Portugal Golden Visa for Families: Spouse, Children and Parents in 2026

A residence permit for one person rarely solves a family’s problem. In my work spouses, children and parents go into one plan from the first week, and Portugal makes that easier than most programmes: the whole family is covered by a single investment. The details are in who counts as family and how each relationship is proved.

Who counts as family

AIMA lists the family members of a Golden Visa holder:

Family member	Condition
Spouse	Marriage; BRIDGES adds that a documented de facto union is also accepted
Children up to 17	Children of the couple or of either spouse, including adopted children recognised in Portugal
Children aged 18 to 25	Dependent on the couple or one spouse, unmarried and studying
Children of any age who cannot care for themselves	Dependent on the couple or one spouse
Parents	Of the investor or the spouse, if they are dependent on them
Brothers and sisters up to 17	Under the investor’s legal guardianship, recognised in Portugal

BRIDGES describes the same circle in plain words: a spouse or partner, children under 18 including from previous marriages, unmarried adult children in full-time study who depend on you, and the dependent parents of both spouses.

One investment for everyone

The amount does not change with the size of the family. €500,000 in a fund covers a couple with three children and four parents in the same way as a single applicant. What grows is everything else: the state fees, which are charged per person, the health insurance for each of them and the number of documents to apostille and translate. I explain the budget in my guide to costs and investment options.

How family reunification works for investors

Family members receive their permits through family reunification. AIMA allows the request to be filed together with the investor’s application, so the family does not have to wait for the main card first. The family’s permits always depend on the investor’s permit being granted. BRIDGES notes that new family members can also be added after the status is obtained.

Each family member then follows the same path: the card, renewals, permanent residence and, later, citizenship.

Documents for each relationship

On top of the general documents for every applicant, each relationship has to be proved:

• Spouse: a marriage certificate with an apostille and a sworn translation into Portuguese. For a de facto union, BRIDGES warns that the evidence bar is higher: proof of living together over time.
• Children under 18: birth certificates with an apostille and translation. If one parent stays abroad or custody is shared, BRIDGES says the other parent’s notarised consent is required.
• Adult students: proof of enrolment in full-time study and of financial dependency, such as regular transfers and the absence of their own income.
• Parents: your own birth certificate to prove the link, and proof that they depend on you financially, for example regular transfers and a small or no pension.
• Adults in the application: each needs their own criminal record certificate, issued no more than three months before submission and translated.

Documents for children and parents are where files most often slow down, so I start collecting them in parallel with the choice of investment.

When children grow up

Children aged 18 to 25 stay in the application only while they are single, studying and dependent. A child who starts working full time or marries no longer fits the definition, so the timing of renewals matters for families with teenagers. I would discuss this before filing, not at the first renewal.

Life in Portugal for the family

BRIDGES notes that the resident and their family can use Portuguese state schools and the national health system, and that health insurance is compulsory for everyone in the application. The family can live in Portugal, but the stay rule does not force anyone to move.

What this means for a passport

Every family member counts their own years of legal residence. Under Organic Law 1/2026 most non-EU nationals now need 10 years before they can apply for naturalisation. For families thinking about the children’s future, that is the main number to plan around, and I explain it in the guide on keeping the status, taxes and citizenship. The general rules are in the complete guide.

BRIDGES covers the wider rules in its article on family reunification in Portugal. Last checked 20 October 2026.