Family Reunification in Portugal: How the Visa Process Works
Last updated: May 21, 2026
Family reunification in Portugal is the legal route by which a foreign resident sponsors close relatives to join them in the country. Since Law No. 61/2025 entered into force on October 23, 2025, the process is slower, stricter, and front-loaded with documentation at AIMA before any visa appointment abroad.
Last updated: May 21, 2026
Who Can Sponsor and Who Qualifies
Family reunification in Portugal is initiated by the resident in Portugal (the sponsor), not by the relative abroad. The sponsor must hold a valid Portuguese residence permit. Under the new Foreigners Law (Law 61/2025), the bar for sponsoring relatives who are still outside Portugal has been raised significantly.
The default rule in 2026: a third-country-national sponsor must hold a valid Portuguese residence permit for at least 2 full years before filing for family reunification of relatives abroad. The clock runs from the date the residence permit was issued, not from the date of the visa or first entry.
There are important reductions and exemptions:
- The waiting period drops to 15 months for couples who can document at least 18 months of cohabitation immediately before the sponsor moved to Portugal.
- The 2-year wait does not apply when the family member is a minor or a legally incapacitated dependent.
- It also does not apply to spouses who share a minor or incapacitated dependent with the sponsor.
- It is waived for family members of holders of permits under Article 90 (highly qualified workers), Article 90-A (Golden Visa / ARI), and Article 121-A (EU Blue Card).
Eligible family members under Portuguese law generally include:
- The spouse or legally recognized de facto partner.
- Minor or incapacitated children of the sponsor, the spouse, or both (including adopted children).
- Adult children who are single and financially dependent on the couple while studying.
- Ascendants in the direct line (parents) of the sponsor or the spouse, where they are dependent.
- Minor siblings under the legal guardianship of the sponsor.
Family members already legally inside Portugal could, until April 22, 2026, file in-country under the transitional 180-day window of Article 6(2). That window has now closed. After that date, only specific categories may still apply in-country under Article 98(2): minors and dependents, parents of minors together with the permit holder, and family members of holders of highly qualified worker and Golden Visa permits.
Document Checklist
Documents must be apostilled or legalized in the country of issue. Items not in Portuguese, English, Spanish, or French need a certified translation. Birth certificates are only valid for one year from the date of issuance, so do not gather them too far in advance.
Typical documents AIMA expects from the sponsor:
- Valid Portuguese residence permit (Título de Residência).
- Portuguese tax number (NIF) and Social Security number (NISS).
- Proof of address in Portugal: rental contract registered with the tax authority or property deed.
- Recent utility bills.
- Proof of stable income: tax returns (IRS), employment contract, payslips, or pension statements.
- Proof of adequate housing meeting Portuguese health and space standards for the size of the future household.
- Criminal record certificate from Portugal.
For each family member abroad:
- Passport valid for at least the duration of the intended stay.
- Birth certificate (for children and to prove parentage of ascendants), issued within the past year.
- Marriage certificate or registered partnership certificate, where applicable.
- Criminal record certificate from countries of residence over the past year (for applicants over 16).
- Proof of dependency for adult children or parents (financial transfers, shared address, medical documentation).
- Two recent passport photos.
- Authorization for AIMA to consult the Portuguese criminal record.
- Travel medical insurance valid in Portugal.
AIMA may request additional evidence depending on the family relationship. If you are unsure which AIMA office handles your case, the new AIMA Services Portal lists Loja AIMA locations, although CPLP residence permit holders cannot currently file through the portal and must use the in-person channel.
How the Process Actually Works, Step by Step
The order of steps matters. The family reunification procedure must be initiated by the sponsor in Portugal at an AIMA office. Portuguese embassies do not accept family reunification applications directly.
- Sponsor files the application at AIMA. Book an appointment at a Loja AIMA and submit the complete dossier covering both sponsor and relatives. Pay the AIMA fees at this stage.
- AIMA reviews and decides. By law, AIMA must decide within 9 months, extendable by up to another 9 months in complex cases. No extension is allowed where minors or dependents are involved.
- Notification of acceptance. Once AIMA accepts the application, the family members abroad have 90 days to apply for the residence visa (commonly called the D6) at the Portuguese consulate in their country of habitual residence.
- Consular visa stage. Each family member books a visa appointment, submits biometrics, the consular documents, and the visa fee. The consulate issues a residence visa allowing entry to Portugal.
- Entry into Portugal. Family members travel to Portugal on the residence visa, which is generally valid for two entries and a limited number of days.
- AIMA appointment for the residence permit. After arrival, each family member attends an AIMA appointment to collect biometrics and receive the Título de Residência. This card is what counts for the 5-year residency clock toward permanent residence and citizenship.
Throughout the procedure, communication is mostly in Portuguese. If your level is still basic, bring a Portuguese-speaking friend, a lawyer, or a certified translator to AIMA appointments.
Fees and Processing Times
The fee schedule was updated under Portaria n.º 307/2023 and the new values entered into force on March 1, 2026. The figures below are the headline items for family reunification cases. Always cross-check the AIMA Tabela de Taxas before paying, since values change.
Item | Fee (2026) |
|---|---|
AIMA family reunification application fee | €99.80 per person |
Reception and analysis of temporary residence permit application | €133 |
Grant or renewal of temporary residence permit (Art. 75(1)) | €307.20 |
D6 consular visa (spouse, ascendants) | €90 |
D6 consular visa (descendants of permit holders) | Exempt |
Golden Visa (ARI) family reunification, grant | €8,418.90 per family member |
Golden Visa (ARI) family reunification, renewal | €4,210.30 per family member |
Refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are exempt from the financial subsistence requirement, and their applications are free of charge when filed through AIMA's asylum unit (CNAR, Rua Álvaro Coutinho 14, Lisbon).
