Portugal Visa from Dubai: VFS, Fees, Documents and Processing Time

The short answer: Emiratis don't need a visa for Portugal: they can stay up to 90 days in any 180. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals living in the UAE need a Schengen visa. You apply at VFS Global in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and the Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi decides. The visa fee is AED 390.50 for adults, the dirham price of EUR 90, plus a VFS service charge of AED 143.08. Processing takes at least 15 days, and the embassy recommends applying at least three weeks before you travel.

Lisbon, Porto, Sintra and the Algarve beaches are the usual reasons UAE residents go. Portugal issues Schengen visas, so a Portuguese visa also covers the other Schengen countries, as long as Portugal is your main destination. A tourist visa is not the D7 or the digital nomad visa: those are residence visas with their own rules.

Portugal visa for UAE residents at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Emirati passport	No visa, up to 90 days in any 180
India, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka	Schengen visa before travel
Who decides	The Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi
Where to apply	VFS Global, Dubai or Abu Dhabi
Visa fee	AED 390.50 adults (EUR 90), AED 195.50 children aged 6 to 11, free under 6
VFS service charge	AED 143.08 (EUR 33)
Processing	At least 15 days
Bank statements	Last 3 months, signed and stamped by the bank

Who needs a visa for Portugal

Whether you need a visa depends on your passport. UAE citizens have been able to visit Portugal and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa since May 2015. They will need the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts; it hasn't yet, and the EU says it will announce the date several months ahead.

Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals need a Schengen visa, and so do most other nationalities living in the UAE. EU rules say you apply in the country where you legally live, so UAE residents apply in the UAE, not at home.

Apply to Portugal if it is your main destination, where you spend the most nights. A week in Lisbon and Porto with two nights in Seville is a Portuguese application; five nights in Madrid and three in Lisbon is a Spanish one. See our Schengen visa guide for how the rule works.

How to apply from Dubai or Abu Dhabi

1. Fill in the Schengen application form on a computer, in Portuguese or English. The embassy rejects handwritten forms. Print it, then sign and date it in both places it asks.
2. Book an appointment on VFS Global's Portugal site for the UAE. Each applicant needs their own form and appointment, children included.
3. Attend your appointment at VFS in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Every applicant attends in person to give fingerprints. You hand in your documents and pay the fees.
4. Wait at least 15 days while the embassy in Abu Dhabi decides. It can ask for more documents or call you for an interview.

VFS runs Portugal's UAE visa centres in Wafi Mall in Dubai and the World Trade Centre mall in Abu Dhabi. Some guides say each centre takes only residents of its own area, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for Abu Dhabi and the other emirates for Dubai; VFS's booking site shows which centre you can choose. Use the address on your appointment letter.

Documents

The embassy's checklist for a tourist visit from the UAE asks for:

• Passport issued within the last ten years, signed, with at least two blank pages, valid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, plus a copy
• Copies of your last three Schengen visas from the past three years, if you have any
• UAE residence visa valid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, plus a copy. If you have just renewed and have no visa sticker, bring the online residence certificate and a copy of your Emirates ID.
• One recent photo on a white background, no older than six months
• A letter from your employer addressed to the Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi, dated within the last month, on letterhead and stamped, stating your position, contract length, salary, approved leave and the purpose of your trip
• Return flight reservation
• Proof of accommodation with its full address: a hotel booking, a rental contract or proof that you own property
• Bank statements for the last three months, signed and stamped by your bank. A copy of a credit card can support them.
• Travel medical insurance, original and stamped, with at least EUR 30,000 of cover for the whole Schengen area and your whole stay, including repatriation

Business owners must bring their original trade licence, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an NOC signed by someone who can legally sign for the company. A spouse, child or parent on someone else's visa brings an NOC from that sponsor, with copies of the sponsor's passport and residence visa.

