Sponsor-fit memo
A written view of sponsor residence status, family category, timing, financial support, accommodation, and whether the family reunion route is the right path.
Portugal Family Reunion
Your Portugal family reunion visa, handled end to end.
For resident sponsors bringing a spouse, partner, child, parent, or dependent relative to Portugal — we handle sponsor status, family evidence, accommodation, means, AIMA authorization, and consular steps, from first call to residence card.
First call: leave with sponsor fit, family scope, document gaps, timing, likely blockers, and the next decision clearly mapped.
What you get
What we handle across your family reunion case.
Family reunion cases stall when the sponsor request, relationship proof, and consular file are treated as separate jobs. We take it end to end — confirming the route, then running one joined path through AIMA, the consulate, and the residence card.
Family evidence map
A practical plan for marriage, partnership, birth, adoption, guardianship, dependency, study, and relationship records.
Document gap list
Passport copies, criminal records, family certificates, means of subsistence, accommodation proof, authentication, translations, and consent documents organized early.
AIMA and consular workflow
A joined sequence for the sponsor request in Portugal, the family member visa file abroad, deadlines, appointment readiness, and authority follow-up.
Residence-card path
Arrival, AIMA residence steps, permit duration, renewal planning, and independent-residence questions kept visible after the visa decision.
The resident's file leads
The official route starts with the resident sponsor's family reunification request before the family member lodges the residence visa request.
Relationship evidence, not form filling
The case depends on clear family, dependency, accommodation, and financial support evidence, especially where documents come from more than one country.
AIMA and consulate kept together
A favorable sponsor decision creates the next filing window. We keep the consular file ready so timing does not become the problem.
Family law and tax
Movingto's in-house lawyers handle the residency case. Movingto's in-house tax counsel advises on Portuguese and cross-border tax. Family-law disputes such as custody or adoption stay with a family lawyer.
Who this fits
Why use Movingto for a family reunion case?
A family reunion file can stall if the sponsor status, family category, document authentication, accommodation proof, means of subsistence, or consular sequence is unclear. Movingto is useful when you want those pieces handled end to end, from the AIMA sponsor request to the residence card.
Good fit for
- Portugal resident sponsors bringing a spouse, partner, child, parent, or dependent relative
- Families with documents issued in multiple countries
- Sponsors who need AIMA request and consular visa steps joined into one plan
- Cases where dependency, study, guardianship, or partnership evidence needs early review
- Families who need residence-card, renewal, and long-term planning kept visible
Not the right fit for
- Applicants looking for an approval guarantee
- Family members of EU/EEA, Swiss, or UK citizens using a different legal route
- Family members who plan to accompany the sponsor and apply simultaneously from the country of origin
- Divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, or family-law disputes
- Anyone seeking family-law representation, such as custody or adoption proceedings
Service scope
How the case is managed.
You get a managed case plan. Your Movingto lawyer handles the residency legal work. Movingto's in-house tax counsel advises on Portuguese and cross-border tax. Family-law disputes stay with a family lawyer.
- Included workstreams
- 5
- Professional scope
- Clear
Delivery scopeMovingto delivery and specialist scope
Managed by Movingto
Private family-scope assessment
We map the resident sponsor, family member category, route sequence, nationality, timing, documents, likely blockers, and practical next decision.
Managed by Movingto
AIMA sponsor request workflow
We organize sponsor residence proof, passport copy, family-tie evidence, accommodation proof, means of subsistence, criminal-record requirements, and authenticated documents.
Managed by Movingto
Consular filing readiness
We prepare the family member's visa file, appointment readiness, document translations, and deadline tracking once AIMA recognizes the reunification request.
Managed by Movingto
Residence-card follow-up
We keep arrival, AIMA residence steps, permit duration, renewals, and independent-residence planning visible after the visa stage.
