Portugal is situated on the southwest coast of Europe, bordering only with Spain. With a territory of 92,152 Km2, Portugal has the largest maritime zone in Europe. Its continental platform borders the American platform.

Portugal’s population is approximately ten million people. Most of the Portuguese population lives on the mainland, with less than 5% residing in the Azores and Madeira.

Portugal has a history of over 800 years, with borders established more than 500 years ago. This has resulted in a homogeneous population that shares common values despite regional differences. Internal migration within the country is common, particularly toward the more populated coastal areas.

Emigration to other European countries was common, especially during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, when people sought better living conditions in Germany, France, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States of America and Canada.

Nowadays, many Portuguese continue to emigrate abroad, though with higher qualifications than in the past.

Portuguese belongs to the group of Romance languages derived from Latin.

Today, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world, spoken by around 270 million people in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor.

English is spoken by many people, especially in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and other tourist destinations. Although most Portuguese people do not speak Spanish, they can generally understand it. French is less widely spoken in Portugal than it used to be, having been replaced by English as the second language taught in schools. However, it is still spoken by some people.

WHEN IS A VISA NOT REQUIRED?

Citizens of non-European Union countries that are part of the Schengen Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), as well as citizens from certain third countries such as the United States, Singapore, and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, do not require a visa for short stays in Portugal. British citizens can also visit Portugal for holidays or short trips of up to three months without needing a visa, as long as they hold a valid passport that covers their entire stay in Portugal. Citizens from these countries are only required to present an ID or passport issued by their country of origin upon entry.

EU citizens who wish to reside in Portugal for more than three months must apply for a registration certificate at the local municipality in their area of residence within 30 days after their initial three-month stay.

Those holding a registration certificate and residing in Portugal for more than five consecutive years must apply for a permanent residence certificate, which is issued by AIMA, I.P. (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo).

WHEN IS A VISA REQUIRED?

To enter Portugal, non-EU citizens must obtain a valid travel visa, possess a recognized travel document, and not be subject to any alerts from the AIMA, I.P.

Citizens of third countries wishing to reside in Portugal must apply for a residence visa through the Portuguese consular services in their country of residence. A residence visa is a long-term visa, allowing the holder to stay in Portugal for up to four months, during which they can apply for a temporary residence permit issued by AIMA, I.P.

There are several subtypes of residence visas, namely:

• Visas for the exercise of subordinate professional activity;
• Visas for the exercise of independent professional activity or entrepreneurial emigrants;
• Visas for teaching, highly qualified or cultural activity;
• Visas for research, study, exchange of higher education students, secondary school students, internship and volunteering; and
• Visas for family reunification.

Foreign citizens who do not have sufficient means of subsistence, or cannot acquire those means lawfully, are not permitted to enter the country, either for the period of stay or for travel to the country where their admission is guaranteed.

GOLDEN VISA REQUIREMENTS

The Residence Permit for Investment Activity (Autorização de Residência para Atividade de Investimento, "ARI"), commonly called «golden visa», is designed for investors from non-EU countries seeking residence in Portugal. «Golden visa» grants holders the right to free movement within Portugal and other Schengen countries.

This programme allows residence permits for individuals who make significant investments in Portugal and meet specific criteria. In addition to the general requirements for residence permits, obtaining a golden visa requires a mandatory investment in one of the following areas:

• creating at least ten job positions, with the investment evaluated every two years to assess its impact on job creation;
• transferring €500,000 to public or private scientific research institutions within the national scientific and technological system. This investment is also evaluated every two years to measure its impact on scientific and cultural activities;
• transferring €250,000 to support artistic productions or the preservation of national cultural heritage;
• transferring €500,000 for the acquisition of shares in non-real estate collective investment funds; or
• transferring €500,000 to create a new company or contribute to an existing one, plus creating at least five permanent jobs or maintaining at least ten jobs (with a minimum of five permanent positions for at least three years). This investment is evaluated every two years to assess its impact on foreign direct investment and job creation.

Real estate investments are no longer eligible for the golden visa programme. However, this change does not affect the renewal of residence permits for investments made before the new law took effect on 7 October 2023. Applications submitted before that date, and still pending a decision, are also not impacted.

Under the revised golden visa programme, no investment activity may be directly or indirectly related to real estate.

Non-EU citizens may have their residence permit applications refused, or existing permits cancelled, if they are subject to EU sanctions.

