EU Citizens Moving to Portugal

Bringing Non-EU Family to Portugal (Article 15)

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen moving to Portugal, your non-EU spouse, partner or children don’t need a standard immigration visa.

Here’s how the Article 15 process works — and when a visa might make more sense.

🇪🇺 EU/EEA/Swiss citizens 💍 Spouses & partners 👨‍👩‍👧 Dependent children No visa required

An EU citizen and their non-EU spouse arriving in Portugal

The big picture

How Article 15 works

EU law gives EU citizens the right to have their family join them in any EU member state they move to. In Portugal, this right is exercised through a process called Article 15 — named after Article 15 of Law 37/2006, which implements the EU Free Movement Directive.

EU citizen registers

You register at your local câmara municipal and get your CRUE — proof you’re legally resident in Portugal.

Book an AIMA appointment

Your non-EU family member applies for an appointment with AIMA, Portugal’s immigration agency.

Attend the appointment

Both of you attend together. Documents are checked, biometrics taken, and a fee paid (around €33).

Receive residence card

A temporary permit is issued on the day. The residence card typically arrives within 1–3 months.

✅

No visa needed

Non-EU family members using Article 15 do not apply for a D7, D8, or any other Portuguese visa. The Article 15 residence card is its own separate document, granted under EU free movement law rather than standard immigration rules. This also means the card is typically valid for the same period as the EU citizen’s CRUE — normally 5 years.

Eligibility

Who can use Article 15?

Article 15 is available to family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens who have registered as residents in Portugal.

✅ Eligible family members

Spouse
Long-term or cohabiting partner (de facto union)
Dependent children under 18
Dependent children 18–24 in full-time education
Adopted children and children of a spouse or partner
Dependent parents or parents-in-law (financial or medical dependency required)
Minor siblings under legal guardianship

📋 What “dependent” means

Spouse/partner and children under 18: straightforward — no proof of dependency needed beyond the relationship
Children 18–24: must be in full-time education, unmarried, and financially dependent on you
Parents: must be demonstrably financially or medically dependent — not just elderly
Partners (unmarried): must prove a durable relationship of at least 2–3 years

💍

Married vs. unmarried partners — it matters significantly

Married couples need only present a marriage certificate. Unmarried couples must prove a long-term relationship through shared bills, rental contracts, joint bank accounts, or an Atestado de Residência. A União de Facto certificate from your local Junta de Freguesia is strongly recommended — several applicants report it significantly strengthened their case when other documents were questioned.

Step 1 of 2

The EU citizen registers first

Before your non-EU family member can apply, you need your own paperwork in order. This is non-negotiable — AIMA needs proof you are legally resident in Portugal.

1

Get a NIF

Your tax identification number. You can get this in person at a Finanças office, or through an online service before you even arrive in Portugal.
2

Secure accommodation

You need a property to register at — either rented or purchased. A 12-month lease registered with Finanças is standard. Try to add your non-EU family member to the lease or deeds if possible, as this helps their application.
3

Register at your câmara municipal

Go to your local town hall to register. This is typically done after 90 days in Portugal, though some câmaras allow earlier registration. Bring your passport, proof of address, and 3 months of bank statements.
4

Receive your CRUE

Your Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia. This proves your legal residency and is what your family member’s Article 15 application depends on.

Documents typically required for CRUE

Passport or EU ID card
Proof of address (lease or property deeds)
3 months of bank statements
NIF document
Utility bill (sometimes)
Fee (around €15)
Statement confirming financial means (form provided by the câmara)

Financial means — rough guide

Based on the Portuguese minimum wage (€920/month in 2026):

Applicant	Monthly income
Solo	€920
+ spouse/partner	+50% (€460)
+ each child	+30% (€276)

⏱️

The 90-day rule

You generally can’t register before being in Portugal for 90 days. But some immigration lawyers recommend trying earlier — some câmaras allow it. The sooner the EU citizen has their CRUE, the sooner the non-EU family member can book their AIMA appointment.

Step 2 of 2

The non-EU family member’s appointment

Once the EU citizen has their CRUE, the non-EU family member can request an appointment with AIMA. Both of you attend the appointment together.

Requesting the appointment

Option A — AIMA online contact form

Go to contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form and select Article 15. A few important tips from people who’ve done it:

Keep the page in Portuguese — submitting in English causes errors
In the “residence number” field, enter your EU family member’s CRUE number (not your own)
Rename all files to remove accents and special characters
Compress files to under 2MB total
Use Chrome — the form works more reliably

Option B — Email AIMA directly

Email geral@aima.gov.pt with the subject line: Formulário de contato AIMA: Cartão de Residente da União Europeia (CRUE) — [Your Full Name]. Include all your personal details, passport information, and your family member’s details. Some people report emailing 3 times a day until they receive a response, though your mileage will vary.

Option C — CLAIM offices

CLAIM offices can register you in the AIMA system and schedule your appointment. Some people report this as less stressful than navigating AIMA directly.

📍

You may be offered an appointment far from home

It’s very common to be offered an appointment in a different city — sometimes the other side of Portugal. The advice from those who’ve been through it: just take it. The process is competitive enough that turning down an appointment can mean months more waiting.

What to bring to the appointment

Requirements vary by AIMA office and individual officer. Over-prepare — bring everything and let them tell you what they don’t need.