Handled by Movingto's in-house Portugal legal team
Immigration legal work and filing
For Portugal, Movingto's in-house licensed Portuguese immigration lawyers handle legal analysis, filing strategy, preparation, filing, representation, and authority responses within the agreed professional scope.
Handled by the relevant specialist
Family law, housing, and guarantees
Divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship disputes, housing search, government decisions, and approval outcomes are handled by the relevant professionals, providers, or authorities.
Case path
From sponsor fit to family residence-card readiness.
Each stage ends with a decision or output so the case keeps moving from sponsor filing to family evidence and consular submission.
Case path05 managed stages
- Step 1 of 5
Assess the sponsor and family scope
Confirm residence status, family category, dependency or partnership questions, nationality, timing, and whether family reunification is the right route.
- Step 2 of 5
Map the evidence
Organize family certificates, dependency records, study proof, accommodation, means of subsistence, criminal records, authentications, translations, and consent documents.
- Step 3 of 5
Prepare the AIMA request
Movingto's in-house Portuguese immigration lawyer prepares the legal strategy and AIMA request, while the dedicated Case Lead keeps the sponsor-side package and authority correspondence on track.
- Step 4 of 5
Prepare the consular file
Once the reunification right is recognized, keep the family member's visa package ready for the consular filing window and appointment process.
- Step 5 of 5
Track the residence path
Coordinate arrival steps, AIMA residence-card workflow, permit duration, renewals, and independent-residence questions after entry.
Evidence
Evidence you can check.
Scope, professional ownership, and credential claims stay tied to source pages instead of sitting as unsupported marketing copy.
Source
Family reunification general information
View sourcePortuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Source
Family reunification documentation
View sourcePortuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Source
AIMA family reunification request
View sourceAIMA
Credential register
Portuguese Bar registration
View sourceOrdem dos Advogados
Common questions
Questions before you engage.
What is included in the Portugal family reunion service?
The service covers sponsor-fit review, family-category mapping, relationship and dependency evidence planning, the AIMA sponsor request, consular visa workflow, authenticated document tracking, the legal filing by your Movingto lawyer, and residence-card follow-up. Family-law disputes stay with a family lawyer.
Is this the Portugal D6 family reunification visa?
This page covers the service commonly described as Portugal's D6 or family reunification route: a resident sponsor requests family reunification in Portugal, and the family member applies for the residence visa after the right is recognized.
Who can usually be included?
Official guidance lists spouses, certain partners, minor children, adopted children, dependent adult children studying in Portugal, dependent first-degree ascendants, and minor siblings under guardianship. The exact category and evidence need to be checked before filing.
Does the sponsor apply before the family member?
Yes. MNE guidance says the resident sponsor should first request family reunification from AIMA. After a favorable decision, the family member can lodge the residence visa application.
What documents are usually needed?
AIMA lists the sponsor's residence permit, authenticated passport copy for the family member, family-tie proof, accommodation declaration, means of subsistence, criminal record, and specific records such as marriage, birth, adoption, dependency, guardianship, or de facto union evidence where relevant.
How does timing work after AIMA approval?
MNE states that the visa application for family reunification must be submitted within 90 days after recognition of the right to family reunification. Actual timing depends on AIMA, the consular post, document readiness, and the facts of the case.
Is this route for family members of EU, EEA, Swiss, or UK citizens?
No. MNE states that this national visa route is not intended for family members of EU/EEA, Swiss, or UK citizens under the Withdrawal Agreement. Those cases need a different route review.
Private advisory call
Get your family reunion case handled before filing.
Bring the sponsor permit, family relationship, documents issued abroad, accommodation, financial support evidence, and timing. We will map whether the route is ready and what your Movingto lawyer needs to review.
First call covers
Leave with a clearer filing path, not a generic checklist.
- Route fit
- Country, visa category, family members, and timing.
- Scope
- Documents, legal work, tax points, and investment boundaries.
- Next steps
- What to prepare for the Movingto team and any relevant specialists.