The residence permit must be renewed every two years, provided the applicant continues to meet the investment requirements.

The investment may be made in the applicant’s own name or through a single-member limited company registered in Portugal, provided the applicant is the sole owner.

HOW TO OBTAIN A GOLDEN VISA?

In addition to one of the investments already listed, to obtain a «golden visa», the applicants must also:

• be physically present in Portugal, have or rent a residence in the country and have sufficient means to support themselves;
• be registered with the Portuguese Social Security Authority if the activity in question is subject to registration in Portugal;
• not have been convicted of criminal offences, punished with imprisonment for a year or more or with entry ban in Portugal;
• not have been flagged in the Schengen Information System and in the Portuguese authorities' information system to bar their entry into the country;
• hold a valid Schengen visa (if not exempt by any visa waiver); and
• apply for the legalization of the stay in Portugal within 90 days after the first entry.

The application for ARI («golden visa») must be submitted online (http://ari.sef.pt) for prior validation by AIMA. Once the application has been validated, the applicant is then allowed to make the appointment to go to AIMA facility, since the submission of documents related to the investment and the collection of biometric data is mandatory to be done in person.

The administrative cost of a residence permit application is approximately €6,939.87 and €2,906.61 for each renewal. If all requirements are met at the outset and the services require no further due diligence, the authorization is normally granted within 120 days of submitting the form and its documents.

Following the changes to the income tax laws, the holder of a «golden» visa will no longer benefit from special taxes applicable to non-habitual residents but may benefit from lower taxes since investment in funds does not involve heavy taxes and duties like the investment in real estate.

In addition, holders of «golden» visas are entitled to apply to extend the residency visa to family members, who are eligible to obtain permanent residence for themselves and their families after five years of holding a temporary residence permit in Portugal, with a stay requirement of only seven days per year.

As a follow-up to the original golden visa programme, IAPMEI, the Portuguese Investment Agency (IAPMEI – Agência para a Competitividade e Inovação) set up the “Start-Up Visa” programme which aims to promote the creation of new businesses and innovative projects.

The programme is intended for entrepreneurs who wish to develop entrepreneurial or innovative projects in Portugal, even if they haven’t already set up a company or if they have business projects in their countries of origin and that wish to carry on their activity in Portugal. Candidates must fulfil the following requirements:

• not to have a permanent residence in a country of the Schengen Area;
• to have fulfilled their obligations before the Portuguese Tax Administration and Social Security (if applicable);
• not to have a criminal record;
• to be of age; and
• to possess the financial resources equivalent to 12 times the Social Support Index (Indexante dos Apoios Sociais, "IAS");

For the presentation of the application, the candidate must complete an online form with his identification and the other entrepreneurs involved and also the description of the project, accompanied by the following documents:

• letter of motivation;
• copy of the passport;
• criminal record from their origin country;
• statement from the bank that proves the existence of own financial means of sustenance and the possibility of transferring these funds to a bank operating in Portugal; and
• curriculum vitae.

Applicants should submit their application to one or more incubators on the certified incubators list. In the second phase, the entrepreneur must complete the application information and submit it to IAPMEI through an online platform. Eligible entrepreneurs under the programme will conclude an incubation contract with the certified incubator.

OVERVIEW

Over the past decades, the Portuguese educational system has seen significant improvement. Education is universal, free, and compulsory until the age of 18. Parents are obligated to enrol children in a State or private school and the student has the obligation to attend school.

The education system in Portugal comprises public schools managed by the State, autonomous regions, municipalities, and other public entities, as well as private schools operated under a State-issued license.

Schools and educational facilities within the national education system are deemed to be of public interest.

Because the number of foreign nationals has been increasing in recent years, many of whom do not have Portuguese as their mother tongue, most schools have professionals that speak more than one language.

Many Portuguese schools are prepared to educate foreign children of all ages in more than one language.

EDUCATION LEVELS

The Portuguese school system is organised in three levels: pre-school education (ages 3 to 5), primary education (typical ages 6 to 14) and secondary education (ages 15 to 17).

PRE-SCHOOL, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Pre-school education covers children from the ages of three to five years. The State is responsible for ensuring a network of pre-school facilities allowing the enrolment of all five-year-old children and education for such children, free of charge. It is provided by the State, by private and cooperative bodies, by private social solidarity institutions and not-for-profit institutions.

