Procedures to go to live in Portugal

Moving to Portugal includes many more administrative procedures than one might think. Whether it is the purchase of real estate, social security, or an insurance contract, there are many procedures to settle in Portugal!

First of all, keep in mind that all procedures in the country require  a Tax Identification Number (or NIF), which is obtained by going (before you settle permanently if possible) to an administrative center called  Loja do citadão  with the  following  supporting documents :

• An identity document.
• Proof of residence, even if it is abroad.

You must also request the  Non-Habitual Resident regime (or RNH regime)  which, apart from benefiting from a favorable tax agreement, will provide you with the necessary legality to live in Portugal. You must not have lived in Portugal in the last five years, be retired, or work in a “high added value” occupation.

For more information, do not hesitate to contact a lawyer, who will take care of these procedures for you and especially obtain the appreciated residence permit, valid for five years.

Among the basic procedures, there is also the opening of a  bank account, for which you will need your NIF, as well as an identity document, a proof of residence, a certificate of residence, and proof of income. Do you have all this? Welcome to the Spanish family in Portugal!

To rent an apartment for longer than the three “free” months  (that is, without the need for any document) granted to foreigners, you will need the  CRUE ( Certificate of the Cidadão da União Europeia Registo ), which you must request a maximum of 30 days after the end of these three months. 

Also bear in mind that, if you rent a home in Portugal, you must stay in it for at least a third of the rental term,  plus four months’ notice. Apart from this, there are no procedures different from those in Spain, so you will not feel too lost in this step!

With regard to  health, during the first weeks,  the European Health Card will be very helpful. You can request it here . Then, to be assigned a doctor in the city where you have moved, you must  register with the National Health Service or SNS, which manages the health centers ( Centros de Saude ).

Finally, if you have  children, keep in mind that there are three main solutions to school them:

• The Portuguese  schools  (public or private), the most numerous.
• Schools  Spanish  (private).
• Schools  International  (private).

Depending on the price, you can choose one or the other, but don’t worry, your children will surely adapt to the Portuguese school system right away!