Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Portugal visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Portugal Schengen visa through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, depending on your county. The visa fee is €90, charged in pounds, plus a £32.85 VFS service charge. VFS gives a minimum processing time of 2 weeks.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed 9 October 2026 · sources at the foot of the page

Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.: €90
VFS Global service charge, paid at the centre.: £32.85
Standard processing after the appointment.: 15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.: 6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you hold a valid UK residence permit. Portugal's checklist accepts your residence permit or a digital share code, valid for at least one month after you return from the Schengen area, with the share code printout from GOV.UK.

If you hold a UK short-stay visitor visa, Portugal only accepts your application for essential travel: business, study, family reunification, health or humanitarian reasons.

Portugal must be your only or main destination, by days or by purpose. If there is no main destination, Portugal must be the first Schengen country you enter.

Your county decides your centre. London covers London, the South East, the South West, the East of England and the Channel Islands. Manchester or Edinburgh cover the North of England, the Midlands, Northern Ireland and all of Scotland.

Portugal visa for Pakistani passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Bangladeshi passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Nigerian passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Sri Lankan passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Ghanaian passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Gambian passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Somali passport holders in the UK
Portugal visa for Guinean passport holders in the UK

Documents for a Portugal visit visa

You provide

Passport Original plus a copy, valid for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, issued in the last 10 years, with 2 blank pages. Add copies of any previous Schengen visas.
UK immigration status Your residence permit or a digital share code, valid for at least one month after you return, with the share code printout from GOV.UK. Bring the original and a copy.
Photo One recent colour passport photo, no older than 6 months, on a white or off-white background, glued to the form. Photos that fail the rules are retaken at the centre.
Bank statements The last 3 months, showing your name, address and a closing balance dated within a month of applying. The balance must cover Portugal's rule of €75 for each entry plus €40 for each day in the Schengen area. Credit card statements with your limit can be added.
Job or study evidence Employees: a signed, dated letter addressed to the Portuguese Consulate or Foreign Ministry, issued in the last 3 months, plus 3 months of payslips. Self-employed: an accountant's or solicitor's letter, your latest self-assessment and your Companies House certificate. Students: an enrolment letter from the last 3 months.
Term of responsibility (if a host or sponsor helps) Portugal's own form, signed by the person hosting or paying for you, with a copy of their passport or ID and their property deeds or tenancy. The signature must be certified by a notary, lawyer or solicitor, or signed in front of the officer.
Children's documents The full birth certificate (translated if not in English or Portuguese), both parents' passports with copies, a signed parental consent letter and a British school certificate if applicable.

We provide

Application form Completed on Portugal's online visa form, printed with its barcode sheets and signed. Parents sign for children.
Cover letter and personal statement Portugal asks every applicant for a personal statement explaining the reason for the trip and the itinerary. We draft it with you, together with your dates, who pays and your ties to the UK.
Return flight reservation A round-trip reservation with its invoice, in your name, with your travel dates, or proof of onward travel.
Hotel booking Accommodation for your whole stay, in your name, with the dates and address.
Travel medical insurance At least €30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen country for your whole stay, including medical emergencies and repatriation.
VFS appointment We book your slot on VFS's online portal, the only way to book, at the centre that covers your county.

Where and when to apply

Portugal takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

VFS Global runs the Portuguese visa centres for the Consulates of Portugal in London and Manchester. Your county decides where you go: London for the south and east of England, Manchester or Edinburgh for the north, the Midlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

VFS charges a £32.85 service fee including VAT for every application, even for children under 6. The €90 visa fee is charged in pounds at the current exchange rate. You can pay by card, or in cash except in Manchester and Edinburgh. Fees are not refunded.
Portugal's money rule is €75 for each entry plus €40 for each day you will spend in the Schengen area, shown in your latest bank statement.
Appointments can only be booked online, and the VFS contact centre cannot book for you (notice of 6 December 2025). They go quickly around Easter, in July and August and at Christmas.
Optional VFS extras include courier return of your passport (£16.95) and the Premium Lounge (£70), both including VAT. They do not speed up the decision.
If you are refused, you can complain within 15 days, appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs within 3 months, or take the case to the administrative court in Lisbon.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

VFS Portugal lists Pakistan among the nationalities with a minimum processing time of 3 weeks, because other Schengen states are consulted. Allow at least that long.
Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Portuguese airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Portugal's foreign ministry exempts the UK residence permit named in EU rules, the Biometric Residence Permit. All BRPs have now expired and eVisas are not mentioned, so plan on needing the transit visa unless Portugal confirms otherwise.

Bangladeshi passport holders

VFS Portugal lists Bangladesh among the nationalities with a minimum processing time of 3 weeks, because other Schengen states are consulted. Allow at least that long.
Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Portuguese airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Portugal's foreign ministry exempts the UK residence permit named in EU rules, the Biometric Residence Permit. All BRPs have now expired and eVisas are not mentioned, so plan on needing the transit visa unless Portugal confirms otherwise.

Nigerian passport holders

VFS Portugal lists Nigeria among the nationalities with a minimum processing time of 3 weeks, because other Schengen states are consulted. Allow at least that long.
Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Portuguese airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Portugal's foreign ministry exempts the UK residence permit named in EU rules, the Biometric Residence Permit. All BRPs have now expired and eVisas are not mentioned, so plan on needing the transit visa unless Portugal confirms otherwise.

Sri Lankan passport holders

VFS Portugal lists Sri Lanka among the nationalities with a minimum processing time of 3 weeks, because other Schengen states are consulted. Allow at least that long.
Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Portuguese airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Portugal's foreign ministry exempts the UK residence permit named in EU rules, the Biometric Residence Permit. All BRPs have now expired and eVisas are not mentioned, so plan on needing the transit visa unless Portugal confirms otherwise.

Ghanaian passport holders

Only changing planes at a Portuguese airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Portugal's foreign ministry exempts the UK residence permit named in EU rules, the Biometric Residence Permit. All BRPs have now expired and eVisas are not mentioned, so plan on needing the transit visa unless Portugal confirms otherwise.

Gambian passport holders

EU restrictions on The Gambia (Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1781) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Somali passport holders

EU restrictions on Somalia (a Council decision of 25 June 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

Guinean passport holders

EU restrictions on Guinea (a Council decision of 10 July 2026) mean only single-entry visas and a standard processing time of 45 days instead of 15. Apply well ahead.

How a Portugal application runs, day by day

Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.: €90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. Extras are optional.: £32.85
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Portugal visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Portugal visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. Portugal's checklist accepts a digital share code, with the printout from GOV.UK, valid for at least one month after you return from the Schengen area.

Which VFS centre do I use for a Portugal visa?

It depends on your county. London covers London, the South East, the South West, the East of England and the Channel Islands. Manchester or Edinburgh cover the North of England, the Midlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

How long does a Portugal visa take from the UK?

VFS gives a minimum of 2 weeks, or more than 3 weeks for nationalities that need prior consultation. Add 2 days if you apply in Edinburgh.

How much is a Portugal Schengen visa from the UK?

The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, charged in pounds at the current rate. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds a £32.85 service charge.

How much money do I need for a Portugal visa?

Portugal asks for €75 for each entry plus €40 for each day in the Schengen area, shown on your last 3 months of bank statements.

Do I need a personal statement for a Portugal visa?

Yes. Portugal's checklist asks every applicant for a personal statement explaining the reason for the trip, with an itinerary if you have one.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Portugal?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Portugal visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Portugal is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.