State primary school is universal, compulsory and free of charge with respect to enrolment, attendance and certification fees and costs. It is intended for children aged between six and fifteen.
Secondary education is a cycle of specific studies and includes various courses intended principally to prepare young people to go on to higher education or to enter the labour market.

Access to secondary education requires prior completion of primary school. It takes three years with a large variety of courses including professional courses. Upon completion and approval, the students are granted a certificate for purposes of access to university or employment, as the case may be.

HIGHER EDUCATION

At present, higher education in Portugal is divided into two subsystems: university education and non-university higher education (polytechnic education), and it is provided in State and private universities and non-university higher education institutions (both State and private). Access to higher education requires prior completion and approval in secondary school or equivalent.

Universities award first degrees, master’s degrees and doctorates, including Ph.D. Polytechnic institutions award first degrees and master’s degrees.

Students over 23 years, who have not completed secondary school, may also have access to higher education provided they complete and approve specific entry tests.

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2025, there are 17 Portuguese universities ranked in the top universities in the world.

In 2025, Portugal strengthens its position in international business education, with five management and business schools featured in the prestigious Financial Times European Business Schools ranking. Among them, Nova School of Business & Economics stands out, ranked 8th globally in the Financial Times Masters in Management ranking, marking the highest position ever achieved by a Portuguese institution in this category. Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics also maintains strong international recognition, securing the 27th place worldwide in the same ranking.

STATE AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Portugal has a network of State schools which covers the entire country and serves approximately 1.2 million students.

There are also many private schools in Portugal, spread nationally across all main cities in the country. According to the official data, approximately 341,222 students are enrolled in private schools.

In general, private schools have better facilities than State schools and offer many extra-curricular activities. Private schools tend to top the national education rankings, which measure the students’ results at the end of second and third learning cycles.

The differences seem to result from the different approach and better resources of private schools, but also from the students’ social and economic differences. Several State schools also show good results.

To be admitted to private schools may require passing admission tests and the payment of tuition fees. Admission is at the discretion of the school board. There are English-speaking international schools in Portugal, especially in primary and secondary education, which can be found mainly in Lisbon, Porto and Algarve.

Some schools follow international programmes such as the «International Baccalaureate» programme, the British «GCSE and GCE» examination systems, and the «Council of International Schools» accreditation, which allow students to access several foreign universities without the need for special admission procedures.

Some countries have established schools in Portugal with dual language teaching which follow their national curricula and are also recognised by the Portuguese Government.

France established the «Lycée Français Charles Lepierre» in Lisbon and the «Lycée Français International» in Porto, Germany has two schools, «Deutsche Schule» in Lisbon and Porto, and Spain one school in Lisbon, «Instituto Español, Giner de los Ríos». The most well-known school that teaches in English is the St. Julian’s School, located in Carcavelos, near Lisbon, founded in 1932.

Graduation from these schools gives access to universities in the respective home countries.
Many State and private schools in Portugal offer the opportunity to learn other languages besides English, such as Spanish, German and French.

OVERVIEW

In the World Health Organization's World Health Statistics 2024, Portugal is recognised for its strong healthcare access, ranking third globally with 88 points out of 100. This ranking, shared with the UK and Germany, highlights Portugal's excellence in healthcare, particularly in areas like maternal and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and service capacity.

The WHO's report also notes that Portugal's life expectancy at birth was estimated at 81.49 years in 2022–2024, with 78.73 years for men and 83.96 years for women, showing a positive trend in overall health and Portugal's progress in global health goals.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM

Portugal has a public health system financed by the State budget, the National Health System (Sistema Nacional de Saúde, "SNS").

SNS beneficiaries pay reduced fees (in many cases, much below cost) for the use of emergency services. Other consultations, exams, surgeries and clinical services are free of charge.

There are also public health sub-systems that include several professional sectors which operate independently or under agreements with the SNS.

The main State health subsystem is the health assistance system for the civil servants, named "ADSE"; other examples are the clinics and hospitals of the bank workers ("SAMS") trade union and the military personnel health system.

EU citizens residing in Portugal and working in another EU country are entitled to health treatment in both countries.

In this case, the individual must obtain an «S1 Form» (certificate of entitlement to health care in another EU country) from the social security of the country where they are registered and deliver it to the Portuguese local district social security centre of their place of residence. The «S1 Form» gives access to health care in Portugal on the same terms as Portuguese citizens.

