Visa-ready plans from $721 per adult, billed annually · see your exact price by age.
The rule in writing
“At the consulate stage, Portugal’s national visas require insurance with minimum cover of €30,000, valid across the Schengen states for the full stay, covering urgent medical care, urgent hospitalisation, and medical repatriation. Some US visa centres now ask for a full year of validity.”
Official source: Portuguese MFA visa portal (vistos.mne.gov.pt) — Last verified:
The rule in writing
“At the AIMA residence-permit appointment after arrival, travel-grade insurance is no longer enough: applicants show full health insurance valid in Portugal, or registration with the public SNS. Applicants consistently report this second stage catching them out.”
Official source: AIMA appointment guidance as documented by applicants and advisors (not a single government checklist — confirmed case-by-case) — Last verified:
Stage one: what the consulate checks
The published consulate-stage rule is the Schengen standard: minimum €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states, for the entire planned stay, covering urgent medical care, urgent hospitalisation, and repatriation for medical reasons.
Two traps applicants report: policies that cover less than the full visa period (several US visa centres now expect a full year of validity, not 120 days), and certificates that do not clearly state repatriation cover. The certificate wording is what the officer reads.
Stage two: the AIMA appointment most people don’t plan for
After you arrive, your residence permit is issued at an AIMA appointment — and at that stage, applicants consistently report that travel-grade insurance is no longer accepted. You show full health insurance valid in Portugal, or registration with the public SNS once you qualify.
This second stage is where the forum horror stories come from: people buy a cheap 120-day travel policy for the consulate, then scramble for real cover with waiting periods looming and their appointment booked. Arranging one policy that satisfies both stages from day one removes the scramble.
One policy for both stages
We arrange international private health cover structured for residence — not a trip. The certificate states the cover amount, the territory (Schengen including Portugal), the dates, and repatriation, which is what stage one checks; and it is full medical and hospitalisation cover valid in Portugal, which is what stage two expects.
A person reviews your case against the current published rule and confirms the certificate wording for both stages before you buy.
Honest limits: Cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, including conditions you did not know about. We disclose this before you request a quote. Consulates keep discretion, and requirements can change. We show the published rule and its source; the final decision is the consulate’s.