Portugal tightens control over visas for Brazilians

Visa applications sent by post after next Tuesday by Brazilians wishing to enter Portugal will be returned, because the application will now have to be made in person at a visa centre or diplomatic representations such as consulates, according to Portal Diplomático.

The aim of the measure is to “guarantee greater efficiency and proximity for users” and, as part of the reform of the visa operation in Brazil, from Tuesday onwards, visa applications for Portugal must be presented exclusively in person by applicants at the VFS Global Visa Application Centres in Brazil, by prior appointment which can be booked on the respective website.

The measure closes the door on the possibility of making visa applications by post.

On Tuesday, appointments a for face-to-face service will be opened, which will take place on a weekly basis, with the applicant being able to choose the most convenient date and time to present themselves at one of the VFS Global Visa Application Centres in the Brazilian cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Belém do Pará, Fortaleza, Recife, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

Since 2020, there has been a massive surge in Brazilians moving to Portugal, with the total number of Brazilian residents in Portugal reaching approximately 484,596 by early 2025 out of a total population of 10.5 million.

Brazilians now constitute the largest foreign population group, representing about 31.4% or one-third of the total foreign population in the country.

Numbers from 2024 show that some 22,126 visa applications were recorded in 2023 alone, representing an 89% increase on 2022.

And roughly 89,000 Brazilians applied for Portuguese citizenship between 2018 and 2022. In 2023, 8,000 “work-seeking” visas were requested by Brazilians.

Sources: Eco/Wikipedia/Optylon Krea; Credits: