Portugal visa processing time

Wondering how long the visa process takes in Portugal? This is what you need to know about the visa processing time and what influence it.

Article by Viv Europe - Official Legal and Relocation Partner to KipperTree.

06 01 2023
Portugal is a beautiful country, and there are plenty of reasons why you should visit or consider immigrating to this country. The weather is gorgeous, the living standards are good, and the local population is generally very friendly and accommodating. Who wouldn’t really want to come to Portugal?

However, if your dream is to move to Portugal for whatever reason, you may need a Visa for legal entry and stay. It is essential to have an idea of how long the application visa process takes in order to prepare accordingly. You don’t want to get yourself in a scenario where you experience unnecessary delays because your visa has not been processed in time.

So what is the average visa processing time? To answer this question, we are going to discuss in detail some of the factors that influence visa processing in Portugal. In addition, this post is also going to shed some light on ways that you can improve the success of your application. Sit tight, and let’s get right in.

How long until my Portugal visa is approved?

First off, it is essential to let you know that there are several types of visas that grant applicants entry for several reasons. Portugal primarily has three types of visas that you can apply for including; a short-stay visa, a temporary visa, and a long-stay visa.

The short-stay visa is given to individuals who wish to stay in Portugal for less than 90 days.

A temporary visa, on the other hand, is ideal for individuals who wish to stay in Portugal for over 90 days but up to one year.

Finally, the long-stay visa is for anyone with the intention of living legally in Portugal for over a year.

Each type of visa has a different requirement as far as the application is concerned. Therefore, you should expect a different approval time depending on the complexity of the verification process of each visa application. Nonetheless, the average time for approval should be between 2 weeks to 7 months depending on the specific type of visa you are applying for.

Factors that may alter your Portugal visa processing time

As mentioned earlier, the specific type of visa you are applying for has a lot to do with how long the processing time will be. Other than the type of visa, there are other factors that will also influence the processing and approval time. Let’s discuss.

The type of visa you applied for

The short stay and temporary visas do not have a lot of application requirements, therefore, the processing period is equally shorter. On average, the processing time for a short-stay visa is roughly 2 weeks but can extend up to a month.

However, the long-stay visa, better referred to as a residency visa, is broken down further into specific types of visas that give applicants permission to stay in Portugal for different reasons.

Some examples of the different types of residency visas include the student visa, work visas and many others.

Each one of these residency visas has its own application requirement. Because of this difference, the applications tend to take longer than the short-term visas. To put this into perspective, a student visa could take up to 3 months to process, while a Business Visa takes between 6 to 7 months. It is worth mentioning that your application doesn’t always need to take this long, your individual circumstance will also play a part in the duration of your application.

The condition of the documents you submitted

You will spend a good time preparing and gathering the documentation together. For instance, you will need to open a bank account in Portugal and also secure a NIF number before applying for any visa.

On the other hand, you will also require to show proof that you have secured employment in Portugal as a prerequisite for a work visa. The time you take to put the different documentation is different which means that other processes will also take longer. 

International politics

It is only recently that we have learned that there are external factors that can affect the global operation which also include visa application and processing time. For instance, the onset of the current pandemic sent shock waves to every corner of the globe and everything ground to a halt.

Visa applications were suspended for a very long time because travelling was cancelled. Other than the pandemic, another factor is Portugal’s international relationships. Well, it goes without saying that some applications will require rigorous vetting and hence often takes longer than applications for other regions. 

What can I do to speed up my visa’s processing time?

Often the visa processing time is out of our hands, what we can do to help the process is to make sure our first application is good enough to be successful.

How long until my Portugal visa is approved

Follow a specialist's tips, put together every document needed, and do your best to hurry and make it to the consulate appointment on time. You can find all the instructions for applying for a visa for Portugal on their official embassy website, and no mistakes are tolerated in this process.

What if my visa is denied?

Visa application rejection is a common thing that happens quite often. In fact, thousands of visa applications are rejected because of several reasons, some of which can be easily avoidable. 

However, you should also be aware that the embassy or consulate has the right to deny an applicant a visa even if they have presented every necessary document. 

A reason why this could happen to you is when you fail to explain satisfactorily the reasons for your stay in Portugal. Having said that, a single cancellation will, in fact, set you back several months. 

So what do you do when your visa is denied? There are two possible approaches you can take when your Portugal visa is denied. First, you can write an appeal to challenge the initial decision or you can start the entire process all over again. 

It is important to highlight that you need to file the appeal within three months of the acknowledgement of the refusal. Also, if you decide to go through the application process all over again, you will have to pay the application fee once more.

How can I increase my chances of successfully obtaining a visa for Portugal?

Ultimately, getting a Portuguese visa is what grants you access to pursue your dreams of relocating permanently to Portugal. 

Let’s face it, depending on the individual nature of your application, there is always a chance of a visa denial. 

Nonetheless, there are ways of improving your chances of successfully obtaining a visa. Let’s have a look.

Research the process

If truly moving to Portugal is important to you, then you will take the application process with the seriousness it deserves. Do not rush the process, do your due diligence first. 

You should be aware of all the necessary documentation for the specific type of visa you want to apply for. 

Again, remember that the processing time is different for all types of visas. Therefore, be sure to start the visa application process early enough to avoid unnecessary delays in your travel.

Hire professional assistance

If it is your first experience moving to a different country, the entire process can be quite overwhelming given the plenty of paperwork that you are required to fill out. 

It gets even more frustrating because the Portuguese system is not only bureaucratic but a lot of the official documentation is available in Portuguese. 

Viv Europe Portugal visa assistance

Getting a helping hand along the process is one of the ways of bettering your chances for success. 

Seasoned professionals are well acquainted with the immigration process and will help you avoid the minor mistakes that you are likely to make if you do the application yourself. 

Lastly, be honest in your answers, avail all the documents needed, and give a proper reflection of your financial situation. You will find the process much easier and increase the chances of having a successful application.

Are you ready to get professional visa assistance? Be sure to contact Viv Europe. We are your one-stop shop for all your immigration services. Our professionals are well-versed in the application requirement for the different types of visas, and our financial and legal professionals will take care of the technicalities of the process. 

Article by Viv Europe - Official Legal and Relocation Partner to KipperTree.

Read the full article here