Holders of Portuguese passports enjoy visa-on-arrival travel or visa-free to 172 countries across the globe. These include the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and all nations within the Schengen Area.
Foreign nationals can obtain Portugal citizenship – and with it, a Portuguese passport – through marriage, descent or naturalisation after residing in the country for five years on a residence permit.
Benefits of a Portuguese Passport
The Portuguese passport is the world’s 5th strongest passport, and with good reason. It offers plenty of advantages and perks beyond visa-free travel.
Unrestricted entry into Portugal, even if borders are closed.
Free access to Portugal's high-quality healthcare system and the European
Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for medical treatment across the EU, Iceland, Switzerland and Norway.
Free education from kindergarten through university, with low tuition fees for Portuguese citizens attending the country's prestigious institutions like the University of Porto and University of Lisbon.
The right to live, work and study across the EU without needing a visa as an EU citizen.
Lifelong citizenship that can be passed on to children by descent.
How to Obtain a Portuguese Passport
If you were born in Portugal, a Portuguese passport is your birth-right to those born. Children born in the country to foreign parents with at least one year's residence automatically receive citizenship, as well.
There are three other main paths to obtaining Portuguese citizenship and a passport:
By Marriage - After three years of marriage to a Portuguese spouse, citizenship can be acquired. This includes unregistered partnerships.
By Descent - Those with Portuguese parents or grandparents can apply at any time.
By Naturalisation - Foreign nationals can naturalise as Portuguese citizens after holding a residence permit for five years, passing a language test, and paying a fee.
The Portugal Golden Visa and D7 Visa are residence permits that pave the way to citizenship by naturalisation after five years.
Portugal Golden Visa vs Citizenship
The Portugal Golden Visa grants residency through contributions or investment into Portuguese funds or businesses from €250,000. Of course, Portugal citizenship and golden visa have key differences:
Visa-Free Travel - Citizens enjoy visa-free access to 172 countries, while Golden Visa holders can travel to 30 visa-free, mainly European nations.
Permanent Residency - The Golden Visa leads to permanent residency and eligibility for citizenship after five years of renewals. Portuguese citizenship is life-long.
Language/Civics Tests - Naturalising citizens must pass a Portuguese language exam, which Golden Visa holders do not.
Top Visa-Free Destinations for Portuguese Passport Holders
Portuguese citizens are frequent travellers to visa-free destinations across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. These include:
United Kingdom and Ireland
United States and Canada
Mexico and Costa Rica
South Africa and Morocco
Japan, Singapore and South Korea
Australia and New Zealand
Whether visiting for business or leisure, the Portuguese passport's power allows visa-free travel or easy visa-on-arrival to 172 nations globally.