Acquiring a Portuguese passport offers a multitude of advantages, including visa-free access to over 170 countries, unrestricted movement within the Schengen Area, and the freedom to reside, work, and study throughout the European Union.
Obtaining a Portuguese passport opens doors to the prospect of living in Portugal—an increasingly sought-after destination renowned for its picturesque Atlantic coast, abundant sunshine, and delectable cuisine. Portugal is a prime choice for expatriate families seeking a second passport.
Key Facts About the Portuguese Passport
Types of Portuguese passports
Portugal issues several types of passports; each of these travel documents is designed for different purposes:
- Regular passport (Passaporte Eletrónico Português): This is the standard passport issued to citizens for international travel. It contains a microprocessor chip with personal data, enhancing security.
- Temporary passport (Passaporte Temporário): Issued in emergency situations where a regular passport cannot be issued promptly. It has a validity period of one year.
- Diplomatic passport: Issued to members of the Portuguese government, diplomats, and high-ranking officials. This passport offers certain privileges and immunities.
- Passport for foreign citizens (Passaporte para Estrangeiros): Issued to stateless individuals or those who cannot obtain a passport from their home country but legally reside in Portugal.
- Special passport: Issued to individuals who are entitled to certain privileges due to their specific job or mission. This includes military personnel, lawmakers, and certain public administration officials.
Portuguese Passport Benefits
- The right to travel and work in the EU: You can move freely across the Schengen Zone without the need for a Schengen Visa. Since Portugal is an EU member, you have the right to live, work, and study in any of the 27 countries in the EU.
- Free access to quality schooling: Enjoy free education in some of the world’s best institutions and enjoy the government-sponsored healthcare programs that offer coverage across Europe.
- Excellent quality of life: Portugal is a wonderful place to live, with a warm climate, safe environment, and excellent Mediterranean cuisine.
- Employment opportunities: Enjoy full or part-time employment without an additional work permit required.
- Low living costs: Portugal is a relatively affordable country compared to its European neighbors.
Schengen privileges
Portuguese passport holders enjoy Schengen privileges, meaning they can travel freely across the Schengen Area, which includes 27 European countries that have abolished border controls at their mutual borders. This allows borderless travel within this zone.
Under the Schengen Agreement, there is a uniform visa policy for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), which applies to non-Schengen countries that Portuguese citizens might visit. This agreement also simplifies traveling across multiple European countries, reducing the need for multiple visas and easing cross-border business and tourism.
Portuguese Passport Global Ranking
A Portuguese passport grants Portuguese citizens visa-free access to an array of countries worldwide. In Global Citizen Solutions’ Global Passport Index, Portugal ranks 31st. The Portuguese passport is one of the most powerful passports in the world for mobility and quality of life, ranking 12th in the Enhanced Mobility Index and in 13th position in the Quality of Life Index.
If you have the passport, it’s possible to travel from Portugal to 147 countries without a visa, 30 countries where a visa is granted on arrival, and 12 countries requiring an electronic visa.
Country Visa Condition
Albania Visa free
Andorra Visa free
Angola Visa free
Anguilla Visa free
Antigua and Barbuda Visa free
Argentina Visa free
Armenia Visa free
Aruba Visa free
Austria Visa free
Bahamas Visa free
Barbados Visa free
Belarus Visa free
Belgium Visa free
Belize Visa free
Bermuda Visa free
Bolivia Visa free
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba Visa free
Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa free
Botswana
Brazil Visa free
British Virgin Islands Visa free
Brunei Visa free
Bulgaria Visa free
Cape Verde Visa free
Cayman Islands Visa free
Chile Visa free
Colombia Visa free
Cook Islands Visa free
