How does Family Reunification (D6) work in Portugal, and who qualifies?

Portugal's family reunification route allows a legally resident non-EU sponsor to bring eligible family members to join them — typically the spouse, minor children, certain dependent adult children and dependent ascendants.

The process has a distinctive order. The sponsor first submits the family-reunification request to AIMA and obtains its prior approval; only then does the family member apply for the D6 visa at the relevant Portuguese consulate. The sponsor needs a valid Portuguese residence permit — a minimum prior residence period applies under current law — and must show adequate housing and sufficient means of subsistence, plus documents proving the family relationship, duly certified and translated where needed. The visa decision has an official deadline of around 60 days, with the AIMA prior approval being a separate step.

Because the AIMA approval comes before the visa, sequencing matters. ACME can help you check the sponsor conditions and prepare the housing, income and relationship evidence, and we always suggest confirming the current rules with AIMA and on vistos.mne.gov.pt before applying.