The "Sufficient Means" Rule
Portuguese family reunification does not set an arbitrary salary figure; it sets a principle. The sponsor must demonstrate stable means of subsistence sufficient to support the family without relying on the social security system. AIMA assesses that means test as part of every application, and in practice it is the single requirement that trips up the most families — not because their income is genuinely inadequate, but because it is not documented in the way the means test expects.
Because the standard is "sufficient means" rather than a fixed number, the figure is derived from a reference — the national minimum wage — and scales with the size of your household. Understanding how that calculation works lets you check where you stand before you apply, and it is the starting point for the full family reunification process.
The 2026 Income Thresholds
The calculation is anchored to the Portuguese minimum wage, which is approximately €920 per month in 2026. As a working guideline, the sponsor is expected to have income equal to the minimum wage for themselves, with additions for each family member being brought over — commonly in the region of 50% of the minimum wage for each additional adult and 30% for each child. These percentages are a guideline rather than a single fixed tariff, and reference values are periodically updated, so confirm the current figures for your specific case.
The point of the reference is stability, not just the headline amount. Income that meets the threshold on paper but is irregular or unverifiable is weaker than a slightly lower income that is steady and fully documented. Aim to show that the household clears the reference comfortably and consistently, not marginally and only in one month.
Adding It Up for Your Family
Work the calculation from the reference upward. Start with the minimum wage for yourself, then add the per-member increment for each person you are bringing. A sponsor bringing one spouse would look at roughly €920 plus about €460, and a sponsor bringing a spouse and one child at roughly €920 plus €460 plus €276 — in the region of €1,656 per month for that three-person household. Scale the additions for each further dependant.
Treat those numbers as a self-check, not a guarantee: the exact increments and any rounding are applied by AIMA against current reference values, and larger families or unusual income mixes are assessed on their facts. If your figure lands close to the line, that is precisely the situation where getting the documentation right — and taking advice before submitting — pays off.
What Income Counts as Proof
AIMA looks for income that is stable, regular, and documented. Employment income is the clearest case: recent payslips together with a current employment contract. Self-employment and business income count where they are evidenced by tax returns and accounts. Pensions and reliable, declared rental income also qualify. Savings can strengthen an application, particularly where regular income sits near the threshold, by showing a buffer the household can draw on.
What carries little weight is anything one-off or unverifiable — a single large deposit, informal cash, or amounts that cannot be traced to a documented source. The assessment is forward-looking: AIMA is deciding whether the family can sustain itself over time. Build the file to answer that question, with several months of consistent evidence rather than a snapshot.
Housing and the Other Requirements
Income is the requirement families most often stumble on, but it is not the only one. You must also show adequate accommodation for the family size, usually through a lease or proof of property, and satisfy the general eligibility rules — including the residency timing now imposed by the 2025 two-year rule, which changed who can apply and when. A strong income file will not rescue an application that fails on housing or on eligibility timing, so treat the requirements as a set.
Getting all of them right before submission is the best protection against a refusal, because a denial on any single ground stops the whole application. If AIMA has already refused you on means or another requirement, our guide to appealing a family reunification refusal covers your options and the deadlines.
If Your Income Falls Short
A shortfall is not necessarily the end. Depending on your circumstances you may be able to combine household income where the rules allow, evidence substantial savings alongside your regular income to show the family can sustain itself, or wait until your income is documented and stable enough to clear the reference comfortably. The worst approach is to apply hoping the means test will be overlooked — it rarely is, and insufficient means is one of the most common refusal grounds.
If you are unsure whether your income and documents clear the bar, it is far cheaper to check before you apply than to be refused and appeal. Our 60-second eligibility check screens your situation, and if AIMA is already sitting on a complete application past its legal deadline, you may be able to force a decision through the courts.