Costa Rica Visa free
Croatia Visa free
Curacao Visa free
Cyprus Visa free
Czech Republic Visa free
Denmark Visa free
Dominica Visa free
Dominican Republic Visa free
Ecuador Visa free
El Salvador Visa free
Estonia Visa free
Eswatini Visa free
Falkland Islands Visa free
Faroe Islands Visa free
Fiji Visa free
Finland Visa free
France Visa free
French Guiana Visa free
French Polynesia Visa free
French West Indies Visa free
Gabon Visa free
Gambia Visa free
Georgia Visa free
Germany Visa free
Gibraltar Visa free
Greece Visa free
Greenland Visa free
Grenada Visa free
Guatemala Visa free
Guyana Visa free
Haiti Visa free
Honduras Visa free
Hong Kong Visa free
Hungary Visa free
Iceland Visa free
Ireland Visa free
Israel Visa free
Italy Visa free
Jamaica Visa free
Japan Visa free
Kazakhstan Visa free
Kiribati Visa free
Kosovo Visa free
Kyrgyzstan Visa free
Latvia Visa free
Lesotho Visa free
Liechtenstein Visa free
Lithuania Visa free
Luxembourg Visa free
Macao Visa free
Malaysia Visa free
Malta Visa free
Marshall Islands Visa free
Mauritius Visa free
Mayotte Visa free
Mexico Visa free
Micronesia Visa free
Moldova Visa free
Monaco Visa free
Mongolia Visa free
Montenegro Visa free
Montserrat Visa free
Morocco Visa free
Mozambique Visa free
Namibia Visa free
Netherlands Visa free
New Caledonia Visa free
Nicaragua Visa free
North Macedonia Visa free
Norway Visa free
Palau Visa free
Palestinian Territories Visa free
Panama Visa free
Paraguay Visa free
Peru Visa free
Philippines Visa free
Poland Visa free
Reunion Visa free
Romania Visa free
Saint Kitts and Nevis Visa free
Saint Lucia Visa free
Samoa Visa free
San Marino Visa free
Sao Tome and Principe Visa free
Senegal Visa free
Serbia Visa free
Singapore Visa free
Slovakia Visa free
Slovenia Visa free
Solomon Islands Visa free
South Africa Visa free
Spain Visa free
St. Helena Visa free
St. Maarten Visa free
St. Pierre and Miquelon Visa free
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Visa free
Suriname Visa free
Sweden Visa free
Switzerland Visa free
Taiwan Visa free
Tajikistan Visa free
Thailand Visa free
Timor-Leste Visa free
Tonga Visa free
Trinidad and Tobago Visa free
Tunisia Visa free
Turkey Visa free
Turks and Caicos Islands Visa free
Tuvalu Visa free
Ukraine Visa free
United Arab Emirates Visa free
United Kingdom Visa free
Uruguay Visa free
Uzbekistan Visa free
Vanuatu Visa free
Vatican City Visa free
Venezuela Visa free
Wallis and Futuna Visa free
Zambia Visa free
Bahrain Visa free
Bangladesh Visa on arrival
Burkina Faso Visa on arrival
Burundi Visa on arrival
Cambodia Visa on arrival
Comoros Visa on arrival
Egypt Visa on arrival
Guinea-Bissau Visa on arrival
Indonesia Visa on arrival
Iraq Visa on arrival
Jordan Visa on arrival
Kuwait Visa on arrival
Laos Visa on arrival
Lebanon Visa on arrival
Madagascar Visa on arrival
Malawi Visa on arrival
Maldives Visa on arrival
Mauritania Visa on arrival
Nepal Visa on arrival
Niue Visa on arrival
Oman Visa on arrival
Qatar Visa on arrival
Rwanda Visa on arrival
Saudi Arabia Visa on arrival
Seychelles Visa on arrival
Sierra Leone Visa on arrival
Somalia Visa on arrival
Tanzania Visa on arrival
Togo Visa on arrival
Zimbabwe Visa on arrival
American Samoa Visa on arrival
Australia eVisa
Canada eVisa
Guam eVisa
New Zealand eVisa
Norfolk Island eVisa
Northern Mariana Islands eVisa
Puerto Rico eVisa
South Korea eVisa
Sri Lanka eVisa
United States of America eVisa
US Virgin Islands eVisa
Is It Worth Having a Portuguese Passport?
Having a Portuguese passport comes with a variety of advantages, making it a highly desirable asset and travel document. According to the Global Citizen Solutions Global Passport Index, the Portuguese passport is ranked 31st globally, granting its holders visa-free access to 174 countries and unrestricted entry to all 27 European Union nations. Its exceptional mobility score places it among the world’s most sought-after passports.
With a Portuguese passport, you gain the right to full European Union citizenship, enabling you to travel, work, and reside freely across the EU with your citizenship card. This status also grants you access to high-quality healthcare and public education within Portugal. Portugal’s policy of permitting dual citizenship ensures you won’t need to relinquish your original passport, provided your home country allows dual citizenship.
Your Portuguese electronic passport eliminates visa requirements and facilitates seamless travel through Portugal and the Schengen area. Plus, the electronic passport application is fairly convenient and easy. You can apply by visiting the passport bureau at Lisbon airport, your local Portuguese Consulate, or the Portuguese Embassy in your home country.
Who can get a Portuguese passport?
Portuguese passports are issued to Portuguese citizens holding a valid Portuguese Identification or Citizen Card who are registered at a Portuguese Consulate.
This means that, before getting a Portuguese passport, you’ll need to become a citizen of Portugal.
How to Get a Portuguese Passport: The Main Routes
When it comes to obtaining Portuguese citizenship, it depends on your personal situation. For example, if you have a Portuguese parent or a Portuguese grandparent listed in the Portuguese civil registry, it’s much easier to secure a passport than having no blood relatives in the country.
If you’re of Sephardic Jewish heritage, you’re also eligible to claim Portuguese citizenship and apply for a Jewish Portuguese passport as being part of the Portuguese Jewish community and as being of Sephardic Jewish descent. In 2024, parliament is discussing changes to this legislation that could impact the regulations for descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews.
Persons born in Portugal but residents of one of the former Portuguese territories can retain Portuguese citizenship. Also, persons born in former colonial Portuguese territories but living in Portugal for a long time can keep citizenship.
For expats, the most common routes to Portuguese citizenship are:
Portuguese passport through marriage
A Portuguese passport through marriage is a common way to obtain citizenship. You must be married for at least three years to a Portuguese citizen or cohabit with your partner. There is no need to have resided previously in Portugal, although you must provide documents proving your union and connection to the Portuguese community.
You can request digital marriage certificates through the Civil Online website. For paper marriage certificates, you can apply at civil registry offices, Citizen Shops, or the IRN’s Registry Spaces.
Portuguese citizenship by descent
You must have a Portuguese parent or Portuguese grandparent to be eligible to become a Portuguese national by descent. To make a citizenship application via this route, you’ll need your original birth certificate or a certified copy of it. You will also need the birth certificates of your parents or grandparents, and at least one of these ascendants must be listed in the Portuguese civil registry.
Portuguese citizenship by investment
If you want to invest in Portugal and get citizenship, you can consider the Portugal Golden Visa should be considered. This Portuguese passport by investment initiative grants qualifying investors with passports provided that they contribute to the country’s economy and maintain the respective investment for at least five years.
The Golden Visa allows family reunification, enabling immediate family members to also obtain residency permits. After five years of legal residency, investors can apply for permanent residency and citizenship, subject to meeting other legal requirements such as language proficiency. The citizenship process is also known as naturalization as a Portuguese citizen because the person must spend at least five years living in the country to be eligible for a passport.
Portuguese Passport Through the Golden Visa
Getting Portuguese Citizenship by Investment
To be eligible for Portuguese citizenship by investment, you first must apply for the Portuguese Golden Visa. The investment options are:
- Job creation: Create at least 10 jobs in Portugal. This option doesn’t require a specific amount of investment but demands the creation and maintenance of jobs.
- Scientific research activities: Invest at least €500,000 in research activities conducted by public or private scientific research institutions in Portugal.
- Arts, culture, and heritage: A minimum investment of €250,000 supporting the arts or the reconstruction or refurbishment of national heritage projects.
- Venture capital or investment funds: Invest at least €500,000 in venture capital funds or investment funds dedicated to the capitalization of companies.
Golden Visa holders must spend a minimum of seven days in Portugal during the first year and 14 days in subsequent two-year periods.
In October 2023, the Portugal Golden Visa investment options were changed, and it’s no longer possible to make a Golden Visa application with a real estate investment or capital transfer.
From the Golden Visa to the Portuguese Passport
Portugal citizenship through the Golden Visa is only possible after the applicant maintains his investment in Portugal for five years. You must also:
- Obtain a criminal record certificate proving you have been a legal resident in Portugal for at least five years.
- Present proof of sufficient knowledge of the language.
- Provide details of your current Portuguese residency and your unique tax identification number (NIF) in Portugal.
After getting Portuguese citizenship, you can obtain your Portuguese passport.
What are the Portuguese passport requirements?
