A Portuguese passport gives you access to most of the world without having to apply for a visa beforehand.
As of June 2026, Portugal’s passport ranks 30th globally on the Global Citizen Solutions Global Passport Index.
If you have a passport from Portugal, you’re free to move within the EU and the Schengen Area, and outside Europe, your passport opens up visa-free, eTA, or visa-on-arrival access to a large share of the world.
Visa-free countries for Portuguese passport holders include most of Latin America, parts of Asia, and major business centers like Singapore and Hong Kong.
The United States is one of the few places that asks for advance authorization, but even there, Portuguese citizens don’t need a traditional visa for short tourist or business trips, only an ESTA.
This guide breaks down which countries fall into each access category (visa-free, eTA, visa-on-arrival, and visa-required), how long you can stay in each, and what’s changing in 2026 that could affect your travel plans, including the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorization requirement.
Portugal Passport Visa-Free Countries: Key Takeaways
Portugal Passport Visa Free Countries List 2026
The table below is a list of the Portuguese passport visa-free countries:
AndorraAustriaBelgiumBulgariaBelizeSwitzerlandCyprusCzechiaGermanyDenmarkEstoniaSpainFinlandFranceGreeceHong KongCroatiaHungaryIrelandIcelandItalyLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgLatviaMonacoMacauMaltaNetherlandsNorwayPolandPalestineRomaniaSwedenSloveniaSlovakiaSan MarinoTaiwanPassport-Free Countries for Portugal Passport Holders
The table below lists EU countries that allow Portuguese citizens to enter with only a Cartão de Cidadão (Citizen Card):
Austria Belgium Croatia Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Countries with Limited Access for Portugal Passport Holders
United Arab EmiratesAntigua and BarbudaAlbaniaArmeniaAngolaArgentinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBarbadosBruneiBoliviaBrazilBahamasBotswanaBelarusChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCape VerdeDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorFijiFederated States of MicronesiaGrenadaGeorgiaGambiaGuatemalaGuyanaHondurasHaitiJamaicaJapanKyrgyzstanKiribatiSouth KoreaKazakhstanSaint LuciaLesothoMoroccoMoldovaMontenegroMarshall IslandsNorth MacedoniaMongoliaMauritiusMexicoMalaysiaMozambiqueNicaraguaOmanPanamaPeruPhilippinesPalauParaguayQatarSerbiaSolomon IslandsSingaporeSenegalSurinameSao Tome and PrincipeEl SalvadorEswatiniThailandTajikistanEast TimorTunisiaTongaTurkeyTrinidad and TobagoTuvaluUkraineUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesVenezuelaVanuatuSamoaSouth AfricaZambiaVisa on Arrival Countries for Portugal Passport Holders
The table below lists the countries that allow visa on arrival access to Portugal passport holders:
BangladeshGuinea-BissauIndonesiaComorosLebanonMaldiveseTA Countries for Portugal Passport Holders
The below table lists the countries that allow Portugal passport holders entry with an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization):
AustraliaCanadaUnited KingdomIsraelKenyaSaint Kitts and NevisNew ZealandSeychellesCountries that Require an eVisa for Portugal Passport Holders
The table below lists the countries that allow Portugal passport holders entry with an eVisa:
AfghanistanAzerbaijanBurkina FasoBahrainBurundiBeninBhutanDemocratic Republic of the CongoIvory CoastCameroonCubaDjiboutiEgyptEthiopiaGabonGuineaEquatorial GuineaIndiaIraqIranJordanCambodiaKuwaitLaosSri LankaLiberiaLibyaMadagascarMyanmarMauritaniaMalawiNamibiaNigeriaNepalPapua New GuineaPakistanRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth SudanSyriaChadTogoTanzaniaUgandaVietnamZimbabweCountries with Visa Requirements for Portugal Passport Holders
The table below lists the countries that require Portuguese citizens to obtain a visa:
Central African RepublicRepublic of the CongoAlgeriaEritreaGhanaMaliNigerNauruSudanTurkmenistanYemenOther requirements for Portugal passport holders
Other requirements for Portuguese passport holders
- Each travel destination country has unique requirements. Some countries may require additional documentation, such as an invitation letter, proof of employment, or a health certificate.
- Entry requirements for specific countries may require a Portuguese citizen to prove they have sufficient financial means to support themselves for the duration of their stay.
- It’s worth noting that the visa requirements for the countries listed above are subject to change, and it’s crucial to check the latest travel advisories before planning your trip.
Overview of the Portuguese Passport
A Portuguese passport identifies you as a citizen of both Portugal and the European Union. It serves as your primary travel document and official photo identification, confirming your name, nationality, date of birth, and passport number.
Passports are issued by the Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado, the government body within the Portuguese Ministry of Justice responsible for identity documents.
Portugal has been a member of the European Union since 1986 and is part of the Schengen Area, a zone of 29 countries with no routine border controls.
