Portugal Tourist Visa - Definitive Guide

Also known as the Portugal Schengen tourist visa, this allows you to enter Portugal and take part in tourist activities. Being a type of the Schengen short term permit, this is issued for a short stay duration of fewer than 90 days in a 180-day period. Depending on the number of times you would have to exit and enter the Schengen zone, you can get this permit as single-entry, double-entry, or even multiple-entries. 

The application for the Portugal tourist visa from India is dependent on the jurisdiction. However, the Portuguese mission in India has outsourced the application to the VACs (Visa Application Centre).

Applications of people with state of residence in Goa, Maharashtra, UTs of Daman & Diu and  Dadra & Nagar Haveli can apply to the Consulate General of Portugal in Goa. All other states will have to make their application to the Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi. 

Before starting the application, you must ensure that you are eligible to apply for the tourist category. You must then obtain all the necessary documents for the visa. After this, you may proceed to make the application as follows - 

At Consulate General of Portugal in Goa -

1. Visit the online visa application portal of the Portuguese Republic. 
2. In the application form, choose the consular post as the ‘consulate general of Portugal in Goa’.
3. Fill in the rest of the Portugal tourist visa application form with all the relevant details. You must choose the purpose of the visit as ‘tourism’.
4. Choose your preferred consulate appointment time and date on the same application form. If you belong to Maharashtra, you can schedule the appointment at a VAC in Mumbai or Pune by visiting their website. Note that this date must be the same as the one mentioned during your online application.
5. Visit the respective appointment centre with the print out of the completed application form, booking confirmation, and the documents. You will also have to provide your biometrics and pay the fees as well. 

At the Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi -

1. Visit the website of the embassy of Portugal and download the Schengen application form.
2. Fill in the form with all the relevant details. You must mention the purpose of the visit as ‘tourism’.
3. Proceed to book your appointment at one of the VACs located across India. You can do this by visiting their website.
4. Visit the appointment centre with the application form, appointment confirmation, and the documents. You must provide your biometrics as well as pay the fees. 

Note that if you have submitted your biometrics for any Schengen visa in the past 5 years, you do not have to submit them again. Also, keep in mind that you must not submit any fake documents or false information. Doing so can get you a Schengen visa rejection. 

To be eligible to apply for the tourist permit, you must meet the following criteria - 

• You must be living in the country you are lodging the application. If you are residing in a residence permit in any foreign nation, you may apply it to the corresponding visa authority in that country.
• You must possess a valid passport meeting all the regulations.
• The sole purpose of your visit must be to take part in tourism and related activities.
• You must possess sufficient funds to cover all your expenses during the entire stay period in Portugal.
  1. You must apply for the permit only if Portugal -

1. 1. Is your only destination, or
   2. Is one of your multiple Schengen destinations, in which case you will be spending the majority of the time here, or, 

Is your port of entry into the Schengen region.

As per the Portugal tourist visa requirements for Indian citizens, the following are the list of documents you must provide - 

• A valid passport- 

• 1. It must contain at least 2 blank pages.
  2. It should not be older than 10 years.
  3. It should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel.
  4. Old passports, if any, are to be attached.
• A covering letter - 
  1. This must include the applicant's details.
  2. It should clearly mention the source of funds.
  3. It should clearly state the purpose of tourism, and the duration of the visit.
  4. It should be signed by the applicant and addressed to the Embassy/consulate of Portugal.
• Flight reservation for round trip
• Proof of accommodation - hotel bookings/invitation to stay/residence bookings, etc 
• Medical travel insurance coverage up to at least 30000 Euros
• Copies of previous Schengen, UK, US visa, if any
• Proof of occupation - 

Proof of occupation such as employment letter, Copy of business license, etc.

• Financial documents -

Financial documents such as bank statements of the past 3 months, Passbook copy, ITR, etc. 

• Dimensions: 35mm X 45mm
• Colour: Coloured
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be captured within the last 3 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: Non-thick framed and prescription glasses
• Headgears - only for religious reasons
• Facial hair - permitted

The processing time for the application is dependent on the validity of the visa,  the number of applications at the embassy, as well as your previous travel history. Normally, it takes around 15 working days to process your application. However, this can sometimes take much longer, and as a result, it is suggested that you apply for a visa well in advance. 

The application fees for this tourist permit is dependent upon the currency exchange rates, as well as the embassy decision. Apart from the application fee, there will be biometric charges, delivery charges, as well as any service charges levied by the VAC. As a result, you must check the exact amount before starting the application. 

Once you have submitted an application, it is then processed. If you have submitted at a VAC, they will then forward it to the respective diplomatic mission. Note that the VAC has no control over the processing. They are simply handling the administrative part. 

Once approved, you can pick up the passport directly from the VAC or embassy/consulate, or you can have the VAC deliver it to you for an additional delivery charge.

You can do the Portugal tourist visa status tracking by visiting the online portal of the Portuguese embassy and logging in using the username and password provided that you have applied to the consulate in Goa. If you have applied at a VAC, or to the embassy in New Delhi, you can check it by entering your reference number and date of birth here. 

Once you have the permit, you must keep in mind the following points to ensure that you experience a hassle-free journey. 

• Keep in mind the expiry date, the duration of stay, as well as the number of entries mentioned on the visa sticker. You must not stay longer than the permitted duration.
• Carry all the travel documents while travelling. You will be denied entry into Portugal without this. 
• Ensure that you travel to Portugal within 6 months of the visa issue date, or as mentioned in the Schengen sticker. After this date, your permit will become invalid and you will not be able to enter the country. 
• While you are travelling within the country, ensure that you always carry a copy of your travel documents with you. 
• While you are on a tourist permit, you cannot take part in paid work for a Portuguese company or establishment. 
• You will not be able to extend the tourist visa under any normal conditions
• You can move freely within the Schengen zone with the tourist visa.