Visa Information

Overview

Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online by the applicant.

Applicants, who intend to travel to Portugal purely for tourist purposes, i.e. visiting for pleasure, need to apply for a Tourist visa.

Eligibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. Holding a valid passport/travel document
2. Holding a valid US residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa, a B1/B2 type visa, for the US, then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country.
3. Applying for a short stay visa (Tourist: including visits to family or friends, Business, EEA/EU Family member or Transit)
4. JURISDICTION RESTRICTIONS:

STATES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PORTUGAL FOR VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING.

STATES under the Jurisdiction of PORTUGAL

The Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia

Click Here

Consulate General of Portugal in New York

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Connecticut, Michigan, and New York. Territories of American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda’s, and Puerto Rico.

Click Here

Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas.

Click Here

If you don’t see your State above, please click here

Visa Fees

VFS service fee of US $39.68 (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee.

Applicants applying for Schengen/ C-Visa can pay their visa fee and VFS service fee via credit or debit card at the visa application center. (Except for San Francisco location, Money order is required for Visa fee)

Applicants applying for a D-Visa/ Long Terms visa in San Francisco and Washington DC are required to pay the Visa Fee by way of a money order or Banker / Cashier check in favor of the “Consulate General of Portugal”. VFS Service Fee can be paid via Debit/Credit card at the center while submitting the application.

Documents Required

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

Important – Retention of document: Please be informed that after processing of Visa/Resident permit applications, Embassy/Consulates only return passport with payment receipt.

Other documents submitted along with your Visa/ Resident permit applications are not returned. We strongly encourage you to retain a copy of all the important document for your reference.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant could be asked for additional documents if desired by the Consulate General of Portugal.

Applicants always have to bring and show their original Passport, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted. Please refer to the checklist for the list of documents as required by the Portugal consulate, ensure that you have all the documents as per your Visa Categories.

For applying for a short-stay Schengen visa, the following documentation is required:

• Application Form;

Visa application completely filled and duly signed by applicant (For minors and incapacitated, forms should be signed the legal guardian);

• Passport Photograph;

A recent color photograph (35mmx45mm) up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;

• Passport or Travel Document;

Passport or Travel document must be valid for 3 months beyond the Schengen stay; a photocopy of prior passport and Schengen visas required.

• Certificate of being in a regular situation when the applicant is from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being requested;

Proof and copy of residency status in the United States (Green card, Employment Authorization Card, United States Visa)

• Travel reservation

Roundtrip flight reservation showing date of departure and date of return

• Travel medical insurance

Proof of medical coverage, including medical emergencies and repatriation. The insurance should have a minimum coverage of €30,000 or 50,000 USD; shall a multiple entry visa be granted, applicants shall sign the statement, set out in the application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays.

• Economic and work conditions:

Work certificate and salary, as well as three last bank transcripts (proof of means of subsistence), covering the entire stay and return to the country of origin.

• Travel authorization for minors or court decision (when applicable);
• Hotel reservation (if applicable);

Proof of accommodations for entire stay or statement of responsibility.

• For journeys undertaken for medical reasons;

An official document of the medical institution confirming necessity for medical care in that institution and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment;

• Entry visa for the destination country (if applicable).

Applicants, who intend to travel for business purposes, i.e. visiting a business/company to have meetings, to make business deals, to recruit, to train or other work related activities can apply for a Business visa.

Every Business visa application has to be confirmed by an invitation letter from a business/company based in Portugal, if not, applicant will have to apply as a Tourist.

In regards to conference/seminar/workshop the following applicants can also apply for a Business visa:

• Students going to attend a conference/seminar/workshop related to their studies
• Applicants/Employees going to attend a conference/seminar/workshop organized by their company or another company directly related to their company
• Applicants going to be actively involved in a conference/seminar/workshop

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, according the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus.
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
• Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
• Please stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form.

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements, then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

NOTICE

Please be advised that applications sent by mail do not guarantee faster processing than applications done in person. Applications will be processed as per the queue at VFS and the visa Section of the Embassy of Portugal in DC.

Normal processing time for applications submitted in San Francisco is up to 30 days for C category. For D category it will take up to 60 days.

