The Startup Visa is suitable for entrepreneurs who want to move to Portugal to start and develop an innovative business. The main requirement for the project is the potential for rapid financial growth, entry into international markets and job creation.
The entrepreneur can get a visa within six months if a startup is eligible to participate in the program.
To get a Portugal Startup Visa, you must submit a startup project related to innovation and technology. The entrepreneur must obtain project approval from an accredited business incubator that will accelerate the startup and submit an application to IAPMEI, the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation.
IAPMEI evaluates projects on their level of innovation, business model scalability, market potential, team management skills and the prospect of creating highly skilled jobs in Portugal.
The startup founder does not need to confirm the availability of money to invest in the project; it is enough to prove they have money for a year of living in Portugal.
The IAPMEI agency issues a declaration of compliance with the terms of the Startup Visa program. The document must be presented to obtain a visa and a residence permit.
A consulate issues the visa in the country where the entrepreneur lives, and SEF, the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service, grants the residence permit.
The Startup Portugal Program aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and affirm Portugal as a country open to entrepreneurship and to all who will use knowledge and innovation to invest in the Portuguese economy and build up the skilled national workforce.
By investing and creating qualified employment, entrepreneurs can integrate into a startup incubator and benefit from all the Startup Portugal Program incentives and support:
For entrepreneurs. Foreigners without citizenship or a permanent residence permit in other EU countries can apply for the Portugal Startup Visa. Other program requirements for an entrepreneur are the following:
There are no strict requirements for an entrepreneur’s education or work experience, but specialised education and relevant experience increase the chances of obtaining a visa.
Up to five company employees can be included in the application for a Startup Visa.
Each person in the application confirms with a bank statement an account balance of €11,040 the annual cost of living in Portugal.
Money can be in any bank, Portuguese or foreign. The presence of money in the account confirms that the applicant will be able to support themselves during the first year of life in the country.
For startups. An entrepreneur can set up a new company in Portugal or transfer an existing business from another country. It is optional for a startup to have a minimum viable product or a working prototype. Just a well-developed business idea will be enough.
The project must be related to innovation and technology and have the growth potential to qualify for the Startup Visa.
Project requirements are the following:
Before applying for a visa, an entrepreneur must obtain the consent of one of the accredited business incubators to accelerate a startup.
99 business incubators are accredited in the Portugal Startup Visa Program. The list is published on the website of the Portuguese national network of incubators, RNI.
Incubators select projects for acceleration differently: some have softer requirements, and others have tougher ones. Several incubators can be contacted before applying for a Startup Visa to determine the needs, understand their interest in the project, and obtain prior approval.
Portuguese incubators do not invest in startups in exchange for a share in the company and do not give grants. They provide expert assistance, a platform for attracting investors and sharing the experience with other entrepreneurs. Also, a startup can rent a coworking space in the incubator for its team.
Incubator services cost about €100 per month, not including coworking, which is paid separately.
Portugal Startup Visa documents include the following:
Getting a Startup Visa typically takes at least three months if the entrepreneur already has a business plan. But the process might take longer, depending on the speed of getting approval from IAPMEI and a business incubator. After obtaining a visa, you must come to Portugal and apply for a residence permit.
1. Prepare a business plan, collect documents and apply on the Startup Visa platform. An entrepreneur develops a startup business plan, collects the necessary documents, registers on the IAPMEI website and applies online.
2. Receive project approval from one of the incubators. The entrepreneur applies for approval to one or more incubators on the Startup Visa Program website. If at least one incubator approves the project, the entrepreneur sends an application to IAPMEI.
3. Get application approval. IAPMEI reviews the Startup Visa Program application within 30 business days. If the project is approved, the entrepreneur signs a contract with the incubator on the program website within 40 working days.
After signing the contract for project acceleration, the applicant receives a declaration of participation in the program. It is valid for 180 days and is needed to get a visa.
