Portugal visa guideThe Portugal tourist visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for holidays in Portugal and the rest of the Schengen area, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Residents of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi apply in person at VFS Global, including Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi, and the Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi decides, normally within 15 calendar days.
Portugal's checklist is strict about paper: originals on A4 with the bank's stamp, ITR-V for two years, an original insurance policy with a QR code, two photos, and documents in the exact listed order. VFS's service charge is paid online when you book.
Do Indians need a visa for Portugal, and which one?
Yes. Portugal is in the Schengen area, so a holiday in Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve needs a Schengen short-stay visa, type C, in the tourism category. You fill in the application form, then hand in the file and your biometrics in person at VFS Global; there is no fully online route for this visa. It covers up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all 29 Schengen countries together, so Lisbon plus Madrid on one trip draws from the same 90 days.
Portugal splits India between two posts. The Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi decides applications from all of India except Goa, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, which go to the Consulate General of Portugal in Goa. Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are therefore New Delhi files.
Portugal tourist visa at a glance
- VisaTourism category; biometrics in person
- Schengen short-stay visa, type C
- Longest stayShared across every Schengen country
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Who decidesGoa, Maharashtra and two UTs go to the Consulate General in Goa
- Embassy of Portugal, New Delhi
- Where you applyChandigarh, Jalandhar or New Delhi for Punjab
- VFS Global
- Visa feeFree under 6; VFS service charge extra
- €90 adult, €45 age 6 to 12
- Decision timeUp to 45 in individual cases
- 15 calendar days
Embassy of Portugal New Delhi, Portugal's visa portal and VFS Global Portugal India, checked 14 Oct 2026
A tourist visa is only for a visit. Many families who look at Portugal are also reading about residence routes. Those are national visas with their own rules, applied for separately; our Portugal Golden Visa page covers that side. Keep the two plans in separate files.
Where do applicants from Punjab apply?
At VFS Global, which the Embassy says is the only service provider authorised to file Portuguese visas in India. VFS runs Portugal centres in 12 cities. For Punjab the practical ones are:
- Chandigarh: Elante Offices, entry from Gate No. 3, Unit B 209, Industrial and Business Park Phase I.
- Jalandhar: Aman Plaza, 2nd Floor, Lajpat Nagar, Mahavir Marg.
- New Delhi, and Lucknow for Uttar Pradesh.
The Mumbai, Pune and Goa centres feed the Consulate General in Goa, so they are not for Punjab residents. You also need to have lived legally in the Embassy's jurisdiction for at least 6 months. The Embassy's own example is a student who lives in the US and comes home to India for two weeks each summer: her application belongs in the US, not in Delhi.
Booking has one Portugal-specific step. VFS requires you to pay its service fee online when you book; the appointment is confirmed only after payment. The visa fee itself is paid at the centre, in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or RuPay card.
At the centre:
- You go yourself. The Embassy says the application cannot be submitted by a third person, because your identity has to be confirmed. VFS adds that you cannot send someone in your place.
- Arrive 15 minutes early. If you miss the slot, you can book again only after 24 hours.
- Biometrics. All 10 fingerprints and a digital photo. Children under 12 give only a facial scan; for ages 12 to 17, a parent or legal guardian consents and stays present.
- Children under 18 must come with an adult, who cannot be a VFS staff member.
To see how dates are opening up, check our Portugal appointment tracker.
Which documents depend on your situation?
The common checklist is printed further down. The Embassy's New Delhi tourism checklist then asks for different financial papers depending on who you are. Every financial document must be an original, on A4, with the bank's stamp and signature.
Employed
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- Last 3 months of salary slips and of the salary account statement, 3 months of personal bank statements, ITR-V or acknowledgement for the last 2 assessment years, and the employer's leave approval
Self-employed or company owner
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- Business registration, GST registration with annexes A and B, a partnership deed or proof of proprietorship; 3 months of personal and business statements; company and personal ITR-V for 2 years
Retired
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- Pension bank statement for the last 3 months, and proof of regular income from property or a business
Student or not working
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- A parent's or guardian's statements and ITR-V, a letter of financial support with their passport copies, an enrolment letter and a no objection certificate from the institution
Sponsored by someone in Portugal
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- The "Statement of Responsibility" (Termo de Responsabilidade), original and certified by a Portuguese notary or lawyer, with the sponsor's ID or residence permit and financial papers
Minor with one parent
- What the New Delhi checklist asks for
- Notarised consent of the other parent, or a court order showing sole custody, plus the apostilled birth certificate
If someone in Portugal is hosting you, the family route usually fits better than tourism; see our Portugal family visit visa guide.
Portugal's paperwork rules are strict, and VFS checks them at the counter:
- Order and paper. Put documents in the exact order of the checklist, do not staple anything, and use A4 throughout.
- Copies. Give a copy of every original. The Embassy keeps originals that come without a copy.
- Passport. Issued within the last 10 years, valid 3 months after your return, with two empty pages. Passports with observations on the data page, handwritten passports and passports with manual changes to the bio-data are not accepted. Bind old passports with a rubber band.
- Two photos, white background, 35 to 40 mm wide, not older than 6 months: one pasted on the form, one clipped to the last page of the passport.
- Past refusals. If any embassy refused you a visa in the last 2 years, add the refusal notice or a written explanation.
- Onward travel. If you fly on to the UK, USA or Canada after Schengen, the checklist wants that country's visa obtained beforehand.