Applications for D type visa for Portugal are on very high demand and it will take time to process all of them. Applicants are advised to expect a longer waiting time in obtaining a decision on their application. You will be notified once the application has been processed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC. Please, be advised, that contacting the Embassy immediately, or repeatedly, will only provoke delays, as resources will have to be diverted from visa processing to answering emails and phone calls.

The visa processing time is a minimum of 3 weeks, depending on the nationality of the applicant of the applicant and provided that a complete visa application is submitted; please click here for the list of nationalities that may have an extended processing time.

Please click here to ascertain any dates that the consulate will be closed, as this will also affect the processing time of your application.

Article 23 for time lines of application processing.

Annex 16 for nationalities that require prior consultation

After a visa application has been submitted, it is still be possible for the consulate to request additional documents/information and by doing so this may prolong or delay the visa processing time.

Download Forms

• Please click Here to complete the visa application form. Please ensure you print and bring the completed application form when attending for your appointment.

Overview

Every applicant has to submit his/her Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online by the applicant.

Following family members of an EEA/EU national are entitled to apply for a Schengen visa under EU category, i.e. exempt from paying the applicable visa fee, when travelling together with their EEA/EU family member:

1. Spouse
2. Children
3. Parents (only if child is under 18 years old or elderly parent cohabiting with his/her EEA/EU child)
4. Registered partner

You can also refer to the following: checklist.

Any applicants, travelling without their EEA/EU family member, or proof that they will be joining that family member, cannot apply under EU category and need to apply for a Tourist visa, i.e. providing all the required documents and paying the applicable visa fee.

Exemption visa application for certain EEA/EU family members:

Family members of an EEA/EU National holding a valid UK Residence permit as demonstrated below, do not need a Schengen visa to enter Portugal, only if the following 3 conditions are fulfilled:

1. they’re travelling with/joining the EEA/EU family member in Portugal (EU Directive 2004/38/CE)
2. their nationality is not subject to Schengen Visa

3. their UK Residence permit literally bears the wording:

   1. Residence Card of a Family Member of an EEA National (endorsed in passport)

      

   2. Permanent Residence Card (endorsed in passport)

      

   3. Residence Card of a Family Member of a Union Citizen (biometrics card)

      

      

However when applicant, holding one of the above mentioned UK residence permits, is travelling without their EEA/EU family member, then they have to apply for a Tourist visa, i.e. providing all the required documents and paying the applicable visa fee.

Eligibility

Applicant must at least meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to submit a Schengen visa application:

1. holding a valid passport/travel document
2. holding a valid US residence permit (NOT a B1/B2-type visa; in case applicant holds a short stay visa for the US, then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country)
3. applying for a short stay visa (Tourist, Family/friend visit, Business or EU family)

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

Visa Fees

VFS service fee of US $39.68 (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee.

Applicants applying for Schengen/ C-Visa can pay their visa fee and VFS service fee via credit or debit card at the visa application center. (Except for San Francisco location, Money order is required for Visa fee)

Applicants applying for a D-Visa/ Long Terms visa in San Francisco and Washington DC are required to pay the Visa Fee by way of a money order or Banker / Cashier check in favor of the “Consulate General of Portugal”. VFS Service Fee can be paid via Debit/Credit card at the center while submitting the application.

Documents Required

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

Important – Retention of document: Please be informed that after processing of Visa/Resident permit applications, Embassy/Consulates only return passport with payment receipt.

Other documents submitted along with your Visa/ Resident permit applications are not returned. We strongly encourage you to retain a copy of all the important document for your reference.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant could be asked for additional documents if desired by the Consulate General of Portugal.

Applicants always have to bring and show their original Passport, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted. Please refer to the checklist for the list of documents as required by the Portugal consulate, ensure that you have all the documents as per your Visa Categories.

For applying for a short-stay Schengen visa, the following documentation is required:

• Application Form;

Visa application completely filled and duly signed by applicant (For minors and incapacitated, forms should be signed the legal guardian);

• Passport Photograph;

A recent color photograph (35mmx45mm) up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;

• Passport or Travel Document;

Passport or Travel document must be valid for 3 months beyond the Schengen stay; a photocopy of prior passport and Schengen visas required.

