Work Permit for Portugal
For an official work in Portugal, the EU/EFTA citizens do not need an official permit. The only requirement is that they should find a job if they don’t have enough funds to support themselves.
A short-term Portuguese Business Visa is required for Non-EU nationals, if they are entering the country for less than 3 months. If the employment is going to last for more than three months, a Visa D (a long-term Portuguese Schengen Visa) is required. After getting this visa, you will need to apply for a Portuguese residence permit.
Visa for Portugal
One may need a visa for Portugal depending on his/her nationality and the purpose of stay. According the immigration policy adopted by Portugal, identity cards are needed for Nationals from EU/EEA and Switzerland to enter the country. For the visitors of other countries, a passport is needed with the validity for six months minimum, along with the Portuguese visa, if required. When entering the country, Portuguese immigration has the right to check whether or not you have the finances to support your stay or the return ticket.
The procedures of getting a Portuguese visa are typically handled by the Embassy of Portugal of your country. The Portuguese residence permits are under the responsibility of the Portuguese Immigration Service (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras, SEF).
EU/EEA/Swiss and Schengen Area citizens
The Portuguese Republic, being a member of the European Union, allows all EU/EEA/ Swiss citizens enter the country without a visa. This refers to certain family members and other relatives as well, although they may not be from the EU. If the aim of the EU national is to find a job or start a business, they are allowed to stayed in the country with the term of three months. When hired, these people have the same rights as Portuguese workers.
Portugal, being a part of the Schengen Area (26 European countries), allows its citizens to travel freely in this area, meaning, they are free to move from one country to another for which they need an ID document only.
The following countries make up the Schengen Area: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Spain,Portugal,Switzerland,Sweden, Liechtenstein, Slovakia and Slovenia. Iceland, Lichtenstain, Norway and Switzerland are not members of the European Union, but their citizens have the same rights due to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Although the citizens of EU and EFTA have the right to move to Portugal freely, a registration certificate is required if they are going to stay for longer than three months. After five years, these citizens have the rights to make a request for a permanent residence certificate.
Non-EU citizens
Such nationals, that are not from EU countries, are allowed to stay in the country for a 90-day period within 6 months, according to several international agreements.
For those non-EU/EFTA citizens, who want to stay longer than this, have to apply for either a longer term visa or a residency permission after arriving to the country. People that are allowed to apply for the abovementioned conditions are students, the self-employed, those who work, the people who have already retired and family members.
The requirements differ depending on the purpose or your stay, as well as your nationality, as in some cases an entry visa or a permission for a long term residency may be required.
Schengen short-stay visa
When intending to visit Portugal as a tourist or you have decided to stay there for less than three months, then you should apply for a Schengen Visa for Portugal. This will allow you to stay in the country, as well as anywhere in the Schengen area for 90 days in total, for a period of 180 days.
Below are given the different types of Portuguese Schengen Visa:
• Airport transit visa (Visa A) – this visa is required for all of those who change flights in the area of Schengen countries. This allows you to transit within the airport, without actually entering the Area.
• Transit and short-term stay visa (Visa C)– this type is visa is for short-term stays, as well as transits. They have a validity of 90 days for a time period of 6 months. Visa C allows multiple entries to the Area. Short stay visas include tourist and business visas.
• Limited Territorial Validity (LTV) visas – this type of visa allows the non- EU citizens to travel to one Schengen country, or a few of them, if they are specified in the application form for the visa. LTV visas are mainly for emergency situations. These are the cases when the person doesn’t have travel document that are still valid.
