 years.It needs to be valid for at least 3 months after the expected deadline of the tourist visa. Also, one needs to present previous passports if one has. |
Photos | Passport Sized- 3.5 x 4.5 cmWhite backgroundTaken within the past 6 monthsForward-facing and clearVisible facial features |
Documents Related To Travel | Travel Itinerary Proof of return ticket Valid reason for travel to PortugalFlight ReservationsProof of Accommodations |
Health Insurance | Valid through the entire visa periodValid in all Schengen countriesA minimum coverage of 30,000 EUR must be purchasedInsurance conditions such as validity, duration, and extent of coverage to be clearly stated on the confirmation letter or insurance document |
Employment Details | Name and Address of EmployerNature of EmploymentStarting date of employmentSalaryDuration of time off from work for travel |
Additional Documents | Present Older Schengen visas if one has applied.Present Residence permit if one has one. |
Documents For Applicants Younger Than18 Years | Copy of birth certificateAdoption documents are required if the minor applicant is adopted, Letter of consent from both parents or legal guardiansPassport copies of both parents or legal guardiansDeath certificates are needed if the minor applicant’s parents are deceased.If the parents are divorced, the divorce papers must also be attached. |
Financial Proof | Bank statements for the last 3-monthPersonal properties or investmentsAny other assets to prove that one is financially able. |
Fee | 80 Euros For adults and children over 12 40 Euros For children between 6 and 12No fee for children under 6 35 Euros For citizens of Azerbaijan and Russia |
Biometric Data | Fingerprints |
All of the documents shown in the table are required to be attached with a completed application form for a tourist visa for Portugal.
What Are The Steps To Applying For a Portugal Tourist Visa?
Like any other visa application, the whole process of applying for a tourist visa for Portugal is also detailed for individuals who are not residents of the Schengen states.
One needs to follow the below-given steps to get one’s application for a tourist visa in Portugal approved.
Verifying Eligibility
One must verify if one is eligible to apply for a Schengen tourist visa for traveling to Portugal. If one is a resident of EU/EEA states, then one won’t need a tourist visa.
Whereas residents of other countries would need to verify the following to be eligible:
- Have Clear Purpose And Good Intentions: One must have valid and good intentions behind traveling to Portugal, which should be for touring and not for work or studies.
- Financially Able: One must have enough means to support oneself and any dependents during the travels.
- Confirm Return: Attaching a return ticket will confirm that one will only stay in Portugal for the approved, set time as a tourist and then will return after the stay.
- Sound Character: A person is only eligible if one has a clear criminal record, which is a must.
- Healthy: Travelling, as well as the tourist visa, requires one to be in good health.
Visiting The Portuguese Consulate Or Embassay
The second step after verifying one’s eligibility for the tourist visa is to look for the Portuguese Consulate or Embassy to get the application form for the tourist visa. One needs to get the application form from there.
If there is no Portuguese embassy or Consulate in one’s country, one can apply through any other Schengen States embassy.
Attaching All The Required Documents
Gathering all the required documents per the instructions given in the tourist visa application form is one of the most critical steps. One’s missing or wrong documents usually lead to the rejection of one’s application.
So, carefully read the details, gather the documents on time, and attach them after re-checking.
Scheduling An Appointment
After filling out the application form for the tourist visa and attaching all the documents, one needs to schedule an appointment in the authorized office to submit the visa application.
Remember to re-check every instruction and tick-mark the checklist of documents provided at the end of the visa application form!
Taking Visa Interview
The consulates or working officials at the embassy usually call the applicant for an in-person interview. They might ask questions concerning the attached documents and mention details on the application form.
They may also ask about one’s travel plans, financial means, accommodation, and reasons for touring and verify it with the written information on one’s application.
Attending this interview is mandatory. It will likely prevent one’s application from being rejected.
Paying The Fee
People must double-check the required fee for one’s tourist visa application for Portugal because there are different fee criteria for different age groups and nationalities.
Wait For Processing
One should always apply at the earliest after the decided date of travel. This caution is necessary because a delayed visa application processing might lead to a delayed or complete cancellation of one’s travels.
It usually takes 15 to 45 days to process the tourist visa application for Portugal.
What Are The Further Steps For Approved Visa Applications?
After the visa applications have been accepted, one must ensure that all the information on the application form is correct and valid.
The following things should be considered by the Applicants who have got their approved Schengen Tourist Visa for Portugal:
- Inform the Portuguese Consulate of any change in your travel plans or place of accommodation.
- The approval of a Schengen visa does not guarantee entry upon arrival to Portugal or other countries in the Schengen area.
- Obtaining a Schengen visa only provides a partial percent assurance that one will be admitted to Portugal or other Schengen countries when one arrives.
- One might still need to present additional documentation per the requirements of each member of the Schengen area, proving one’s ability to pay for travel or lodging.
What Are The Further Steps For Denied Visa Applications?
On the unfortunate occasion of rejection of one’s Schengen Tourist visa application, one may take the following steps:
- Within 15 days of rejection, one may complain to the Consulate that rejected the application.
- One can also appeal to the Portuguese minister within 30 days of rejecting one’s application.
- When the appeal to the Foreign Ministry has been refused, one can make the appeal again through Lisbon’s Administrative Court within 3 months of getting the rejection.
- However, the appeal can only be processed if one has paid a non-refundable fee again.
Thus, one may follow the steps mentioned earlier in case of rejection of the Schengen Tourist Visa Application for Portugal.
What Is The Fee To Request A Tourist Visa For Portugal?
The average cost of applying for a tourist visa for Portugal is 80€. Schengen residents and children under the age of twelve have to pay 40€.
Portugal and other Schengen countries also give fee concessions. The following individuals are not expected to pay fees for tourist visa applications:
- Children younger than 6.
- Students and teachers when traveling on study trips.
- Researchers travel for scientific research or to collect data for research.
- Non-profit organizations’ representatives above 25 years of age. Specifically, touring to attend cultural or social events, seminars, and conferences that Portuguese or international non-profit organizations have organized.
- Family members or nationals of Member States of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland.
What Are The Obligations Of Tourist Visa For Portugal?
Each country has specific laws and regulations imposed on its citizens and travelers. So, one must know what compulsions one must follow when visiting Portugal on a tourist visa.
One needs to register one’s entry on arrival. Even if one has reached Portugal after traveling by air, sea, or land, one must register one’s entry with the officials.
Suppose one decides not to stay in the mentioned hotel or any tourist accommodation mentioned in the application. In that case, one is also obligated to inform the local immigration office within three days of one’s stay in Portugal.
Portuguese Immigration Services provide a declaration of entry upon registering the tourists’ entry into Portugal. This document also mentions the duration of one’s stay.
If one fails to follow this protocol and does not make a timely registration of entry, then one has committed a punishable offense. Thus, one will be fined €60 to €160 by the authorities.
For underage adolescents, carrying a parental consent form with their passport is mandatory. It must also be notarized in Portuguese to ease any local officer’s understanding.
According to the immigration laws of Portugal, the parental consent document must have the signature of the parents or guardian. It must mention the reason for travel and duration of stay.
Not having this document can lead to rejecting one’s visa application. If one loses this document during one’s stay in Portugal, then one must inform the authorities immediately.
Conclusion
Venturing into the heart of Portugal is a breeze when armed with the right knowledge! Dive deep into the culture, savor the exquisite cuisine, and let the Portuguese charm weave its magic around you. With the right visa, every alley is an invitation to explore more.
Happy Exploring!
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