·Portuguese Republic·Significant change·In force
Portugal changes family-reunification sponsor conditions and decision deadlines
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Law 61/2025 introduced residence-authorisation waiting conditions, specified family exceptions and a nine-month decision deadline. The amended provisions apply to procedures started from the law’s entry into force; earlier pending cases require a separate check.
Effective from .
What changed
Policy claim 1
The ordinary sponsor condition is at least two years holding a valid residence authorisation. A qualifying spouse or equivalent who cohabited with the sponsor for at least 18 months immediately before the sponsor entered Portugal has a 15-month condition.
Claim ID: pt-2025-10-family-reunification-law#claim-1·Cite this claim
Source: Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions (Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República)·source verified ·page reviewed
Policy claim 2
Article 98(3) removes that waiting period for specified dependent minors or incapacitated relatives, qualifying co-parents, and families of holders of permits under Articles 90, 90-A and 121-A. Article 98(4) separately permits exceptional waiver or reduction.
Claim ID: pt-2025-10-family-reunification-law#claim-2·Cite this claim
Source: Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions (Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República)·source verified ·page reviewed
Policy claim 3
Current Article 103(2) limits the in-country family request to the Article 98(3) categories who entered and remain in Portugal at the request date. AIMA’s operational checklist separately asks for legal-entry evidence; visitor entry alone is not a general entitlement to apply.
Claim ID: pt-2025-10-family-reunification-law#claim-3·Cite this claim
Source: Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions (Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República)·source verified ·page reviewed
Policy claim 4
Article 105 sets a nine-calendar-month decision deadline. An equal extension for exceptional complexity requires notice and excludes Article 98(1) and 98(2) cases. The deadline is not a typical or end-to-end waiting-time estimate.
Claim ID: pt-2025-10-family-reunification-law#claim-4·Cite this claim
Source: Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions (Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República)·source verified ·page reviewed
Policy claim 5
The separate 180-day transitional in-country provision was time-limited and is no longer generally open as of this review.
Claim ID: pt-2025-10-family-reunification-law#claim-5·Cite this claim
Source: Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions (Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República)·source verified ·page reviewed
Routes affected
Primary source
Primary source
Diário da República — Law 61/2025, Articles 98, 103, 105 and transitional provisions ↗ · Portuguese Parliament / Diário da República
Link last verified: