Travelling to Portugal

Although you do not need to present your national ID card or passport to travel between two countries in the Schengen area, you should bring these documents with you as you may need to present them when traveling by plane, for example. 

If you are traveling from a non-Schengen country, you will need to present an ID card or passport. 

Expired or lost ID card or passport

Foreign citizens should immediately contact their respective embassy or consular office in Portugal if their documents have expired or have been lost.

When not accompanied by whoever has parental responsibility for them, national or foreign minors must have written authorisation which allows them to enter or leave national territory. If the minor is travelling with one of their parents, for example, they need not have the authorisation with them.

Such written authorisation must be signed by the person who has parental responsibility and must bear the date of signature. The authorisation may identify other persons who have been given the right to accompany the minor.

If the minor does not have the respective authorisation with them, the Portuguese authorities may refuse to allow them to enter or leave.

Documents required for minors to leave Portugal

Template/draft authorisation document

Download the template authorisation document for a Portuguese minor to leave national territory.

Download the template authorisation document for a foreign resident minor to leave national territory.

The authorisation document must be legally certified

• In Portugal the authorisation document may be certified by notaries, chambers of commerce and industry, record-keepers, solicitors or lawyers.
• Abroad, the authorisation document may be certified in Portuguese embassies or consulates.

The authorisation document has a period of validity

The authorisation document may be used as often as required within the time limit mentioned in the document, which may not exceed a period of one calendar year.

If no time limit is referred to, the document is valid for six months from the date of signature.

Opposition to the departure of a minor from national territory

If any of the persons who have parental responsibility for the minor oppose their departure from national territory, they may communicate their wishes to the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) [Aliens and Borders Service].

Find out how to present an opposition to the departure of a minor from national territory.

In cases where trips are delayed or canceled, citizens benefit from a set of rights, regardless of the means of transport:

• air travel
• train travel
• travel by bus
• boat trips