Portugal Visa for Indians

With its cultural and cobblestoned cities, rigged and wild coastline, and storied, rich history, Portugal is a special corner of Europe. Whether it is learning about the story of dado music, admiring the architecture of old centuries, relaxing in the mountains, tasting the delights of freshly sourced cuisines, or hiking along dramatic coastal paths, the country is a beautiful place to see by foot, car, train or bike. However, to visit the country, as an Indian citizen, you will need a Portugal Schengen visa to travel within the nation and other Schengen zones. Based on your traveling purpose, stay duration and your specific requirements, the country offers several types of visas. The Portugal visas are categorized as two i.e. short-term stay allowing you to stay in the country for up to 90 days and long-term stay which permits you to stay more than 90 days in the nation. 

However, applying for a Portugal visa for Indians can be a daunting task as the visa process requires detailed attention to the application, document submission, and visa interview. But things can be streamlined if you apply for your Portugal visa with proper guidance and follow the right steps. At Visament, our experts are certified to ease the complex visa process and assist you at every step of the visa process. Currently, we offer our guidance with two types of Portugal visas which are as follows:

• Portugal Tourist Visa: A Portugal tourist visa is a short-term Schengen visa that allows you to enter and stay in the country for tourism, sightseeing, and visiting family or friends. Through this visa under the 180 days period you can stay in the country for up to 90 days. This visa is of two types i.e. single entry and multiple entry. 
• Single-Entry Visa: It allows you to enter Portugal or other Schengen countries once with your visa and stay up to 90 days within the timeframe of 90 days. As its name states, it is applicable for a one-time visit to the country. So, even if your visa is still valid you cannot enter it through this visa.
• Multiple-Entry Visa: Through this Portugal tourist visa, you can enter multiple times in Portugal and other Schengen countries within the validity of your visa. However, at one time you can stay up to 90 days in the country within the period of 180 days. 
• Portugal Business Visa: This visa allows you to travel to Portugal and other Schengen nations for business-related purposes such as attending conferences, training sessions, meetings, or negotiations. It is intended for short-term business trips in the country and allows you to stay a maximum of 90 days within the timeframe of 180 days. This visa is also available for single and multiple entry in the country. 

If you do not want any hurdles and wish to have a memorable trip to Portugal without facing any delays with a Portugal visa from India, then you should consider the below-mentioned things:

• Should have a valid Indian passport by your side with at least six months of validity and a minimum of three blank pages in it.
• Your health should be good to demonstrate that you do not have any disease or illness that create impact on the health of the people living in Portugal.
• You should have a clear background with no criminal record on it. So that it prove that you will not create any problems nor you are a threat to people living in the country.
• Have sufficient funds by your side to manage your expenses during your stay in Portugal. The amount depends on whether you are living with your family/ friend or any paid accommodation there and your duration of stay.
• Buy travel insurance as it is a compulsory part of visa application when applying for a Schengen visa. The visa insurance should cover your entire stay duration in the country and should be a minimum of 30000 euros.
• Before you apply for Portugal visa, first know about the visa fee for Indians charged by the government to avoid any issue at the time of payment.
• Go through the list of documents required during the Portugal visa application and gather them in the right order. It assists you in not missing out on any of the important papers during the application process. 
• Correctly filled out your Portugal Schengen visa form with the right information. The details you mentioned in the form should be matched with your submitted documents such as your passport number, date of birth, and more. Writing wrong or misleading information may result in visa denial or refusal. 
• You must follow the latest rules and regulations of the Portugal visa and respectfully adhere to them to increase your visa approval chances such as your Portugal visa photo size should be as per the photo requirement of the country i.e. colored photograph with a light background and 3.5 x 4.5 cm in size.
• On your Portugal visa appointment day be on time. Dressed formally and along with your visa application carry all the required documents.
• Book your onward or return flight tickets in advance to ensure the visa officer that after the expiry of your Portugal visa from India, you will go back to your home country or next traveling destination. Furthermore, it assists in getting the visa approval on time without any more hurdles.
• It is advisable to apply for your Portugal visa for Indians one month before your planned travel date. It provides you enough time to gather any additional documents if required during the visa process and avoid any further delays.

The Portugal visa fees for Indians payable to the government may vary based on the type of visa, duration of stay, age, and circumstances of the individual, and also if any extra services are chosen such as Tatkaal visa service. Apart from the government charges, you also need to pay a service fee to Visament to process your Portugal visa application and provide you assistance during the process. The service also varies depending on your circumstances, visa type, and if you opt for urgent visa processing options. To provide you with an estimation, here, is a breakdown of the Portugal visa fee for Indian citizens according to their age charged by the government:

• Applicants aged between 0-5 years: Free of cost
• Applicants aged between 6-12 years: Rs. 4100
• Applicants aged 13 or above years: Rs. 8200

The Portugal visa when applying via Visament generally takes 15 days to process after the submission of the application. However, the Portugal visa processing time in India may vary depending on the individual circumstances, increased volume of visa applications, peak traveling season, or requirement of any additional document during the visa process. Therefore, it is advisable to apply for your Portugal visa at least one month prior to your planned travel date. It assists you in receiving your visa on time and avoiding any further delay. 

To avoid any hurdles or problems during your Portugal trip, ensure to consider and follow the things after arriving in the country from India:

• When arriving at the airport, keep your declaration form and other vital documents like your passport, Portugal visa, and more in your hand for verification.
• Keep copies of your vital documents like your visa and passport while traveling within the country to use as identity proof where needed or asked.
• Learn some basic Portuguese words or phrases to easily interact with the locals when asking for directions or in case of any emergency situation. Considering this, thank you in Portuguese is pronounced according to gender. So women say Obrigada and men say Obirgado. 
• Stay aware of the customs and traditions of Portugal and respectfully follow them to avoid any issues within the country people such as respecting the personal space of a person or staying quiet while visiting the churches.
• To enhance your trip experience consider buying a SIM card in Portugal. It saves you from paying high roaming charges and assists you in contacting taxis, interacting with locals, and using ride-sharing services.
• Have information about the local transport options such as buses, cars, trains, or more of Portugal to travel within the country. Also, you can get a local card, a rechargeable one for using public transportation. It is hassle-free and cost-effective to travel within the country. 
• Avoid overstaying in the country or misusing your visa as it may result in paying fines, facing legal issues, and getting a lifetime ban from visiting Portugal and other Schengen countries.
• Do not carry any item with you that is forbidden in Portugal as it may result in visa cancellation and legal troubles.
• Portugal is a safe country to travel with your friends or family or even solo. However, for the safe side, it is advisable to have an idea of your surroundings mainly in tourist hotspots or public places. In addition, be mindful of your belongings and take precautions against minor crimes like bag snatching and pickpocketing.
• Exchange your currency into euros at the airport or bank to avoid paying additional transaction charges or conversion fees.
• Note down the emergency number of Portugal to use in any unplanned circumstances if happens in the country.
• Stay aware of your nearby and take prevention measures to certify your safety and security in Portugal during your stay there. 
• The country is not as credit-friendly as other European nations, so make to euros and an ATM card when you travel within Portugal.