- Language. Anything not in English or Portuguese needs a proper translation, or it counts as missing.
How much is the Portugal visa fee for Indians?
The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, and children under 6 pay nothing; on 14 October 2026 the VFS fee tab showed these as ₹9,889 and ₹5,031. VFS's own service charge was ₹3,437 per application, GST included, paid online when you book. Neither the visa fee nor the service charge is refunded if the visa is refused, and VFS refunds its charges only if you could not attend for medical reasons and show valid proof. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page, and our visa fee calculator totals the official charges for a group.
How long does it take, and when should you apply?
VFS and Portugal's visa portal give 15 calendar days from the day the application is considered admissible, extendable to a maximum of 45 calendar days. The Embassy's checklist adds two details: the 15 days start only when the file reaches the Consular Section, which takes up to two working days from VFS, and the Embassy's public holidays do not count.
The application window is where Portugal's own pages disagree:
- Earliest. VFS's short-term visa page says applications are only accepted within 3 months of the requested arrival date. The same page, the Embassy and Portugal's visa portal also mention six months. Follow the stricter rule: apply within 3 months of travel.
- Latest. VFS accepts applications only until 15 working days before travel, not counting VFS handling time. The Embassy's checklist strongly advises applying at least one month before.
- Tickets. The checklist says a booked flight ticket does not get a file processed any faster. Book refundable fares.
Why do Portugal visas get refused for Indian applicants?
Portugal uses the EU's standard refusal form. These are the problems that most often sit behind its reasons on Indian holiday files.
A holiday that reads like a move
"Property research" on a tourist form, or investment plans and lawyer letters attached to a visitor file, make the officer doubt you will leave within 90 days. Looking at property as a tourist is allowed; the file must still show a fixed return date and strong ties to India.
An Algarve villa with no proper booking
A private rental often comes as an email, not a booking. The checklist wants proof of accommodation for the entire stay: a hotel confirmation, a holiday-home rental document or advance payments. Get the owner's details, the address and your dates on paper.
Spain and Portugal filed with the wrong country
If Spain has more nights, Spain is the right consulate. Filing with Portugal because it seemed easier puts the file in the wrong place from day one.
Money below Portugal's own yardstick
Portugal's visa portal sets means of subsistence at €75 for each entry plus €40 for each day of stay, unless someone in Portugal signs a statement of responsibility. Show it with three months of ordinary statements, and for retired applicants, pension and rent income in a form the officer can read quickly.
Paper that fails the checks
An insurance copy instead of the original with a QR code, a passport with observations on the data page, or documents out of order and untranslated. The Embassy warns that incomplete documentation may lead to rejection, and it is not obliged to ask for missing papers first.
Our Schengen refusal reasons page explains every reason on the form in plain words.
Tips for a stronger file
- Statements on A4 with the bank's stamp and signature, three months, salary credits visible. Explain any large deposit with a document.
- ITR-V only. The checklist accepts only the ITR-V, the verification form or acknowledgement, for two assessment years.
- Cover letter. Your own original letter explaining the plan of the visit, referring to your flights and itinerary.
- Flights. A round-trip reservation in your name showing departure and return dates, plus intra-Schengen bookings if you will visit other states.
- Insurance. An original policy from an approved Indian insurer, with a QR code for verification and the Travel Health Declaration, covering at least €30,000, or $50,000, or CHF 50,000, for the whole stay. Cover cannot be reduced because of your age. More in our Schengen travel insurance explainer.
- Accommodation for every night, in Portugal and in any other Schengen state.
- Glasses. Keep your eyes clearly visible with no tinted lenses; for files in the Goa jurisdiction, photos with eyewear are not accepted at all. A religious head covering is allowed if your face is fully shown.
What can you do if Portugal refuses your visa?
Portugal spells out its appeal routes on its visa portal, and they are more varied than most Schengen states:
- A complaint to the officer who decided, within 15 days of the refusal notice, lodged at the consular post.
- A hierarchical appeal to the member of the Government responsible for foreign affairs, within three months, also lodged at the consular post.
- A court case at the Administrative Court of the Lisbon Circle, within three months.
The routes can be combined. Each appeal procedure carries an administrative cost of €75, and the Embassy says appeals are submitted through VFS with a fee of 75 euro plus taxes. A fresh application is the other option. Nothing on Portugal's official pages sets a waiting period before you reapply; the checklist simply asks you to include the refusal notice, or a written explanation, for any refusal in the last 2 years. Use our refusal deadline tool to keep track of the 15 days.
Can a visitor visa help with the Golden Visa or D7?
Only as a way to look around. A Schengen tourist visa lets you visit for up to 90 days; it does not start or speed up any residence process, and it does not allow work. VFS lists Portugal's residence and long-stay visas, such as the D7 for people living from rents and investments, as separate national visa categories with their own checklists.
What matters for the visitor file is honesty and separation. Say plainly if you will look at property, keep investment papers out of the tourist file, and show the ties that bring you back. For the long-term options, read our Portugal Golden Visa page; for everything else, start at the Portugal country page.
Official sources
- Visas, Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi
- Appeal Mechanisms, Portugal visa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Means of subsistence, Portugal visa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Deadline for filing application, Portugal visa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- VFS Global Portugal India: visa types, fees and processing time
- VFS Global Portugal India: visa application centres
- VFS Global Portugal India: what happens at the centre
- Applying for a Schengen visa, European Commission
- European Union adopts more favourable Schengen visa rules for Indians, EU Delegation to India
