Visa Appointment

Our Visa Appointment service helps you obtain an appointment to submit a Portuguese national visa application at the consulate or VFS Global centre responsible for where you legally live. Visas.pt charges €395 for the service, and our team with Portuguese immigration lawyers handles the appointment search, booking support and preparation guidance. The standard national visa fee is €110, subject to statutory exemptions, and any applicable VFS service charge is separate.

What does the Visa Appointment service include?

• Checking which Portuguese consulate or VFS Global centre is responsible for your application

• Looking for available visa appointment slots and booking assistance

• Guidance on the documents and forms required for your visa route

• A personalised preparation checklist

• Guidance on translations, notarisation and legalisation where required

• Rescheduling support where another available appointment is needed

Where do I submit my Portugal visa application?

A national visa application is normally submitted at the Portuguese consulate or VFS Global centre responsible for the place where you legally reside. It is not submitted to AIMA in Portugal. You can use our Portugal visa jurisdiction finder to check the appropriate location for your application.

AIMA appointments take place in Portugal and concern residence permits rather than the initial visa application. If you need help with an AIMA appointment, see our AIMA Appointment service.

How does Visas.pt book a Portugal visa appointment?

• Tell us where you legally live and which visa route you are applying for.

• We confirm the appropriate consulate or VFS Global centre for your application.

• We look for the earliest suitable appointment available through the applicable booking system. Appointment availability is controlled by the consulate or VFS Global, so we cannot promise a particular date.

• Once an appointment is available, we provide your preparation checklist and document guidance.

• You attend the appointment abroad and submit your visa application to the responsible consular authority or VFS centre.

How long does it take to obtain a visa appointment?

There is no single reliable booking timeline. Availability varies by country, jurisdiction, season and visa centre, and can change without notice. We look for available appointments and assist with booking, but the consulate or VFS Global controls when slots are released.

How much does the Visa Appointment service cost?

The Visas.pt service fee is €395. This covers our appointment booking assistance and preparation support. It does not include any applicable Portuguese national visa fee or separate VFS Global service charge. The standard visa fee is €110, subject to statutory exemptions.

The standard administrative fee for processing a national visa application is €110, but statutory exemptions apply to specified applicants and visa purposes, and certain other applicants may also qualify for an exemption. Any applicable VFS service charge is separate. You can check the current official fee on the Portuguese Foreign Ministry visa fees page.

What should I prepare for the appointment?

The required documents depend on the visa category, your circumstances and the checklist used by the responsible consulate or VFS centre. We provide preparation guidance based on your visa route, but the final document requirements are set by the Portuguese authorities and the applicable visa centre.

For national visa requirements, see the official Portuguese residence visa documentation. For supporting documents that may require apostille, legalisation or translation, see our guide to visa document legalisation and translation.

Official sources and guides

Official sources and guides: Check the Foreign Ministry's official guidance on where to lodge a visa application, its national visa document requirements and its visa fee information. You can also use our Portugal visa jurisdiction finder and Portugal visa application guide.