4. Obtain a visa to enter Portugal. The visa is obtained from the Portuguese consulate in the country where the applicant lives. It is issued for 4 months, giving the right to 2 entries into Portugal.
The visa indicates the date of the visit to the immigration service in Portugal to apply for a residence permit.
The list of documents for obtaining a visa to Portugal:
You can skip this step if you already have a valid Schengen visa. With it, you can enter Portugal, make an appointment with the immigration service (SEF) and apply for a residence permit on the appointed day.
5. Get a residence permit in Portugal. Documents for obtaining a residence permit are submitted in Portugal to the SEF on the day indicated in the visa. When the documents are submitted, renting or buying residential property is necessary.
The list of documents for a residence permit in Portugal:
The residence permit is issued for two years with the possibility of an extension for three years.
To extend the residence permit, you must live in the country for at least six months in a row in a year or at least eight months in total for the entire validity period of the residence permit.
For comparison, it's enough to spend one week in a year for holders of an investor visa to extend a residence permit.
The main expenses for getting a Portugal Startup Visa are the following:
After obtaining a residence permit in Portugal, the family can move to an entrepreneur: spouse, children under 18, and parents of both spouses. Children over 18 can obtain a residence permit if unmarried and study full-time at a Portuguese university.
Relatives of the entrepreneur get residence permits for family reunification. The entrepreneur needs to confirm the availability of money for their residence in the country.
The required amount is calculated based on the minimum wage for a particular year: 50% for each adult and 30% for a child. In 2025, these are €5,520 and €3,132, respectively, based on the €920 Portuguese minimum monthly wage.
After five years of living in Portugal with a residence permit, you can apply for permanent residence or citizenship by naturalisation.
An important condition is knowledge of the Portuguese language at the A2 level: the applicant must understand and be able to converse on familiar or everyday topics and talk about themselves and their family. To confirm language proficiency, you need to pass an exam.
Portuguese citizenship gives the right to live, work and do business in any EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Iceland.
| Residence permit | Permanent residency | Citizenship |
| Validity period for up 2 years | Granted for life | Granted for life |
| Without the right to live, work and do business in other Schengen countries | With the right to live, work and do business in other Schengen countries | With the right to live, work and do business in other Schengen countries |
| Visa-free entry to the Schengen countries for 90 days in 6 months | Visa-free entry to the Schengen countries for 90 days in 6 months | Visa-free entry to 188 countries, including the US and UK |
The Startup Visa is intended for entrepreneurs and allows the founders of innovative startups to move to Portugal and obtain a residence permit. The entrepreneur needs to get project approval from one of the accredited business incubators and the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation IAPMEI.
A startup project can be at the idea stage: a well-developed business plan is enough. An MVP or working prototype is not required for a visa.
Usually, it takes three months if the entrepreneur already has a business plan. The terms may be extended due to the peculiarities of the consulate’s schedule or the request for additional documents.
After obtaining a visa, you must come to Portugal and apply for a residence permit.
The Portugal Startup Visa allows its holder:
An entrepreneur needs to prepare a detailed startup business plan and upload it to the website of the IAPMEI. The agency is considering the project after the startup has received approval from one of the accredited business incubators.
To be approved by IAPMEI, the project must be designed with the prospect of entering the international market and creating highly skilled jobs in Portugal.
IAPMEI issues a declaration of participation in the Portugal Startup Visa Program if the project is approved. The declaration allows you to get a visa for 4 months and then — a residence permit in Portugal.
Portugal Startup Visa documents are the following:
The project must meet the following criteria:
Applicants can transfer to Portugal an existing company or establish a new one. The program’s conditions do not require confirmation of the availability of funds for the project’s development.
A certified incubator confirms its interest in the project and signs an agreement with the entrepreneur for startup acceleration. One of the 99 accredited business incubators must approve the project to participate in the business incubator program.
Incubators help to establish processes in the company, prepare the product and bring it to the market. But they do not finance startups: they do not participate in the authorised capital and do not issue grants.
