Entering by boat: Portugal (mainland)
What to do to enter Portugal (mainland) by sea: the procedures, the papers to present and the ports where you can clear in.
Check with the authorities before you leave (last checked on 28 October 2026).
The steps
- Coming from outside the EU, enter at a port of entry.
- Go ashore: GNR (passports), customs, harbour office (light dues).
- Report any crew change; exit clearance only when leaving for a non-EU country.
Papers to have on board
- Passports for the whole crew
- Boat papers (registration certificate)
- Insurance certificate
- Crew list
Good to know
- Since SEF was abolished (October 2023), the GNR controls the whole sea border.
- Boat arriving from outside the EU or with non-EU crew: enter at a port of entry and go ashore with passports, boat papers and insurance.
- Light dues ('farolagem') payable at the harbour office of the first port; keep the receipt on board (Maritime Police check it).
- EES (fingerprints and photo of non-EU travellers) fully running since 10 April 2026.
- Russian-flagged boats banned since April 2022.
Ports of entry
The ports where you can clear in, and the services available there.
- AveiroCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- CascaisCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Figueira da FozCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Lagos (marina)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- LeixõesCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Lisboa (port de Lisbonne)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- NazaréCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Olhão / FaroCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- PenicheCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- PortimãoCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Porto (cais da Estiva Velha)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Póvoa de VarzimCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- SesimbraCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- SetúbalCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- SinesCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Viana do CasteloCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Vila Real de Santo AntónioHarbour office
- Vilamoura (marina)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
Prepare your arrival with Hullteam
In the app, free: the map of every port of entry and its offices with their contacts, the crew list and the entry forms filled in for you, ready to print or send to an agent.
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- udiregelverk.no/contentassets/dfbab8a5bbc7469e9502b46067658598/sphbg_annex04_2026.07.03.pdf
- noonsite.com/place/portugal/formalities
- dn.pt/sociedade/extincao-do-sef-governo-realinha-decisao-e-atribui-a-gnr-o-controlo-de-toda-a-fronteira-maritima-14901775.html
- noonsite.com/news/europe-eu-confirms-october-12-start-date-for-new-entry-exit-system/
This information is gathered from public sources and sailors’ experience. It does not replace the country’s authorities, whose word is final: check before you leave.