The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a fresh update for Brits travelling to Portugal. The Foreign Office continually updates its travel advice to ensure Brits are informed of any warnings, entry requirements, security, safety, or health risks before travelling to destinations worldwide.

The advice can change swiftly, or remain unchanged for months, but just last week, an alteration was made for those visiting Portugal. In an update on Friday, 20 March, which remains current as of 25 March, the FCDO revised the entry requirements for Brits journeying to the popular European destination, renowned for its expansive beaches and lively cities. The government indicated that if you’re staying for more than 90 days, within a 180-day period, and need to extend in “exceptional circumstances”, action is required, reports the Mirror.

The FCDO website stated: “If you’re visiting Portugal and need to extend your visa-free stay for exceptional reasons, such as a medical emergency, you must apply to AIMA using their contact form (access is only available to users in Portugal). If you’re in Portugal with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.

“If you’re in Portugal with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.”

Currently, UK residents holding a British passport can visit Portugal without requiring a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This applies whether you are travelling for tourism, visiting relatives or friends, attending business meetings, cultural or sporting events, or undertaking short-term studies or training.

This equally applies to Britons visiting the Schengen area, which encompasses 29 European countries, who can travel visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Nations within the Schengen area include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Nevertheless, the FCDO warned: “If you’re travelling to other Schengen countries as well, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day visa-free limit. Visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days. If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years.”

Furthermore, from 10 April 2026, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is anticipated to be completely implemented. This means that when entering the Schengen area for brief stays, you may need to register your biometric information, such as fingerprints and a photograph, which is completed at the border upon arrival free of charge.

Britons journeying to the Schengen area must also be mindful of passport stipulations. The government mandates that the passport must:

• Have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
• Have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)

If your passport fails to meet the above criteria, you risk being refused entry into the country and turned away at the airport. You can renew or replace your passport online via the government website.

Britons are urged to renew or replace their passports at the earliest opportunity, as processing can take roughly three weeks and occasionally longer during high travel periods. For further details on Portugal’s entry requirements, visit the government’s foreign travel advice page.