Visa Portugal

E-Visa and the application process

In March of 2020, the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, MNE, announced the new online government platform for visa applications, the e-Visa. The news aims to facilitate the application processes and the implementation of the VIS - Visa Information System.

 

Therefore, foreigners who intend to come to Portugal can perform part of the process over the internet. It is worth noting that the Schengen visa (tourism), national visa (residence) and citizenship are different documents:

 

  • Schengen visa is the authorization that the foreigner receives to enter and leave a country. In Portugal, this document is more aimed at tourists. Considered a short-stay visa. It is valid for 90 days and consists of the immigration stamp at the entrance of the first country in the Schengen area. This type of visa does not necessarily grant free movement in the Schengen area and if you want to extend your stay for another 90 days, you should go to SEF
  • A temporary stay visa is another kind of authorization that the foreigner receives to enter and leave a country. However the main difference between this and the Schengen visa is that it allows multiple entries and leaves the country for a period greater than 180 days and up to one year. It can also be requested through the e-Visa portal on the internet and must be renewed with SEF
  • Residency visa, after having your process approved by SEF and paying the fees, you receive the residence permit
Types of Visa Portugal

But, how exactly does it work this e-Visa portal? The website works to facilitate the classification of the right type of visa for you. In our simulations, a short or long- term stay visa can be requested there. Residency visas also can be requested through the platform. Therefore, the Golden Visa cannot, it must be requested on the ARI portal. 

 

It is important to say that you have to have some answers in mind before making your registration. Because the portal questionnaire will direct you for the best visa option as well as the necessary documentation: 

  • What's your nationality?
  • What is your country of residence?
  • What type of passport do you have?
  • How many days do you want to stay?
  • Is travel for seasonal work purposes?
  • What is the purpose of your stay?
Application Visa Portugal

Above we made the most common simulation among visa applicants in China. Many processes from certain cities such as CHANGSHA, CHENGDU, CHONGQING, FUZHOU, HANGZHOU, JINAN, KUNMING, NANQUIM, BEIJING, SHENYANG, SHENZHEN, WUHAN, SHANGHAI, XIÁN are still being referred to a private government partner company to relieve visa applications by Chineses.

 

The e-Visa process is new. It is not yet possible to carry out the entire process via the internet. In this first phase, it is possible to do a single registration of the applicant, change the password, edit personal data, access to the history of all your visa requests, register a new visa application and attach documents relating to the visa application. However, it does not include the tax document and the electronic version of the visa, the e-Visa. Because of that you need at least one visit to the Consular Post. In cases of Schengen visas, you need to go there because of the biometric collection and updating of the picture. 

 

Only for long-term residency visas is it necessary to attend SEF in Portugal, the other kinds can be initiated via the e-Visa portal. As for the application for a long-term visa, this new process is an advantage to save on shipping fees by mail or public transportation. 

This visa application can be made online. If you want to do it in person at the Consular Post, you must complete the form available on the MNE website. After that you have to gather the necessary documents and send them to the Consular Post in your country. The deadline by law for visa analysis is between 45 days for temporary stay visas. By residency, visas took at least 60 days, which may exceed this time due to high demand.  

 

The value of the processing fee for the visa application is:

  • Schengen Visa - 80 €
  • Temporary Stay Visa - 75 €
  • Residency Visas - 90 €

 

That does not imply a visa issue or refund of the amount charged in case of refusal

 

Did you know? Temporary stay and residency visas have some exemptions. According to the MNE, visa applicants are exempt:  

 

  • The descendants of holders of a Residence Permit, under the provisions of family reunification
  • Foreign citizens who benefit from scholarships awarded by the Portuguese State
  • For the exercise of highly qualified research activities (residence and temporary stay)
  • To patients benefiting from Cooperation Agreements with Portugal in the field of health and their companions.

 

 

The great advantage of the process of issuing electronic visas (e-Visa), is the proposed agility due to the digitization of documents and the screening made by the questionnaire, however, on May 14, 2020, the ministry announced that due to the pandemic of the COVID-19 the visa registration and analysis process is postponed until June 15, 2020. So for now we should expect everything to be normalized and other features to enter the portal. 

 

 

 

 

Despite the great care, we take over no responsibility for the topicality, correctness, completeness of the information on this site.