Portuguese Consulate NYC, New York – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Portugal Schengen Visa

Portugal is one of the warmest Schengen countries in Europe which makes it a fabulous destination all year round. Albufeira is where most tourists head to, but there is plenty more to see across the whole country. Photographers will love Aveiro, said to be Portugal’s very own Venice or culture seekers can head to Evora. There are lots of monuments and other attractions to see as well as stunning coastal views with gorgeous beaches. The countryside is beautiful and Peneda-Geres National Park offers lots of opportunities to explore. In this article learn more about how to apply for Portugal visa at the Portuguese consulate in NYC, New York, Portugal visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Portugal visa application center, flight itinerary for Portugal visa, hotel bookings for Portugal visa, Schengen travel insurance for Portugal visa application, and Portugal Visa Application Process at the NYC consulate.

Portugal Schengen Visa

Last year, there were 263,502 Schengen visa applications received worldwide and 14.93% were rejected. The Consulate General of Portugal in New York received 213 applications and rejected 3.8%.

Applying for Portugal Schengen Visa from the United States

If you are a US citizen and are planning on going to Portugal for up to 90 days, you do NOT need a visa. However, if you are a non-US citizen and you live in the US permanently, you DO need a visa for Portugal.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Portuguese embassy and consulate. All you need to do in order to apply from the United States is to find the correct visa office that deals with Portugal visa applications. If you live in Connecticut, Michigan, New York OR the American Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico you can apply through the Consulate General of Portugal in New York. If you live in any other area, you can check the Embassy of Portugal’s website to find out which office you need to deal with.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of Portugal in NYC, New York

There are 2 types of visa that are available from the Consulate General of Portugal in New York and the one you apply for will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for going to Portugal.

Schengen visa – this visa is for short stays up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family or friends or airport transit. This type of visa is issued as single, double, or multiple entry which relates to the number of times you can enter Portugal within the validity of the visa

If you are applying for a Schengen visa, you will apply through VFS Global in New York and your application will be reviewed by the Embassy of Portugal in Washington.

Portugal (National) visa – this visa is for stays exceeding 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, residence etc. This type of visa can be issued as single or multiple entry

If you are applying for a National visa, you will apply through the Consulate General of Portugal in NYC, New York.

Schengen Visa Application Process at VFS Global and the Consulate General of Portugal in New York

The procedure for Schengen and National visas is different, so pay attention to the following steps in order to apply in the correct way.

Visa applications are processed within 15 days. You should NOT wait to the last minute to submit your application because there may not be enough time for it to be processed. It’s recommended you apply at least 1 month prior to your departure date. You can apply up to 90 days before your trip, so apply in plenty of time.

Step 1: Complete your application

Applications for Schengen visas are made through VFS Global. Click on: “How to apply”, scroll down to “Step 2” and click on the link:

You will be directed to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Portugal. It’s in Portuguese, but don’t worry if you can’t understand it. Click on: “Vistos”:

On the next page, you can change the language to English if you need to:

Then, click on: “Short-stay visas (Schengen)” and then “Application forms”:

You can choose your preferred language for the application form. Click on: “Form”:

You will then be able to complete or download your application form. Don’t forget to print and sign it because you will need to take it with you to your appointment:

For National visas, return to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Portugal and click on: “National visas” then “Forms”:

Click on the link:

You’ll then be able to complete or download the application form. Don’t forget to print it:

Step 2: Make an appointment 

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the below steps:

1. For Schengen visa applications, go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an appointment”:
2. Next, log in:
3. Or, register as a new user:
4. You’ll then be able to book a suitable appointment to visit VFS Global.

For National visa application appointments, go to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Portugal and click on: “National visas” then “Apply for a visa”:

Although you can download the application (see above), you have the option of completing your application online and at the end, you can schedule an appointment to submit your application to the consulate in New York. Please note, for short-stay visas, you must schedule your appointment via VFS Global’s website:

Step 3: Preparing your documents for submission to VFS Global or the Portuguese Consulate General in New York

You must submit your application along with all the supporting documents required. If you don’t your application may be rejected. Check the websites of VFS Global and the consulate in New York for details regarding the requirements.

You should also prepare photocopies and submit these along with your original documents.

