South African passport holders need a visa for Portugal. South Africa is not on Portugal’s visa-exempt list, so a short visit needs a Schengen visa (up to 90 days in any 180-day period) and a longer stay needs a Portuguese national visa. Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes the rules at vistos.mne.gov.pt.
The two routes are separate. This guide covers the short-stay visa first, then the national visas for work, residence, digital nomads and start-ups. For other countries see our guide to Schengen visa requirements.
Eligibility and Entry Requirements at a Glance
- Short stay (tourism, visits, business trips): a Schengen visa is required for South African citizens, valid for stays of up to 90 days in each 180-day period. See who needs a visa.
- Long stay (work, residence, study, start-up): a Portuguese national visa, followed by a residence permit with AIMA once you are in Portugal.
- A visa does not guarantee entry. Border officers may ask for proof of means, accommodation, an invitation letter or travel medical insurance.
- Apply to the state that is your sole or main destination (by length of stay or purpose). If that cannot be determined, apply to the state of first entry.
Passport and Travel Document Requirements
For a short stay your travel document must be authentic and valid for more than three months after the date you leave the Schengen area. You must also provide a photocopy of your previous passport and visas. See the short-stay documentation page.
For a long-stay residency visa the passport must be valid for three months after your estimated return, and you also need a criminal record certificate with a Hague Apostille, valid travel insurance, proof of financial resources and two photographs.
Visa and Supporting Document Requirements
For a short-stay visa Portugal asks for:
- The signed application form and a passport photograph
- Your travel document and a copy of earlier passports and visas
- A return ticket reservation
- Travel medical insurance
- A work certificate and salary details, plus your last three bank statements covering the whole stay and your return
- A hotel reservation or a statement of responsibility from your host
Portugal also points applicants to a harmonised supporting-documents table that lists general and specific requirements by country, with South Africa listed under Africa. Check that table for the South African list before you submit.
For a long-stay (residency) visa, add the following, which depends on your route:
- Employed work: a work contract, work promise or demonstration of interest, plus a professional certificate where the profession is regulated.
- Passive income or retirement: documents certifying your retirement income, or income from movable or immovable property or intellectual or financial assets.
- Start-up visa: a declaration from IAPMEI (the Agency for Competition and Innovation) certifying an incubation contract with a certified incubator. Eligibility criteria are set by IAPMEI; see the Startup Visa page.
- Digital nomad: an employment contract or employer declaration, or service contracts, plus proof of average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the monthly minimum guaranteed remuneration.
See the national-visa residency documentation page for the full list per route.
Financial, Health and Entry Conditions
- Short-stay visa fee: EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children over 6 and under 12. Children under 6 are exempt. The fee is not refunded if the visa is refused. The visa application centre’s service fee is charged on top and may not, in principle, exceed half the visa fee (see visa fees).
- National visa fee: EUR 110, with exemptions that include children under 6 (see national visa fees).
- Travel medical insurance: it must be valid across the Schengen states, cover your whole stay, cover repatriation and emergency care, and provide at least EUR 30,000 of cover.
- Means of subsistence (long stay): Portugal benchmarks this on the 2026 minimum monthly salary of EUR 920 net. You need 100% of that for the first adult, 50% for each further adult and 30% for each child or dependant under 18 (see means of subsistence).
A residency visa allows two entries and is valid for four months. In that time you must apply for a residence permit with AIMA. Temporary-stay visas allow entry and a stay of less than a year, with multiple entries. Portugal’s visa type list includes seasonal and subordinate work, independent work, highly qualified activity and remote work (digital nomads).
How to Prepare or Apply
In South Africa, Portugal accepts applications through VFS in Pretoria, the Consulate General in Johannesburg and the Consulate General in Cape Town (each working with VFS), and VFS in Durban. See where to lodge a visa application. The VFS service fee is charged in rand and is separate from the visa fee, so check the current amount with the centre you use.
- Lodge a short-stay application no more than six months before your visit and, as a rule, at least 15 calendar days before it (see filing deadlines).
- Short-stay decisions are normally taken within 15 calendar days of the application being admissible, and can be extended to a maximum of 45 days.
- National visa decisions are due within 60 days for a resident visa, 30 days for a temporary-stay visa and 60 days for a work-search visa (see national visa deadlines).
- Do not book non-refundable travel until the visa is issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do South Africans need a visa for Portugal?
Yes. South Africa is not on Portugal’s visa-exempt list, so you need a Schengen visa for a short stay or a national visa for a longer one.
How do I apply for a Portugal visa from South Africa?
Lodge the application at VFS in Pretoria or Durban, or at the Portuguese Consulates General in Johannesburg or Cape Town (with VFS). Use the documents listed for your visa type and pay the visa fee and the centre’s service fee.
What are the Portugal visit visa requirements?
A passport valid for more than three months after you leave, a signed form and photograph, a return ticket reservation, travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, proof of means such as three months of bank statements and a salary letter, and proof of accommodation.
What are the Portugal working visa requirements?
For employed work you need a work contract, work promise or demonstration of interest, plus a professional certificate if the profession is regulated. Independent work needs service contracts instead. In both cases you also need a criminal record certificate with an apostille, insurance and proof of means of subsistence.
What are the Portugal Startup Visa requirements?
You must present an IAPMEI declaration certifying an incubation contract with a certified incubator, plus the general national-visa documents. The programme is run by IAPMEI, so apply and confirm its criteria through them.
How much is a Portugal visa?
The short-stay visa fee is EUR 90 for adults, and the national long-stay visa fee is EUR 110. VFS charges a separate service fee in rand.
Confirm all requirements with the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at vistos.mne.gov.pt before you apply. See visa requirements and browse all travel and immigration requirements.