Having a Portuguese residence permit is more than just a legal document – it comes with rights, but also responsibilities. One of the key responsibilities is making Portugal your primary place of residence, which is where the so-called minimum stay requirements come into play.

These rules are set out in Law 23/2007 (Foreigners Law) and are important to follow, as failure to comply may result in non-renewal or even cancellation of your residence permit.

How long can you be away from Portugal with a residence permit? A common concern among residents is: “Will I lose my residence permit if I spend too much time abroad?” The answer depends on the type of permit you hold.

🔹 Temporary Residence Permits Validity: 24 months
Absences allowed:

• Up to 6 consecutive months, or
• Up to 8 months in total (non-consecutive) within the 24-month period.
• In practice: you must spend 16–18 months in Portugal over two years.

Failing to meet these requirements can result in your permit not being renewed.

🔹 Permanent Residence Permits (PR)
Absences allowed:

• Up to 24 consecutive months, or
• Up to 30 months in total (non-consecutive) over three years.

This gives PR holders more flexibility than temporary residents.

Exceptions to the rules - There are situations where longer absences are permitted, but they must be properly documented. Valid reasons include:

• Professional assignments
• Education or training
• Medical treatment
• Urgent family matters

👉 To avoid problems, residents must notify AIMA in advance (or immediately after, in exceptional cases) and keep formal records such as employer letters or medical certificates.

Special cases: Different permits, different rulesNot all residence permits in Portugal follow the same minimum stay requirements.

• 🟡 Golden Visa - Only 14 days in total are required for each two-year permit (typically interpreted as 7 days per year).
• For entrepreneur permits converted from a Golden Visa (3-year validity), the same practice applies: 21 days in total.
• 🔵 EU Blue Card - Absence allowed: up to 12 consecutive months, if linked to employment or research in another EU Member State.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Members of EU Citizens (Article 15 / CRUE holders) - Absence limit: 6 consecutive months within the 5-year residency period.
• Exceptions: up to 12 months for justified reasons (pregnancy, illness, military service, studies, or work in another EU country).