How can we apply for temporary residency in Portugal?

The kind of residency permit that suits you and your husband best will depend on your specific situation and purpose, as there are many kinds of temporary residence permits in Portugal that you can apply for.

The residence visa will have to be requested at the consulate of your area of residency and then, upon your arrival in Portugal, you should apply for a residence permit from the Immigration Police (SEF). Unfortunately, based on your question, I cannot tell you what is the best solution for your case and your family, as there are a number of questions I would have to ask you in order to understand exactly what is the best way to be legal in the country.

For the granting of a temporary residence permit, the applicant must meet the following general conditions, without prejudice to yet meeting other special conditions, depending on your purpose: the possession of a valid residence visa; presence in Portuguese territory; absence of any fact that, had it been known to the authorities before the visa was granted, would have prevented the visa from being issued; the possession of means of subsistence; accommodation; social security registration; absence of a conviction for a crime that in Portugal is punishable by deprivation of liberty for more than one year; not being in the period of an entry ban, following a removal order; not be indicated in the Schengen Information System; not being indicated in the SEF Integrated Information System for the purpose of refusing admission. A temporary residence permit is valid for a period of one year, from the date of the issuance of the respective title and it is renewable for successive periods of two years.