Family reunification in Portugal is no longer a topic where you can rely on old forum answers.
The most important change for many families is that, after the 2025 amendments to the Foreigners Law, many sponsors now need a valid residence permit for at least two years before they can use family reunification. There are important exceptions, but spouse, child, parent, and unmarried-partner cases should not be treated as if they all follow the same rule.
Last verified: July 24, 2026. This guide explains the current family reunification rules in practical English, but AIMA appointment routes, forms, and document handling can change. Always check the official AIMA page for your exact route before paying for translations, legalisation, travel, or visa fees.
Quick answer
Family reunification in Portugal allows a qualifying resident to apply for certain close family members to join them or obtain residence through the correct AIMA route.
In 2026, the first question is not only “is this person my family member?” It is:
- does the sponsor already hold a qualifying Portuguese residence permit?
- has the sponsor held it long enough for this type of family member?
- does the family member fall under Article 99 or Article 100?
- is the family member outside Portugal or already legally in Portugal?
- are the relationship, housing, income, and criminal-record documents strong enough?
In my opinion, the biggest mistake is treating family reunification as a simple checklist. It is a proof-based process. A weak marriage certificate, unclear address proof, unstable income, or wrong inside/outside Portugal route can delay or damage the case.
What changed for 2026
Portugal changed the family reunification framework through Lei 61/2025. The old simple answer that “a resident can apply for family reunification once they have a residence card” is no longer safe.
The current practical rule is:
| Situation | Current practical meaning |
|---|---|
| General family reunification | The sponsor usually needs a valid residence permit for at least two years. |
| Spouse or equivalent partner with prior cohabitation | The residence-period requirement may be 15 months if the spouse/equivalent cohabited with the sponsor for at least 18 months immediately before the sponsor entered Portugal. |
| Minor or incapacitated dependants | The two-year waiting rule does not apply in the same way. |
| Spouse or equivalent partner who is also the parent/adopter of a minor or incapacitated dependant | The waiting rule may not apply. |
| Family of some highly qualified or special residence holders | The waiting rule does not apply for family members of holders of residence permits under Articles 90, 90-A, or 121-A. |
| Exceptional cases | The period can be reduced or waived in duly justified exceptional cases, but families should not plan around an exception unless the facts are strong. |
| Integration conditions for family members who do not already speak Portuguese | Lei 61/2025 added participation in Portuguese language training, training on constitutional and civic values, and compulsory school attendance for minors. These apply to family members who do not already have Portuguese language knowledge, so they mainly affect non-Portuguese-speaking family members rather than, for example, Brazilian nationals. |
| CPLP Título de Residência holders | Since April 18, 2026, AIMA’s Portal de Serviços has allowed CPLP Título de Residência (TR-CPLP) holders to request family reunification online, but only for minor children already resident in Portugal. This is different from an Autorização de Residência CPLP (AR-CPLP), a more preliminary status that AIMA’s own FAQ still lists as unable to use the portal for this purpose. |
The temporary 180-day transition period for some family members already in Portugal has now passed. Do not assume that a family member can simply enter as a tourist and convert inside Portugal later.
If your household includes a CPLP resident permit, check which exact permit type you hold before assuming either way. In my experience, this is one of the few areas where the practical answer changed mid-year, and a permit card issued a few months apart can carry a different label.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for non-EU residents in Portugal who want to bring or regularise a close family member through AIMA family reunification.
It is especially useful if you are trying to bring:
- a spouse
- minor children
- dependent adult children in specific cases
- dependent parents
- an unmarried partner in união de facto
- a minor sibling under guardianship in a specific case
This guide is not for EU citizens bringing non-EU family members under EU free-movement rules, and it is specifically not for a non-EU family member of a Portuguese citizen. If your sponsor holds Portuguese or other EU/EEA/Swiss nationality, the route is Article 15 of Law 37/2006, not Article 98 of the Foreigners Law covered here. Article 15 has its own fee, timeline, and document set. What I’ve noticed on expat forums is that people file the wrong one fairly often, usually because both processes share the word “reunification” and get lumped together in casual advice.
Family reunification explained
Family reunification is the process that lets a resident in Portugal request residence for qualifying family members.
There are three separate questions:
- Right to request reunification, mainly governed by Article 98.
- Who counts as a family member, mainly governed by Article 99 and Article 100.
- Residence permit after approval or entry, where the family member may then need the correct visa or residence-permit step, including the Article 107 stage after entering Portugal with the family reunification visa.
That distinction matters. A spouse may be an eligible family member, but the sponsor still needs to satisfy the Article 98 timing and evidence requirements. A parent may be eligible only if dependency is properly proved. An unmarried partner is not the same as a spouse and usually needs stronger cohabitation evidence.
Article 98, Article 99, Article 100, and Article 107
Many articles online blur these articles together. For a family, the difference is practical.
| Legal article | What it mainly does | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Article 98 | Gives the right to request family reunification and sets the sponsor timing rule | This is where the two-year, 15-month, and exemption logic matters. |
| Article 99 | Lists family members such as spouse, children, dependent ascendants, and some guardianship cases | This is where spouse, child, adult dependent child, and dependent parent eligibility is analysed. |
| Article 100 | Covers unmarried partners in união de facto and certain children of the partner | This is not the dependent-parent article. |
| Article 107 | Connects approval/visa entry to the residence permit stage for the family member | After entering Portugal with the family reunification visa, the family member must complete the AIMA residence-permit step. |
If your case is specifically about a spouse and children, read this article together with our Article 99 spouse and children guide. If your case is an unmarried partner, read the Article 100 união de facto guide. If your case is a dependent parent, use the dependent parents family reunification guide.
Who can sponsor family reunification
In most cases, the sponsor is the person already legally resident in Portugal.
The sponsor usually needs:
- a valid Portuguese residence permit
- a stable address in Portugal
- sufficient means of subsistence for the household
- housing that can reasonably accommodate the family
- documents that prove the family relationship
- documents that show the family member does not fall under refusal grounds
A pending appointment, a visa that has not yet become a residence permit, or an unstable immigration history may not be enough. If your own residence situation is still unclear, fix that first before you spend money preparing a family file.
Which family members may qualify
The main qualifying family categories include:
| Family member | Practical notes |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Marriage must be valid and recognised under Portuguese law. Both spouses must generally be at least 18 at the date of the request. |
| Minor or incapacitated children | Usually the strongest family category, but custody, adoption, and non-resident parent consent can become important. |
| Adopted minors | The adoption decision must be legally valid and recognised where required. |
| Adult dependent children | This is more limited and usually needs proof of dependency, unmarried status, and study conditions. |
| Dependent parents | Parents are not automatically eligible just because they are parents. Dependency is the core issue. |
| Minor siblings under guardianship | The guardianship decision must be legally recognised. |
| Unmarried partner in união de facto | This is Article 100 and usually depends on proving a real stable partnership, not just a dating relationship. |
The exact route can change depending on the sponsor’s residence title. For example, student residence holders have a narrower family-member set than many other residents.
Family outside Portugal vs family already in Portugal
This is one of the most important practical distinctions.
Family member outside Portugal
If the family member is outside Portugal, the process normally starts from the sponsor’s AIMA family reunification request and then connects to a visa-stage route for the family member.
AIMA’s outside-Portugal page lists documents such as:
- the sponsor’s residence permit
- authenticated copy of the family member’s passport
- authenticated proof of the family relationship
- declaration of address and housing basis
- proof of means of subsistence
- criminal record from the family member’s country of nationality or country of residence where applicable
- specific documents such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, dependency proof, adoption decision, guardianship decision, or união de facto proof
After the family member enters Portugal with the correct residence visa, they still need to complete the AIMA residence-permit stage.
Family member already in Portugal
If the family member is already in Portugal, AIMA has a separate page for family reunification with family in national territory.
This route is not a shortcut for every case. It normally requires attention to:
- proof of legal entry into Portugal
- the family member’s current status
- the sponsor’s residence permit
- relationship documents
- address declaration
- means of subsistence
- criminal-record documents where required
- the family member’s attendance for biometrics
The temporary transition rule after Lei 61/2025 has already passed, so families should be cautious about relying on outdated advice that says an inside-Portugal request is broadly available.
Income requirement in 2026
AIMA calculates family reunification means of subsistence using percentages of the Portuguese minimum wage.
For 2026, the minimum wage is €920 per month. Based on AIMA’s formula:
| Household after reunification | Minimum monthly reference amount |
|---|---|
| Sponsor alone as first adult | €920 |
| Sponsor + spouse or partner | €1,380 |
| Sponsor + spouse + 1 child | €1,656 |
| Sponsor + spouse + 2 children | €1,932 |
| Sponsor + 1 dependent parent | €1,380 |
| Sponsor + 2 dependent parents | €1,840 |
| Sponsor + spouse + 1 dependent parent | €1,840 |
| Sponsor + spouse + 1 child + 1 dependent parent | €2,116 |
This is a reference calculation, not a guarantee of approval. AIMA can still look at whether the income is stable, documented, and enough for the real household circumstances.
What counts as stronger income proof
A stronger file usually shows a consistent income story.
| Sponsor situation | Stronger evidence |
|---|---|
| Employee | Employment contract, recent payslips, bank credits matching salary, IRS or tax evidence where useful. |
| Self-employed | Activity registration, green receipts, service contracts, recent invoices, Segurança Social contribution evidence, tax records. |
| Pensioner | Pension statements, bank credits, tax evidence if relevant. |
| Savings-supported case | Bank statements showing real available funds, but savings alone may be weaker than stable recurring income depending on the case. |
| Mixed household income | Clear evidence of who earns what and whether the income can legally support the household. |
Avoid submitting only one bank screenshot. In a serious file, the documents should connect: work contract, payslips, bank deposits, tax records, address, and household size.
Housing requirement
AIMA expects proof that the family will have housing in Portugal.
Common evidence includes:
- rental contract
- landlord declaration where required
- proof of ownership
- land registry certificate or access code for owned property
- declaration of address and the legal basis for living there
- proof that the home can reasonably accommodate the household
If your housing is informal, temporary, overcrowded, or not documented, this is a risk. AIMA is not only asking where you sleep. It is asking whether there is credible, lawful housing for the family after reunification.
For address evidence, see our proof of address in Portugal guide and, if you are renting, our renting in Portugal guide.
Relationship documents
Relationship proof is where many families lose time.
Common documents include:
| Family member | Core relationship document |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Marriage certificate. |
| Minor child | Birth certificate naming the parent or legal decision proving custody/adoption. |
| Adopted child | Adoption decision and recognition evidence where needed. |
| Adult dependent child | Birth certificate, proof of unmarried status where relevant, study enrolment, and dependency proof. |
| Parent | Birth certificate linking parent and sponsor, plus dependency evidence. |
| Unmarried partner | Evidence of união de facto, usually including cohabitation and relationship proof. |
| Minor sibling under guardianship | Guardianship decision and recognition evidence. |
Foreign certificates often need authentication, legalisation, apostille, or certified translation. Name differences can also cause trouble: old surnames, spelling errors, missing middle names, or inconsistent birth dates should be corrected before submission if possible.
Document checklist
The exact list depends on the case, but most family reunification files include:
| Document group | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Sponsor residence permit | Proves the sponsor’s legal residence and timing position. |
| Sponsor passport or ID | Confirms identity. |
| Family member passport | Confirms identity and travel document details. |
| Relationship proof | Proves the family link under Article 99 or Article 100. |
| Housing proof | Shows where the family will live in Portugal. |
| Means of subsistence proof | Shows the household can support the family without relying on social assistance. |
| Criminal record | Usually needed for adult family members. |
| Legal entry proof | Especially relevant where the family member is already in Portugal. |
| Translations/legalisation | Makes foreign documents usable in Portugal. |
| AIMA forms | Use the correct forms for the route and confirm the latest version before submission. |
Keep a clean PDF scan and a physical copy of every document. Families often need to re-use the same evidence later at consular, AIMA, school, bank, tax, or SNS stages.