• Certificate of being in a regular situation when the applicant is from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being requested;

Proof and copy of residency status in the United States (Green card, Employment Authorization Card, United States Visa)

• Travel reservation

Roundtrip flight reservation showing date of departure and date of return

• Travel authorization for minors or court decision (when applicable);
• Hotel reservation (if applicable);

Proof of accommodations for entire stay or statement of responsibility.

• For journeys undertaken for medical reasons;

An official document of the medical institution confirming necessity for medical care in that institution and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment;

• Entry visa for the destination country (if applicable).

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, according the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus.
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
• Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
• Please stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form.

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements, then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

NOTICE

Please be advised that applications sent by mail do not guarantee faster processing than applications done in person. Applications will be processed as per the queue at VFS and the visa Section of the Embassy of Portugal in DC.

Normal processing time for applications submitted in San Francisco is up to 30 days for C category. For D category it will take up to 60 days.

Applications for D type visa for Portugal are on very high demand and it will take time to process all of them. Applicants are advised to expect a longer waiting time in obtaining a decision on their application. You will be notified once the application has been processed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC. Please, be advised, that contacting the Embassy immediately, or repeatedly, will only provoke delays, as resources will have to be diverted from visa processing to answering emails and phone calls.

The visa processing time is a minimum of 2 weeks, depending on the nationality of the applicant of the applicant and provided that a complete visa application is submitted; please click here for the list of nationalities that may have an extended processing time.

Pleaseclick here to ascertain any dates that the consulate will be closed, as this will also affect the processing time of your application.

Article 23 for time lines of application processing.

Annex 16 for nationalities that require prior consultation

After a visa application has been submitted, it is still be possible for the consulate to request additional documents/information and by doing so this may prolong or delay the visa processing time.

Download Forms

• JURISDICTION RESTRICTIONS:

STATES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PORTUGAL FOR VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING.

STATES under the Jurisdiction of PORTUGAL

The Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia

Click Here

Consulate General of Portugal in New York

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Connecticut, Michigan, and New York. Territories of American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda’s, and Puerto Rico.

Click Here

Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco

CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas.

Click Here

If you don’t see your State above, please click here

Overview

National visas, in compliance with existing domestic law, can be either temporary or for residency authorization purposes, depending on the duration of the stay and granting the visa holder an authorization to stay in the country according to different purposes: study, internship, work, medical treatment, among others.

• VERY IMPORTANT:
  • *Customers must be physically present in the US when applying for any of the visa category, including residency visa for Portugal through the VFS Portugal Visa Application Center. Visas cannot be issued for applicants who are not in the United States. Visas cannot be issued if the applicants are physically in Portugal.
  • *All documents that must be notarized as per Embassy checklist should be done at Notary Public in the state where customer legally resides in the USA i.e. as per the address proof submitted by the applicant for US state in the application documents.
  • *Check the jurisdiction restrictions before submitting your application. Applications from other jurisdictions may be denied.

3.1 National Visa Temporary Category E

Temporary Stay Visas 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.

This category allows applications for the following purposes -

3.1.1 Work and Investigation

Visa Fees

VFS service fee of US $39.68 (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee.

Applicants applying for Schengen/ C-Visa can pay their visa fee and VFS service fee via credit or debit card at the visa application center. (Except for San Francisco location, Money order is required for Visa fee)

Applicants applying for a D-Visa/ Long Terms visa in San Francisco and Washington DC are required to pay the Visa Fee by way of a money order or Banker / Cashier check in favor of the “Consulate General of Portugal”. VFS Service Fee can be paid via Debit/Credit card at the center while submitting the application.

Documents Required

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

Retention of document: Please be informed that after processing of Visa/Resident permit applications, Embassy/Consulates only return passport with payment receipt.

Other documents submitted along with your Visa/ Resident permit applications are not returned. We strongly encourage you to retain a copy of the entire important document for your reference.

VERY IMPORTANT:

• *Customers must be physically present in the US when applying for any of the visa category for Portugal through the VFS Portugal Visa Application Center.
• *Check the jurisdiction restrictions before submitting your application.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant could be asked for additional documents if desired by the Consulate General of Portugal.

