Note that you can only apply for international protection in Portugal if you are present on the Portuguese territory. You cannot apply for asylum (international protection) in Portugal from abroad.
There are two types of status granted in Portugal to persons in need of international protection: the refugee status and the subsidiary protection status. There is a single procedure during which the responsible authority decides whether you qualify for any of these statuses. During this procedure, a person applying for international protection has the status of an asylum seeker.
Refugee Status
Refugee status is granted to a person that fears returning to their country of origin (or habitual residence, if this person does not have a nationality) because they are at risk of persecution for reasons related to race, religion, nationality, political opinion (real or imputed) or membership of a particular social group.
Subsidiary Protection Status
Subsidiary protection is granted to a person who does not qualify for the refugee status, but who cannot return to their country of origin (or habitual residence, if this person does not have a nationality) because of situations of massive violation of human rights, conflict, death penalty, execution, torture or inhuman and/or degrading treatment.
