Student visa & permits in Portugal
Student visa, residence permit, registration, fees, deadlines and document guidance for studying in Portugal.
Read the complete Portugal study abroad guide.
Visa & Immigration
Non-EU students on programmes over three months apply for a national D-type study visa (the D4) at the consulate, then convert it inside Portugal. The visa is issued for four months and two entries: its whole job is to get you to your AIMA appointment.
Means of subsistence are pegged to the national minimum monthly salary, EUR 920 in 2026 by regulatory decree, shown for the stay via statements, a scholarship or a sponsor's term of responsibility. Blogs still circulate EUR 760 and EUR 870; those are earlier years' wage rates. Visa fees hover around EUR 90 to 110 depending on consulate and channel; the consulate's live fee table decides.
Source: https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/necessary-documentation/means-of-subsistence
Residence Permit
Within the visa's four-month window you attend AIMA (the agency that replaced SEF in 2023) to receive the residence permit: initial card for a year, renewed annually against fresh enrolment, means and address. Appointments are the scarce resource; book the moment you land, never travel mid-process, and keep every receipt.
Before AIMA you want the NIF, the tax number from Finanças that unlocks renting, banking and phone contracts. NIF first, then everything else.
Source: https://aima.gov.pt/pt
Common questions
What should international students know about visa in Portugal?
D4 visa, four months to reach AIMA; means pegged to the EUR 920 minimum wage.
What should international students know about residence in Portugal?
NIF first; AIMA within the four-month visa window; renew annually.