The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Brits heading to Portugal ahead of the school holidays, with warnings around new rules on how long you can stay
Brits heading to Portugal should take note of the fresh advice(Image: Getty Images)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued advice for Brits travelling to Portugal.
To ensure that Brits are aware of any warnings, entry requirements, security, safety, or health risks before travelling to destinations across the globe, the Foreign Office is constantly updating its travel advice. The advice can change rapidly, or remain the same for months, but just last week, a change was made for those visiting Portugal.
In an update on Friday, 20 March, which is still current as of 25 March, the FCDO updated the entry requirements for Brits heading to the popular European destination, which offers sprawling beaches and vibrant cities. The government stated that if you’re staying for longer than 90 days, within a 180-day period, and need to extend in “exceptional circumstances”, you must take action.
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The FCDO website stated: “If you’re visiting Portugal and need to extend your visa-free stay for exceptional reasons, such as a medical emergency, you must apply to AIMA using their contact form (access is only available to users in Portugal). If you’re in Portugal with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
“If you’re in Portugal with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.”
As it stands, UK residents with a British passport can travel to Portugal without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you are a tourist, visiting friends or family, attending a business meeting, cultural or sports events, or visiting for short-term studies or training.
This also applies to Brits visiting the Schengen area, which comprises 29 European countries, who can travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Countries in the Schengen area include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
However, the FCDO outlined: “If you’re travelling to other Schengen countries as well, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day visa-free limit. Visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days. If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years.”
Additionally, from 10 April 2026, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to be fully rolled out. This means that when travelling into the Schengen area for short stays, you may be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, which is done at the border on arrival for free.
Brits travelling to the Schengen area must also be aware of the passport requirements. The government states that the passport must:
- Have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- Have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
If your passport does not meet the requirements above, you may be denied entry to the country and turned away at the airport. You can renew or replace your passport online through the government website.
Brits are advised to renew or replace their passports as soon as possible, as processing can take around three weeks and sometimes longer during the peak travel season. For more information on Portugal’s entry requirements, visit the government’s foreign travel advice page.
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