PortugalVisits and short stays

Portugal family and friends visit visa

Schengen short-stay visa (type C) – visiting family or friends

In short

To visit relatives or friends in Portugal you apply for a Schengen visa, if your nationality needs one, at the Portuguese embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence. Besides the standard documents you show the relationship and, ideally, a Term of Responsibility in which your host guarantees accommodation and costs, which can replace the EUR 40-per-day funds requirement.

Apply on E-VISA – Portuguese MFA appointment and application portal checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Validity
Single or multiple entry; a multiple-entry visa for frequent travellers can be valid for one year and, exceptionally, longer
Fee
€90EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6–11, free under 6; paid in the way the mission sets; not refunded on refusal
Funds required
€40 per dayEUR 75 per entry plus EUR 40 for each day in Portugal; can be replaced by a Term of Responsibility signed by a Portuguese citizen or legal resident who covers your stay
Processing time
Decision within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, extendable to 45 days
Work
No paid work
Family
Each family member needs their own application and visa
Path to permanent residence
No; a short-stay visa cannot be converted into residence
Where to apply
In person at the Portuguese embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or at the consulate of another Schengen state that represents Portugal there

Who can use this visa

The family-visit category is for short private stays with relatives or friends who live in Portugal, whether they are Portuguese citizens or foreigners with legal residence. If the host is not Portuguese, the mission may ask for proof that the host lives in Portugal legally, such as a copy of the residence card.

Spouses and children under 18 of EU citizens are exempt from the visa fee and benefit from facilitated rules when they travel with or join the EU citizen.

The Term of Responsibility and relationship proof

The Termo de Responsabilidade is Portugal’s official invitation and guarantee form. The host states the dates and address of the accommodation and whether they cover only lodging and repatriation or all living costs. The signature must be certified by the competent authority and the original sent to you for the appointment. Missions also ask for the host’s recent bank statements and a copy of their passport or ID.

To prove the family link, submit civil status documents such as birth or marriage certificates, translated where the mission requires it.

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen application form, completed and signed, plus one recent passport photo

Travel

  • Passport valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages, plus copies of previous Schengen, UK, US and Canada visas
  • Return flight or other transport reservation

Money

  • Bank statements for the last 3 months and proof of regular income, for example the last 3 payslips

Work

  • Proof of occupation: employees – employer letter or leave approval and proof of employment and social insurance; company owners – company registration and tax documents; farmers – proof of farming activity; pensioners – pension document; students – student certificate

Family

  • Civil status documents (for example birth or marriage certificates) proving the relationship, translated where required

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay, minimum cover EUR 30,000, including emergency care and repatriation

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Identity

  • If the host is not Portuguese: proof of legal residence in Portugal

Money

  • Original Term of Responsibility signed by the host with a certified signature
  • Host’s last 3 months of bank statements and a copy of the host’s passport or ID

Family

  • Minors travelling without both parents: notarised consent of the absent parent(s) or a court decision

Funds when a host pays

Without a guarantee you must show EUR 75 per entry and EUR 40 per day. When the host signs the Term of Responsibility covering board and lodging for the whole stay, the consulate may waive this amount, but you still need a return ticket and travel insurance with EUR 30,000 cover.

Timing

Apply between six months and 15 days before travel. Decisions normally come within 15 calendar days and can take up to 45 days in individual cases. Ask your host to start the certified Term of Responsibility early, as the original must reach you before the appointment.

Refusal and appeal

A refusal is notified with the reasons on the standard EU form. Under Portuguese administrative law you can file a complaint with the consulate that decided within 15 days, a hierarchical appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs within three months (lodged at the consulate), or a court action at the Administrative Court of Lisbon within three months. The routes can be combined.

Each appeal procedure costs EUR 75 in administrative fees. A new application with stronger documents is often faster than an appeal.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check that Portugal is your main destination (longest stay) or, if stays are equal, your first point of entry; otherwise apply to the other Schengen country.
  2. Book an appointment with the Portuguese embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence as it instructs; the MFA E-VISA portal (pedidodevistos.mne.gov.pt) is the online application platform. Apply no earlier than 6 months and, as a rule, no later than 15 days before travel.
  3. Ask your host to complete the Term of Responsibility, have the signature certified and send you the original with bank statements and ID copy; obtain your civil status documents and any translations.
  4. Attend in person with originals and copies; documents in other languages may need a certified translation into a language the mission accepts. Your fingerprints and photo are recorded for the Visa Information System.
  5. Pay EUR 90 (EUR 45 for ages 6–11) in the way the mission sets.
  6. Wait for the decision, normally within 15 calendar days; collect your passport as the mission instructs.

Forms

Frequently asked questions

Is an invitation letter mandatory for a family visit to Portugal?

Portuguese missions list invitation and/or guarantee documents, using the Term of Responsibility form, for family and friends visits. Without it you must cover accommodation yourself and show the full funds of EUR 75 per entry and EUR 40 per day.

Where does my host get the signature certified?

The form states that the declaration must be certified by the competent authority and presented as an original to the consulate. In Portugal this is typically done by a notary, lawyer or solicitor, or another entity authorised to certify signatures.

Can my relative in Portugal apply for me?

No. The applicant must appear in person at the mission to submit the application and give fingerprints. The host only provides the supporting documents.

I want to stay longer than 90 days with my family. Which visa applies?

A Schengen visa cannot exceed 90 days in 180. Longer family stays require a national visa: family reunification if your relative is a legal resident with a granted AIMA approval, or the temporary stay visa for family members of Portuguese citizens.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Portugal

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: 4 months, two entries, to apply for the permit; temporary stay visa: the programme, under one year
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: 4 months to apply for the AIMA permit; temporary stay visa: under one year
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: 4 months to obtain the permit; temporary stay visa: the programme, over 3 months and under one year

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: two entries, valid 4 months, to apply for the AIMA permit
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: two entries, valid 4 months; a temporary stay visa covers highly qualified work under one year
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: Residence visa: 4 months to apply for the card
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: ICT permit: up to 3 years in total for managers and specialists, 1 year for trainee employees
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Short stay: up to 90 days; temporary stay: more than 90 days and up to 270 days (9 months)
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Temporary stay visa: under one year, multiple entries; residence visa: two entries, 4 months to apply for the permit

Family

  • Family reunification visa Maximum stay: D6 residence visa: two entries, 4 months; must be applied for within 90 days of the AIMA approval
  • Spouse and partner visa Maximum stay: Temporary stay visa for family of Portuguese citizens: stays over 3 months, under one year

Residence

  • Retirement visa Maximum stay: Residence visa: two entries, valid 4 months, to apply for the AIMA permit
  • Golden visa and residence by investment Validity: Temporary ARI permit valid 2 years from issue, then renewable while the investment is maintained
  • Residence permit Validity: 2 years from issue, renewable for successive 3-year periods (unless a specific rule sets other periods)
  • Permanent residence Validity: Permanent; the EU long-term resident card is valid at least five years and renewable

Faster processing

Protection

Portugal visa guide