EU membership gives Portuguese citizens the right to live, work, and study in any other EU member state. Schengen membership means you can cross between participating countries without presenting a passport at the border.
According to GCS’s Global Passport Index 2026, updated June 30, 2026, the Portuguese passport ranks 30th globally, and citizens can enter 121 destinations visa-free.
Portugal Passport Rankings A larger group of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, does not require a traditional visa but does require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before you travel.
European: Portugal is a member of the European Union, so its citizens can travel freely to member states and Schengen countries without a visa or passport. Passport-free EU countries include France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Furthermore, a Portuguese passport holder has the right to live, work, and study in any other EU country.
Americas: Portuguese citizens have visa-free access to most countries in the Americas. Visa-free destinations include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. Visa-free access through electronic travel authorization (eTA) is also available to Canada and the United States.
Asia: Several Asian countries offer visa-free, eVisa, visa-on-arrival, and eTA options for Portuguese passport holders, including Japan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Oceania: Australia and New Zealand have among the most stringent entry requirements worldwide, and Portuguese citizens can enter both countries with an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Portugal visa-free countries in the Pacific include Fiji, the Marshall Islands, and the US territory of American Samoa.
Portugal Golden Visa Holder vs. Citizen Visa-Free Access
The Portugal Golden Visa is a residency by investment program that allows non-EU citizens to obtain a Portuguese residence permit in exchange for a qualifying investment, maintained over the required holding period.
The residence permit changes your legal status within Portugal, not necessarily the list of countries you can enter without a visa.
If your existing passport already carries visa-free access to the Schengen Area for short stays, as US, Canadian, and many other passports do, that access exists independently of the Golden Visa and is not something the permit adds.
What the permit changes is the length and legal basis of your stay in Portugal itself. A visa-free visitor is limited to 90 days within any 180-day period, while a Golden Visa holder, as a resident rather than a short-stay visitor, is not subject to that limit in Portugal.
For nationals of countries whose passport does not already carry Schengen visa-free access, Portuguese residency does establish a new basis for entry into the wider Schengen Area, since the permit itself functions in place of a visa at Schengen borders.
For example, South African passport holders need to apply for a Schengen Area visa and is often granted only for a specific duration. However, when a South African citizen obtains a Portugal Golden Visa, they hold a Portuguese residency permit and can travel the Schengen Area visa-free.
After five years of legal residency, Golden Visa holders can apply for permanent residency. Citizenship becomes available after ten years of legal residence for most non-EU nationals, or seven years for EU and CPLP nationals, subject to the applicable language and legal requirements.
Citizenship marks a distinct change from the residence permit itself. Where the permit provides a basis for presence within the Schengen Area, a Portuguese passport carries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a much broader set of destinations worldwide, so the shift from resident to citizen changes the scope of travel access considerably rather than incrementally.
Benefits of a Portuguese Passport
There are several benefits to having a Portuguese passport, with the most useful being the ability to travel freely across the Schengen Area and consular support in more than 170 countries.
1. Passport-free countries: Certain passport-free countries have bilateral agreements with Portugal, allowing Portuguese nationals access without presenting their passports. Passport-free countries include the European Union and Schengen Area, as well as specific non-EU countries such as Turkey, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
2. EU citizenship: Portugal forms part of the EU. This means that Portuguese citizens have freedom of movement, granting the right to reside or enjoy extended stays in other countries in the European Union without applying for an EU residence permit.
3. Maximum visa-free travel: Portuguese passport holders enjoy the most visa-free travel privileges due to the country’s strategic diplomatic relationships and its membership of the European Union. The Portuguese passport consistently ranks among the top passports globally, ranking highly on the Enhanced Mobility Index.
4. Excellent quality of life: Portugal scored 11th place in our Quality of Life Index, as Portuguese nationals benefit from a mild Mediterranean climate, stunning landscapes, and a diverse cultural heritage, offering an enriching and pleasant living environment.
Why choose Global Citizen Solutions for your Immigration Visa?
GLOBAL APPROACH BY LOCAL EXPERTS
- GCS has offices located across Portugal.
- Members of the US-Portugal and UK-Portugal Chambers of Commerce in Portugal, and the Investment Migration Council (IMC).
- Our expert team can help you throughout your journey to secure your Visa.
100% APPROVAL RATE
- Our successful track record in applications provides reassurance to applicants.
- We have helped clients from more than 35 countries secure residency in Portugal.
ALL-ENCOMPASSING SOLUTION
- With a single channel of communication, our approach ensures that you have complete clarity on your application.
- Our BeGlobal® Onboarding System allows for a total flow of information.
TRANSPARENCY AND PRIVACY
- Our pricing is clear and detailed, you will not face any hidden costs.
- All data is stored within a GDPR-compliant database on a secure SSL-encrypted server.
