ETIAS for Portugal

If you plan a trip to Portugal and are a national of one of the EU’s and Schengen Area’s visa waiver countries, you will have to apply for the ETIAS travel authorization from 2025 on. Learn all about ETIAS Portugal and how to apply.

What is ETIAS Portugal?

ETIAS is a new system for travel authorization that will be implemented within the EU and Schengen Area from 2025 on. It is seen as an improvement in travel security as it is supposed to prevent identity fraud, misuse of travel documents, terrorism, and serious crime.

As part of the new ETIAS zone, Portugal will require travelers from all current visa-waiver countries to apply for travel authorization in the future. Therefore, visitors to Portugal who used to enter using only their passports will soon have to take an extra step.

Which nationalities are eligible for travel to Portugal with ETIAS?

If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you will be eligible to travel to Portugal with ETIAS:

ETIAS: eligible countries
Albania1 Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Australia
Bahamas Barbados Bosnia and Herzegovina1 Brazil
Brunei Canada Chile Colombia
Costa Rica Dominica El Salvador Georgia1
Grenada Guatemala Honduras Hong Kong S.A.R3
Israel Japan Kiribati Macao S.A.R4
Malaysia Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico
Micronesia Moldova1 Montenegro1 New Zealand
Nicaragua North Macedonia1 Palau Panama
Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent Samoa Serbia2 Seychelles
Singapore Solomon Islands South Korea Taiwan5
Timor Leste Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu
Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom6 Uruguay
USA Vanatu Venezuela  

1The visa exemption applies only to holders of biometric passports.

2Excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (in Serbian: Koordinaciona uprava)

3The visa exemption applies only to holders of a "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" passport.

4The visa exemption applies only to holders of a "Região Administrativa Especial de Macau" passport.

5The exemption from the visa requirement applies only to holders of passports issued by Taiwan which include an identity card number.

6Including British Overseas Nationals (BOTC, BOC), British protected persons (BPP), and British Subjects (BS)

What can I do in Portugal with ETIAS?

ETIAS enables you to visit Portugal and any other ETIAS country for tourism, business trips, transfer, or medical treatments. Furthermore, you can freely move between the ETIAS countries within your 90-day maximum stay.

Attention

You may not work or study in Portugal with ETIAS. This would require a special Schengen work or study visa.

Validity of ETIAS Portugal

An ETIAS approval is valid for three years. Once you have your travel authorization, you can visit Portugal and all other ETIAS countries within the EU and Schengen Area for up to 90 days.

How often can I travel to Portugal with ETIAS?

You can enter Portugal as often as you want within the 3-year validity of your ETIAS but only stay for up to 90 days within 180 days.

Latest News

In a 2023 press release, the EU clarified that ETIAS travelers will not have to provide health information, vaccination records, or biometric data.

However, it says that travelers will have to answer some security questions so that the system can assess whether they pose a threat to the Schengen area and the EU. These include questions about criminal records and travel to conflict zones.

All applications will be checked against EU security databases before making a decision. According to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), 97% of applicants will have their ETIAS application processed and approved immediately.

The remaining 3% of applications will be manually reviewed by the ETIAS Central Unit and National Units to make a final decision.

Requirements for the Portuguese ETIAS

If you want to visit Portugal with an ETIAS travel authorization, you must meet the following ETIAS requirements:

  • You are a national of one of the visa waiver countries for traveling the EU and Schengen Area.
  • You have a biometric passport valid for at least three more months after exiting the EU or Schengen Area.
  • You have a credit or debit card and can pay the € 7 ETIAS fee.
  • You do not have a criminal record.
  • You are no threat to the homeland security of the EU or Schengen Area or the safety of their citizens.
  • The border officials believe that you are suitable for entry.

If you fit all these requirements, you will get ETIAS approval and can travel to Portugal.

How to apply for the Portuguese ETIAS

As soon as the EU’s new web service and mobile app for ETIAS are online, applicants can complete their requests to travel to Portugal. Be ready to:

  • Register with your email address
  • Enter your passport details and personal information
  • Answer all security questions and give information about your travel history
  • Pay the application fee of € 7 via credit or debit card
  • Submit your application and wait for approval

After an automated data check, you will receive the ETIAS travel authorization within a short time between a few seconds and 96 hours.