Immigration to Portugal: it's relevant today

1. Pros of living in Portugal
2. Prices in Portugal
3. How to move to live in Portugal?
4. Golden visa
5. Buying a property
6. Investments in the economy
7. Financially independent
8. Employment
9. Startup Visa
10. Studies
11. Family reunification
12. Refugees
13. Residence permit
14. permanent residence
15. Citizenship

Portugal is one of the most affordable countries to move to Europe. The requirements for obtaining a residence permit in Portugal are minimal, and the authorities are loyal to attracting expats.

More than 10 million people live in Portugal. Of these, almost 600 thousand are foreigners permanently and legally residing in the country. This is an unprecedented figure for Portugal: the number of migrants is growing every year. The vast majority of expats live in Lisbon, Faro, Setubal and Porto.

Thanks to stable economic growth over the past few years, the country's standard of living has been improving. Unemployment in Portugal reached 16.2% in 2013, while in 2021 it has already dropped to 5.9%. This is an inexpensive country to live in, but with a high quality of life.

Pros of living in Portugal

• Affordable real estate. You can buy a home in Portugal for an average of 1,100 euros/m², while in neighboring Spain prices remain at 1,800 euros/m². You can rent a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon for about 600 - 800 euros per month.
• Low prices for goods and services. The cost of living in Portugal is 1.5-2 times lower than in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, according to Numbeo.
• Citizenship after 5 years. You can apply for Portuguese citizenship after 5 years of residence in the country. This is one of the fastest opportunities to obtain a European passport. Naturalization in Spain and Italy takes 10 years, and in Greece - 7 years.
• Preferential tax regime. In Portugal, new tax residents have a special regime for 10 years - Non-Habitual Residents. Under it, the income tax rate is reduced to 20%, and taxes are not levied on income received outside Portugal.
• Delicious and healthy products. Mediterranean cuisine is one of the main secrets of the health and longevity of local residents. Thus, the average life expectancy in Portugal exceeds 81 years.
• Low crime rate. Portugal is recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. It took third place in the 2021 Global Peace Index, behind only Iceland and New Zealand.
• Mild climate. Summer in Portugal is not too hot thanks to the ocean breeze; the thermometer here usually does not exceed +30 °C. And winters are mild and warm; in the coastal regions of the country the temperature even in the “cold” season reaches +13 - 17 °C. Portugal is the sunniest country in Europe: the sun shines here 300 days a year.
• English language. In Portugal, foreign films in cinema and television are not dubbed, but shown in the original with subtitles in Portuguese. Probably due to this and the fact that English is taught as a second language in schools, most young people speak English fluently. Portugal is ranked 7th in the world in the EF English Proficiency Index in 2021.
• Friendly attitude towards foreigners. Portugal has been voted the most hospitable and expat-friendly country in the world in 2021, ranking number one in expat network InterNations' rankings.

Refugees avoid Portugal

April 22, 2016

Alexey Samoilovich

Alexey has been working in journalism for more than 15 years. Among all the countries and edges of the world, he values ​​Portugal most of all - small and cozy, on the very western coast of Eurasia. Only now have we begun to truly get to know this country with a great history and no less interesting present, and this is largely the merit of Alexei Samoilovich. Forward, through time and thousands of kilometers.

• 121 materials
• Write to the author

The rare news that they decided to temporarily house Syrians fleeing the war in the Russian Syktyvkar and other Solovki looks like just a newspaper duck, so they shouldn’t even be taken seriously today.

In all this flow of people, destinies and passions, the position of Portugal is interesting. Representing the south of Europe, Portugal, however, is devoid of the terrible outbursts of emotions familiar to southerners.

This is largely due to the migrants themselves: they shy away from Portugal like hell from incense, and do not want to go there under any circumstances. You can understand them: as Zhvanetsky said, “people have great grief, they want to bargain.” Benefits for immigrants in Portugal are minimal, while in wealthy Germany or Belgium the bill runs into thousands of euros per month.

Therefore, Germany is rapidly turning into the Second Nerezinovaya, accommodating millions of migrants, and southern and warm Portugal reports to the whole world that it is ready to accept as many refugees as it wants - at least 1200, at least 1400.

Catharsis came when the new Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, made a statement. He sent letters to all his colleagues in the European Union and said that he and the new government had carefully considered Portugal's capacity to receive immigrants from Africa and came to the conclusion that the country could accept about 10 thousand people - 5,800 more than the quotas stipulated. Job vacancies have been found for refugees in forest and rural areas of the country and educational places in vocational schools that train people in blue-collar professions and bachelors.

After the revelations about forest and rural areas, the tiny trickle of people wishing to flee to Portugal dropped to almost zero. If in mid-December 2015 there were news reports that the first 24 refugees had arrived, for whom temporary housing had already been prepared, then very meager crumbs began to fall about four Syrians who began attending Portuguese language courses, and even weaker news was reported in at the end of January 2016, that two more refugees from Eritrea and Iraq were arriving in Portugal from a Greek reception center. They were even met at the airport by representatives of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and the Jesuit refugee service Serviço Jesuíta aos Refugiados.

The Portuguese themselves are quite calm about the problem of the abundance of refugees in Europe. From time immemorial, a small but constant trickle of foreigners has flowed into Portugal, and it has always been possible to dissolve it in the Portuguese sea, to assimilate it without problems, stress or crime. And now, as long as the number of foreigners is small, the processes can be perceived without unnecessary negativity.

It is not known whether it is sad or not, but the flow of people fleeing the war in Portugal is not noticed. There are those who come here traditionally and consistently, year after year. Chinese soon-to-be rich, greedy for the golden residence permit program. The Russian so-called middle class, who managed to allocate 200-400 thousand euros from the family budget for a villa overlooking the ocean. French pensioners fleeing from wild taxes not to Mordovian Saransk, but to Algarve Albufeira. American lovers of a beautiful life. Norwegian and British old men with tightly knit business plans. Angolan and Brazilian romantics who are bored while away their lives in their homeland. Tens of millions of tourists from all over the world, Ukrainians, Nepalese, Dutch - but not Syrians.

Apparently, the wave of refugees now is not what it used to be. If during the Second World War tens of thousands of people did not consider it shameful to flee from Nazism through neutral Portugal (let us at least remember the feat of the great Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who, as Portuguese consul in Bordeaux, saved more than 30 thousand Jews from the Nazis), now immigrants are looking for more attractive ways , economically sound, tolerant and handshake. This is their right. Just as before we did not dictate to the mussels which path to choose on the path to prosperity, so now we can only advise. In any case, movement is life!

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Prices in Portugal

How to move to live in Portugal?

• Come to the country on a work visa;
• Marry a resident;
• Enroll in an educational institution;
• Invest in the country's economy;
• Buy real estate worth from 350 thousand euros;
• Open or move a startup to the country;
• Travel as a financially independent person;
• Migrate through family reunification;
• Leave as a refugee.

Most often, residence permits in Portugal are obtained by students, pensioners, family members of Portuguese residents, and the country's authorities are also actively issuing residence permits to start-ups.

Golden visa

Portugal Golden Visa is a government program that provides a residence permit in the country in exchange for investment. You can get a golden visa through the purchase of Portuguese real estate or investment in the country's economy. The program provides an opportunity to quickly become a resident of the country. The investor and his family obtain a residence permit in just 2-6 months.

A residence permit is issued for one year, renewable for two years and then for another two years. If the investment is maintained, the residence permit is extended indefinitely. However, after 5 years, an investor can obtain permanent residence and apply for Portuguese citizenship. And after receiving permanent residence, he can exit the investment, but he will not lose his resident status.

What privileges do investors who have received a residence permit in Portugal have?

A person who has received a Portuguese visa under the investment program receives a number of corresponding benefits, as well as all the rights of a full-fledged citizen of the European Union.

• Visa-free travel in all countries participating in the Schengen Agreement. Possibility of unhindered and uninterrupted stay in each EU country for up to 90 days.
• The holder of a Portuguese residence permit can become a full citizen of the country after 5 years.
• So-called “returnable” investments are provided. You are only required to hold the purchased property for five years. After this period, all real estate, securities (including shares) and even businesses can be freely sold.
• You get the right to open accounts in European banks, as well as carry out financial transactions through them.
• Businessmen pay taxes in only one country.
• Children of a person with a residence permit can study at any higher education institution in Portugal.

Buying a property

Buying a home is the most popular option for obtaining a golden visa in Portugal. In 2021, more than 93% of investors chose this option of obtaining a residence permit in Portugal for investment.

How to get a residence permit in Portugal for purchasing a home?

• Buy housing in Portugal costing from 500 thousand euros.
• Buy real estate in Portugal costing from 350 thousand euros for renovation. In this case, the housing must be over 30 years old and located in a historical area that is subject to restoration as part of the city program. The investor undertakes to restore such an object.

