Portugal is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen
Agreement.
Since March 1995, a 'borderless' region known as the Schengen
area has been declared covering the following states:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain and Sweden.
Schengen countries now issue standard Schengen visas,
and nationals holding visas issued by one of the Schengen
countries are, in principle, permitted to travel freely within
the borders of all 15. However, since Schengen states are
still free to decide their own visa requirements, entry regulations
may vary and nationals not requiring a visa for one Schengen
country may require one for other Schengen countries. This
has various practical implications and for example, travellers
may be refused entry to a Schengen country for which they
do not require a visa if holding onward tickets to a country
for which they do require a visa. Travellers should check
with the authorities of the country they intend to visit as
to whether they require a visa to enter. If visiting more
than 1 Schengen country, the traveller should apply for the
Schengen visa to the Embassy/Consulate of the first or main
country to be visited.
There are 3 types of Schengen visa: Airport Transit,
Transit and Short-stay visas. For
stays of over 3 months, a long-stay visa will be required,
and will be valid only in the country of issue.
PASSPORTS
Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond intended departure
required by all except:
1. EU nationals and nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
and Switzerland holding valid national ID cards.
Note
a. Passport validity depends on nationality, for nationals
of the UK, the passport must be valid for the duration of
the stay in Portugal.
b. 2. A return or onward ticket and funds of €75 plus
€40 per day are obligatory for all except nationals of
the EU, Iceland and Norway.
VISAS
Required by all except the following for stays of up to 90
days:
a. nationals referred to in the chart and under passport exemptions
above.
b. nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR),
Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New
Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania,
San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland,
Uruguay, Venezuela and Vatican City.
c. transit passengers continuing their journey by the same
or first connecting aircraft, provided holding onward or return
documentation and not leaving the airport. Nationals of Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq,
Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia and Sri
Lanka always require a transit visa, even when not leaving
the airport transit area, contact the Consulate (or Consular
section at Embassy) for details.
Types
of visa and cost
A uniform type of visa, the Schengen visa, is issued for touristic,
private or business visits. There are 3 types of Schengen
visa: Short-stay, Transit
and Airport Transit. Visa costs are dependent
on the tariff charges of the issuing country and prices may
vary with exchange rates. Check with your local Embassy for
the most up-to-date costs and prices.
Note
A Schengen visa will be issued free of charge to the spouse
and children of an EU national, upon presentation of the original
marriage or birth certificate with a valid EU passport and
for children, original full birth certificates are required.
Validity
Transit visas are valid for single or 2 entries of maximum
5 days, including the day of arrival. Visas cannot be extended
and a new application must be made each time.
Application
to
Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) responsible for
your place of residence, see Contact Addresses section. Travellers
visiting just 1 Schengen country should apply to the Consulate
of that country and travellers visiting more than one Schengen
country should apply to the Consulate of the country chosen
as the main destination or the country they will enter first.
Application requirements
Tourism
a. Passport or official travel documents accepted by Schengen
countries, valid for at least 3 months longer than the validity
of the visa, with blank page for attachment of visa sticker.
b. Application form.
c. One passport-size photo.
d. Proof of purpose of visit in the form of an official letter
of invitation from host or a business partner, provisional
ticket booking and hotel booking where appropriate.
e Proof of sufficient funds and medical insurance may also
be required.
f. Fee
g.For postal applications, a large self-addressed envelope,
stamped for registered or recorded delivery.
h. For applicants driving to Portugal, registration document,
proof of legal ownership of the vehicle, driving licence and
insurance papers. Applicants entering Portugal by land must
register with the Police within 3 days of arrival.
Business: a - g and, h Letter from employer
or, if self-employed, from solicitor, accountant, bank manager
or local Chamber of Commerce stating purpose and duration
of the visit. This should be faxed to the relevant Consulate
at least 48 hours before submitting an application and references
may also be required.
Working
days required
From a few days to a few weeks.
Temporary
residence
Contact the Consulate for further details; see Contact
section. |
