How the Family Reunification Calculator Works

The calculator builds a cost and income estimate for bringing your family to Portugal based on your household composition. It applies the official income threshold formula, adds per-person consulate and AIMA fees for each family member type, and converts everything to NGN using the rate you input.

The income threshold formula is the same one used by the D7 Passive Income Calculator, because Portugal applies the same household scaling logic to both. This makes the family reunification income requirement predictable and transparent.

Who Qualifies as a Dependant for Portugal Family Reunification

Portuguese immigration law defines the eligible family categories for reunification carefully. Not every relative automatically qualifies. Here is who typically does:

• Spouse or registered partner (in a legally recognised civil partnership)
• Minor children of the sponsor or their spouse, including adopted children
• Adult children aged 18 to 26 who are in full-time study and financially dependent on the sponsor
• Parents or parents-in-law who are financially dependent on the sponsor, where there is no other family member in the country of origin who can provide support

Siblings, cousins, and other extended family members are generally not eligible under standard family reunification rules. The dependence relationship must be documented, not assumed.

Income Requirements by Family Size (Table of Truth)

NGN estimates at 1,700 NGN/EUR. The income threshold applies to the sponsor’s documented, stable monthly income. It must be met consistently, not just at the time of application.

Cost Breakdown: What You Are Actually Paying

Nigeria-side costs (before travel)

Each family member must apply for a family reunification visa at the Portuguese consulate in Lagos. The consulate fee for adult dependants is approximately 90 EUR. Children aged 6 to 12 pay a reduced fee (approximately 45 EUR). Document costs (apostilles, translations, photos) add approximately 50 to 150 EUR per person. Health insurance for each family member typically runs 200 to 500 EUR per adult per year.

Portugal-side costs (after arrival)

After arriving in Portugal, each family member must apply to AIMA for a residence permit. The AIMA application analysis fee is approximately 533 EUR per person. The permit issuance fee is approximately 5,325 EUR per person. For a family of four, that is approximately 23,432 EUR in AIMA fees alone, paid from Portugal-side funds.

The Family Reunification Process: Step by Step

The sponsor (the person already in Portugal with a residence permit) initiates the process. They submit a request to AIMA for authorisation to bring their family. AIMA reviews the application, checks income, accommodation size, and documentation. If approved, AIMA issues an authorisation letter.

Family members then present this authorisation letter at the Portuguese consulate in Lagos to apply for their entry visa. Once the visa is issued, they travel to Portugal and, after arrival, apply to AIMA for their residence permits.

The AIMA stage is where most of the wait time occurs. In Lisbon, AIMA appointments for family reunification permits can take 6 to 12 months to schedule. In smaller cities, waits are shorter.

Realistic Scenarios

Scenario 1: Sponsor bringing spouse only

Emeka holds a D7 residence permit in Porto. He earns 1,200 EUR per month, clearing the couple threshold of 1,140 EUR. He applies to AIMA to bring his wife. AIMA authorises the request in 3 months. His wife applies at the Lagos consulate and gets her visa in 6 weeks. She travels to Portugal. They register her at the Porto AIMA office and her residence permit is issued 5 months later. Total timeline: roughly 9 months. Total cost: approximately 7,000 to 8,500 EUR including both stages.

Scenario 2: Sponsor bringing spouse and two children

Ngozi holds a D8 Digital Nomad permit in Lisbon. Her income is 1,700 EUR per month, clearing the threshold of 1,596 EUR for her family of four. She initiates family reunification. AIMA processes the authorisation in 4 months. The consulate stage in Lagos takes 8 weeks for all three family members. After arrival in Lisbon, AIMA appointment waits are 9 months. Total timeline: approximately 14 to 16 months. Total cost across both stages: approximately 26,000 to 30,000 EUR for all three family members’ AIMA permits alone.

Scenario 3: Bringing parents

Tunde wants to bring both his parents to Portugal. His income is 2,500 EUR per month, meeting the threshold. But his parents need to demonstrate financial dependence on him, which requires affidavits, evidence that they have no independent income, and sometimes notarised declarations from Nigerian authorities. The documentation process takes 3 to 4 months before the AIMA application can even be submitted. After AIMA authorisation and consulate processing, total timeline is typically 14 to 20 months for this route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology and Assumptions

Income thresholds use the 2024 Portuguese minimum wage (760 EUR per month) and the standard multipliers applied under Portuguese Law 23/2007 and amendments: 50% per adult dependant and 30% per minor child. AIMA fees reflect published rates as of 2024. Consulate fees reflect standard Portuguese consulate charges for non-EU nationals.

Document costs (apostilles, translation, photos) are estimated at 50 to 150 EUR per person based on typical costs from Nigerian applicants. These vary with the number of documents requiring apostille and the service used. Legal fees are excluded because they vary too significantly to estimate reliably.