Golden beaches, cobblestone lanes, spectacular surfing, delicious wines and the aroma of chargrilled seafood floating on the breeze await you in Portugal. But before you book your ticket to the nation with the sunniest coastline in Europe, make sure you’re up to date on the latest entry requirements.
Portugal is part of the Schengen Area, which is good news for citizens of the European Union (EU) and the 61 nations allowed visa-free travel to the Schengen Area (including the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand). However, citizens from many other countries will still need to obtain a visa to visit.
Here’s a rundown of Portugal’s visa requirements, with information on how long you can stay and how to extend your trip if your circumstances change.
Travel is a breeze if you’re a Schengen Area citizen
Portugal is part of the Schengen Area, a bloc of European countries (including most of the countries in the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) that have agreed to the free movement of people between member states. Citizens from any Schengen Area nation do not need a visa to visit Portugal, but you’ll need to carry your national ID card or passport.
If you end up staying longer than three months, you must request a registration certificate from the offices of the council representing the region of Portugal where you are staying, to start the process for longer-term residency.
Many nationalities can travel to the Schengen Area visa-free
Citizens from 61 nations, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and Singapore, can stay in Portugal without a visa for up to 90 days during any 180-day period. The same arrangement applies for citizens of non-Schengen European countries and a number of Latin American nations.
After staying 90 days, travelers must leave the Schengen Area for at least 90 days before re-entering. Note that your stay is counted from the day you enter the Schengen Area – if you spend 30 days in France and 30 days in Spain before entering Portugal, you’ll only have 30 days left before you must exit the Schengen zone.
Stays of more than 90 days require a visa, which you can obtain from a Portuguese diplomatic mission in your home country. Changes to the process for visa-free entry to the Schengen Area are due to be rolled out in 2025 – see the following section for details.