Portugal Family Reunification: Documents, Income and Accommodation

A family-reunification application can be legally straightforward and still fail operationally because the documents do not prove what AIMA needs to see.

Three areas cause a large share of the practical work:

family documents, means of subsistence and accommodation.

This guide explains how to prepare those three parts of the file.

Start with the exact family category

Before collecting documents, identify whether the person joining you is:

• spouse;
• unmarried partner;
• minor child;
• adult dependent child;
• adopted child;
• dependent parent;
• minor sibling under guardianship;
• another category recognised for the sponsor's specific residence status.

The category determines the evidence.

There is no universal "family certificate" that proves every case.

Marriage documents

For a spouse, AIMA currently asks for an authenticated marriage certificate.

If the certificate is foreign, check:

• whether apostille or another form of authentication applies;
• whether a translation is required;
• whether the document contains the correct names and dates;
• whether previous marriages create civil-status issues.

Do this before filing.

A translation cannot repair an incorrect source document.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are commonly used for:

• children;
• parents;
• proof of parentage;
• some dependency chains.

For a parent case, the civil record proves the family relationship.

It does not prove dependency.

For a child case, the birth record may also need to be combined with parental-consent or custody evidence.

Unmarried-partner evidence

For an ordinary family-reunification case, AIMA currently refers to evidence of more than two years of união de facto.

Do not rely on one informal statement if the couple has better objective evidence available.

The file should make the duration and reality of the shared relationship understandable.

Dependency evidence

Dependency matters especially for:

• parents;
• certain adult children;
• some EU-family categories.

Possible evidence can include recurring financial support and records that explain why the family member relies on the sponsor.

The purpose is to show a real dependent relationship, not just occasional transfers.

Criminal records

For a family member outside Portugal, AIMA currently asks for a criminal-record certificate from the person's country of nationality or from the country where the person lived for more than one year before residence in Portugal, subject to the applicable rules.

The certificate must be properly authenticated.

Criminal-record planning becomes more important where the family member:

• has several nationalities;
• lived in several countries;
• has an old conviction;
• has documents issued under different names.

Do not leave this to the end of the file.

2026 family-reunification income calculation

Portugal uses the minimum monthly remuneration as the reference for means of subsistence.

The 2026 minimum monthly remuneration is €920.

For family reunification, the current percentage scale is:

Example: resident + spouse

€920 + €460 = €1,380 per month

Resident + spouse + one child

€920 + €460 + €276 = €1,656 per month

Resident + spouse + two children

€920 + €460 + €276 + €276 = €1,932 per month

These figures are the calculation reference.

The file still needs evidence showing that the household actually has the means relied upon.

A note about AIMA's published example

AIMA's general means-of-subsistence page still displays the 2025 minimum-wage example of €870.

For a 2026 application, the current Portuguese minimum wage is €920, so the percentage calculation should use the current reference.

This is exactly the kind of figure that should be checked again immediately before filing.

What can prove means of subsistence?

The answer depends on how the resident supports the household.

Evidence may include:

• employment income;
• independent professional income;
• pension;
• investment or property income;
• bank evidence;
• other lawful resources recognised for the case.

The documents should make clear:

• whose income it is;
• how much is received;
• how regularly it is received;
• whether it is available to the household.

Do not submit a number without the evidence that explains it.

Accommodation

For a family member outside Portugal, AIMA currently asks the resident to declare the address and explain the legal basis on which they occupy the property.

This can include:

• ownership;
• usufruct;
• tenancy;
• subtenancy;
• loan for use;
• another lawful arrangement.

If you own the property

AIMA can ask for property-registry evidence or the relevant access code.

If you rent

A landlord or accommodation-provider declaration may be required to confirm the legal basis on which you occupy the property.

If someone lets you stay there

Do not assume an informal statement is enough.

The accommodation should have a clear legal explanation that matches the address used throughout the file.

Does the home need a specific size?

The current AIMA family-reunification guidance focuses on proof of the residence address and the legal basis of occupation.

That does not mean every accommodation question is irrelevant, but there is no reason to invent a universal square-metre rule that AIMA does not publish for this procedure.

If unusual housing facts may create a problem, review them before filing.

Foreign documents: apostille, legalisation and translation

Authentication depends on:

• the issuing country;
• the type of document;
• the international rules that apply;
• the authority that will receive it.

AIMA also requires foreign-language documents to be accompanied by an appropriate translation.

Do not order apostilles and translations blindly.

First identify:

Related: Foreign Documents for Use in Portugal

Common file problems

Old or incomplete civil certificate

The document does not contain enough information to prove the relationship.

Correct relationship, wrong authentication

The document exists but cannot yet be accepted for use in Portugal.

Correct income calculation, weak evidence

The arithmetic works but the bank and employment records do not explain the claimed resources.

Address used inconsistently

The lease, declaration and application show different addresses.

Parent case without dependency

The birth certificate proves parentage but nothing proves that the parent relies on the sponsor.

Child case without parental-authority evidence

The child qualifies by relationship, but the move itself is not properly authorised.

A practical file check

Before the AIMA stage, confirm:

• [ ] the correct family category;
• [ ] the correct outside-Portugal or inside-Portugal procedure;
• [ ] passports are current;
• [ ] civil documents prove the relationship;
• [ ] dependency is documented where required;
• [ ] parental consent or custody is covered;
• [ ] criminal records are correctly sourced;
• [ ] foreign documents are properly authenticated;
• [ ] translations are ready where needed;
• [ ] the 2026 household income calculation is correct;
• [ ] income evidence supports the calculation;
• [ ] the address and legal basis of occupation are documented.

How THE-Ö can help

We can review the file before documents are ordered or submitted.

That includes checking the family category, 2026 household calculation, accommodation evidence, foreign civil documents, authentication and translation requirements.

Want us to check your family-reunification file before AIMA?

Send us:

• your residence permit;
• who is joining you;
• where each person is now;
• your household income;
• how you occupy your Portuguese address;
• which civil documents you already have.

Related

• Portugal Family Reunification Guide
• Family Reunification: Spouse, Children and Parents
• Family Reunification Legal Support
• Foreign Documents for Use in Portugal
• Certified Translations
• Apostille & Legalisation