On timing, the binding legal deadline at AIMA is 9 months, extendable to 18 months in complex cases. Older expat articles quoting "2 to 4 weeks for the visa" or "60 days at SEF" predate the 2025 reform and are no longer accurate. After AIMA approval, the consular visa stage typically adds several more weeks depending on the post. Then plan another 1 to 3 months in Portugal between arrival and collection of the physical residence card.
AIMA, the agency that replaced SEF in October 2023, inherited a backlog of roughly 400,000 to 450,000 cases. In Q1 2026 it received 504 formal complaints, a 37% increase, with a user satisfaction score of 17.2 out of 100. Realistic planning, written records, and patience matter.
Income, Housing, and the Subsistence Test
AIMA expects the sponsor to show stable resources sufficient to support the household without recourse to social assistance. The national minimum wage (RMMG) is the baseline. From January 1, 2026, the RMMG is €920 per month gross, set by Decree-Law No. 139/2025 of December 29, 2025.
The rule of thumb AIMA applies is:
- 100% of the minimum wage for the sponsor.
- +50% of the minimum wage for a spouse or second adult.
- +30% of the minimum wage for each dependent child.
So a sponsor bringing a spouse and one child should be able to document monthly income equivalent to roughly €920 + €460 + €276, that is around €1,656 gross per month, plus adequate housing. Pensions, rental income, dividends, and self-employment income all count if properly documented. If your route into Portugal was passive income, see Portugal D7 Visa Requirements for how the income test is built up.
Housing is verified independently. AIMA looks at whether the home is suitable for the future size of the family. A studio that worked for one person will not satisfy a reunification involving a spouse and two children.
Integration Obligations After Arrival
Law 61/2025 introduced new integration duties that bite at renewal time. Reunified family members are required to:
- Attend Portuguese language training.
- Complete a course on Portuguese constitutional values.
- Comply with compulsory schooling for minors.
Non-compliance affects renewal of the residence permit, so families should plan from day one. Children must be enrolled in school promptly, and adults should register for state-supported Portuguese courses (Português Língua de Acolhimento) as soon as their residence card is issued.
New arrivals also need to handle the practical side of life: registering with the Serviço Nacional de Saúde, opening a bank account, sorting school placements, and figuring out transport. Two areas that trip up most families are healthcare access (see Healthcare in Portugal as Expat) and exchanging or recognizing a foreign driver's license, which has its own deadlines (see Driving in Portugal as Foreign Resident).
Common Pitfalls
- Counting the 2-year wait from arrival, not from permit issuance. The clock starts on the date the Título de Residência was issued.
- Letting birth certificates expire. They are only valid one year from issuance.
- Filing at the embassy instead of AIMA. The embassy stage only opens after AIMA accepts the application.
- Missing the 90-day window after AIMA approval to apply for the visa at the consulate.
- Underestimating housing requirements. A small flat will not support reunification of multiple dependents.
- Assuming the old in-country route still works. The 180-day transitional window closed on April 22, 2026.
- Relying on the abolished "manifestação de interesse". Final residual pathways closed on December 31, 2025.
- Ignoring AIMA deadlines. Law 61/2025 restored full judicial appeal, including injunctions (providências cautelares) for delay or inaction. If AIMA misses the 9-month deadline without lawful extension, a Portuguese court can be asked to intervene.
FAQs
Can my spouse come to Portugal first on a tourist visa and apply from inside the country?
Not under the default rules anymore. After April 22, 2026, in-country family reunification under Article 98(2) is limited to minors and dependents, parents of minors together with the permit holder, and relatives of holders of highly qualified worker and Golden Visa permits. Other family members must apply through the standard AIMA-then-consulate route.
Do my children pay the consular visa fee?
Descendants of residence permit holders are exempt from the €90 D6 visa fee. Spouses and ascendants pay.
Does Golden Visa family reunification still work without the 2-year wait?
Yes. Family members of Article 90-A (ARI / Golden Visa) holders are exempt from the 2-year waiting period, although the AIMA fees for reunification under Golden Visa are substantially higher: €8,418.90 for grant and €4,210.30 for renewal per family member as of March 1, 2026.
How long until reunified family members can apply for Portuguese citizenship?
Under current law, 5 years of legal residence is required. A new Nationality Law extending this to 10 years (7 for EU and CPLP nationals) was promulgated on May 3, 2026, but takes effect only after publication in the Diário da República. Check the official source for the latest status before planning around citizenship.
What if AIMA does not respond within 9 months?
For cases involving minors or dependents, no extension is permitted by law. You can challenge inaction in the Portuguese administrative courts, including by injunction. Many families instruct a Portuguese lawyer for this step.
Are refugees treated differently?
Yes. Refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection do not need to meet the income/housing test in the same way, and their applications are free when filed via AIMA's CNAR asylum unit in Lisbon.
Where is the authoritative fee list?
The AIMA Tabela de Taxas, updated by Portaria n.º 307/2023 and refreshed on March 1, 2026, is the binding reference. Verify the exact fee for your procedure before paying, since amounts change.
Settling a family in a new country is mostly paperwork, patience, and language. If you are moving to Portugal, getting comfortable in Portuguese will smooth every AIMA visit, school meeting, and doctor's appointment that follows; that is the gap try Migaku is built to close, by turning Portuguese shows, news, and YouTube videos into your study material.