When you decide to move to a new country there are lots of things to consider: Where will you live, will you make friends there, and how will you see your family again?
Even though moving house can be a magical time in your life, it also comes with its own stresses and worries as you want to be able to bring the people you love with you.
If you are living in Portugal and would like to get a family reunion visa for a loved one then you have come to the right place.
Every country has its own system when it comes to paperwork and applying for a family reunion visa, so it is important that you have all the information you need for the Portugal family visa processing.
Thankfully, this article has everything you need to know from who is eligible, what documents you need, and how the application process works.
Who Can Get a Family Reunion Visa?
Family members of Portuguese residents are able to join their loved ones if they meet certain criteria. In order to do this, you need a family reunification visa.
This means that the person residing outside of Portugal will need to apply for this visa to be able to move.
So, who can apply for a family reunification visa?
The following people can get a family reunion visa:
- Spouse or partner
- Children under the age of 18
- Dependents over the age of 18, only if they are single and studying in Portugal
- Dependent partners of one spouse or partner
- A child under the age of 18 who is legally under their supervision
- Parents if they're over the age of 65, or dependent on you in some way
Of course, to be able to get to the first stage of the Portugal Family Reunion Visa, you will need to prove the status of one of the above-mentioned titles.
You do not need to have Portuguese citizenship to apply for the family reunion visa, you just need to be a resident there.
And, if your situation is that a child with an ex-spouse wants to join you in Portugal, then you will need to go through other procedures with the other spouse and legal services.
Now, what documents do you need if you are eligible for a Family Reunion Visa?
When you decide to move to a new country there are lots of things to consider: Where will you live, will you make friends there, and how will you see your family again?
Even though moving house can be a magical time in your life, it also comes with its own stresses and worries as you want to be able to bring the people you love with you.
If you are living in Portugal and would like to get a family reunion visa for a loved one then you have come to the right place.
Every country has its own system when it comes to paperwork and applying for a family reunion visa, so it is important that you have all the information you need for the Portugal family visa processing.
Thankfully, this article has everything you need to know from who is eligible, what documents you need, and how the application process works.
Who Can Get a Family Reunion Visa?
Family members of Portuguese residents are able to join their loved ones if they meet certain criteria. In order to do this, you need a family reunification visa.
This means that the person residing outside of Portugal will need to apply for this visa to be able to move.
So, who can apply for a family reunification visa?
The following people can get a family reunion visa:
- Spouse or partner
- Children under the age of 18
- Dependents over the age of 18, only if they are single and studying in Portugal
- Dependent partners of one spouse or partner
- A child under the age of 18 who is legally under their supervision
- Parents if they're over the age of 65, or dependent on you in some way
Of course, to be able to get to the first stage of the Portugal Family Reunion Visa, you will need to prove the status of one of the above-mentioned titles.
You do not need to have Portuguese citizenship to apply for the family reunion visa, you just need to be a resident there.
And, if your situation is that a child with an ex-spouse wants to join you in Portugal, then you will need to go through other procedures with the other spouse and legal services.
Now, what documents do you need if you are eligible for a Family Reunion Visa?
Compare Prices from Law firms
Partners we recommend could result in us getting compensated. For more details, see our advertiser disclosure.
What Documents Do You Need
Hopefully, you are still reading this article because you are qualified to join your loved one in Portugal. Before you pack your bags you need to get the necessary paperwork out of the way.
Let's take a look at all the Portugal family visa documents you need:
1) Passport
2) Criminal record certificate unless you are under the age of 16, or if you are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
3) Residence permit card (except Golden Visa holder)
4) Certificate of residence issued by the local parish (except Golden Visa holder)
5) Certificate declaring you have no debt to the Portuguese government
6) Portuguese taxpayer identification number
7) Health insurance policy that is valid in Portugal
8) In the case of a spouse, a marriage certificate, or other document proofing common-law spouse
9) For children, birth certificates
10) For students, proof of full-time enrollment
11) For dependent parents, the main applicant's birth certificate and if you are under 65 years old proof of no income
12) Recent photos
As well as this list of documents, you should also be aware that the Portuguese resident is responsible for the applicant's accommodation.