Important. A minimum investment amount can be invested in several properties in Portugal; it is not necessary to buy one expensive house or apartment. In this case, housing can be rented out and receive income in euros. You can sell real estate after 5 years of residence in the country and obtaining permanent residence status.

To the cost of real estate you need to add the costs of its registration - about 10-12% of the price of the property. And the maintenance of housing will cost about 2 thousand euros per year.

Note. You can get a residence permit for purchasing real estate in Lisbon, Porto and on the coast only until July 1, 2021! From now on, the Portuguese authorities will issue golden visas for the purchase of housing exclusively in the interior regions of the country, in the Azores or Madeira.

Additional investment options

In addition to purchasing real estate, the country offers investors a number of other investment options. For example, you can purchase government securities, open a deposit in a Portuguese bank, or invest in a business project approved by the Portuguese government. The minimum investment size, when choosing any of the above options, will be 1 million euros. The investment must be maintained for a five-year period.

For some investors, a non-refundable donation to the country's government fund may be a more suitable option. The contribution amount starts from 250 thousand euros. It is also possible to obtain a Portuguese residence permit by investing 500 thousand euros in a small and medium-sized business. In this case, the investor will receive Portuguese citizenship after 6 years.

Investments in the economy

In addition to buying a home, there are other alternative options for obtaining a golden visa, but they traditionally do not attract strong interest from foreign investors.

How to get a residence permit in Portugal for investing in the economy?

• Buy shares of a Portuguese company or open an account in a Portuguese bank for an amount of at least 1 million euros.
• Buy shares in an investment fund in the amount of 350 thousand euros, while at least 60% of the fund’s investments must be directed to Portuguese companies.
• Open a business and create at least 10 jobs for Portuguese citizens.
• Donate 350 thousand euros for research activities in Portugal.
• Donate 250 thousand euros for the restoration and preservation of the country's cultural heritage.

What does it take to become an investor in the Portuguese economy?

To immigrate to Portugal and obtain a golden visa you must:

• Have citizenship of a country outside the European Union.
• Reach adulthood.
• The funds invested must be earned (or otherwise received) outside Portugal.
• Payments under the investment program must be made only through Portuguese banks.
• A medical insurance policy is required.

In addition to the above, the applicant is obliged to invest money in the country’s economy by choosing one of the options offered by the residence permit program. There are many of them, which is quite convenient for potential investors. Among them:

• Purchase of any residential, industrial or commercial real estate. The mandatory purchase price of several properties must not be less than 500,000 euros.
• Participation in the renovation program of historical, architectural or cultural heritage sites. The investor has the right to select and purchase one or more proposed buildings over 30 years old and restore it at his own expense. The transaction amount cannot be less than 350 thousand euros.

For entrepreneurs and business owners who are planning to immigrate to Portugal, the gold program provides the following investment opportunities:

• Providing the inspection authorities with employment contracts concluded between the investor’s enterprise and 10 Portuguese citizens implies that the applicant has employed the required number of people.
• Replenishing the authorized capital of the Portuguese company of your choice by 350,000 euros or purchasing a share of the business for this amount. A prerequisite is the retention of all employees - no layoffs.
• Opening a company, the constituent documents of which will include an amount of at least 350 thousand euros, and employing at least five Portuguese citizens in it.
• You can purchase shares of any Portuguese company for 1,000,000 euros or transfer the same amount to a personal account in one of the banks in Portugal.
• Contribution of a minimum of 350 thousand euros to funds investing in small and medium-sized businesses in Portugal.
• Contributions from 350,000 euros are provided for scientific research in the country, and 250,000 euros can be spent on maintaining and developing culture and art.

Financially independent

Portugal issues residence permits to wealthy foreigners who can prove an income sufficient to live in the country. Both wealthy pensioners and businessmen with passive income, as well as rentiers who rent out real estate, can obtain a residence permit.

To obtain a residence permit, you need to buy or rent housing in Portugal and have passive income that exceeds the cost of living in the country - 635 euros per month or 7,620 euros per year. Income can be obtained from renting out real estate, dividends from bank deposits, pensions, business profits, intellectual property, securities, etc.

A foreigner can show the entire amount sufficient to live in Portugal for a year in a bank account:

• 7,620 euros - for the main applicant;
• 3,600 euros - for each additional adult;
• 2,160 euros - for each child.

This is the minimum level to qualify for residency in Portugal for financially independent individuals. However, the larger the amount the applicant shows, the higher the chances of a positive decision.

