Check Visa Policy of Portugal for your Country

Visa policy for Portugal

On this page travelers from around the world can check the visa policy of Portugal and discover the requirements for their nationality.

Portuguese visa requirements depend on nationality of the traveler, the purpose of travel to the country, and the expected period of stay.

As it has signed the Schengen Agreement for passport-free travel within Europe,
Portugal shares the same visa policy as the other 25 Schengen Area countries.

Nationals from approximately 100 countries and territories are exempt from a visa to visit Portugal, including all citizens of the Schengen zone. Schengen nationals are granted freedom of movement to the country if they present a valid ID card at a Portuguese border checkpoint.

All other nationals with visa exemption are required to travel to Portugal with a passport with a minimum validity of 3 months from arrival. This document must be presented at Portuguese immigration control to gain entry for a maximum stay of up to 90 days.

However, all citizens from visa-free countries will be required to meet an additional requirement to travel to Portugal and any Schengen country from 2023.

By the end of 2021, the European Commission will implement the ETIAS online visa waiver program, which will become mandatory for these visa-exempt passport holders to visit Portugal for purposes of tourism, business, medical treatment, or transit.

The ETIAS authorization for Portugal will be available through a simple online form which applicants can complete in minutes, to receive an approved electronic visa waiver digitally linked to their passport.

An approved Portuguese ETIAS will allow holders to enter the Schengen Area multiple times for short stays during its validity, which is 3 years from the date of issue.

Citizens of all other countries are required ro visit their nearest Portuguese embassy or consulate to obtain a Schengen Visa for Portugal to travel to the country, no matter the purpose and duration of the stay.

No entry bans to Portugal are currently in place for any foreign citizen.

Find more information about the Portuguese visa policy for your nationality in the boxes below.

Tourist Visa Policy for Portugal

The tourist visa policy for Portugal states that nationals who arrive from more than 90 countries all over the world are currently granted visa exemption for tourism. However, depending on nationality, it may be necessary to present different travel documents to gain entry.

Tourists from countries that, like Portugal, are part of the passport-free Schengen Area, are able to gain unlimited entry at Portuguese immigration checkpoints by presenting a current national ID Card.

Citizens from 65 other visa-exempt countries do not need a tourist visa for Portugal for stays up to 90 days, but they must travel with a valid passport.

However, from 2023 these same nationalities will be required to have an approved ETIAS Electronic Travel Authorization for tourist visits to Portugal for the same period of stay.

Furthermore, approximately 150 nationalities are required to hold an approved Schengen tourist visa for Portugal to enter the country for leisure purposes.

This must be obtained from the nearest Portuguese embassy or consulate to the traveler well in advance of the intended date of arrival in the Schengen zone, by attending an appointment and supplying a range of supporting documentation.

Find further information about Portuguese tourist visa required nationalities in the boxes below.

ETIAS for Portugal

ETIAS is the abbreviation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System, which is expected to be implemented by November of 2023.

ETIAS is an online electronic visa waiver system that will become a compulsory requirement for all short-stay visa-exempt travelers to Portugal from outside of the Schengen Area.

It has been approved by the European Parliament in agreement with the Portuguese government, in order to pre-screen travelers who do not need a visa against security databases in Europe, with the aim of strengthening the borders of all Schengen Area countries.

To apply for a Portuguese ETIAS, travelers need to hold a passport valid for least 3 months from the intended arrival date in Portugal and complete a simple online form with basic information.

It is also necessary to answer a few security questions before this electronic application can be submitted and an approved ETIAS authorization can be electronically linked to the visitor’s passport.

An approved ETIAS for Portugal is a multiple entry travel authorization that permits a total stay of 90 days in the country within every 180-day period, for tourism, business, medical treatment, or transit travel. It is valid for a total of 3 years from approval.

Check the list below to discover if your nationality will need to obtain an ETIAS for Portugal once the online system is activated.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

According to the Schengen visa policy for Portugal, passport holders of over 150 territories and regions in the world are required to obtain a Portuguese embassy or consular visa to visit the country regardless of the duration of the stay.

These citizens will be required to obtain the correct Portuguese Schengen visa type depending on the purpose of their travel, whether for tourism, business, to study or work, or to become a resident, among other valid motives.

To apply for a Schengen visa for Portugal, it is necessary to attend an interview at the closest Portuguese government diplomatic office to submit a variety of supporting documentation depending on the visa option selected.

This may include travel insurance documents, proof of accommodation in Portugal, and evidence of sufficient financial means to cover the period of stay.

It is also necessary to download and complete a Schengen visa application form to bring along to the embassy appointment, alongside a passport valid for at least 3 months from the intended date of arrival in Portugal.

Applicants are advised to make a Portuguese embassy appointment several weeks before their intended travel dates in order to allow for sufficient time for processing and approval.

Find a complete list of Portuguese embassy visa-required countries below.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Armenia
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Botswana
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Cuba
Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Martinique
Mauritania
Mayotte
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
United States Virgin Islands
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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Visa Not Required

The Schengen visa policy for Portugal identifies travelers from more than 90 territories and regions in the world who currently do not need a visa to visit Portugal for varying periods of stay depending on nationality.

All nationals of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) can enter Portugal with a valid identity document for an unlimited period of stay, as they are granted freedom of movement to the country.

Travelers from all other visa-exempt countries for Portugal must present a valid passport at Portuguese border control points to gain entry for up to 90 days for tourism, business, transit, or medical treatment purposes.

Nevertheless, these same visa-free travelers will soon be required to obtain a mandatory travel authorization to enter Portugal for the same periods and purposes, once the ETIAS online visa waiver program is introduced in 2023.

Eligible citizens will be required to pre-register for ETIAS through an online authorization form, which can be filled in in just a few minutes. Once approved, ETIAS is digitally linked to the applicant’s passport, which can then be presented to board transportation bound for Portugal.

An approved ETIAS for Portugal is a multiple entry authorization which means that holders are granted multiple stays of up to 3 months per entry to the Schengen Area, within every 6-month period.

If these same visa not required citizens need to stay more than 90 consecutive days in Portugal, they are obliged to apply for a long-stay visa from a Portuguese overseas mission.

Fnd a complete list of visa-free countries for Portugal below