PortugalNational visa for obtaining a residence permit (family reunification)

Family reunification visa in Portugal

A national visa for obtaining a residence permit, allowing foreign nationals to be reunited with family members who already hold a valid residence permit. A residence permit is granted to spouses, children, ascendant relatives, adopted persons and partners in a confirmed union. The sponsor has to evidence suitable accommodation and means sufficient to maintain every family member without state support. The decision recognising the right to reunification is considered within a set period, and family members have to file visa applications within a strictly defined window.

Source: Portal Diplomático MNE — Vistos Nacionais, Informação geral: Reagrupamento familiar

Who can come on this visa

The programme provides for reunification with several categories of family member. The requirements differ slightly with the degree of relationship and with age.

The sponsor's closest relatives

A spouse or a partner in a confirmed legal union
Minor children (adopted children included)
Unmarried adult children studying in Portugal

Ascendant relatives and dependants

Parents and grandparents wholly dependent on the resident
Minor brothers and sisters in the sponsor's care
Adults recognised as lacking legal capacity

Special conditions

Adopted minors, provided the adoption is recognised by Portugal
A de facto partner, where living together is documented
Dependants can be included if they are wholly dependent on the sponsor

When the programme is not a fit

The sponsor does not hold a valid residence permit in Portugal

They first have to obtain their own residence permit or visa (if needed, look at the other Portuguese visa programmes)

The sponsor cannot evidence suitable accommodation or sufficient means

The financial position and housing conditions have to be improved before the request is filed

The family member has a criminal record for serious offences or is on a prohibition list

Consider seeking advice from immigration lawyers about possible exceptions

The relative has already been refused family reunification

Wait the period stated and file a new request once circumstances have changed

What it costs

Consular visa fee (spouse and ascendant relatives)Paid when the visa application is filed at the consulate	110 EUR
Consular visa fee (minor children and dependants)A full exemption from payment for descendant children	0 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	110 EUR

Paid separately

Biometrics charges — May be an extra cost, not included in the basic consular fee
Translation of documents and the apostille — Usually paid for separately, through official translators and state bodies
Lawyer's advice — If qualified assistance is needed, this will be an extra cost

Documents to gather

Before the visa application is filed, AIMA's notification recognising the right to reunification has to be obtained. Family members then file a document pack including:

Passport or travel document (original and copy)
AIMA's notification that the reunification request has been granted (original and copy)
Birth certificate or another document evidencing the family relationship (with an apostille)
Marriage certificate (where applicable, with an apostille)
A document evidencing living together, for a partner in a de facto union
Three photographs measuring 4x6 cm
A criminal record certificate (from the country of origin)
A health certificate (confirming the absence of dangerous diseases)
Evidence of means of subsistence (for the supporting family member)

How the process runs

The family reunification procedure has two main stages: first the sponsor in Portugal files a request with AIMA, and then the family members file visa applications.

1
Filing the request for recognition of the right to reunification with AIMA
1-2 weeks to prepare the documents
A Portuguese resident holding a valid residence permit files a full document pack with AIMA, including evidence of accommodation and financial means and details of the family members they intend to bring over.
2
AIMA's consideration of the request and the decision
nine months, extended by another nine months if needed
AIMA analyses the application and the documents attached. In complex cases the period can be extended. The sponsor receives notification of the decision (positive or negative).
3
Family members filing visa applications at the consulate
90 days from receiving AIMA's notification
After a positive decision from AIMA, each family member has to file a visa application at a Portuguese consulate within a strictly defined period. Missing the deadline means the reunification decision ceases to have effect.
4
Processing of the visa application by the consulate and issue of the visa
2-4 weeks
The consulate processes the visa application and checks the documents and biometric data. Once approved, the national visa is issued.
5
Entering Portugal and registering the residence permit
four months from leaving the consulate
The visa gives the right to two entries to Portugal and is valid for four months. Within that period the family member has to enter the country and apply for a residence permit at the local AIMA branch or at a Portuguese police station.

Who you can bring with you

The right to reunification covers spouses, partners, children, ascendant relatives and persons lacking legal capacity, where the conditions on financial support and accommodation are met.

Spouse

The sponsor must have held a residence permit for at least two years; for a spouse the couple lived with for at least a year and a half before the move, a reduced period of a year and a half may apply. Both must be able to support themselves without state assistance.

Minor children (adopted children included)

The minimum period of the sponsor's residence permit does not apply. Children have to be wholly maintained by the sponsor. Adopted children must be recognised as such under Portuguese law.

Unmarried adult children studying in Portugal

They must be validly enrolled at an accredited educational institution and be wholly financially dependent on the sponsor.

Parents and grandparents

The minimum period of the sponsor's residence permit does not apply. They must be wholly dependent on the resident, evidenced by financial documents.

Minor brothers and sisters

They must be in the sponsor's care. The minimum period of the residence permit does not apply.

Partner in a de facto legal union

There must be documented evidence of living together and of a union equivalent to marriage. The same rules on the minimum period and financial support apply as for spouses.

Renewal and the grace period

Renewal of a residence permit under the family reunification programme depends on certain conditions being met. Family members have to take courses in the Portuguese language and the country's constitutional values, and to avoid drawing social benefits. Where those requirements are met, the residence permit can be renewed. Naturalisation (obtaining citizenship) becomes possible after the set period of lawful residence, depending on the person's status and nationality.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

From 19 May 2026 naturalisation applications are filed after 10 years of lawful residence, and after 7 for nationals of EU and Portuguese-speaking countries. Years on a family residence permit count.

Frequently asked questions about Family reunification visa

Can the sponsor have held a residence permit for less than two years?

Under the rules in force since October, the sponsor must have held a residence permit for at least two years. There is an exception for a spouse: if the couple lived together for at least a year and a half before the move, the period can be reduced to a year and a half. The requirement does not apply to minor children, parents or dependants lacking legal capacity.

How much does a family reunification visa cost?

The consular fee is one hundred and ten euros for spouses and ascendant relatives. Descendant children are fully exempt from that fee. Extra costs may include biometrics, translation of documents and the apostille, which are not part of the basic consular fee.

How long does AIMA take to consider a family reunification request?

AIMA takes a decision within nine months of receiving the full document pack. In complex or contested cases consideration can be extended by another nine months. Once a positive decision is taken, family members have to file visa applications within ninety days.

How long is the visa valid and when does the residence permit application have to be filed?

The national visa issued is valid for four months and allows two entries to Portugal. Within that period the new resident has to apply for a residence permit at the local AIMA office or Portuguese police station. Missing that deadline means losing the right to reside under the reunification programme.

Other ways to move to Portugal

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Portugal.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.