General documentation

• Official form;
  

  Visa application completely filled and duly signed by applicant

• Passport or additional travel document valid for 3 months after the duration of the stay;

  The original passport must be submitted for identity verification and will be returned within 5 business days. The original passport will need to be resubmitted once the visa is approved. (Please note the passport must have 2 blank pages consecutive front and back)

• Two passport photos;

  A recent color photograph (35mmx45mm) up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;

• Valid travel insurance, allowing medical coverage, including medical emergencies and repatriation;

  Proof of Health Insurance that covers medical expenses in Portugal

• Proof of being in a regular situation when from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being applied for;

  Proof and copy of residency status in the United States (Green card, Employment Authorization Card, United States Visa)

• Personal Statement;

  Statement signed by applicant specifying reason for settling in Portugal, intended area of residency and type of accommodations (rental, purchase of private property, or family home)

• Request for criminal record enquiry by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF);

  Permission to the Department of Borders and Customs to obtain criminal record from Portugal

• Criminal record certificate;

  Please be advised that for all national visa applications (temporary or long stay/ residency), the applicants need to submit their FBI Criminal Record Certificate dully authenticated by apostille of the Secretary of State. Any other civil certificates (ex: birth, marriage, death) that may also be requested as part of the individual application, must also be submitted with the apostille.

  The only exception is for student visas - in this case the applications can be accepted with the certificate in its original envelope (this does not exclude the possibility of the competent authorities demanding further information or actions while analysing the process).

  For more information about the apostille please go to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/replace-certify-docs/authenticate-your-document/apostille-requirements.html

  All documents MUST be dated from last six months at time of submission.

• Proof of accommodation;

  Lease agreement signed, or letter from inviting institution, or declaration from family member residing in Portugal. Hotel/Airbnb reservations may be admitted, but they will have to be long stay (minimum of Months);

• Proof of means of subsistence as stipulated by law;

  3 months Bank statements (electronic print outs are accepted must be full statements for each month);Proof of Pension is also accepted Proof of subsistence means can be made through a statement of responsibility, signed by a Portuguese national or by a foreign national legally resident in Portugal.

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, according the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus.
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
• Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
• Please stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form.

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements, then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

NOTICE

Please be advised that applications sent by mail do not guarantee faster processing than applications done in person. Applications will be processed as per the queue at VFS and the visa Section of the Embassy of Portugal in DC.

Normal processing time for applications submitted in San Francisco is up to 30 days for C category. For D category it will take up to 60 days.

Applications for D type visa for Portugal are on very high demand and it will take time to process all of them. Applicants are advised to expect a longer waiting time in obtaining a decision on their application. You will be notified once the application has been processed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC. Please, be advised, that contacting the Embassy immediately, or repeatedly, will only provoke delays, as resources will have to be diverted from visa processing to answering emails and phone calls.

The visa processing time is a minimum of 3 weeks, depending on the nationality of the applicant of the applicant and provided that a complete visa application is submitted; please click here for the list of nationalities that may have an extended processing time.

Please click here to ascertain any dates that the consulate will be closed, as this will also affect the processing time of your application.

Article 23 for time lines of application processing.

Annex 16 for nationalities that require prior consultation

After a visa application has been submitted, it is still be possible for the consulate to request additional documents/information and by doing so this may prolong or delay the visa processing time.

Download Forms

• Please click Here to complete the visa application form. Please ensure you print and bring the completed application form when attending for your appointment.

Overview

The job seeker visa entitles its holder to enter and remain only in Portugal for the purpose of looking for job; authorizes him/her to carry out a subordinated work activity, until the visa expires or until the residence permit is granted.

This visa is granted for a period of 120 days, renewable for another 60 days and allows only one entry into Portugal.

The issuance of this visa supposes the attribution of a date of scheduling in the competent services, within the period of validity of 120 days of the visa, and it allows the applicant, after the formalization of the employment contract throughout that period, the right to apply for a residence permit. To do so, you must fulfil the general conditions for granting a temporary residence permit, under the terms of article 77 of the Law.

Once the maximum validity limit of the visa for looking for work has expired, without an employment relationship having been established nor the process of requesting the granting of a residence permit having begun, the visa holder must leave the country.

In these situations, you can only re-apply for a new visa application for this purpose, one year after the expiry of the previous visa's validity.

