The Residence Card for family members of European Union (EU) nationals, which formalizes the right of residence in Portugal, must be requested if the third-country family member stays in Portugal for a period exceeding 3 months and up to 5 years.
Os familiares nacionais de países terceiros que estejam fora de Portugal são admitidos no país mediante a apresentação de um passaporte válido e estão sujeitos à obrigação de visto de entrada conforme as normas vigentes da UE.
The right to enter, stay, and reside in Portugal applies to nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Andorra, and Switzerland, as well as their family members.
Regulations and Residence Rights
Article 15 of Law No. 37/2006 regulates the right of residence and movement of EU citizens and their family members in Portuguese territory. This article transposes into Portuguese law Directive No. 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and the Council.
The residence rights of family members of EU citizens are not affected by:
- Temporary absences of up to 6 consecutive months per year or 8 non-consecutive months;
- Longer absences due to military obligations, pregnancy, serious illness, studies, professional training, or professional secondment.
The residence rights of family members of EU citizens cover the entire national territory.
How to Apply
To obtain a residence card, it is necessary to:
- Schedule an appointment at the AIMA regional office;
- Submit the required documents;
- Pay the issuance fee for the residence card.
Costs and Processing Times
- Processing fee: €15;
- Processing time: Approximately 90 business days;
- The procedure involves a single application step with AIMA.
The residence card is valid for five years from the date of issuance.
If you have any questions about the residence card application process, please contact us for more information!