In articles 88 and 89 of Law 23/2007, the possibility of requesting a Residence Permit already in Portuguese territory is contemplated, for those who are NOT considered highly qualified workers.
For this, the applicant must register with the SEF's electronic portal, the SAPA. In which, the registered e-mail will receive a message to confirm the registration made, after the registration is confirmed we can start the IM request, having chosen the legal basis, and then an online form will be filled out and classify the function that the applicant have in your work.
After completing the form, the IM request must be accompanied by the documents corresponding to the request.
After entering the scanned documents in the system, there is no way to change the registration already made, so the MI is waiting for the reception and analysis of the SEF.
When the process is received by the SEF, the SAPA opens the possibility of scheduling an appointment to appear in person at the SEF to request the Residence Permit.
About visas and residence permits
The residency visa in Portugal is always requested in the country of origin, or where the applicant has a regularized stay. In most parts of the world, the residency visa is applied for through the VFS (Visa Centers). However, there are still consulates that have all the steps to obtain a residence visa and that in turn can also aggregate the demands of other consulates, which is called jurisdiction.
Thus, before applying for a visa, it is crucial that we can confirm the corresponding jurisdiction and whether VFS is present where we intend to apply for the visa or whether it will be directly at the consulate.
Heads up:
Even with the general procedures established, we have to focus on the specific requests of each VFS and consulate, as they have their own requirements and may have different procedures for applying for a visa. Therefore, before applying for a visa, check individually the requirements specified on the website of the VFS or consulate where you intend to apply for the visa.