Documents include:

1. Visa application form
2. Passport photograph
3. Valid passport (over 3 months after the date of exit, 2 free pages, and issued within the last 10 years) or travel document and photocopy of prior passport and visas
4. Certificate of being in a regular situation in the US – employer’s letter; university/school/college letter; business license and tax return etc
5. Travel reservation (return ticket)
6. Schengen Travel medical insurance for €30,000 to cover hospitalization, medical care, and repatriation
7. Proof of economic and work conditions such as a work certificate and salary, as well as three last bank statements and proof of funds covering the entire stay and return to the US
8. Travel authorization for minors or court decision (when applicable)
9. Hotel reservation
10. If staying with a family member, proof of family relationship is required and proof of housing conditions may be requested
11. An invitation clarifying the purpose of traveling to Portugal and dates. Plus, details of host organization and person responsible
12. Proof of attendance in any type of event including registration or entry ticket
13. Entry visa for the final destination country (if applicable)
14. Work contract
15. Criminal record certificate
16. Birth/marriage certificate

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: The visa interview

On the day of your appointment, remember the following things:

1. Arrive early – whether you are submitting your application to VFS Global or the consulate in NYC, New York, arrive early. If you are late, your appointment will have to be rescheduled
2. Don’t forget any documents – if you submit an incomplete application, the office will not accept your application
3. Dress smartly – don’t turn up in shorts and t-shirts

The visa staff will examine your application and supporting documents and if they need any further information from you, they may ask you questions like:

1. Have you ever traveled to Portugal before?
2. Are you meeting anyone there?
3. What did you say you do in the US?
4. What do you know about Portugal or the Schengen area?
5. How much do you earn?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa application. VFS Global also charge an additional service fee of $33. In addition to these fees, $30 will be charged by VFS Global if you want to have your passport mailed back to you. You will receive a receipt for the fees paid. Fees to VFS Global can be paid in debit or credit card or postal order payable to VFS Services USA Inc.

The fee can be paid to the consulate in New York by money order or cash.

These fees are non-refundable regardless of the outcome of your application.

See VFS Global’s website for details of visa fee exemptions.

If you have never applied for a Schengen visa before, you will have to provide biometric data which includes fingerprints and a photograph taken.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your file, you can track the status of your short-stay visa application. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “After submission” and click on the link:

On this page, click on the link:

Enter your reference number and date of birth and click on: “Submit”:

For National visas, go to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Portugal, click on: “National visas” then “Verify status”:

Then, key in your user name and password. (You should have this from when you completed your application form and made an appointment). Then, you will be able to see what stage your National visa application is at:

Once a decision has been made, you can collect your passport from VFS Global or the consulate in New York or you can have your passport mailed to you.

The outcome of your visa application will either be:

1. Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – it would have been rejected for a specific reason and you have the right to appeal within 15 days

Common rejection reasons include:

1. Your reason for traveling to Portugal was not clear – you must make it clear why you wish to go to Portugal. You can provide itineraries, admissions letters, work contract etc.
2. Your passport does not have 2 free pages – Loose-leaf visas are not available, so if your passport does not have 2 free pages, you must obtain a new one before applying for your visa
3. Return ticket not included – you must provide proof of transport to Portugal i.e a confirmed flight ticket
4. Invitation letter missing – if you are being invited by a host in Portugal, i.e. a family member, a friend, or a company, you must include an invitation letter

Contact details for VFS Global in NYC, New York

Address: 145 West 45th Street, Floor 4, New York, NY 10036

Email: info.portugalusa@vfsglobal.com

Telephone: +1 305 704 2172 – Call center is open Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm

Please note, you cannot book appointments by phone or email!

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (submission of applications); Monday to Friday, 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm (collection of passports)

Contact details for the Consulate General of Portugal in NYC, New York:

Address: 866 2nd Ave, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017

Email: consulado.newyork@mne.pt

Telephone: +1 646 845 0042

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 1.00 pm  and 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Conclusion

Overall, it’s easy to apply for your Portugal visa. It’s done in 5 simple and straightforward steps:

1. Complete your application
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents for submission to VFS Global or the consulate in New York
4. Attend your interview
5. Receive your visa

At the end of these steps, you’ll have your visa in preparation for your trip to Portugal!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Portugal Schengen Visa at Portuguese Embassy in Washington, DC

Worldwide Visa Requirements