The requirements depend upon which path you take for Portuguese citizenship. If you’re a foreign resident who wants to become a citizen of Portugal, you must have resided in Portugal for five years. However, this is reduced to three years for foreign citizens who have been married or in a legal partnership with a Portuguese national for three years.
Besides this, the requirements under Portuguese nationality law include the following:
- At least A2 level in the Portuguese language. You can prove your Portuguese language proficiency by taking a CIPLE language test.
- Clean health record
- Criminal record certified by AIMA (Portuguese Immigration and Border Service)
- Evidence of residency in Portugal
- Completed application form
The government of Portugal developed a Portuguese language test, known as a CIPLE exam, in 2006 to test the candidates’ capacity to understand and apply common Portuguese phrases. If you’re already familiar with European languages, it’s not too tricky, but it might be difficult for native English speakers.
The new law for Portuguese citizenship by marriage is that you must be married or in a non-marital relationship with a Portuguese national for over three years. There is no residency requirement for this route.
Portuguese passport required documents
When requesting your Portuguese passport, you’ll need to present the following documents:
- Valid Portuguese identity card (the Bilhete do Cidadão)
- Your original, valid passport
- Completed application form
Portuguese Passport Processing Time
Once the required paperwork is submitted, the Portuguese passport processing time usually takes five business days. In urgent cases, and at the applicant’s request, the passport processing time can be fast-tracked to two working business days for an additional fee.
Where to apply for a Portuguese passport
You can apply for a Portuguese passport at the following:
- Insituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN) offices
- Autonomous regional governments of the islands of Madeira and the Azores
- Passport shops at the airports in Lisbon and Porto
- A Portuguese Embassy or Portuguese Consulate in your area of residence if you aren’t in Portugal
How much does a Portuguese passport cost?
The passport application fee is just €65 if you’re applying for Portuguese citizenship in the Portuguese national territory. If you’re in the United States, for example, the passport costs around €100 to obtain.
Portugal Passport Renewal
The validity period of a Portuguese passport is five years, and it’s renewable. If your passport is set to expire within the next six months, you have the option to apply for its renewal.
The cost of renewing a Portuguese passport is €100. In cases of early renewal, regardless of the reason (such as a stolen or lost passport), an additional fee will be applicable.
Your Portuguese passport can be renewed within the period six months before the date that your passport expires.
You’ll need to bring the following documents:
- Cartão de Cidadão (citizen card)
- Your original valid passport (for renewal)
Once your passport reaches its expiration date, renewal isn’t an option. Instead, you must apply for a new passport and undergo the complete passport application process from scratch.
Dual Citizenship in Portugal
Portugal permits dual citizenship, meaning you can maintain your home country’s passport when securing a passport in Portugal. To make a request, you must have lived lawfully in Portugal for five years, been born in Portugal, have Portuguese parents or a Portuguese grandparent, or be married to a Portuguese citizen.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Portuguese Passport
How can you get a passport in Portugal?
You can get a Portuguese passport by marriage, a passport by descent, or a passport by investment. There are certain additional requirements such as showing a connection to the Portuguese community in some cases.
How do I apply for a Portguese passport online?
It’s not possible to apply for a Portuguese passport online. To get your passport, you’ll need to apply in person from the Passport Outlets at Lisbon Airport and Porto Airport, the registry offices (Conservatories and Citizen’s Stores), the Governments of the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, and in Portuguese Consulates.
How much is the Portguese passport renewal fee?
The Portuguese passport renewal fee starts from €100, and there’s an additional charge if you get a new one because the previous one was lost or stolen.
Can I buy a Portuguese passport?
No, you can’t buy a Portuguese passport. You can obtain a passport in Portugal by making a qualifying investment in the nation through the Portugal Golden Visa program. You’ll then need to hold your investment for five years and fulfill all the requirements under Portuguese law.
What are the documents required to apply for Portuguese citizenship?
If you’re a resident of Portugal, you’ll need to have spent five years in the country. You can then apply for a permanent residence permit and go about obtaining Portuguese citizenship.
You will also need to present the following:
- Proof of at least A2 level in the Portuguese language
- Clean health record
- Criminal record certified by AIMA (formerly SEF)
- Portuguese residency evidence
What are the advantages of owning a passport from Portugal?
The Portuguese passport allows free travel across 174 countries and visa-free access to all 27 EU countries.