Family reunification fees in 2026
AIMA updated its Tabela de Taxas on March 1, 2026, under Portaria n.º 307/2023. Under the current table, the family reunification fee is €99.80 per person being reunified, the same rate that applies to several other residence-permit categories.
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Family reunification fee, per family member | €99.80 |
| Effective date of the current fee table | March 1, 2026 |
| Legal basis | Portaria n.º 307/2023, consolidated version |
This is the reunification fee itself. It does not include separate costs such as translations, apostille or legalisation, travel for a consular visa stage, or private legal fees. My honest advice is to treat the AIMA fee as the smallest line item in the family’s budget, not the main one, since document preparation abroad is usually where the real cost sits.
Strong evidence vs weak evidence
This is where many competitor articles are too generic.
| Issue | Stronger evidence | Weaker evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage | Recent authenticated marriage certificate with consistent names and translation if needed. | Old certificate with name mismatch and no authentication. |
| Child | Birth certificate, custody proof where relevant, consent from non-resident parent where required. | Birth certificate alone where custody or travel consent is unclear. |
| Parent dependency | Long-term transfers, parent’s income/pension proof, medical or household evidence where relevant. | One recent money transfer and a general statement that the parent needs help. |
| Income | Contract, payslips, tax/social security records, matching bank deposits. | One bank screenshot with unclear source. |
| Housing | Registered lease, ownership proof, landlord declaration, address consistency. | Informal room arrangement with no documents. |
| União de facto | Cohabitation evidence, shared bills, official declarations, long-term relationship proof. | Photos, chat screenshots, or travel bookings alone. |
In my view, this is the part that most families should spend more time on. AIMA is not only checking whether a document exists. It is checking whether the whole file makes sense.
Step-by-step process
A typical family reunification route looks like this:
- Confirm the sponsor’s residence status and timing.
- Confirm the family member category under Article 99 or Article 100.
- Decide whether the family member is applying from outside Portugal or already in Portugal.
- Prepare relationship, housing, income, identity, and criminal-record documents.
- Authenticate, apostille, legalise, or translate foreign documents where needed.
- Submit or attend the relevant AIMA appointment or process.
- Keep proof of submission and copies of the entire file.
- If approved and the family member is outside Portugal, complete the visa-stage process.
- After entry with the residence visa, complete the AIMA residence-permit stage.
- After the residence card is issued, complete normal life-admin steps such as tax, health, school, and social security registration where relevant.
For AIMA appointment preparation, read our AIMA appointment guide.
How long does family reunification take
The law says the request should be decided within nine months. For cases outside Article 98(1) and (2), the period may be extended once, by the same length again, in exceptional cases tied to the complexity of the file. That can create a legal ceiling of up to 18 months, not a guaranteed nine-month answer.
There is a second change that matters as much as the headline number. Lei 61/2025 removed the old automatic approval rule. Before this law, if AIMA stayed silent for six months, the request counted as approved by default. That safety net no longer exists. A missed deadline today does not approve the case on its own. It just means the file is late.
This 9-month, 18-month-maximum structure survived a real legal challenge. In August 2025, Portugal’s Constitutional Court (Acórdão n.º 785/2025) struck down an earlier draft of this same law, partly because stacking an 18-month decision window on top of the two-year residence wait, while also cutting spouses out of the main exemptions, could have pushed some cases past three and a half years in total. The version that passed in October 2025 restored the spouse-as-parent and dependent-minor exemptions described above and kept the 9-month, 18-month-maximum timeline. If you have seen an “18-month rule” mentioned for AIMA family reunification, this is usually what it refers to: the maximum extended decision period, not an extra waiting period stacked on top of everything else.
Real delays can come from:
- appointment availability
- document legalisation abroad
- translation problems
- incomplete evidence
- follow-up requests
- consular processing after approval
- residence-card appointment and production after entry
The practical advice is simple: prepare the foreign documents early and keep them organised. Do not wait until an appointment appears before checking whether certificates need apostille or legalisation.