Employment

The basis for legal work in the country is an invitation from a Portuguese employer and the conclusion of an employment contract with him. Submitting these documents to the Portuguese consulate allows the foreigner to obtain a work visa and then a residence permit in Portugal. Migrants who agree to work illegally in Portugal face deportation from the country for violating labor laws. Preference in hiring is given to Portuguese and EU citizens. Immigrants can only apply for a job if the Portuguese themselves refuse it.

You can find open vacancies in Portugal on the employment sites sapo.pt, indeed.pt, adecco.pt. Jobs in Portugal are also searched for on Linkedin and often in Facebook groups. For example, a group with vacancies in the digital sphere DDR Job Board. Positions for designers, advertisers and copywriters are available on the Carga de trabalhos website.

Moving to Portugal is more convenient for freelancers and those who can work remotely. Migrants often work in the hotel and restaurant business, in the service sector, construction and agriculture, as well as in medicine. In Portugal you should not expect high salaries: the average salary is 1,200 euros per month. More than 2,000 euros are usually received by highly qualified specialists (programmers, engineers, doctors) who speak English.

Pros of Portugal

• Climate. We live in the south of the country. The minimum temperature in winter is +5 ºС. The annual average is +25 ºС. I don’t even want to go on vacation, we just have better conditions. Surfing, diving, kite surfing, mountain biking, everything is here. The water is warm in summer, but in winter you wear a wetsuit, and that’s also quite normal. The nature is incredible. My wife films entire relaxation videos on her YouTube. There are plenty of landscapes here that you want to show for hours.
• The Portuguese speak at least two languages, many speak three or four. Many British, Scots, Germans, and French lived here. In neighboring Spain there are fewer such polyglots. My son now speaks fluent Russian, Portuguese, English, French, and understands Spanish quite well. It will not be lost in life.
• The infrastructure is European. Streets, transport. Excellent Internet: the main highway connecting Europe with the States runs in the south of Portugal. For €30 I get more than 300 Mbit/s.
• Wonderful ecology. Fresh vegetables, fish. Delicious, healthy food.
• It's very safe here. I'm not afraid to send my children to school on their own. I myself am not afraid to walk at night. Sometimes I don’t even lock the car at night. Sometimes there are burglaries, that's the only thing I hear about. In Italy and Spain the situation is worse.
• Inexpensive rent if you live all year round. Since 2014, our payment has not changed. We pay €450. Two large rooms, a hall and two huge balconies. One balcony is 60 m2, the other is 30 m2. The Portuguese generally love large balconies. My daughter rides a bicycle on my balcony.
• Buying real estate is also profitable. Many people take out an apartment on credit. They receive up to 10% per year from rent to tourists, this covers payments. And plus their real estate is rising in price. Some people, I know, own three or four apartments. Real estate is mainly searched here on the websites custojusto.pt and olx.pt.
• We used to not really like the fact that cities near the sea are very humid. The air becomes unpleasant over time. And here there is such a peculiarity that at about 4 o’clock in the evening every day the north wind begins, and all the moisture is carried into the ocean. These wind movements prevent the humidity from increasing much. Therefore, it is more pleasant for us to be here than in Thailand, Crimea, and so on.
• Portugal is in the same time zone as England, only a few hours difference from the States. Here it is good to work remotely for British companies with high salaries. Just during Covid, this direction has developed greatly.

Startup Visa

The Startup Visa program provides a residence permit for businessmen who are ready to open an innovative startup in Portugal or move a branch of an existing startup there from their home country.

The startup must have the potential to create 5 jobs for Portuguese citizens in 2 years. The estimated value of the assets or turnover of the startup in 5 years should be from 325 thousand euros per year. The project must interest at least one of the 78 certified incubators.

Lisbon is one of the main startup hubs in Europe. The city has a developed IT community. This is due to the ease of opening a company, low taxes and relatively low employee salaries. Thus, Senior iOS Developer receives approximately 2,000 euros per month.

In recent years, there have been many government initiatives to develop high-tech startups in the city, with several incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces and new investors emerging. Large companies in Lisbon include Oracle, Cisco, and Microsoft. Lisbon is hosting the largest annual IT event, WebSummit, starting in 2021. It was recently announced that the city will continue to host WebSummit until 2028.

Startup hubs in Lisbon:

• Second Home opened its second site in the world in Lisbon after London;
• one of the most effective incubators Startup Lisboa;
• popular accelerator Lisbon Challenge;
• coworking LACS;
• startup hub Impact Hub;
• coworking and incubator Canopy;
• giant startup space Beato Creative Hub - it is planned that the area of ​​the startup hub will reach 100,000 m².

