Portuguese Republic · family · Leads to settlement
Family reunification (residence)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Guidance updated 11 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.
Residence authorisation for family members of legal residents in Portugal.
- Processing time
- Current AIMA legal decision deadline: nine calendar months, not an average wait. Appointment access, the later consular visa and residence-card stages are separate.
- Government fees
- National-visa application EUR 110, subject to exemptions including qualifying descendants. AIMA residence-permit and local service charges are separate.
- Typical duration
- Normally matches the resident sponsor’s authorisation; independent residence has separate conditions.
- Sponsorship required
- Family sponsor, not employer sponsor
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
Residence authorisation for family members of legal residents in Portugal. Guidance updated 11 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/portugal/family-reunification-pt#answer
Start with the sponsor and application stage
Check the sponsor’s residence category and waiting-period exception before booking or travelling. For family abroad, AIMA approval comes before the consular residence-visa application. The nine-month legal decision clock is not a predicted arrival date.
Check the family-reunification stages, deadlines and document questionsWhat is the Family reunification (residence) in Portuguese Republic?
This residence route needs a qualifying family sponsor, not a job offer. Indicative government fees are National-visa application EUR 110, subject to exemptions including qualifying descendants. AIMA residence-permit and local service charges are separate; indicative processing time is Current AIMA legal decision deadline: nine calendar months, not an average wait. Appointment access, the later consular visa and residence-card stages are separate; typical duration is Normally matches the resident sponsor’s authorisation; independent residence has separate conditions. This route can lead to permanent residence.
Primary guidance checked with AIMA on 11 September 2026.
Overview
Family reunification depends on the sponsor’s residence authorisation, the family relationship and when the procedure began. For new procedures from 23 October 2025, the ordinary residence-authorisation waiting condition is two years, with a 15-month rule for a qualifying previously cohabiting spouse and statutory exceptions for specified family and permit categories. AIMA approval precedes the outside-Portugal family member’s residence-visa application. A visitor stay does not by itself establish an in-country right to apply. Refugees and people with subsidiary protection should use the linked UNHCR status-specific guidance rather than assume these ordinary resident-sponsor conditions govern their case.
Recent changes to this route
- Portugal changes family-reunification sponsor conditions and decision deadlines22 October 2025
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.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Additional sources
Primary source
Law 61/2025 — residence conditions and decision deadline ↗ · Diário da República
Link last verified:
Primary source
MNE — national-visa fees and exemptions ↗ · Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Link last verified:
Primary source
UNHCR Portugal — family reunification for refugees and people with subsidiary protection ↗ · UNHCR Portugal
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Qualifying resident sponsor and family category. New procedures ordinarily require two years holding a valid residence authorisation; check the 15-month spouse rule and Article 98(3) exceptions.Diário da República ↗
- ✓Documented family relationship.AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) ↗
- ✓Adequate income and housing.AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) ↗
Common blockers
- !Sponsor's residence not yet formalised.AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) ↗
- !Insufficient evidence of housing and stable means of subsistence for the family. Do not treat a gross-wage calculation alone as proof of eligibility.AIMA ↗
- !Assuming visitor entry allows an ordinary spouse to apply inside Portugal. Current Article 103(2) is limited to the specified Article 98(3) categories.Diário da República ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Marriage or birth certificate.AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) ↗
- ·Sponsor's residence card and income evidence.AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) ↗
Application pathway
Check the sponsor and family category
Confirm the residence-authorisation waiting condition or exception, the procedure start date and whether the family member is abroad or in an eligible in-country category.
Prepare and submit the AIMA request
Follow AIMA’s appointment procedure and category-specific checklist for relationship, passport, housing, means and criminal-record evidence.
Apply for the residence visa after approval
For a family member abroad, wait for the favourable AIMA decision and follow the competent consular post’s national-visa instructions. AIMA and consular decisions are separate stages.
Complete the residence-authorisation formalities
After entry with the residence visa, follow AIMA’s instructions for the family residence authorisation. A statutory decision deadline is not a card-delivery promise.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Family reunification (residence), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Check the conditions for your own permission, including work, and keep evidence of the qualifying relationship. The principal applicant’s conditions may differ.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Portugal. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicant + sponsorPrepare the AIMA family-reunification request ↗
Use the scheduled-filing and category-specific document checklist alongside the current statutory sponsor conditions.
AIMA · verified
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck the consular stage after AIMA approval ↗
For family abroad, confirm the approval-first sequence and then the competent consular post’s visa instructions.
Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs · verified
Fees and processing time
Indicative government fees: National-visa application EUR 110, subject to exemptions including qualifying descendants. AIMA residence-permit and local service charges are separate.. The cited law sets a 9 months statutory decision deadline; this is not a typical or end-to-end estimate. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Portuguese family reunification take?+
There is no verified single end-to-end average. The current Article 105 AIMA decision deadline is nine calendar months; it is not a typical wait. Preparation, appointment access, the consular residence-visa stage and residence-card delivery are separate. The processing guide explains each stage and the procedure-date exceptions.
Can I bring my spouse and children if I move to Portugal on a D-series or student visa?+
Yes. Once you hold legal residence in Portugal as the sponsor, family members such as spouses, civil partners, minor children, and dependent parents can apply for family reunification, which itself leads to settlement. The specific requirements depend on your residence type, and AIMA appointment backlogs have often exceeded a year since 2023–24, so plan early.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in PortugalHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: AIMA
Last checked: 11 September 2026