Life in another country is marked by phases. There is the stage of adaptation, job hunting, building a circle of friends, understanding bureaucracy and local customs. To go through all of them, it is necessary to achieve temporary or permanent permanence, which can only be obtained with the document most desired by the foreigner: the visa.
In the fourth report of the special series about living in Portugal, the InfoMoney provides all the guidance on the types of visas for those who want to live in the country, as well as valuable tips on platforms for renting a property.
In the three previous reports, the main costs of living in Lisbon and the metropolitan region, scams related to housing and food costs in the European country that is a magnet for Brazilians have already been covered.
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Types of visas to live in Portugal
The visa for Portugal will depend on the purpose of living in the country, and different documents will be required for each of them. Check out the most common ones below.
Work visa
There are different types of work visas for Portugal, which may vary according to the professional’s employment status or specialization.
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Whoever goes to work in a subordinate manner needs the D1 visa and documents proving the promise or employment contract.
Those who wish to work independently for more than a year or open a company will have to obtain D2 visa. In the case of entrepreneurs, this visa is suitable both for those who want to expand a business they already have in Brazil and for those who want to open a company in Portugal. In both cases, it will be necessary to present a business plan that demonstrates the viability of the enterprise and its relevance to the country.
There is also the D3 visa, aimed at highly qualified activities that require specialized technical skills. Typically, this visa applies to researchers or teachers who will work in the country for more than one year. For each area of knowledge, Portuguese legislation will determine the necessary supporting documentation.
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And there are specific visas for those who work in the technology area. O Startup Visa is aimed at those who want to open a startup in Portugal, and the Tech Visato professionals who aim to work in Portuguese or multinational companies in the country.
Study visa
O D4 visa It is the type required for those who leave Brazil to undertake some training in Portugal — undergraduate, master’s or doctorate — and is also suitable for those who wish to intern or do voluntary work for more than a year. And anyone who stays in the country for more than 5 years with this visa can acquire Portuguese nationality for length of residence.
For students, it is necessary to present registration or a letter of acceptance at the Portuguese educational institution when applying for a visa. For internships and volunteer work, the request must be accompanied by proof of the activity to be carried out.
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Anyone who is already studying in Europe and wants to transfer their studies to Portugal (or take another similar course), must arrange the D5 visa. The request can be made at the Portuguese consulate in any European country.
Family reunification visa
In the case of families that decide to live in Portugal, it is quite common for one member to go first to work or study, and then that person to regroup with the others. This is the D6 visawhich allows certain family members to live, study or work in the country, according to their needs.
Among family members who are entitled to D6, are the spouse, children (depending on the condition), parents and minor siblings under the guardianship of the resident. Depending on each case, specific documents will be required, one of the main ones being proof that there are ways to support the family in Portugal.
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Visa to live on income
Anyone who is already retired or a pensioner or receives sufficient income to remain in Portugal without working (such as rent, dividends or other income), can request the D7 visa. This type of visa is also what covers those who go to the country to work in some religious activity.
In all situations, to obtain the document, you must prove income to live in Portugal. For retirees and pensioners, the Income Tax declaration, application statements, statements or rental receipts are sources of proof.
Religious people, in addition to the IR, need to present a certificate from the church or community to which they belong with recognition of the Portuguese legal order and a term of responsibility from said church or community in Brazil.
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Rental platforms available in Portugal
The team at InfoMoney listed some rental platforms that work in a similar way to Airbnb, but with longer rentals, with a minimum term of one month.
They all offer shared rooms, private rooms and entire spaces. It is not possible to visit in person, just view photos and videos of the locations.
One of the least favorable points of these platforms is the concentration of offer in Lisbon and Porto. Furthermore, rental prices tend to be a little higher than in the rest of the market, but the deposit amounts requested are usually much lower.
Spotahome (spotahome.com)
- For anyone;
- You may have to prove your ability to pay, but it depends on the owner and the type of rental. The platform can intermediate:
- just the reservation and payment for the first month, with the rest being handled directly with the owner, including payment of the deposit, signing of the contract and the monthly fee;
- all rent payments via automatic debit.
Pros: the maintenance of the base is better, there are more apartments with video visits available to watch and the owners ask for between 1 and 2 months of deposit, in some cases half a month and even zero.
Uniplaces (uniplaces.com)
- Aimed mainly at students;
- It only offers intermediation of the first payment.
Pros: owners usually ask for a 1 or 2 month deposit and offer the benefit of matching prices from other platforms for the same room/apartment.
Cons: The offer of properties for non-students is small.
Housing Anywhere (housinganywhere.com)
- For anyone;
- It only offers intermediation of the first payment.
Pros: Owners ask for between 1 and 2 months of deposit, but there are cases of half a month and even zero.
Cons: the offer of properties and rooms in general is usually smaller than on other platforms.