The request for a visa extension by a job seeker visa holder must be accompanied by proof of registration with the IEFP, I.P., and a declaration by the applicant indicating that the conditions of the planned stay are maintained, which will be assessed considering the reasons that justified its issuance.

• VERY IMPORTANT:
• *Customers must be physically present in the US when applying for any of the visa category, including residency visa for Portugal through the VFS Portugal Visa Application Center. Visas cannot be issued for applicants who are not in the United States. Visas cannot be issued if the applicants are physically in Portugal.
• *All documents that must be notarized as per Embassy checklist should be done at Notary Public in the state where customer legally resides in the USA i.e. as per the address proof submitted by the applicant for US state in the application documents.
• *Check the jurisdiction restrictions before submitting your application. Applications from other jurisdictions may be denied

GENERAL DOCUMENTATION

• National Visa application filled and duly signed by applicant;
• Passport or other travel document, valid for 3 months after the estimated date of return. Photocopy of passport (biographical data);
• 2 Photos, even, passport type, recent and in good condition to identify the applicant (1 for this form).
• Proof of regular situation in case of residence in a country other than the country of current nationality.
• Request for criminal record enquiry by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF) (Not applicable to minors under the age of sixteen);
• Criminal record certificate, issued by the competent authority of the country of the applicant’s nationality or of the country where the applicant has resided for over a year (except for applicants under sixteen), with the Hague Apostille (If applicable) or legalized.
• Valid travel insurance, covering necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation.
• Copy of return transport title.
• Proof of financial resources equivalent to at least the sum of three guaranteed monthly minimum salary.

Proof of the financial resources may be waived upon presentation of a term of responsibility with recognized signature made by a Portuguese citizen or a foreign citizen, with a legal residence authorization in Portugal, which guarantees food and accommodation for the visa applicant, as well as the repatriation costs, in case of irregular stay.

The signatory of the responsibility term must also prove to have financial capacity in the amount of, at least, three times the value of the guaranteed minimum monthly salary.

SPECIFIC DOCUMENTS

• Declaration with indication of the conditions for the estimated stay.

1. Holding a valid passport/travel document
2. Holding a valid US residence permit. In case applicant holds a short stay visa, a B1/B2 type visa, for the US, then applicant needs to apply for a Schengen visa from his/her residence country.

4. JURISDICTION RESTRICTIONS:

   WASHINGTON DC: AREAS OF JURISDICTION

   States of: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia.

   NEW YORK: AREAS OF JURISDICTION

   States of: Connecticut, Michigan and New York Territories of American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Rico

   SAN FRANCISCO: AREAS OF JURISDICTION

   States of: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming

For Non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen Area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.

If you don’t see your State above, please click here

Visa Fees

VFS service fee of US $39.68 (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee.

Applicants applying for Schengen/ C-Visa can pay their visa fee and VFS service fee via credit or debit card at the visa application center. (Except for San Francisco location, Money order is required for Visa fee)

Applicants applying for a D-Visa/ Long Terms visa in San Francisco and Washington DC are required to pay the Visa Fee by way of a money order or Banker / Cashier check in favor of the “Consulate General of Portugal”. VFS Service Fee can be paid via Debit/Credit card at the center while submitting the application.

Documents Required

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

Important – Retention of document: Please be informed that after processing of Visa/Resident permit applications, Embassy/Consulates only return passport with payment receipt.

Other documents submitted along with your Visa/ Resident permit applications are not returned. We strongly encourage you to retain a copy of all the important document for your reference.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant could be asked for additional documents if desired by the Consulate General of Portugal.

Applicants always have to bring and show their original Passport, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same; unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted. Please refer to the checklist for the list of documents as required by the Portugal consulate, ensure that you have all the documents as per your Visa Categories.

For applying for a short-stay Schengen visa, the following documentation is required:

• Application Form;

Visa application completely filled and duly signed by applicant (For minors and incapacitated, forms should be signed the legal guardian);

• Passport Photograph;

A recent color photograph (35mmx45mm) up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;

• Passport or Travel Document;

Passport or Travel document must be valid for 3 months beyond the Schengen stay; a photocopy of prior passport and Schengen visas required.

• Certificate of being in a regular situation when the applicant is from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being requested;

Proof and copy of residency status in the United States (Green card, Employment Authorization Card, United States Visa)

• Travel reservation

Roundtrip flight reservation showing date of departure and date of return

• Travel medical insurance

Proof of medical coverage, including medical emergencies and repatriation. The insurance should have a minimum coverage of €30,000 or 50,000 USD; shall a multiple entry visa be granted, applicants shall sign the statement, set out in the application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays.

• Economic and work conditions:

Work certificate and salary, as well as three last bank transcripts (proof of means of subsistence), covering the entire stay and return to the country of origin.

• Travel authorization for minors or court decision (when applicable);
• Hotel reservation (if applicable);

Proof of accommodations for entire stay or statement of responsibility.

• For journeys undertaken for medical reasons;

An official document of the medical institution confirming necessity for medical care in that institution and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment;

• Entry visa for the destination country (if applicable).

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, according the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus.
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
• Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
• Please stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form.

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements, then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

NOTICE

Please be advised that applications sent by mail do not guarantee faster processing than applications done in person. Applications will be processed as per the queue at VFS and the visa Section of the Embassy of Portugal in DC.

Normal processing time for applications submitted in San Francisco is up to 30 days for C category. For D category it will take up to 60 days.

Applications for D type visa for Portugal are on very high demand and it will take time to process all of them. Applicants are advised to expect a longer waiting time in obtaining a decision on their application. You will be notified once the application has been processed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC. Please, be advised, that contacting the Embassy immediately, or repeatedly, will only provoke delays, as resources will have to be diverted from visa processing to answering emails and phone calls.

The visa processing time is a minimum of 3 weeks, depending on the nationality of the applicant of the applicant and provided that a complete visa application is submitted; please click here for the list of nationalities that may have an extended processing time.

Please click here to ascertain any dates that the consulate will be closed, as this will also affect the processing time of your application.

Article 23 for time lines of application processing.

Annex 16 for nationalities that require prior consultation

After a visa application has been submitted, it is still be possible for the consulate to request additional documents/information and by doing so this may prolong or delay the visa processing time.

Download Forms

• Please click Here to complete the visa application form. Please ensure you print and bring the completed application form when attending for your appointment.

Overview

NOTICE

Students intending to apply for a national visa, whether for temporary stay or residency, are reminded that an in-person appointment is not required prior to submission. Applicants may mail in their applications and do not need to visit the Visa Application Centre to submit their documents.

Delays in submission have been observed due to misunderstandings regarding the appointment requirement, which in turn affects the timely processing and issuance of visas. To avoid unnecessary delays, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their visa applications as soon as possible via mail.

Please select the consular Jurisdiction you live in to learn at which Visa Application Centre you can apply for a visa.

STATES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PORTUGAL FOR VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING.

STATES under the Jurisdiction of PORTUGAL

• The Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC
• CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia

Click Here

• Consulate General of Portugal in New York
• CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Connecticut, Michigan, and New York. Territories of American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bermuda’s, and Puerto Rico.

Click Here

• Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco
• CONSULAR JURISDICTION: States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas.

Click Here

Visa Fees

VFS service fee of US $39.68 (inclusive of VAT) is charged per visa application, in addition to the applicable visa fee.

Applicants applying for Schengen/ C-Visa can pay their visa fee and VFS service fee via credit or debit card at the visa application center. (Except for San Francisco location, Money order is required for Visa fee)

Applicants applying for a D-Visa/ Long Terms visa in San Francisco and Washington DC are required to pay the Visa Fee by way of a money order or Banker / Cashier check in favor of the “Consulate General of Portugal”. VFS Service Fee can be paid via Debit/Credit card at the center while submitting the application.

As of January 2024, all national visas (temporary and long stay) will have the same fee

Temporary & Residency vias - $114.88

• The applicable visa fee, in USD ($), is as per the current exchange rate and is subject to change without notice.
• Additional services are separate from VFS Service fee and Visa application fee. Please click here for list of services and fee applicable.
• The following category of applicants are exempted from the Short Stay Schengen Visa fee:

1. Short Stay Schengen Visa ONLY- Children under six years;
2. School pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training;
3. Researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research;
4. Representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations;
5. Family member of EU/EEA and Switzerland nationals;
6. Diplomatic and Official Passports.