What happens after approval
Approval is not the end of the process.
If the family member is outside Portugal, they may still need the correct residence visa stage before travelling. After arriving in Portugal with the visa, the family member must complete the AIMA residence-permit step. AIMA states that the family member should attend AIMA to request the residence permit under Article 107 after entering with the residence visa.
If the family member is already in Portugal and the application is accepted through the in-country route, the family member will still need biometrics and the residence-permit issuance process.
AIMA also states that the family member’s residence permit is normally granted for the same duration as the resident sponsor’s permit.
Can the family member work in Portugal
Do not treat AIMA submission or even approval as the same thing as already having a residence card.
Once the family member receives the appropriate Portuguese residence permit, they generally have normal resident access to work, school, tax registration, banking, and healthcare steps. But timing matters. If the family member wants to sign an employment contract, the employer may ask for the residence card, NIF, NISS, and proof of the right to work.
If work timing is urgent, confirm the exact status shown on the family member’s visa or residence document before making commitments.
Children, school, and healthcare
For children, family reunification is not only an immigration file. You may also need to prepare for:
- school enrolment
- vaccination records
- health-centre registration
- tax number
- proof of address
- translated birth certificates
- custody or consent documents where one parent is not moving
Do not leave school and health documents until after the residence card arrives. Some steps can be prepared earlier, especially translations and birth certificates.
What can make the application fail
Common problems include:
- sponsor has not held a valid residence permit long enough
- family member does not fit Article 99 or Article 100
- trying to use Article 100 for dependent parents
- weak evidence of dependency for parents or adult children
- unclear or undocumented housing
- income below the household threshold
- relying on social assistance instead of sufficient means
- old or inconsistent certificates
- missing apostille, legalisation, or certified translation
- family member entered or stayed in Portugal in a way that does not fit the route
- criminal-record problems
- assuming the 2025 temporary transition period still applies in 2026
- filing under Article 98 when the sponsor is actually a Portuguese or EU citizen, which needs Article 15 instead
- assuming a CPLP resident permit qualifies for the online portal without checking whether it is a Título de Residência or the more limited Autorização de Residência
- overlooking the language, civic-values, and school-attendance integration conditions for family members who do not already speak Portuguese
If the case is complex, get qualified advice before filing. It is easier to prepare a clean first file than to repair a weak one after a refusal or long delay.
Common questions
I just got my first Portuguese residence card. Can I bring my spouse right away, or is there a waiting period?
Not always. Many sponsors now need a valid residence permit for at least two years. A 15-month rule may apply for a spouse or equivalent partner if the couple cohabited for at least 18 months immediately before the sponsor entered Portugal. There are also exemptions for specific family situations.
Does the two-year waiting period apply if I want to bring my minor child to live with me in Portugal?
Minor or incapacitated dependants are treated differently from many adult family members. The two-year waiting rule does not apply to them in the same way. You still need relationship, custody, housing, income, and document proof.
Can I bring my elderly parents to live with me in Portugal through family reunification?
Possibly, but parents are not automatic. The relevant category is dependent first-degree ascendants, and the key question is whether they are genuinely dependent on the resident or the resident’s spouse. Use the dedicated dependent parents guide because evidence matters heavily.
My partner and I live together but aren’t married. Can they still qualify for family reunification?
No. An unmarried partner may qualify through união de facto under Article 100, but the evidence is usually different. AIMA commonly expects proof of a real stable partnership, including cohabitation evidence.
If my spouse gets residency through family reunification, does that eventually lead to Portuguese citizenship?
Family reunification can give the family member legal residence in Portugal, and legal residence may matter later for permanent residence or citizenship. But the citizenship timeline changed in 2026, so do not rely on old “five-year citizenship” answers. Read the current citizenship residency requirements before planning long-term nationality timelines.
I hold a D7 or D8 visa. Can I sponsor my spouse or children through family reunification?
Potentially, yes, if the sponsor has the right residence status and meets the current family reunification conditions. The exact timing, documents, and family-member category still matter. For passive-income cases, see the D7 visa guide and then check the family reunification rules against your residence card date.
