Going to live in Portugal has many attractions: taxation, climate and friendly human relations, gastronomy, health security… However, the steps to obtain such a right of exit are not always very easy to realize. There is the language barrier, the risk of making a mistake and having to start all over again, travel and a little stress in the end. Of course, the game is worth the candle. Here is our step-by-step guide to moving to Portugal and getting through the administrative process.

The complete administrative procedure to come and live in Portugal

1- Apply for a NIF for non-resident foreigners with a valid passport and an updated proof of address.

2- Open a bank account in a Portuguese bank that will be used, among other things, to pay for a rental or to buy a residence. The necessary documents are:

• Your income tax notice for the past year in order to obtain your French tax number
• Your identity card or passport
• The tax number (NIF; Numero de identificação fiscal or Numero Contribuinte)

At this stage, your bank account is not yet an account for RNH. You will have to come back to the bank with the financial proof to update it.

3- Go to the City Hall with the property register or the lease contract to request the “Certificado de Registo” of your new home.

4- Go to the Finance Department or “Loja de Cidadão” with the “Certificado de Registo” to ask for the update of your address and your NIF as resident status.

5- Apply for the status of RNH, for example on the internet on the Finance website. You will then receive your password by mail at your residence address.

Understanding the NIF, the indispensable key to your life

The “Cartao de Contribuinte” or NIF (tax identification number in French) is a basic document to live in Portugal. You will be asked for it many times in your daily life because it is a full-fledged identity document, a complement to your identity document that you should always have with you.

It is the essential document to open a bank account, to buy or rent a house or to register for social security. It is also, as its name indicates, a tax document because no income can be paid to you in Portugal without presenting your NIF to your debtor.

To apply for your NIF, you must go to the Tax Department of your city (or region) or to any Loja do Cidadao with your identity card and your proof of residence.

How to obtain a residence permit in Portugal?

In order to obtain a residence permit in Portugal, you must be a European citizen, as stipulated by Community law. A European citizen is a person who has the nationality of one of the member states of the European Union and the citizens of the member states of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), including Andorra and Switzerland.

If you meet these criteria, you can freely travel to Portugal and stay for up to three months simply by carrying a valid ID.

For a stay of more than 3 months, or a permanent installation for example within the framework of an expatriation, all the European citizens are eligible but there are some conditions:
– you must have a professional activity
– you must have health insurance
– you must have sufficient financial resources

To formalize your right of residence by means of a Certificate of Registration, which costs 15 euros per adult and 7.5 euros per child under 6 years old, you must go to the Prefecture (Câmara Municipal) of your place of residence within 30 days of your first 3 months in the country with the following elements
– A valid identity card or passport;
– A declaration on the honor of having a salaried or independent professional activity in Portugal OR sufficient resources

An additional step: registration at the Consulate

Registration at the French Consulate in Portugal is optional but recommended. It allows you to keep in touch with the French authorities to carry out your administrative and fiscal procedures. The Consulate will become your privileged contact for many procedures such as registering your car in Portugal and being exempted from the registration tax on foreign vehicles.