Ethiopian citizens that plan to apply for a visa to visit the Schengen area, please note -

• Holders of diplomatic or service passports, must pay for their visas.
• Processing time is 45 days.
• Multiple entries are no longer permitted for Ethiopian citizens.

All fees are non-refundable once paid.

Documents Required

National Visa Temporary Category E

Temporary Stay Visas 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.

Study

National Visa Residency Type D

Residency Visas allow two entries and is valid for a period of 4 months. During that time, the holder of a residency visa is required to request a residency permit with the Immigration and Border Services (SEF).

3.2.1 Study and Research

Professional training, internship or volunteer work

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased, please click here

*Check the jurisdiction restrictions before submitting your application.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant could be asked for additional documents if desired by the Consulate General of Portugal.

General documentation

• Official form;
  

  Visa application filled and duly signed by applicant

• Passport or additional travel document valid for 3 months after the duration of the stay;
  

  The original passport must be submitted for identity verification and will be returned after the visa is issued. (Please note the passport must have 2 blank pages consecutive front and back)

• Two passport photos;
  

  A recent color photograph (35mmx45mm) up-to-date and with enough quality to identify the applicant;

• Valid travel insurance, allowing medical coverage, including medical emergencies and repatriation;
  

  Proof of Health Insurance that covers medical expenses in Portugal

• Proof of being in a regular situation when from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being applied for;
  

  Proof and copy of residency status in the United States (Green card, Employment Authorization Card, United States Visa)

• Personal Statement;
  

  Statement signed by applicant specifying reason for settling in Portugal, intended area of residency and type of accommodations (rental, purchase of private property, or family home)

• Request for criminal record enquiry by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF);
  

  Permission to the Department of Borders and Customs to obtain criminal record from Portugal

• Criminal record certificate;
  

  Issued from the country of origin or the country where the applicant is residing for over a year (children under the age of 16 are exempt from producing a criminal record); issued by the FBI; This document must be requested with an apostille or remain unopened in original sealed envelope. https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

  All documents MUST be dated from last six months at time of submission.

• Proof of accommodation;
  

  Lease agreement signed, or letter from inviting institution, or declaration from family member residing in Portugal. Hotel/Airbnb reservations may be admitted, but they will have to be long stay (minimum of Months);

• Proof of means of subsistence as stipulated by law;
  

  3 months Bank statements (electronic print outs are accepted must be full statements for each month);Proof of Pension is also accepted Proof of subsistence means can be made through a statement of responsibility, signed by a Portuguese national or by a foreign national legally resident in Portugal.

Photo Specifications

Please provide one recent colour photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself, according the following requirements:

• Taken against a light (white or off-white) background so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
• Clear quality and with the face in focus.
• Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
• Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
• Please stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form.

If the photographs presented do not meet these requirements, then the visa application will be considered incomplete and applicant will be asked to take new photographs in the photo booth in the visa application centre.

Processing Time

NOTICE

Please be advised that applications sent by mail do not guarantee faster processing than applications done in person. Applications will be processed as per the queue at VFS and the visa Section of the Embassy of Portugal in DC.

Normal processing time for applications submitted in San Francisco is up to 30 days for C category. For D category it will take up to 60 days.

Applications for D type visa for Portugal are on very high demand and it will take time to process all of them. Applicants are advised to expect a longer waiting time in obtaining a decision on their application. You will be notified once the application has been processed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC. Please, be advised, that contacting the Embassy immediately, or repeatedly, will only provoke delays, as resources will have to be diverted from visa processing to answering emails and phone calls.

The visa processing time is a minimum of 3 weeks, depending on the nationality of the applicant of the applicant and provided that a complete visa application is submitted; please click here for the list of nationalities that may have an extended processing time.

Please click here to ascertain any dates that the consulate will be closed, as this will also affect the processing time of your application.

Article 23 for time lines of application processing.

Annex 16 for nationalities that require prior consultation

After a visa application has been submitted, it is still be possible for the consulate to request additional documents/information and by doing so this may prolong or delay the visa processing time.

Download Forms

• Please click Here to complete the visa application form. Please ensure you print and bring the completed application form when attending for your appointment.