My spouse is a Portuguese citizen. Should I file for family reunification under Article 98 or under Article 15?
Article 98 is the standard route covered in this guide, for sponsors holding a Portuguese residence permit as a non-EU national. If the sponsor is a Portuguese, EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, the correct route is Article 15 of Law 37/2006, which has its own fee, document list, and timeline, and is not interchangeable with Article 98.
I’m in Portugal on a student residence permit. Can I bring my spouse through family reunification?
Sometimes, but student residence holders have a narrower qualifying family-member set than many other permit types, and the sponsor timing rule still applies on top of that. Confirm both the family-member category under Article 99 and the sponsor’s own residence-permit basis before assuming a student route works the same way as a work-based residence permit.
How much will I pay in AIMA fees to bring my spouse or children to Portugal in 2026?
Under AIMA’s fee table in force since March 1, 2026, the family reunification fee is €99.80 per family member being reunified. This is only the AIMA administrative fee. Translation, apostille, legalisation, and consular visa costs are separate and are usually the larger part of the total budget.
Will my spouse or children have to learn Portuguese as part of the family reunification process?
Under Lei 61/2025, family members who do not already have Portuguese language knowledge are expected to take part in Portuguese language training and training on constitutional and civic values, and minors must attend compulsory schooling. These conditions are tied to integration after arrival rather than being a pre-approval language test.
I hold a CPLP residence permit. Can I use the AIMA portal to request family reunification for my children?
Since April 18, 2026, AIMA’s Portal de Serviços allows CPLP Título de Residência holders to request family reunification online, but only where a minor child is already living in Portugal. Holders of the more limited Autorização de Residência CPLP are still shown by AIMA’s own FAQ as unable to use this route, so confirm your exact permit type before starting.
I already paid the AIMA fee, but my case status still shows “Por Pagar.” What should I do?
According to AIMA’s own Portal de Serviços FAQ, this is expected and not a sign your payment failed. If you have already completed payment, you do not need to take further action. You should simply wait to be contacted by AIMA, since the status update on the portal is not always immediate.
I keep seeing an “18-month rule” for AIMA family reunification cases. What does that actually mean?
It refers to the maximum decision period, not an extra waiting period. AIMA has nine months to decide. For cases outside Article 98(1) and (2), that period may be extended once by the same length in exceptional, complex cases, for a ceiling of 18 months. It does not stack on top of the two-year residence requirement, and it no longer comes with automatic approval if AIMA misses the deadline.
My family member is already in Portugal on a tourist visa. Can they apply for family reunification without leaving the country?
Do not assume that. There is an AIMA in-country family reunification route, but it is not a general promise that every tourist entry can become family residence. Legal entry, current status, relationship category, sponsor timing, and the post-2025 rules all matter.
Practical checklist before you apply
Before starting, confirm:
- the sponsor is a non-EU resident under Article 98, not a Portuguese/EU citizen who would need Article 15 instead
- the sponsor already has the correct Portuguese residence permit
- the sponsor has held it long enough for this family category
- the family member fits Article 99 or Article 100
- the family member is outside Portugal or has a valid inside-Portugal route
- the relationship document is recent enough, consistent, and authenticated where needed
- foreign documents are translated, apostilled, or legalised where required
- housing evidence is clean and matches the sponsor’s address
- income evidence meets the 2026 household calculation
- criminal-record documents are prepared for adult family members
- all names, birth dates, and passport details match across documents
- you have copies of everything submitted
Summary
Family reunification in Portugal is possible, but in 2026 it requires more careful planning than many older guides suggest.
The sponsor timing rule, the family-member category, the inside/outside Portugal route, the income threshold, and the quality of foreign documents all matter. A spouse case is not the same as a parent case. A minor child case is not the same as an adult dependent child case. Article 100 is for união de facto, not dependent parents.
If you treat the process as a serious evidence file instead of a simple appointment task, you have a much better chance of avoiding delays, confusion, and avoidable refusals.