Immigration Lawyer in Portugal
From Visa to Residence Permit, With a Law Office in Porto Since 2011
If you need an Immigration Lawyer in Portugal, it is because you have a visa to apply for, a permit to renew or a case that has stalled. We handle all three, in Portuguese and in English, and we offer online legal support for those outside Portugal or who prefer to handle the case remotely.
Before You Decide
The Documents That Allow You to Reside Legally in Portugal
Many of the questions we receive start here. Visa, authorisation and permit look like the same thing and are not. Understanding the difference is what avoids asking the wrong entity for the wrong thing.
Residence Visa
The Residence Visa is applied for at the Portuguese consulate in the country of residence, before arriving. It is used to enter Portugal with the aim of residing, and not to stay indefinitely. Each purpose has its own visa: own income, employment, self-employment, study.
Residence Authorisation
The Residence Authorisation is the decision that allows you to remain in Portugal for a set period. It is applied for already in Portuguese territory and is decided by AIMA. There are situations in which one enters with a visa and only then applies for the authorisation, and there are regimes in which the application is made directly here.
Residence Permit
The Residence Permit is the card that proves you reside legally in Portugal. It is the document you present to the bank, Social Security, the landlord or at the border. It has an expiry date and must be renewed.
There is also a document with its own rules, the Residence Card for family members of a citizen of the European Union, which does not follow the visa route. We explain more below.
Residence Routes
Which Residence Route Applies to Your Case
Applying for residence to live on income, to work under a contract or to start an activity are not the same thing. The first thing we do in a consultation is identify the correct route for each client's real situation, because entering by the wrong route is hard to correct afterwards.
D7 Visa
It is for those with their own income in their country of origin, such as pensions, rents or investment income. It is the route most sought by our clients from the United States and Brazil. It requires proof of stable means of subsistence and accommodation in Portugal.
D1 Visa
It is the route for those who come to work for an employer, with a contract or a promise of a contract from a Portuguese employer. The procedure involves the employer and the consulate, and the rules have been changed in recent years, so it is worth confirming the framework in force before starting the application.
D2 Visa
It is the route for those who carry out independent professional activity or intend to start a business in Portugal. It is the one most sought by our clients from Brazil and is also the one most confused with the D1. The D1 and the D2 are distinguished by the nature of the relationship, and it is common for the same situation to fit either of them depending on how the activity is organised.
Student Visa
It covers higher education, vocational education and secondary education. It has its own calendar, tied to admission to the educational institution, and it is common for it to be decided as a family, with the parents following the case from abroad.
Residence Authorisation under the CPLP
It applies to nationals of the countries of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) and has requirements distinct from the other regimes. The regime was changed in October 2025 and there are still cases submitted under the previous rules, pending a decision.
Golden Visa
Residence by Investment still exists, but the rules have become very restrictive and several routes that were widely advertised are no longer available. Buying a home in Portugal does not, in itself, give a right to residence.
It is a route for those who intend to invest without carrying out professional activity in Portugal, and the conditions depend on the type of investment.
Family
How to Bring Your Family to Portugal
Few people move alone. This is, almost always, the second question for those who decide to come. They are two different regimes and confusing them delays cases.
Family Reunification
It allows those who already reside legally in Portugal to apply for residence for the spouse, minor children and, under certain conditions, dependent ascendants.
Since October 2025, the general rule requires the holder to have a Residence Authorisation valid for at least two years. The period falls to 15 months when the application is for the spouse or equivalent, provided that cohabitation between the two lasted at least 18 months before entering Portugal, and it does not apply at all in some situations, such as when the spouse is also the parent of a minor child in the holder's care. It is precisely in this kind of exception that it is worth analysing the case before submitting.
Residence Card for Family Members of a European Union Citizen
Those who are married to, in a de facto union with or dependent family of a European Union citizen exercising the right to reside in Portugal do not follow the visa route. The document is different and the procedure is different. It is a frequent mistake to try to fit this situation into a visa route that does not apply.
After You Have the Permit
How to Keep Your Residence Permit Valid
Getting the permit is half of the work. The other half is not losing it through a calendar slip.
Deadline to Apply for Renewal
Renewal must be applied for before the end of the permit's validity. Those who let the date pass enter a different and slower route, with consequences for everything that depends on the document, from the bank account to the employment contract.
Renewal applications and initial applications are both handled by AIMA.
Expired Residence Permit
An expired permit does not, by itself, mean loss of the right to reside. There are ways to regularise the situation, and the route depends on how long ago the permit expired.
When the Case Gets Stuck
What to Do When Your Case Is Stalled at AIMA
It is the search for a lawyer for AIMA that brings to this office a good share of the clients who have already tried to resolve the case on their own. We regularly receive contact requests from people whose case has been suspended for months, with no appointment, no reply or with an unfavourable decision.
AIMA Replaced SEF
The Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) was abolished and its administrative powers are now concentrated in AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum. Any procedure that names SEF as the competent authority is no longer applicable.
No Appointment Available at AIMA
Not being able to book an appointment is, probably, the most common blockage. Life is put on hold waiting for a date that does not appear in the system.
Refusal of the Residence Application
A draft decision to refuse or an unfavourable decision is not necessarily the end of the case. There are short deadlines to react and the response must be reasoned.
Legal Action Against AIMA
There are court routes to react to delays and refusals, and we use them frequently. It involves its own deadlines and written grounds, and deserves a more detailed explanation than fits here.
What We See Every Day
Most Common Mistakes in Immigration Cases
These are the mistakes that appear repeatedly in the office. None of them is avoidable with goodwill; all of them are avoidable with prior analysis.
