Portugal Family Reunification 2026: Who Can Join You and How It Works

If you already hold a Portuguese residence permit, family reunification can allow certain close family members to join you in Portugal or regularise their residence with you.

The first question is not simply "Is this person my family?"

It is:

Does this relationship fall within Portugal's family-reunification rules, and is the family member currently outside Portugal or already here?

Those two situations follow different procedures.

Who can normally qualify?

For a resident in Portugal, the family-reunification rules can cover:

• a spouse;
• minor or dependent children;
• adopted minor children in qualifying cases;
• certain dependent adult children;
• dependent parents of the resident or the resident's spouse;
• minor siblings under the resident's legal guardianship;
• a qualifying unmarried partner and certain children of that partner.

The exact evidence depends on the relationship.

A marriage certificate may be enough to establish one type of relationship. A dependent parent or adult child usually requires more than a birth certificate.

Family member outside Portugal

If the family member is still abroad, the resident in Portugal normally starts the family-reunification process with AIMA.

The application needs to establish:

• the resident's Portuguese status;
• the family relationship;
• accommodation;
• sufficient means;
• the family member's passport;
• criminal-record evidence where applicable;
• any relationship-specific documents.

If the request is approved, the family member then completes the entry and residence steps required for the case.

The approval is not the same thing as the final residence card.

Family member already in Portugal

AIMA also has a separate procedure for a qualifying family member who is already in Portugal.

In that situation, legal entry into Portugal becomes part of the evidence, and the family member will need to attend AIMA for biometrics even where another person submits part of the application.

Do not assume that an application for someone already in Portugal can be prepared in exactly the same way as a case where the family member is abroad.

Spouse

A spouse is one of the clearest family-reunification categories.

The file normally needs a properly authenticated marriage record and, if the document is not in Portuguese, the required translation.

Where the marriage happened abroad, it is worth checking early whether the civil record itself is consistent with the names, dates and personal details used in the immigration file.

Small civil-record discrepancies can create unnecessary delays.

Unmarried partner

Portugal can also recognise a qualifying de facto relationship.

AIMA currently asks for evidence of a união de facto lasting more than two years in the ordinary family-reunification context.

The practical issue is evidence.

A couple who has lived together for years may still have a weak file if almost nothing documents the shared life.

Useful evidence depends on the facts and can include records that show the relationship, common household and its duration.

Children

Minor or dependent children can qualify in several situations.

The details matter if:

• the child is from a previous relationship;
• only one parent is moving;
• the other parent remains abroad;
• custody is shared;
• the child is adopted;
• the child is already an adult.

For a minor child where another parent is not moving, the file may need authenticated parental consent or a court decision showing the relevant custody or guardianship rights.

This should be checked before the appointment, not after AIMA asks for it.

Adult children

Adult children are not automatically included simply because they remain financially dependent.

Under the ordinary family-reunification rules, a dependent adult child can qualify in specific circumstances, including where the child is single and studying in Portugal.

There are also particular rules for some residence categories.

Adult-child cases should therefore be checked against the sponsor's exact residence title before documents are collected.

Parents

Dependent parents of the resident or the resident's spouse can qualify.

The word dependent matters.

A birth certificate proves the family relationship. It does not necessarily prove financial dependency.

A parent case may need evidence showing that the parent genuinely depends on the resident or spouse.

What income do you need?

Portugal uses a household scale based on the national minimum monthly remuneration.

For 2026, the Portuguese minimum monthly remuneration is €920.

The family-reunification scale is:

• first adult: 100%;
• each additional adult: 50%;
• each child or dependent adult child: 30%.

That gives a current reference of:

• €920 for the first adult;
• €460 for each additional adult;
• €276 for each child or dependent adult child.

These figures are the arithmetic starting point, not the whole application.

AIMA still needs to be able to understand the household's real means and supporting evidence.

Read: Family Reunification in Portugal: Documents, Income and Accommodation

What accommodation do you need?

Accommodation is not a box to tick with any random address.

AIMA currently asks the resident to explain the legal basis on which the household occupies the property.

Depending on the case, that can include:

• ownership;
• usufruct;
• tenancy;
• subtenancy;
• loan-for-use or another lawful basis.

If the resident owns or has usufruct of the property, registry evidence can be required.

If the resident rents or occupies through another person or entity, a landlord or accommodation declaration may be needed.

The address and the legal basis of occupation should be clear before filing.

What documents should be prepared early?

Depending on the family:

• marriage certificate;
• birth certificates;
• adoption decision;
• guardianship decision;
• evidence of dependency;
• school enrolment;
• parental consent;
• criminal-record certificate;
• passport copies;
• proof of accommodation;
• proof of means.

Foreign documents may need authentication and translation.

Do not apostille every document automatically. First confirm what document is actually needed and how it will be used.

How long does the family member's residence last?

Where family reunification is granted, the family member's residence is generally linked to the resident's status.

There are also situations in which an autonomous residence permit can arise, including certain cases involving divorce, widowhood, domestic violence or other specific events.

If a relationship changes while the process is pending, do not assume the application is automatically lost. The facts should be reviewed against the rules that apply to the case.

Family reunification is not the same as EU-family residence

This distinction is important.

If you are joining a Portuguese or another EU citizen, your route may instead fall under the residence-card system for non-EU family members of EU citizens.

That is a different legal framework.

Read: Non-EU Spouse of a Portuguese or EU Citizen: Residence in Portugal

Common mistakes

Using the wrong family route

A family member of a Portuguese or EU citizen should not automatically be treated as an ordinary Article 98 family-reunification case.

Proving relationship but not dependency

This is especially common with parents and adult children.

Leaving parental consent until the end

Cases involving children from previous relationships often need additional evidence.

Assuming accommodation is obvious

AIMA asks how the resident lawfully occupies the address.

Collecting documents before checking the exact category

This often creates unnecessary apostilles, translations and expired certificates.

How THE-Ö can help

We can check which family route applies, who qualifies, what evidence is needed and whether the family member should proceed from abroad or from inside Portugal.

We can also coordinate the civil documents, authentication, translation and AIMA stage where required.

Want to bring your family to Portugal?

Tell us:

• what residence permit you hold;
• which family member you want to bring;
• where that person is now;
• whether the relationship documents are already available.

Related

• Family Reunification in Portugal: Spouse, Children and Parents
• Family Reunification Documents, Income and Accommodation
• Non-EU Spouse of a Portuguese or EU Citizen
• Family Reunification Legal Support
• Foreign Documents for Use in Portugal