Direct answer: Article 93 is Portugal’s residence-permit route for certain non-EU trainees in non-remunerated professional training linked to a higher-education diploma or ongoing higher-education studies. Since 11 September 2026, new applicants should not rely on entering Portugal visa-free or as a tourist and converting inside the country: Lei n.º 62/2026 repealed the old Article 93(3) exemption.
If you search for a “Portugal internship visa”, the first job is to identify the route. Article 93 is one option, not the immigration category for every internship. Portugal also has temporary-stay and short-stay routes for some placements, while a placement that is really paid employment belongs on the work side of the rules.
Article 93 at a Glance
| Question | Article 93 answer |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies? | A third-country national with a higher-education diploma, or studying toward one in a third country, accepted for qualifying professional training |
| Paid placement? | The qualifying Article 93 training is non-remunerated |
| Residence visa for new cases? | Yes. Article 93(3) was repealed from 11 September 2026 |
| Host requirement | Certified host entity plus a compliant theoretical/practical training contract |
| Permit length | Six months, internship length + three months if shorter than six months, or up to two years for long-duration training |
| Separate paid work? | Article 97 allows complementary employed or self-employed activity |
Which Portugal Internship Route Fits?
Do not choose the route only from the word internship. Portugal uses different visa paths depending on the legal purpose of the placement.
| Your situation | Route to check first |
|---|---|
| You are seeking the Article 93 trainee residence permit | Article 62 residence visa → AIMA Article 93 residence permit |
| Non-remunerated internship over 90 days and up to one year, without the residence-permit route | Article 54(1)(f) temporary-stay visa |
| Training or internship of 90 days or less | Check the applicable short-stay / training rules for your nationality and activity |
| The placement is really paid employment | Check the appropriate work visa / residence route |
This distinction is easy to miss because visa centres use shorthand labels. VFS portals commonly list the residence category as D4 – Study, Higher Education, Student Exchange, Internships, Volunteer Work and Research, while the temporary-stay category for an unpaid professional internship is commonly listed as E6. The menu can differ by consular jurisdiction, so match the legal purpose first and then use the visa category shown by the VFS or Portuguese consular post handling your application.
For Article 93, the key point is fixed: it is the residence-permit route, and Article 93(1) now requires the Article 62 residence visa before the AIMA stage.
A paid placement is different. If the Portuguese host is paying you for productive work under an employment relationship, do not use Article 93 simply because the contract is called an internship. Check the work route instead; our employment contract guide covers that side separately.
Who Qualifies for Article 93?
Article 93 is for a third-country national who either already holds a higher-education diploma or is studying toward one in a third country and has been accepted for professional training in Portugal.
You do not have to be a current student. The legal definition also covers a diploma holder, and it does not impose a rule such as “graduated within the last 12 months.” The training must, however, be in the field of that diploma or your current studies.
Article 62(7) also requires acceptance by a certified host entity and a theoretical and practical training contract.
If you already hold a residence permit from another EU country, do not assume that card automatically covers an internship in Portugal. Formal EU or university mobility schemes have separate rules and should be checked before defaulting to Article 93.
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not use Article 93 as their immigration route.
The Visa-Free Route Ended on 11 September 2026
New Article 93 applicants can no longer rely on the old rule allowing a trainee who entered and remained legally in Portugal to obtain the permit without the Article 62 residence visa. Lei n.º 62/2026 expressly repealed Article 93(3) and entered into force on 11 September 2026.
So the old plan of entering under the Schengen 90/180-day rules, finding a placement and then converting under Article 93 should not be used for a new case.
AIMA’s Article 93 page had not caught up as of 15 September 2026: it still displayed the old visa-exemption wording and listed proof of legal entry for a no-visa application. Do not use that stale exemption for a new case. Lei n.º 62/2026 is the later law and repealed Article 93(3).
What if you applied before 11 September 2026?
The amending law does not provide a blanket transitional rule for pending Article 93 applications under Lei n.º 23/2007. That does not prove that an earlier Article 93(3) application is either automatically refused or automatically preserved. Keep the filing record and treat the pending case on its own facts rather than submitting a duplicate application based on an assumption.
Article 93 Process: Visa to AIMA
For a new case, the practical sequence is host and training contract → Article 62 residence visa → travel to Portugal → Article 93 application with AIMA.
- Confirm that the placement is qualifying non-remunerated professional training tied to your higher-education field.
- Obtain the final training contract from the qualifying host.
- Check the visa category used by the Portuguese consular/VFS post handling your application. For an Article 93 residence case, the legal basis is the Article 62 residence visa, not the E6 temporary-stay route.
- Apply through the Portuguese consular channel responsible for your application.
- Enter Portugal using the residence visa.
- Submit the residence-permit application to AIMA.
Article 58 says a residence visa is valid for two entries and allows a four-month stay for requesting residence. The general statutory decision period for the residence visa is 60 days. That is the visa stage, not a promise that the later AIMA card stage will follow the same timetable.
AIMA currently says the Article 93 residence application is made by appointment and describes an electronic platform for residence-visa holders as still being implemented. Check the AIMA appointment process and AIMA online portal once the visa route is clear.
Article 93 Documents
AIMA’s current checklist combines the normal residence documents with the training contract and health-cover evidence specific to trainees. It lists:
- valid passport or travel document
- residence visa
- declaration and evidence of your Portuguese address
- proof of means of subsistence
- criminal-record certificate from the country of nationality or the country where you lived for more than one year before Portugal, subject to the stated age exemption
- qualifying training contract
- health insurance or proof of SNS coverage
For US criminal-record evidence, see our FBI background check guide.
Bring the complete visa file to the AIMA appointment as well as the published residence checklist. Article 93 is a less common category, and the original placement evidence is useful if AIMA needs to verify how the case was presented at the visa stage.
What Must the Training Contract Contain?
Article 62(7) makes the training contract much more than a basic internship offer. It must state:
- the programme and its educational objectives or learning components
- duration and schedule
- location and supervision conditions
- the legal relationship between trainee and host
- that the training does not replace a job
- the host’s responsibility for reimbursing the State for stay and removal costs if the trainee remains illegally
The training must also be in the field of your diploma or ongoing studies. A vague offer saying only “six-month internship in Lisbon” does not show the elements Article 93 is built around.
Can an Article 93 Trainee Do Paid Work?
Yes, current Article 97 allows holders of residence permits in this subsection to carry out employed or self-employed activity that is complementary to the activity that justified the visa.
That does not turn the qualifying Article 93 placement into a paid job. The trainee route itself remains tied to non-remunerated professional training. If the separate paid activity replaces the training in practice, the underlying immigration basis may no longer match the facts.
Some older guidance still reflects the previous blanket restriction on paid work for trainees. Article 97 was amended in 2022, so the current statutory text is the better reference.
How Long Is the Article 93 Permit Valid?
A standard Article 93 permit is valid for six months, or for the internship duration plus three months when the programme itself is shorter than six months. A long-duration internship can support a permit of up to two years, renewable once for the remaining period of the programme.
That is not an open-ended trainee status. If you want to remain after the programme, you need another lawful residence basis before Article 93 ends.
After the Internship
Article 93 does not automatically convert into a work residence permit when the training ends. If a Portuguese employer wants to hire you, qualify under the appropriate employment or other residence basis before the trainee status expires.
Do not choose Article 93 mainly as a family-migration shortcut either. Portugal’s current family-reunification rules generally include a residence-period requirement, subject to specific exceptions and possible reductions; our family reunification guide covers that separately.