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Permanent Residence in Portugal
Luis Minvielle
Luis is a writer with over 5 years of experience in B2B software. Even though he has always worked in tech, a sector he regularly publishes about, his initial incursions into writing were, curiously enough, music essays discussing scenes from different parts of the world—most likely to deal with his unfulfilled ambition of becoming a neo-soul crooner.
Oleksandra Dosii
Oleksandra is a dedicated marketer with a passion for growing HR-tech products. She believes content marketing is about delivering high-quality content that provides value—not just generating leads. Since 2016, Oleksandra has been involved in tech talent relocation.
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After moving to Portugal, you will be able to get only a temporary residence permit. But once you have lived in the country for five consecutive years legally, you may become eligible to get a residência permanente or permanent residence permit that offers more rights and benefits.
If you’re seeking Portuguese permanent residence, you should also consider citizenship. Becoming a Portuguese citizen takes the same amount of time: five years.
What is a Portuguese permanent residence permit?
The Portuguese permanent residence permit, also called residência permanente, is given to applicants who are 18 years old or older and have been living in Portugal for 5 consecutive years.
To be eligible for permanent residence, you must also have a certification of at least A2 on the CIPLE (Initial Certificate of Portuguese as Foreign Language), proof of financial means, up-to-date tax and security payments, and a clean criminal record.
What are the benefits of a Portuguese permanent residence permit?
Since it’s a longer-term permit, the Portuguese permanent residence permit allows you to live in Portugal indefinitely, without the need to ask for a renewal like you would do with a visa. More importantly, with a permanent residence permit, you’ll be able to work, study a degree, or start a business in Portugal without having to renew your specific visa every couple of years. A permanent residence permit is not exactly required to buy a property or ask for a mortgage in the country, but it means you’ll already have your fiscal ID, which is indeed mandatory to buy a home in Portugal. Software engineer Pieter Levels famously bought a property there using his funds from a digital bank. Anyone can try that, but he could do it so quickly because he’s Dutch (and thus a European citizen), and requesting a fiscal ID for him was less tedious than for a random expat.
Additionally, obtaining a permanent residence permit makes it easier to apply for Portuguese citizenship, as it works as additional proof that you have integrated into the local community. But citizenship takes the same amount of time as the residence permit takes — you need five years — which means you should consider going for the Portuguese passport from the get-go.
When can you apply for a Portuguese permanent residence permit?
To request a permanent residence permit in Portugal, you need to have lived in the country for at least 5 consecutive years. During this time, you cannot have spent more than 6 months in a year or 12 consecutive months outside the country, or else you will not be eligible for the permit.
What documents are required to apply for a Portuguese permanent residence permit?
The list of documents required for applying for a Portuguese permanent residence permit is as follows:
- Application form filled in Portuguese
- Valid Identification Document
- Two recent passport-sized photographs
- Proof of financial means
- Up-to-date tax and social security payments
- Proof of holding a temporary resident permit for the last 5 years
- Proof of residence address and housing terms
- CIPLE certificate of A2 or higher.
To submit the documentation and process your request, you have to book an appointment with the Integration, Migration and Asylum Agency (AIMA) and go in person to an AIMA office. The request can take several weeks to process once all the documents are presented.
What are Portuguese permanent residence permit fees?
Submitting a permanent residence application has a fee of around €120, and the permit itself has a price of about €320. These prices, however, can vary greatly depending on several factors, so make sure to check the AIMA website, where you’ll find a detailed fee list.
Can your family members get permanent residency?
If you have a legal residence in Portugal, you can bring a spouse, dependent children under 18, dependent parents, and dependent siblings under 18 with a family reunion visa. Once they are living in Portugal, they can apply for a temporary residence permit and, after the 5 consecutive years of residence have passed, they can request a permanent residence permit following the same process detailed above.
What if your application is rejected
If your permanent residence application is rejected, you can appeal the decision within the next 15 days after you get the decision informed. If the appeal is in turn refused, you can take your complaint to your district’s court within 3 months.
Talk to an immigration expert
Applying for a Portuguese permanent residence permit is relatively straightforward, but the amount of documents and different paperwork required to do so can get overwhelming quickly. Consider getting help from a professional who can help you navigate the different procedures needed to get your permit and get to live in Portugal indefinitely.
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