Option 1
Embassy visaBusiness visit (meetings, conferences – not paid work)
Business visit: Schengen visa required
Short business visits (meetings, conferences, negotiations – not paid work) follow the same route as a holiday, because the official source covers business visits (Tourism, family visits, business (short stay)). Botswanan passport holders need a short-stay Schengen visa (type C) for Portugal, applied for before travel at the consulate or its visa centre.
Conditions
- A Schengen visa is valid for the whole Schengen area: up to 90 days in any 180 days.
- Apply at the consulate of Portugal if it is your only or main destination (longest stay), or of the first country you enter if stays are equal.
- Apply where you legally live, no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before travel; an appointment may be needed.
- If you already hold a valid residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen country, you can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180 without a new visa (Schengen Convention art. 21).
- Fingerprints are taken when you apply (some exemptions) and your entry is recorded in the EES at the border.
- Government fee
- €90
- EUR 90 adults, EUR 45 children aged 6–12; visa centres may add a service fee.
- Processing
- 15 days as a rule; up to 45 days if more checks are needed
- Validity
- Single or multiple entry, as stated on the visa
- Max stay
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as stated on the visa
Steps, documents & where to apply
How to apply
- 1Book an appointment with the consulate or its visa centre
- 2Submit the form, documents and fingerprints
- 3Pay the fee
- 4Wait for the decision (usually 15 days)
Where: Consulate of Portugal (or its external visa centre) responsible for where you live
Official application page ↗Documents checklist
- Passport valid 3+ months after leaving the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, with 2 blank pages
- Completed application form
- ICAO-standard photo
- Travel medical insurance (emergency care, hospitalisation, repatriation)
- Proof of purpose, accommodation, funds and intention to return
✓ EUR-Lex consolidated text + EC "Applying for a Schengen visa" page read 2026-10-04
Official wording
“Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex I (consolidated 30 Dec 2025): Botswana listed among third countries whose nationals must hold a visa when crossing the external borders.”