The same applies to retirees living in Portugal who receive a pension from an EU country.

Citizens of the European Union countries, as well as of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland may obtain treatment in Portuguese SNS hospitals with a European Health Insurance Card ("EHIC") (issued in the country of origin).

Overseas citizens holding Portuguese residency permits must be registered at a Health Centre and must hold a «User's Card» (Cartão de Utente), which may be obtained at the Health Centre by presenting a document showing proof of residence authorisation.

Non-EU citizens may have to pay some additional fees for public healthcare in Portugal; the amount will depend on whether there is a reciprocal healthcare agreement between Portugal and the home country.

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Portugal has several private hospitals, which have agreements to offer services at reduced rates to holders of health insurance policies as well as beneficiaries of the national health service and members of other public health subsystems.

According to the Portuguese National Statistical Institute, Portugal has 130 private hospitals, slightly more than half of the 242 hospitals that exist in the country.

In 2024, private hospitals recorded a total of 1.5 million emergency episodes, representing approximately 20% of the total emergency care provided in the country.

In general, private hospitals offer any necessary medical care services and, in some cases, have achieved international recognition for their excellence, like Fundação Champalimaud, which has established a world-leading centre for research and treatment in neuroscience, oncology, and vision care.
In highly specialized areas of medicine, public hospitals are generally well equipped and, in some cases, surpass private hospitals, despite high demand. For example, the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, part of the SNS, is recognised as one of the world’s leading institutes in tropical diseases.

HEALTH INSURANCE

A substantial portion of the Portuguese population is covered by private health insurance. Both Portuguese and international companies provide health insurance to employees, which typically extends coverage to their families.

Several leading insurers offer health insurance policies in Portugal, including Multicare, Fidelidade, Ocidental, Tranquilidade, and international companies such as Allianz.

Health insurance policies are typically renewed annually, with premiums recalculated each year. The cost of premiums depends on various factors, including the insured's age, pre-existing medical conditions, and overall health risks, as well as the level of coverage.

Certain expenses related to private health insurance may be deducted from taxable income for personal income tax purposes.

PHARMACIES AND COST OF MEDICINES

The Portuguese State covers part of the cost of most medicines, with some being fully subsidised,particularly those essential for treating certain illnesses. Patients receive partial reimbursement when purchasing prescribed medicines.

Prescription medicines are mainly available in pharmacies. Some non-prescription medicines, such as painkillers or vitamins, may also be sold in commercial outlets like supermarkets or convenience stores, provided they are properly supervised by qualified staff. These establishments are marked by a green cross on a white background.

EMERGENCIES

In case of a medical emergency, dial 112, the EU-wide emergency number. This number is free to call and can be reached from any mobile phone, even without a SIM card. For general medical advice in Portugal, you can contact a 24-hour health support call centre at 808 24 24 24 ("Saúde 24"). This service is also free of charge.

Relevant legislation

Law on the Entry, Stay, Exit and Expulsion of Foreigners [Portuguese Only]

Forms

Entry Declaration Form [Portuguese / English / French]

Application for Residence Permit Form [Portuguese / English / French]

Macedo Vitorino's briefings

«Why Portugal: Living in Portugal» (2021) [Portuguese] [English]

«Portuguese Golden Visas» (2021) [Portuguese] [English]

Important notice

This library includes standard forms, documents, copies of statutes of law and reports from national and international organisations and other resources intended for general informational and educational purposes only.

By using this library, you agree (i) that nothing in this library constitute or substitute legal or business advice, (ii) that the availability, transmission, receipt or use of this library is not intended and does not create an attorney-client relationship and (iii) to use the documents available in this site in compliance with all applicable laws. You should make sure that this library are not or have not become out-of-date by supervening laws or regulations or other events.

We are used to working with foreign nationals wishing to work or take residence in Portugal. We represent private clients as well as their employers in all matters required to work or live in Portugal.

We can assist you in:

• Obtaining your residence visa
• Applying for golden visa
• Negotiating employment, secondment agreements and services contracts with expats
• Negotiating the acquisition, lease or disposal of property 

If you have any question or wish us to provide a budget, please contact us to: whyportugal@macedovitorino.com

For more information on our practices and expertise please go to www.macedovitorino.com/en/expertise