How to Bring Your Spouse to Portugal After Graduation: 2026 Guide
How to Bring Your Spouse to Portugal After Graduation: 2026 Guide
International graduates who decide to remain in Portugal may also want their husband or wife to join them. The main immigration route is family reunification in Portugal, known as reagrupamento familiar.
However, Portugal changed its family-reunification rules in October 2025. For many residence-permit holders, a waiting period now applies before they can bring an adult spouse.
This guide explains how to bring your spouse to Portugal after graduation, including the residence requirements, income rules, documents and application process in 2026.
Can International Graduates Bring Their Spouse to Portugal?
Yes. A spouse is recognized as an eligible family member for Portuguese family reunification.
International graduates may therefore be able to bring their spouse after transitioning from student residence into a post-study, employment or other qualifying residence status.
However, eligibility is no longer always immediate.
Under the current Article 98 rules, a residence-permit holder generally needs to have held a valid Portuguese residence authorization for at least two years before exercising the standard family-reunification right.
The Two-Year Family Reunification Rule
The general 2026 rule is:
Residence permit held for at least 2 years → eligible to request family reunification, provided the other requirements are satisfied.
For graduates, this means you should consider your residence history rather than assuming that graduation itself creates a new right to sponsor a spouse.
Because individual residence histories can differ, graduates should verify with AIMA how their previous student residence and subsequent residence status affect the waiting-period calculation.
Can the Waiting Period Be Shorter for a Spouse?
Yes, in certain situations.
The law provides a shorter 15-month period for a spouse or equivalent partner where the couple had already lived together for at least 18 months immediately before the resident entered Portugal.
This can be important for international students who were already married and living with their spouse before moving to Portugal for university.
No standard waiting period applies in certain cases
The two-year requirement does not apply to some categories, including:
- A spouse or partner who, together with the resident, is the parent or adoptive parent of a dependent minor or incapacitated person.
- Family members of holders of certain specific residence categories identified in Article 98.
- Certain other legally defined exceptions.
The waiting period may also be reduced or waived in exceptional, duly justified circumstances based on factors such as the strength of family ties and integration in Portugal.
What If Your Spouse Is Outside Portugal?
When your spouse lives abroad, the resident in Portugal normally starts the family-reunification procedure with AIMA.
AIMA lists documents including:
- Your Portuguese residence permit
- An authenticated copy of your spouse’s passport
- Evidence of the family relationship
- Proof of accommodation
- Other documents required for the particular application
For a married couple, the key family document is generally an authenticated marriage certificate.
After family reunification is approved, the spouse can follow the applicable procedure for entering Portugal and obtaining residence as a family member.
What If Your Spouse Is Already in Portugal?
AIMA also has a family-reunification procedure for family members who are already legally in Portuguese territory.
The application may require:
- Resident’s Portuguese residence permit
- Spouse’s valid passport
- Proof of legal entry into Portugal
- Authenticated marriage certificate
- Accommodation evidence
- Evidence of sufficient financial resources
- Other applicable immigration documents
The family member must also attend AIMA for biometric data collection.
Simply entering Portugal as a visitor should not be treated as a substitute for satisfying family-reunification requirements.
How Much Income Do You Need?
Applicants must show sufficient means of subsistence for their household.
AIMA uses the Portuguese minimum wage as the reference and applies the following percentages for family reunification:
- First adult: 100% of the minimum wage
- Second adult: 50%
- Each child/dependent: 30%
Portugal’s mainland minimum monthly wage is €920 in 2026.
Using those percentages, a household consisting of the graduate and one spouse has a reference amount of approximately:
- Graduate: €920
- Spouse: €460
- Combined reference: €1,380 per month
Applicants should confirm the exact amount AIMA will apply at the time of submission, particularly because its published subsistence guidance may be updated separately.
Do You Need Accommodation?
Yes. Housing is an important part of the family-reunification application.
For a spouse outside Portugal, AIMA requires a declaration identifying the applicant’s Portuguese address and the legal basis for occupying the property.
Depending on the situation, evidence may relate to:
- Ownership
- Rental
- Sublease
- Usufruct
- Another legally recognized housing arrangement
Keep your rental agreement and other housing documents current before beginning the application.
Does the Marriage Certificate Need Translation?
Possibly.
AIMA states that documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by an appropriate translation. It identifies options including translations authenticated through Portuguese notarial or consular channels.
Depending on where the marriage certificate was issued, it may also need appropriate authentication or legalization.
Prepare this early because document authentication can take time.
What Residence Permit Does the Spouse Receive?
A family member admitted through family reunification generally receives a residence authorization with a duration corresponding to that of the resident in the circumstances specified by Portuguese law.
Portuguese law also provides routes toward an independent residence authorization for family members after the applicable period or in certain exceptional circumstances.
This makes family reunification more than simply a visitor arrangement—it creates a formal residence status.
Can You Bring an Unmarried Partner?
Potentially, yes.
Portugal recognizes qualifying de facto partnerships (união de facto) for family reunification.
AIMA requires evidence establishing that the qualifying relationship exists. Its current guidance refers to documentation showing a de facto union lasting more than two years.
Applicants should expect additional evidence compared with a straightforward marriage-certificate application.
Best Time to Prepare the Application
Graduates planning to remain in Portugal should start preparing before their student residence expires.
A practical checklist is:
- Determine your next Portuguese residence category.
- Check how long you have held qualifying residence.
- Confirm whether the two-year or 15-month rule applies.
- Obtain an authenticated marriage certificate.
- Prepare proof of accommodation.
- Check the financial requirement.
- Make sure passports remain valid.
- Check current AIMA appointment and application procedures.
Preparing the documentation early can prevent unnecessary delays once you become eligible.
Final Thoughts
So, how can you bring your spouse to Portugal after graduation?
The standard route is family reunification through AIMA. Your spouse is an eligible family member, but Portugal’s current rules generally require the resident to have held a valid residence authorization for at least two years before family reunification with an adult spouse.
A shorter 15-month period can apply where the couple lived together for at least 18 months before the resident entered Portugal, while specific exemptions are available in certain family and residence situations.
You will also need to demonstrate sufficient income, suitable accommodation and a legally recognized marriage or partnership.
Because the family-reunification rules changed recently, graduates should verify their individual residence history with AIMA before making travel or relocation plans for a spouse.
Official Sources
- AIMA – Family Reunification When the Family Member Is Outside Portugal View official AIMA guidance
- AIMA – Family Reunification When the Family Member Is in Portugal View official AIMA guidance
- Diário da República – Current Article 98 Family-Reunification Rules View Portuguese immigration legislation
- DGERT – Portugal Minimum Wage for 2026 View official 2026 minimum wage information
