Portugal Pre-Departure Guide
Your complete checklist and guide for all essential preparations before traveling to Portugal for your studies.
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An example plan before you fly
Getting Ready for Portugal
Before you fly you need a visa, papers with apostilles, insurance and a place to live.
First Step After You Land
What to Prepare
- Visa: Get your student residence visa (type D4) from the Embassy of Portugal for your country.
- Papers and Apostilles: Get degree papers and your police certificate stamped as real with an apostille.
- Insurance: Buy travel medical insurance for your whole stay.
- Housing: Find a place to live. You need proof of accommodation for the visa.
Your Timeline
First
Get your admission letter from a university in Portugal.
Next
Police certificate, apostilles, bank papers, insurance and housing.
At least 60 days before you fly
The decision on a residence visa can take up to 60 days.
Within the visa's 4 months
Ask AIMA for your residence permit.
Papers in Portuguese or English
Every visa paper must be in Portuguese or English. A paper in any other language must be translated first.
Ask your university's international office which papers it needs from you for enrolment.
Before You Fly: Checklist
The main things to have ready before you fly.
Visa Papers
Passport
Valid at least 3 months after your planned return.
Admission letter
From your university in Portugal.
Police certificate
With an apostille.
Money and Insurance
Money proof
India: 6 months of bank statements and the tax papers you filed for the last 3 years. Pakistan: ask the embassy in Islamabad.
Travel medical insurance
India: insurance of at least EUR 30,000 for your whole stay.
Housing
Proof of accommodation
Where you will live in Portugal.
Plan for the Visa Wait
Numbers to Save
Keep these numbers in your phone.
Important Contacts & Resources
Emergency Contacts in Portugal
112 is the free European emergency number.
Save These Contacts Before Departure
University international office
Help with enrolment papers for AIMA.
SNS 24 health line
808 24 24 24, for health advice.
Before You Fly
Save 112, the emergency number.
Save 808 24 24 24, the National Health Service (SNS) 24 health line.
Save your university's international office contact.
Tips Before You Fly
Start your apostilles early. India: your state attests (checks and stamps) your papers first, then the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) adds the apostille.
Get your police certificate close to your visa date. India: it must be no more than 3 months old. Pakistan: it must be less than 90 days old.
India: ask your bank to print your statements for the last 6 months, with the bank's stamp and signature. Statements you download yourself are not accepted. Pakistan: ask the embassy in Islamabad.
Book a place to live before you fly. You need proof of accommodation for the visa.
Keep copies of your visa papers. AIMA asks for many of the same papers in Portugal.
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Common Questions Before You Fly
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