🇵🇹 Complete Guide: How to apply to a Working Holiday Visa for Portugal 🏰

Mediterranean weather, Manueline y Neoclassic architecture, wonderful beaches with ideal waves for those who love to surf. These are just some of the amazing things Portugal has  to offer to its habitants and tourists. With a population of 10.33 million and a territorial extension of roughly 92.000 square kilometers, this little Iberian country limits with Spain to the north and east, and the Atlantic ocean to the west and south.

Even though Portugal has a rich history throughout time, it's is probably best known by its peak as the Portuguese Empire, with conquers not only in Africa and America, but also in some coasts in asian territory, more specifically in India.

Did you know Portugal is one of the many countries that offers a Working Holiday program? Yes! If you're a citizen from Chile, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea or the United States, you can apply to this type of Visa that allows you to live and work in Portugal for up to 12 months. 😱

In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to about this Visa, the requirements you have to meet and how the application process works, so that you can have the best year of your life working and getting to know Portugal. 🇵🇹
 

Application Requirements 

Application requirements can vary depending on your country of origin. These are the different specifications depending on where you're from. 😉

Requirements for Argentinian citizens

➡️ Being a citizen and resident of Argentina, and having a valid passport.

➡️ Being 18 to 30 years old (inclusively) at the time of application.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Show proof of economic solvency to finance both their stay and their ticket out of the country (this last thing being allowed to show a ticket).

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. you can find the ideal one for here. 🔎

➡️ Have no criminal records and presenting certification. 

➡️ Having tertiary qualifications or having successfully completed at least two years of higher education. 

➡️ Not having participated in the program in previous occasions, and cannot stay in Portugal for over 12 months.

Other conditions: 

➡️ You're not allowed to work for over 6 months for the same employer, nor are you allowed to have a permanent work contract. 

➡️ Training and professional development courses are allowed, but cannot last more than 6 months.

Requirements for Australian citizens

➡️ Being an Australian citizen between 18 and 31 years old (inclusive), and having a valid passport.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Show proof of economic solvency to finance both their stay and their tickets in and out of the country.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. you can find the ideal one for here. 🔎

➡️ Having tertiary qualifications or having successfully completed at least two years of higher education. 

➡️ Have no criminal records and presenting certification.

➡️ Having an at least functional level of Portuguese.

➡️ Presenting a recommendation letter from a relevant ministry and signing a solemn statement.

➡️ Not having participated in the program in previous occasions.

Other conditions: 

➡️ Cannot stay in Portugal for over 12 months, and work contracts with the same employer can't be permanent or last more than 6 months. 

➡️ Training and professional development courses are allowed, but cannot last more than 6 months.

Requirements for Chilean citizens

➡️ Having a Chilean passport valid over 12 months.

➡️ Being 18 to 30 years old (inclusively) at the time of application.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Showing proof of funds to finance both the duration of the trip and the tickets in and out of Portugal.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one for here. 🔎

➡️ Have no criminal records and allow a review of said records.

Other conditions: 

➡️ The visa will last 4 months in a first instance, but you'll be able to request an extension up to 12 months.

➡️ You won't be allowed to work over 6 months, nor signing a permanent contract. 

➡️ Training and professional development courses are allowed, but cannot last more than 4 months.

Requirements for Canadian citizens

➡️ Application is individual.

➡️ Must have a valid Canadian passport.

➡️ Must be between 18 and 35 years old (inclusively) at the time of application.

➡️ Having a ticket out of Portugal or enough funds to finance one.

➡️ Proof of funds to finance the duration of the stay.

➡️ Having health insurance to cover medical and repatriation expenses, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one for here. 🔎

➡️ You might be required to show other documents, such as a job offer, study certificates, or a signed statement regarding the intention to travel and work in Portugal.

Requirements for Japanese citizens

➡️ Being a Japanese citizen living in Japan at the time of application, and have a passport valid over 12 months.