Studies

The easiest way to immigrate to Portugal is to enroll in one of the Portuguese universities. Enrolling in a university is not difficult, but it is important to have enough funds in your account to pay for tuition. A foreign student receives a residence permit in Portugal for the entire period of study. He also has the right to work, but not more than 20 hours a week.

It’s even easier to sign up for long-term Portuguese language courses. A foreigner will receive a Schengen student visa for courses lasting less than three months, but will be given a national visa and then a residence permit in case of longer studies. The residence permit will be valid until the end of your studies, so it is important to find a job during this time and convert your student residence permit into a work permit.

Permanent residence in Portugal from Russia

Russian citizens arriving in Portugal for any period of time must obtain an entry permit. Thanks to this document, a migrant can stay in the country legally and subsequently obtain a residence permit. A category D visa gives the right to reside in Portugal for a long time. To obtain it, you should contact the Embassy or the CC. On the basis of a national visa, you can stay in the country for 6 months, while simultaneously applying for a residence permit. The validity period of such a permit is 1 year with the possibility of extension. A migrant who has lived in Portugal for at least 5 years can obtain permanent residence. After another year, he has the right to become a Portuguese citizen.

Employment

Due to high unemployment rates, finding a job in Portugal can take a long time. Local authorities primarily employ Portuguese people. The owner of a company who wants to hire a citizen from Russia must provide arguments in his favor.

A foreign employee will be required to provide documentary evidence of professionalism and language proficiency. The immigration process for scientists to Portugal has been greatly simplified.

Business

Financially wealthy foreigners can move to Portugal after opening a business. The authorities have developed benefits for Russians doing business in certain areas. The owner of the company must provide more than 10 jobs for local citizens.

Investment in the Portuguese economy will also help with immigration in 2021. After financial investments in a Portuguese business, a foreigner can move to the country.

Real estate

After purchasing real estate in Portugal, a migrant can obtain permission to move (without the right to work). The purchase price must exceed 350,000 euros. Having purchased real estate, a foreign citizen can stay in Portugal on a permanent basis or visit the country from time to time.

Education

During the period of study at the university, the student receives the right to legal residence in the country. The permit is valid for 1 year with the possibility of extension. Upon graduation, the graduate loses the right to reside in the country. If a Russian does not want to leave Portugal, he must first find a job.

Family

A person who is a Portuguese citizen or a foreign citizen who has legally resided in the country for at least 1 year can issue an invitation for his relatives.

These include:

• Children (under 18 years of age and adults);
• Parents over the age of 65;
• Husband/wife;
• Brothers and sisters.

Lawyers for the “Investor Visa” website recommend paying attention to the fact that a citizen whose property has sufficient living space to accommodate guests can invite relatives. The inviting party bears all financial obligations.

Marriage

After marrying a Portuguese citizen, a foreigner can obtain citizenship after 3 years from the date of obtaining a residence permit. Spouses will be required to provide evidence of cohabitation after marriage and premarital relationships. Portuguese legislation provides for the detection of fictitious marriages. In this regard, future spouses will undergo thorough checks.

Refugee

Migrants persecuted in their home state for a number of reasons may be classified as refugees:

• Religion;
• Nationality;
• Attitude to politics;
• Racial discrimination.

Persons in this category will be required to provide evidence of harassment (photocopies of lawsuits and appeals to international human rights bodies). Having examined the application and issued a decree granting refugee status, the authorities grant the person the right to reside and work.

other methods

Pensioners who earn a high income at home are also given the opportunity to move to Portugal. To do this, they need to become owners of real estate in the country.

Researchers and highly qualified specialists from non-EU countries may be issued a Blue Card. It gives the right to reside and work in any EU country.

Children born to foreign citizens in the country can become Portuguese citizens.

List of documents

A foreign person who wants to move to Portugal for permanent residence from Russia must provide a certain set of documents in 2021. It consists of:

• Foreign passport;
• Birth certificates;
• Applications for obtaining a residence permit;
• Personal photos for visa;
• Autobiography, written in Portuguese;
• A language certificate confirming proficiency in Portuguese;
• Documentation of ownership of your own real estate or rental housing;
• Documentation confirming the right of a Russian citizen to obtain a residence permit in Portugal;
• Documentation of the candidate’s financial viability (in the case where the inviting party does not reimburse expenses);
• Documentation of no criminal record;
• Photocopies of the above documentation (with translation into Portuguese by an employee of an accredited translation agency and certified by a notary).