If you get a Portuguese passport, there are many advantages, including the right to enjoy full EU citizenship status in the country and travel, work, and live freely anywhere within the EU. A Portuguese passport means you have free access to excellent health care and public schooling in the country.
Portugal also allows for dual citizenship, so you won’t have to relinquish your previous passport from your home country (as long as your home country also allows dual citizenship).
How long does it take to obtain a passport from Portugal?
Passports are issued in Portugal and usually take five business days if all the documents required are correct. There is a fast track option of two business days.
How do you renew a Portuguese passport?
The standard Portuguese passport validity is for five years. You can apply for a replacement passport if it is due to expire within six months.
Which countries can I travel to with a Portuguese passport?
If you get a Portuguese passport, you have visa free-access to 189 countries, showing that Portuguese citizenship has many mobility benefits. This includes being able to travel to Portugal for however long you want.
Once you obtain Portuguese citizenship and get a Portuguese passport, you have excellent mobility, including free movement across the EU and other Schengen countries. The Portuguese passport benefits extend to Canada, the UK, and the USA, where there is easy mobility to these countries.
What is the Portugal passport processing time?
Passports are issued in Portugal and usually take five business days if all the documents required are correct. If needed, there is a fast track option of two business days.
How can you acquire Portuguese citizenship by marriage?
You can become a Portuguese citizen by having a Portuguese parent or grandparent, being married or in a non-marital relationship with a Portuguese citizen for more than three years, or having been living in Portugal for five years and gaining citizenship through naturalization.
Is it easy to get citizenship in Portugal?
Portugal is one of the easiest countries in the EU to acquire citizenship. You will need to have Portuguese parents or grandparents, be married or in a de-facto relationship with a Portuguese national for more than three years, or secure citizenship through naturalization.
Under the Portuguese Golden Visa program, you can acquire residency in the country. After five years, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship, provided you meet all the requirements under Portuguese nationality law and maintain your investment during this period.
How long does it take to become a citizen of Portugal?
Becoming a citizen of Portugal through naturalization will take five years. For foreign citizens who are married to a Portuguese national or are in a non-martial relationship with a Portuguese national, then it will take three years to become a citizen of Portugal. The process to gain citizenship through descent will be significantly faster, provided you have the correct documentation.
How do you get Portuguese citizenship?
Through the Portuguese Golden Visa program, you can acquire residency in the country. After five years, you can then apply for Portuguese citizenship, provided you meet all the requirements under Portuguese nationality law and maintain your investment during this time period.
If you are looking to request Portuguese nationality and gain citizenship without having to make a significant investment in the country, options include the following:
- Having a Portuguese parent or grandparent
- Being married or in a non-marital relationship with a Portuguese citizen for more than three years
- Having been living in Portugal for five years and gaining citizenship through naturalization
How much does it cost to become a citizen of Portugal?
Through the Portugal Golden Visa residency by investment program, you can secure residency in the country. After a five-year period, provided you maintain your investment and fulfill all the requirements under Portuguese nationality law, you can apply for citizenship.
There are a range of investment options, with the minimum investment beginning at €200,000 (cultural Golden Visa if the project is located in a low-density area).
Can you have dual US citizenship with Portugal?
As Portugal and the USA both allow dual nationality, you can have both US and Portuguese citizenship.
Does Portugal allow dual citizenship?
Yes, Portugal allows dual citizenship. Portuguese nationals can acquire another citizenship and won’t need to relinquish their passport, provided the other country allows dual citizenship. Similarly, someone acquiring Portuguese citizenship can keep their original citizenship.
What are the Portugal passport requirements for US citizens?
To request a Portuguese passport, US citizens must become Portuguese citizens (by descent, naturalization, or marriage) and get their Portuguese Citizen Cards.
How do I request a Portuguese electronic passport?
Generally, all passports issued in Portugal since 2006 are electronic and include a contactless microchip.
They can be requested from the passport bureaus in Lisbon and Porto airports, te Governments of the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, the IRN’s desks that provide this service, or at the Portuguese consulate of your residence area
In exceptional cases that include the urgent need for travel documents, temporary passports that aren’t electronic can be issued.
Is a Portuguese passport better than a US passport?
Both Portuguese and US passports offer valuable travel privileges. While a Portuguese passport grants access to the EU and its associated benefits, a US passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to numerous countries worldwide, including Canada, Japan, and Australia.