Non-EU family member

Valid passport (original — they will make their own copies)
NIF document
Proof of family relationship (marriage certificate, birth cert, or União de Facto)
Proof of address (ideally your name on the lease, deeds, or an Atestado de Residência)
Modelo-5 application form (sign some parts in front of the officer)
Entry stamp or boarding pass if you entered Schengen from outside Portugal
Health insurance valid in Portugal (sometimes requested)

EU citizen (the sponsor)

Valid passport or EU ID card (or cartão de cidadão if Portuguese)
CRUE residence certificate
Modelo-4 / Termo de Responsabilidade form (sign in front of the officer)
Proof of accommodation (lease registered with Finanças, or property deeds)
Bank statements / IRS declaration / proof of income (recibos)

For marriage certificates from outside Portugal

Must be issued within the last 6 months
EU certificates: translation needed, but no apostille
Non-EU certificates: both translation and apostille required
Translations and apostilles must also be less than 6 months old

💡

On the day

You pay the fee (around €33) at the appointment — cash or card, but not always AMEX. Biometrics (photo and fingerprints) are taken. You receive a temporary residence permit on the day, which may allow you to register for the public health service (número de utente).

Current reality

How long does it take to get an appointment?

The wait for an AIMA appointment was a serious problem in 2023–2024, with some families waiting 1–2 years. The situation has improved significantly — but timelines still vary, and you should consult an immigration lawyer for the most current picture at your local office.

📊

Recent timelines at a glance (2025–2026)

Most people submitting in late 2025 or early 2026 are receiving appointment confirmations within 1–3 months, with the appointment itself scheduled 2–4 months after that. Total time from submission to appointment: typically 3–6 months in current reports, down from the 1–2 year waits seen in 2023–2024. That said, timelines vary significantly by AIMA office and individual case.

⚠️

If you’re stuck: SOLVIT

If you’ve submitted and heard nothing for months, consider contacting SOLVIT — the European Commission’s dispute resolution service. Multiple people report receiving AIMA appointments within weeks of a SOLVIT complaint. It’s free. Find it at ec.europa.eu/solvit. In the past some families also took AIMA to court to force an appointment, typically costing €1,000–€1,500 through a lawyer — but this appears less necessary now that wait times have improved.

What happens next

After the appointment

✓

On the day

You receive a recibo comprovativo de pedido de residência — a temporary residence permit. This document is important: it can be used to register for the Portuguese national health service (SNS) and proves your process is underway. Most appointments take 30–60 minutes.
~

1–3 months later

The residence card arrives at your registered address in Portugal. Some people report receiving it in as little as 2 weeks; others wait 2–3 months. Recent reports cluster around 1–2 months.
5y

Permanent residency

After 5 years of legal residency in Portugal, your family member is eligible for permanent residency — with no ongoing income requirements and a simpler renewal process.
10y

Portuguese citizenship

After 10 years, eligible to apply for Portuguese nationality — and an EU passport. Requires A2-level Portuguese and a clean criminal record.

The alternative

Article 15 vs. applying for a standard visa

Some families with an EU citizen sponsor still choose to apply for a D7 or D8 visa for the non-EU family member instead, bypassing Article 15 entirely. Here’s how the two routes compare — and when each makes sense.

🆓 Article 15

~€0–100

Essentially free (€33 appointment fee + document costs)

•No visa fees or lawyer required in theory
•Move to Portugal first, then deal with paperwork
•Card valid for same period as EU citizen’s CRUE (typically 5 years)
•Fewer renewals than standard visa routes
•No income threshold for the non-EU family member
•Wait times have improved — typically 3–6 months now
•Legal limbo period while waiting (can’t easily travel)

📋 Standard visa (D7 or D8)

€1,000–€2,000+

Legal fees, typically required for a smooth process

•AIMA appointment usually scheduled as part of the visa process
•Clearer legal status from the start
•Must be arranged before moving to Portugal
•First residency valid for 2 years (renewable for 3), vs 5 for Article 15
•Consular appointment waits add their own delays
•Non-EU family member needs to meet income thresholds independently
•More expensive, but more certainty

⚖️

Which route is right for you?

Only an immigration lawyer actively working cases in your specific region can tell you the current wait times at your local AIMA office versus the relevant consulate for a visa. Timelines change constantly and vary by location. The rule of thumb: if Article 15 timelines are reasonable (3–6 months) and you can afford to wait in Portugal, Article 15 is almost always the better financial choice. If you need immediate clarity, can’t afford to be in legal limbo, or need to travel frequently, the visa route — despite its cost — may be worth it.

Summary

What to do now

📂

Start gathering documents early

Don’t wait until you have your AIMA appointment to sort paperwork. Marriage certificates, apostilles, and translations can take weeks (although be aware some have validity cut-offs)

💍

Unmarried? Get the União de Facto now

Don’t wait until your appointment is rejected. Get the certificate from your Junta de Freguesia as early as possible.

⚖️

Consult an immigration lawyer

Current wait times and the best route for your situation change constantly. A lawyer gives you current, local information — not generic advice.

✨

The bottom line

Article 15 has gotten meaningfully better. Where families once waited 1–2 years for an appointment, most recent reports show 3–6 months from submission to appointment in 2025–2026. It’s not perfect — the process is inconsistent and the legal limbo is real — but for most EU citizen families, it remains the faster and far cheaper route. Thousands of families navigate it successfully every year.

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules change; always consult a qualified Portuguese immigration lawyer for your specific situation. Information sourced from AIMA, Law 37/2006