It is aimed at citizens of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). The member countries of the CPLP are: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe, Timor-Leste and Equatorial Guinea.
The legalisation process begins with obtaining a residence visa, which is intended to allow the holder to enter Portugal in order to apply for a residence permit.
The CPLP residence visa application will have to fulfil different requirements depending on the profile of the Applicant, i.e. whether they are Entrepreneurs, Investors, Retirees, Workers, Students or Taxable Income Holders.
Step 1 – Visa application
The residence visa must be requested at the Portuguese Consulate of the country of residence or citizenship.
The visa issued entitles the holder to 2 entries into Portugal and is valid for 120 days, during which time the holder must travel to Portugal.
Step 2 – Application for a residence permit
After entering Portugal, the Applicant will have to make an interview with the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF), to collect biometric data (photograph, fingerprints and signature).
Step 3 – Residence card issuance
After the interview, the residence card will be sent to the Applicant’s address in Portugal.
Note: the estimated time to complete the whole process will depend on many factors, but on average it will be around 8-9 months between the time of applying for the visa and receiving the residence card.
The residence card is valid for 2 years. At the end of these 2 years, it is possible to renew it for an additional period of 3 years. At the end of the 5 years the applicant may choose to apply for a permanent residence permit or Portuguese nationality.
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