Entering With the Wrong Visa
It is the hardest mistake to correct. Those who enter with a visa that does not match what they will actually do in Portugal usually discover it at the moment they need to convert or renew.
Documents Without Apostille
Certificates and criminal records issued abroad need, as a rule, an apostille and a certified translation to take effect in Portugal. It is one of the most frequent causes of cases being returned, and it is an entirely avoidable waste of time.
Following Outdated Information
The regime has changed several times in recent years. Between 2023 and 2025 alone, the competent authority, the expression of interest regime and much of the rules on Family Reunification changed. Information from two years ago may simply be wrong today. We check the framework against the law in force at the date of the application.
What an Immigration Lawyer Does in Your Case
Many people handle the case without a lawyer, and succeed. What an Immigration Lawyer adds is the analysis before submitting and the reaction when something goes wrong.
Consultation to Analyse Your Situation
We start by understanding the specific case: where the applicant is, what they intend to do in Portugal, what income or ties they have, and who is accompanying them. Only then is the route decided. The scope of the work is defined at this stage.
Personalised Document List
We provide the list of documents the case requires, indicating what needs an apostille and a translation. It is the step that most reduces the anxiety of those organising papers in two countries at the same time.
Following the Case With AIMA
We prepare, submit and follow up. We always say what depends on us and what depends on third parties, because the administrative decision does not depend on the office. The applicable deadlines are explained in the consultation, not promised on a page.
Remote Support
Most of our international clients never needed to travel to the office to start the case. We work by videoconference, by email and, when necessary, by power of attorney.
Those who prefer to start with a one-off clarification or a written opinion, without opening a case, have the Online Legal Consultation. To proceed with a case, the way is direct contact with the office.
The Office
Legalisation of Foreigners in Porto
Foreigners' Legalisation is one of the office's core areas and has been with us since we started working with international clients, in 2018. Foreigners' Law is an area in constant movement, and that is why we date everything we publish.
In Porto Since 2011
The office was founded in January 2011 and remains in Porto, in the Edifício Scala, on Rua de Vilar. We act throughout the national territory.
One Lawyer in Charge of Each Case
Each case has a lawyer in charge, identified from the first contact. It is with her that you speak throughout all the phases, including when it is necessary to react to a decision. We reply to new contact requests within one business day.
Client Reviews
We publish client reviews identified only by initials, out of respect for the confidentiality of those who turn to the office.
I want to express our sincere gratitude to the entire team of lawyers who accompanied us since before our arrival in Portugal. Your support, dedication and professionalism were fundamental throughout the whole process, until the long-awaited moment of obtaining my residence permit.
We thank you for all the patience, the guidance and the trust you always showed. This result represents not only a personal achievement, but also the reflection of the excellent work and commitment of each one of you.
From the heart, thank you so much for being with us at every stage of this journey.
With gratitude, A. P. and R. A.
A. P. A. (translated from Portuguese)
The Full Picture
What Comes After the Residence Permit
Residing legally in Portugal is, for many clients, the first step of a longer sequence. We handle that sequence in the same office, which avoids decisions taken piecemeal.
Application for Portuguese Nationality
After the period of legal residence required by law, many clients move on to nationality. There are decisions taken at the start of the migratory path that make that application easier or harder years later, and it is worth knowing them from now.
Property Purchase by a Foreign Citizen
Buying a home and obtaining residence are independent processes, with their own calendars and risks. When they happen in parallel, coordinating the two avoids surprises at the deed and in the registry.
Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration Law
How much does an Immigration Lawyer cost?
It depends on the scope of the case. We first analyse the specific situation and only then define and communicate the scope of the work and the terms. We do not quote figures without knowing the case.
What is the new immigration law in Portugal?
The Foreigners Law remains Law No. 23/2007, but it has been amended several times. The deepest amendment of recent years is Law No. 61/2025 of 22 October, in force since 23 October 2025, which changed Family Reunification, the job-seeking visa, the entrepreneur regime and access to residence by CPLP citizens. On each service page we indicate the applicable framework and the date of the last review.
Does SEF still handle residence applications?
No. SEF was abolished by Decree-Law No. 41/2023 of 2 June, with effect from 29 October 2023. Residence applications and renewals are now handled by AIMA. Information that names SEF as the competent authority is outdated.
Does the expression of interest still exist?
Not for new applications. The regime was revoked by Decree-Law No. 37-A/2024 of 3 June, with effect from 4 June 2024. Procedures started before that date were safeguarded and there are cases still pending. Those who submitted an expression of interest and never had a decision have their own framework, which is worth analysing.
Can I handle the case without being in Portugal?
In most cases, yes. We support clients from the United States, Brazil and other countries, and many start the process before setting foot in Portugal. Matters that require in-person analysis of documents are handled at the office.
Do you guarantee approval of the application?
No. No lawyer can guarantee the decision of a public body. What we do is analyse the case before submitting, prepare the case with the documentation the framework requires, and react within the deadlines to any unfavourable decision.
Do you work with clients in English?
Yes. We work with international clients in English.
Additional Support
Other Immigration Services
Beyond the areas above, the office also provides support in:
- Tech Visa
- Residence Authorisation for Highly Qualified Activity
- D3
- Equality of Rights and Duties Status
- Tax Representation
If your situation fits any of these, contact us.
Do You Need to Speak to an Immigration Lawyer?
If you are deciding which residence route to apply for, or if you have a stalled case, explain your situation to us. We reply within one business day.
Last updated: October 2026