➡️ Must be between 18 and 30 years old (inclusively) at the time of application.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Showing proof of funds to finance both the duration of the trip and the tickets in and out of Portugal.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one for here. 🔎

➡️ Have no criminal records and allow a review of said records.

➡️ Not having participated in the program in previous occasions.

Other conditions: 

➡️ Cannot stay in Portugal over 12 months (starting the date of the first entrance).

➡️ Cannot extend the visa.

➡️ Participants are allowed to take Portuguese language and/or culture classes.

Requirements for citizens of New Zealand

➡️ Must be a citizen of New Zealand and have a passport valid for over 12 months.

➡️ Must be between 18 to 30 years old (inclusively). 

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Show proof of economic solvency to finance both their stay and their tickets in and out of the country.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one here. 🔎

➡️ Have no criminal records and allow a review of the same.

Other conditions: 

➡️ Not having participated in the program in previous occasions.

➡️ Cannot work with the same employer for over 3 months, nor sign a permanent contract. 

➡️ Participants are allowed to participate in training and/or professional courses, but these cannot last more than 6 months.

Requirements for Peruvian citizens

➡️ Being a citizen of Peru and having a passport valid for over 12 months.

➡️ Must be between 18 and 31 years old (inclusively) at the time of the application.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Having a ticket out of Portugal or proof of funds to finance one.

➡️ Must show proof of funds to maintain themselves at the beginning of the program.

➡️ Must meet all health requirements.

➡️ Have no criminal records and allow a review of the same.

➡️ Must have completed higher education or at least have completed two years successfully. 

Other conditions: 

➡️ Participants are not allowed to work for more than 6 months. 

👀Attention: Even though Peruvians are not required to have health or travel insurance, the recommendation is to hire one if you're leaving the country, since accidents happen without any warnings and can incur in high medical or repatriation costs. You can find the ideal one here. 🔎

Requirements for citizens of the Republic of Korea

➡️ Must be a citizen of the Republic of Korea and have a passport valid for over 12 months.

➡️ Must be between 18 and 30 years old (inclusively) at the time of application.

➡️ Cannot travel with any dependents. 

➡️ Show proof of economic solvency to finance both their stay and their tickets in and out of the country.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one here. 🔎

➡️ Cannot have any criminal records, and must allow a revision of the same.

➡️ Signed statement where it is declared that the main intention participating in this program is to travel Portugal, and working is only with the purpose of financing said travels and the stay in the country.

➡️ Cannot have participated in the program beforehand.

Requirements for citizens of the United States

➡️ Must be a US citizen and have a passport valid for over 12 months.

➡️ All travel expenses must be covered exclusively by the participant, including plane tickets and the account used to prove funds.

➡️ Having travel insurance or international health insurance, with coverage both hospital and repatriation coverage, valid throughout your whole stay in Portugal. You can find the ideal one here. 🔎

➡️ Cannot have any criminal records, and must allow a revision of the same.

➡️ Must sign a statement declaring the understanding of this visa's memorandum.

➡️ Must be enrolled in a higher education institution, or have graduated from one no longer than 12 months before the application date.

Other conditions: 

➡️ Work is allowed for no more than six months.

How to apply to a Portuguese Working Holiday Visa

To apply you must present yourself at Portugal's embassy in your country, or apply online depending on your country of origin. You can corroborate the exact process on the website of the Portuguese embassy in your country.

At least in the case of Chile, the processing of this visa takes between 30 and 45 days. Given this, it is important to request an appointment not sooner than 45 days until the date of your travel.

The amount of visas offered, at least in the Chilean case, is unlimited. Anyways, we recommend you to corroborate the exact information on the website of the Portuguese embassy in your country.

Cost of the Visa

The Working Holiday Visa for Portugal costs approximately 65 euros, to be paid in your local currency. We recommend you to verify the exact amount on the website of the Portuguese embassy in your country. 

International Health Insurance for the Portuguese WH Visa

As you might have read in each countries requirements, having International Health Insurance or, at least, travel insurance, is one of the many things you might be required to have.

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