Portugal Article 92 Residence Permit for Vocational Students (FAQ)

𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚 "𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚" program to attract entrepreneurs and startups worldwide to establish and develop their innovative businesses in Portugal.

𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚: To be eligible for the Portuguese Startup Visa, you typically need to meet the following criteria:

Have a viable and innovative business idea or a scalable startup project.

Demonstrate that your business idea aligns with the strategic interests of Portugal.

You can secure an endorsement from a recognized Portuguese incubator or accelerator.

You will need the necessary qualifications and experience to manage the proposed business.

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: To obtain a Startup Visa, you must secure approval from a recognized Portuguese incubator or accelerator. These organizations typically evaluate the potential of your startup idea and provide you with a letter of endorsement, which is a crucial part of your visa application.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: Once you have the endorsement, you can apply for the Startup Visa through the Portuguese immigration authorities. The application process typically involves providing various documents, including your business plan, proof of financial means, and a valid passport.

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The Startup Visa allows you to stay in Portugal for an initial period, usually one year. During this time, you are expected to work on developing your startup. After the initial year, you can apply for a residence permit for entrepreneurs or investors, which may have a longer validity.

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧: Portugal is part of the European Union (EU), so having a Portuguese Startup Visa can provide access to the EU market, which is significant for many startups.

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦: Portugal has been working to create a supportive ecosystem for startups, with co-working spaces, networking events, and funding opportunities available for entrepreneurs.

𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 funding and entrepreneurship through various initiatives and sources. These efforts aimed to create a favourable environment for startups to thrive.

1.𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬: The Portuguese government has launched several programs to support startups and innovation. Some programs provide grants, subsidies, or low-interest loans to help startups grow. The government has also created initiatives to attract foreign investors and entrepreneurs to Portugal.

𝟐.𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: Portugal has seen a growing interest from venture capital firms and angel investors examining to invest in promising startups. These investors deliver funding with equity in the startup. Several venture capital firms in Portugal specialize in early-stage and growth-stage investments.

𝟑.𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: Portugal has a thriving ecosystem of startup incubators and accelerators that offer funding, mentorship, and resources to early-stage startups. These organizations often take equity in exchange for their support. Examples include Beta-i, Startup Lisboa, and Bright Pixel.

𝟒.𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: Crowdfunding platforms have gained popularity in Portugal for startups to raise funds. Entrepreneurs can use these platforms to pitch their business ideas to a broader audience and secure funding from individual investors.

𝟓.𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 Various competitions and grants are available for startups in Portugal. These competitions often come with cash prizes or grant funding for winning startups. They can be a great way to gain visibility and funding. An example is the Portugal Ventures co-investment funds and competitions like the EIT Digital Challenge.

𝟔.𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: as an EU member, Portugal has access to various EU funding programs and initiatives to support innovation and entrepreneurship. These programs can provide grants and loans to startups working on innovative projects.

𝟕.𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Some established companies and corporations in Portugal may invest in startups through private equity or corporate venture capital arms. These investments often come with strategic partnerships and support.

𝟖.𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠: Traditional bank loans and financing options are available to startups in Portugal, although they may require collateral and a solid business plan.