By CEO — Bruna Barreto
For thousands of residents in Portugal, family reunification is not a question of if but when. After settling in, finding stable income, and securing housing, the next natural step is bringing a spouse, children, or dependent parents to join them.
Law 61/2025, enacted in mid-2025, introduced significant changes to the family reunification framework in Portugal. For many residents, those changes have created uncertainty, delays, and the pressing need for qualified legal guidance.
This article explains what changed, who is affected, and how to protect your process.
The most significant development is the potential requirement for a minimum residency period of two years before a resident can sponsor family members. For those who arrived recently, this change may delay plans considerably.
Other key changes include:
Important: The 2-year residency requirement is subject to interpretation and may not apply uniformly to all legal residency categories. EU long-term residents and certain permit holders may retain prior access rights. Legal advice is essential before assuming eligibility.
A legally married spouse or registered civil partner may be included, provided the marriage or partnership was contracted before the sponsor obtained legal residency in Portugal. Relationships established after arrival may be subject to additional scrutiny.
Biological and legally adopted children may be included up to age 18. Children pursuing full-time education may be eligible until age 30, but the dependency relationship must be clearly demonstrated through school enrollment documents, proof of financial support, and parental declarations.
Parents of the sponsor or of the sponsor's spouse may qualify if they can demonstrate genuine financial dependency. The dependency must be documented with evidence of regular financial transfers and absence of independent pension income above the threshold.
Step 1: Confirm Sponsor Eligibility. Verify that your residence permit category and period of residency qualify you to sponsor family members under the updated Law 61/2025 framework.
Step 2: Sponsor's Documentation Package. Valid residence permit, proof of stable income (last 3 to 6 months), housing declaration with adequate capacity, Portuguese criminal record certificate, and NIF registration.
Step 3: Family Members' Documentation. Apostilled birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports, criminal record from country of origin (apostilled), proof of dependency where applicable, and certified Portuguese translations of all documents.
Step 4: Consular Appointment. Family members must apply at the Portuguese consulate in their country of residence. In Brazil, current wait times can exceed several months.
Step 5: AIMA Processing. Once the consulate issues the visa, family members enter Portugal and must complete residency registration with AIMA. Processing times vary, but delays of 6 to 18 months are not uncommon in 2026.
Strategy tip: Begin gathering and apostilling documents before you are formally eligible. This significantly compresses the timeline once you meet the residency requirement.
Children from previous relationships can qualify, but require documentation of sole or shared custody, and in some cases formal consent from the other parent or a court order.
Portugal recognises same-sex marriage and civil partnerships for immigration purposes. Couples who are legally married or registered in a jurisdiction that recognises their partnership should have equivalent access to family reunification.
Children born in Portugal to non-EU parents do not automatically acquire Portuguese nationality in all cases. Their legal status can create additional pathways for the family, and legal assessment is strongly advised.
The single most important thing you can do, regardless of where you are in the timeline, is to begin your documentation review now. Many families lose valuable time because documents expire, apostilles are no longer valid, or translations are rejected due to formatting requirements.
BBA manages the complete family reunification process from eligibility assessment and document preparation to consular coordination and AIMA follow-up. Contact us for a confidential consultation.
Start Your Family's ProcessFor thousands of residents in Portugal, family reunification is not a question of if but when. After settling in, finding stable income, and securing housing, the next natural step is bringing a spouse, children, or dependent parents to join them.
Law 61/2025, enacted in mid-2025, introduced significant changes to the family reunification framework in Portugal. For many residents, those changes have created uncertainty, delays, and the pressing need for qualified legal guidance.
This article explains what changed, who is affected, and how to protect your process.
The most significant development is the potential requirement for a minimum residency period of two years before a resident can sponsor family members. For those who arrived recently, this change may delay plans considerably.
Other key changes include:
Important: The 2-year residency requirement is subject to interpretation and may not apply uniformly to all legal residency categories. EU long-term residents and certain permit holders may retain prior access rights. Legal advice is essential before assuming eligibility.
A legally married spouse or registered civil partner may be included, provided the marriage or partnership was contracted before the sponsor obtained legal residency in Portugal. Relationships established after arrival may be subject to additional scrutiny.
Biological and legally adopted children may be included up to age 18. Children pursuing full-time education may be eligible until age 30, but the dependency relationship must be clearly demonstrated through school enrollment documents, proof of financial support, and parental declarations.
Parents of the sponsor or of the sponsor's spouse may qualify if they can demonstrate genuine financial dependency. The dependency must be documented with evidence of regular financial transfers and absence of independent pension income above the threshold.
Step 1: Confirm Sponsor Eligibility. Verify that your residence permit category and period of residency qualify you to sponsor family members under the updated Law 61/2025 framework.
Step 2: Sponsor's Documentation Package. Valid residence permit, proof of stable income (last 3 to 6 months), housing declaration with adequate capacity, Portuguese criminal record certificate, and NIF registration.
Step 3: Family Members' Documentation. Apostilled birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports, criminal record from country of origin (apostilled), proof of dependency where applicable, and certified Portuguese translations of all documents.
Step 4: Consular Appointment. Family members must apply at the Portuguese consulate in their country of residence. In Brazil, current wait times can exceed several months.
Step 5: AIMA Processing. Once the consulate issues the visa, family members enter Portugal and must complete residency registration with AIMA. Processing times vary, but delays of 6 to 18 months are not uncommon in 2026.
Strategy tip: Begin gathering and apostilling documents before you are formally eligible. This significantly compresses the timeline once you meet the residency requirement.
Children from previous relationships can qualify, but require documentation of sole or shared custody, and in some cases formal consent from the other parent or a court order.
Portugal recognises same-sex marriage and civil partnerships for immigration purposes. Couples who are legally married or registered in a jurisdiction that recognises their partnership should have equivalent access to family reunification.
Children born in Portugal to non-EU parents do not automatically acquire Portuguese nationality in all cases. Their legal status can create additional pathways for the family, and legal assessment is strongly advised.
The single most important thing you can do, regardless of where you are in the timeline, is to begin your documentation review now. Many families lose valuable time because documents expire, apostilles are no longer valid, or translations are rejected due to formatting requirements.
BBA manages the complete family reunification process from eligibility assessment and document preparation to consular coordination and AIMA follow-up. Contact us for a confidential consultation.
Start Your Family's Process