A complete set of documentation is submitted to the Embassy. If any of the documents are missing, the procedure for obtaining permanent residence may be suspended.

Submission of documents

Permanent residence registration is carried out by employees of the Department of Immigration and Border Control of Portugal.

Family reunification

A foreigner with relatives in Portugal can immigrate under the family reunification program. However, the inviting party must have Portuguese citizenship or a residence permit in the country.

Who can obtain a residence permit in Portugal for family reunification?

• Spouse of a Portuguese citizen or residence permit holder;
• Minor children;
• Dependent parents.

To obtain a residence permit for children and parents, you need to provide proof of family ties with a citizen or resident of the country. Spouses provide a marriage document. To reunite a family, you first need to apply for a long-term visitor visa, and then, in Portugal, apply for a residence permit.

To get married, you need to obtain a Certificado de matrimonio from the Russian consulate in Portugal. This document confirms that the foreigner is not married in his or her country. In addition, you must provide a valid passport and birth certificate with an apostille and a certified translation into Portuguese. If the marriage is not the first, then you should also attach a divorce certificate with an apostille and a certified translation.

Documentation

When requesting a residence permit, the following documentation will be required:

• foreign passport and its photocopy;
• 4 color photographs (must be photographed no later than six months before submitting documents);
• confirmation that the applicant is provided with housing (ownership or rent);
• results of medical certification for the absence of diseases that pose a social danger;
• medical insurance;
• certificate of no criminal record in the country of citizenship;
• confirmation of the availability of a sufficient level of financial support;
• documents to support the status request;
• receipt for payment of all administrative fees.

All documents are submitted translated into Portuguese. It is advisable to contact a specialized translation agency, where all documentation can be certified in the prescribed manner.

The photo for a residence permit must meet certain requirements

For minors, birth certificates must be submitted, translated into Portuguese and certified with an apostille. An application for a residence permit for them is submitted by their parents or legal guardians. If an immigrant requests a residence permit for himself and his minor child, but the other parent is absent, then his written consent in Portuguese will be required for such actions. If there is no physical possibility of obtaining such a document, then this should be confirmed, for example, by the death certificate of the second parent, a court decision declaring him incompetent, etc.

Residence permit

For long-term residence in Portugal you must obtain a residence permit. The first residence permit is approved for a migrant for one year. If the basis for immigration continues, he has the right to renew the permit for two years. then - for another two years. After five years of legal stay in the country under a residence permit, a foreigner has the right to obtain permanent residence in Portugal, and then citizenship.

To obtain a residence permit, a migrant must prove the availability of housing in Portugal. He needs to provide an invitation from a resident, a rental or purchase agreement. He may also be required to provide a bank statement to ensure his solvency. The foreigner confirms that he has no dangerous diseases and has no criminal record. He also needs to purchase health insurance with a coverage amount of at least 30,000 euros.

However, the main thing is to confirm the basis for immigration. Thus, for family reunification, you must provide a marriage or birth certificate. Business immigrants show their project, company documents, and account statements. Investors confirm their investment in real estate or the country's economy. In this case, home buyers provide an extract from the cadastre. Students must have a letter of acceptance from the university, and employees must have an employment contract and work permit. If an immigrant moves to Portugal with a child, a sponsorship letter and consent of the other parent will be required.

Stages of obtaining a residence permit in Portugal:

• Obtain a national visa type D at the Portuguese consulate in Russia;
• Come to Portugal;
• Submit an application for approval of residence status to the Foreigners and Borders Service SEF;
• Get a residence permit card.

Consideration of an application for a residence permit will cost 450 euros per applicant. You also need to pay for the translation and legalization of documents. The period for obtaining a residence permit depends on the motive for emigration and can vary from 2 to 12 months.

permanent residence

In order to obtain permanent residence, a Russian citizen must live legally in Portugal for 5 years and confirm that during this time he did not leave the country for more than 183 days a year.

A foreigner must demonstrate knowledge of the Portuguese language at a basic level, for this he will have to pass an exam. The applicant also needs to prove his solvency - show an account statement, a certificate of salary or company income. In addition, you need to provide documents confirming registration with the tax inspection and social insurance authorities.

Hired workers must confirm their qualifications and have an invitation letter from the employer. Students provide a certificate of enrollment in the educational institution. And for those reuniting with their family, a birth or marriage certificate.