All the documents will need to be legally translated into Portuguese in order to be approved by the Portuguese authorities.
Therefore, you need to make sure you have all this paperwork, plus a certified translation of the documents before you can go to the next stage.
How Does the Application Process Work
First, you need to know when to apply for the Portugal family reunion visa.
You should apply for the visa at least 60 days before you plan on traveling. This is because it can take up to 60 days for your application to be processed so you need to make sure you have plenty of time.
However, to speed up the process you can go through a lawyer. This will make it much easier to communicate with SEF and get approval faster.
But, where do you send the application?
You send the application for the family reunion visa to SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) who will send you a written confirmation of your outcome, good or bad.
If your application takes longer than 6 months to be viewed then it will automatically be issued as valid.
Once you have submitted your application to SEF, you will also need to send an application to the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate.
Portuguese Embassy or Consulate
To get to the stage of contacting the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate you will need to pass the SEF examination.
Then, you will need to gather together all your documents such as your passport, recent pictures, family certificate, and the other documents mentioned previously.
Again, they should all be translated into Portuguese. You can get them translated in your country of origin. Ideally, you also can go through a lawyer for this process as they will be able to organize the translation for you.
Next, you will need to schedule an appointment. Once you have had the appointment and your documents have been checked, you can book your flights and start packing your bags!
The last stage is the best part. After you have (hopefully) been accepted into Portugal, you will need to go to SEF. There you can register as a Portuguese resident and you will receive your long-term residence permit.
Sometimes, SEF may conduct an interview with you and your family members at the first stage of the application process. This is only if they suspect some personal circumstances might not be valid.
For instance, how long you have been married, or other children.
After you have successfully completed the full process, you will finally have your Portuguese residence and you can begin enjoying your new life in Portugal!
What could be better?
The Portugal Family Reunion Visa is valid for the same amount of time as the person with the permanent Portuguese residency. Although, it is important to note that when you first get approved, your visa will only be valid for 4 months.
This is to give you enough time to register with SEF and for your residence card to be sent to your new address. So, don't worry if you cannot go straight away, you have 4 months to get all the correct paperwork.
Other Important Information
Of course, when you are planning a move to another country it can be overwhelming to figure out all the details and you might not have people around you to help.
Not everyone plans on moving to Portugal, so finding people who have been through the process of getting a Portuguese Family Reunion Visa application can really make a difference to the process.
Can family visa holders work in Portugal?
The answer is, yes! Once you obtain the Family Reunion Visa, you will be able to work just like any other citizen.
Even though the process of applying can be tedious and tiring, Movingto makes it as easy as possible so you have more time to research fun activities to do in Portugal, and places to visit!
Make Your Move Easy
Portugal is one of the most beautiful countries on earth and gaining a Family Reunion Visa brings you one step closer to your dream life.
A good way to make this part of the move simpler is to create a checklist so you have all the documents you need in one place, and you do not forget any.
Plus, you can find even more like-minded people in the Movingto community where you can share the frustrations of applying or ask questions about any part of the process.
There's no need to sit and worry alone, there are lots of other people who have gone through this before. You will definitely not regret the time and effort you put into the application once you're relaxing on the beach in Portugal!
Be Prepared for the Future
Now you have everything you need to know about getting the Family Reunion Visa to live in Portugal. From what documents you need, how long to apply in advance, and what the process is like.
Movingto is there to support you at every step of the way. You can join their friendly online community where you can meet people who have gone through the same experience.
Have a look today at the price guide to find out more!
Written by
Ana Fankhauser
Ana has worked in many startups and moved to a few countries, which led her to create MovingTo. She believes that remote work is a growing trend that is here to stay and that digital nomads will move to countries that have more to offer than the ones you were born into. She mostly writes opinion pieces for MovingTo.
Connect with Ana on LinkedIn
Other Articles