Visiting family or friends

Your host in Portugal fills in the official invitation, the "Termo de Responsabilidade", signs it and has it certified by a notary in Portugal. Send it with a copy of their passport or Portuguese residence card. If your host is paying for your stay, they also show their bank statements for the last three months.

Children

Both parents sign a child's form and both attend the appointment. If one can't come, they sign a legalised NOC. Bring the child's birth certificate and copies of both parents' passports and residence visas.

How much money you need to show

The checklist doesn't set a minimum balance. The figure usually given for Portugal, from the EU's list of reference amounts, is EUR 75 per entry plus EUR 40 a day of your stay: about EUR 355 for a week. Treat that as a floor; three months of steady salary credits matter more.

Fees and processing time

Fee	Amount
Visa fee, adults	AED 390.50 (EUR 90)
Visa fee, children aged 6 to 11	AED 195.50 (EUR 45)
Visa fee, children under 6	Free
VFS service charge, every applicant	AED 143.08 (EUR 33)
Administration fee	AED 17.34 (EUR 4)
Appeal against a refusal	AED 325.50 (EUR 75)

VFS says the dirham amounts follow the exchange rate and can change without notice. Spouses of EU citizens pay no visa fee if they bring an attested marriage certificate. Fees aren't refunded if you are refused.

Processing takes at least 15 calendar days, and the embassy won't accept an application less than 15 days before you travel. It recommends applying at least three weeks ahead; for summer or Christmas, book as soon as your dates are firm, because appointments run short. Don't pay anyone who offers to sell you a slot or a guaranteed visa.

At the border

Since April 2026, Portugal and every other Schengen country register non-EU visitors in the EU's Entry/Exit System. On your first trip since it started, you give fingerprints and a photo at passport control instead of getting a stamp.

Flights from the UAE

• Emirates flies non-stop from Dubai to Lisbon twice a day, in about eight and a half hours.
• Etihad flies non-stop from Abu Dhabi to Lisbon, and is reported to go daily from late October 2026.

Flights between the UAE and Europe were disrupted for much of 2026, so check your flight with the airline before you book, and make sure the reservation you submit matches your application dates.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I apply for a Portugal visa in Dubai?

At VFS Global's Portugal visa centre in Wafi Mall, Dubai, or the one in the World Trade Centre mall in Abu Dhabi. The Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi decides.

How much is the Portugal visa fee in Dubai?

AED 390.50 for adults and AED 195.50 for children aged 6 to 11. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds AED 143.08 per applicant, and an administration fee of AED 17.34.

How long does a Portugal visa take from Dubai?

At least 15 calendar days. The embassy recommends applying at least three weeks before you travel, and earlier for peak season.

How much bank balance do I need for a Portugal visa?

The embassy asks for three months of signed and stamped statements but sets no minimum. The figure usually given is EUR 75 per entry plus EUR 40 a day.

Is a Portugal tourist visa the same as a D7 or digital nomad visa?

No. A tourist visa is a Schengen visa for up to 90 days. The D7 and the digital nomad visa are long-stay residence visas, with different documents and a much longer decision time.

Do Emiratis need a visa for Portugal?

No. UAE citizens can visit Portugal without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. They will need an ETIAS travel authorisation once the EU starts it.

Planning a trip to Portugal

Four days covers Lisbon with a day in Sintra; a week adds Porto, about three hours north by train, or the Algarve's beaches in the south. Seville is about two hours by road from the Algarve and in Schengen too. See our Schengen visa services for help preparing your Portugal application, browse holiday packages, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Schengen visa for UAE residents
• Spain visa from Dubai
• Malta visa from Dubai
• France visa from Dubai

Last checked 9 October 2026 against VFS Global's Portugal pages for the UAE, the Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi's tourism checklist, the EU Visa Code and fee regulation, the European Commission's ETIAS page, eu-LISA on the Entry/Exit System, and airline schedules and reports. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with VFS Global or the Embassy of Portugal in Abu Dhabi before you apply.