Portuguese admin is a chain of dependencies. Each office wants a document that another office issues. Here is each step, what it needs, and the snags people hit.
Step 01
Get your NIF
Needs: passport, proof of address abroad
The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is your Portuguese tax number. You need it to open a bank account, sign a lease, get a phone contract and file most visa applications. You can request it before you arrive, through Portal das Finanças, at a tax office, or through a representative.
Fiscal representative rules depend on where you live. For residents of the EU/EEA a representative is optional. Non-EU residents with a tax relationship in Portugal (a job, a car, property, self-employment) must appoint one or opt into electronic notifications on Portal das Finanças, and self-employed people still need a VAT representative. Expatico's NIF walkthrough covers the forms in detail.
Step 02
Open a Portuguese bank account
Needs: NIF, passport, proof of foreign address, proof of income
Banks open accounts for non-residents, but know-your-customer checks are thorough. Expect questions about where your money comes from and paperwork such as payslips, tax returns or a work contract. Some banks let you start remotely, others want you in a branch.
D7 applicants need savings equal to 12 months of the required income held in a Portuguese bank, so the account comes before the visa file. If KYC stalls, expatico.eu offers help with account opening.
Step 03
Secure proof of address
Needs: NIF, usually a bank account
A registered rental contract or a property deed is the standard proof of address. Visa files, AIMA, the Câmara Municipal and the tax office all ask for one. Once you live here, your junta de freguesia (parish council) can also issue an atestado de residência, a residence certificate that requires two local witnesses.
Step 04
Residence: visa and AIMA, or CRUE
Needs: address, NIF, insurance and funds (non-EU)
Non-EU: apply for a residence visa at the consulate (see the official visa portal), then attend AIMA for the residence permit. The D7 needs €920 a month for a single applicant and €1,380 for a couple. The D8 needs €3,680 a month for one person, earned from foreign employers or clients. The Golden Visa continues through investment routes, mainly funds, since the real estate route ended in 2023.
EU/EEA/Swiss: no visa. If you stay longer than 3 months, register with the local Câmara Municipal for a CRUE. Permanent residence is possible after 5 years.
Step 05
Change your tax residency on Portal das Finanças
Needs: CRUE or residence permit, proof of address
You become Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days here in any 12 month period, or keep a home here that you appear to intend as your habitual residence. You then have 60 days to tell the tax authority. EU citizens update their address with the CRUE; non-EU citizens need a residence permit or equivalent document showing the address.
Ask for your Portal das Finanças password early. It arrives by post at your registered address, or at your representative's address.
Step 06
Get your NISS
Needs: NIF, passport or residence document
The NISS is your social security number. A Portuguese employer can request it for you. Self-employed people, remote workers and others request it themselves: Segurança Social runs an online request for foreign citizens, or you can go to an office. There is a plain-English NISS explainer if you want the detail.
Step 07
Register with the SNS
Needs: NIF, residence authorisation or atestado
To get your utente number, go to the centro de saúde (health centre) for your area with your residence authorisation and NIF. If you have lived here more than 90 days but have no authorisation yet, the atestado de residência from your junta de freguesia works instead. Registration is free. Before 90 days, SNS 24 can advise on provisional options.
Step 08
Apply for IFICI by 15 January
Needs: tax residency, a qualifying activity
IFICI, sometimes called NHR 2.0, taxes qualifying Portuguese employment and self-employment income at a flat 20% for up to 10 years, against progressive rates of up to 48%. Most foreign income is exempt, except from blacklisted jurisdictions. The deadline is 15 January of the year after you become resident.
It is not for everyone. Foreign pensions are not covered, retirees with pension income only and passive investors do not qualify, and remote employees of foreign companies generally need a qualifying Portuguese activity. You also must not have been tax resident in the previous 5 years, and prior NHR beneficiaries are excluded. Routes include research roles and qualifying roles at certified Portuguese startups (Law 21/2023). Expatico, a Lisbon-based IFICI specialist, can check your eligibility and file the application.
Also on the list
Driving licence, car, utilities
Driving licence. EU/EEA licences remain valid. For other licences, IMT (the transport authority) sets exchange rules by group: OECD and CPLP countries, countries under road traffic conventions, and others. Check your country's group on the IMT site early, because conditions and deadlines differ.
Importing a car. A foreign-plated car has to be legalised: a customs declaration with the tax authority, vehicle tax (ISV) where it applies, an inspection and Portuguese registration. Costs depend heavily on the car's age and emissions, so get a quote before you ship it. Selling abroad and buying here is often simpler.
Utilities and internet. Electricity, water, gas and internet contracts need your NIF, an IBAN and usually the rental contract. Internet deals often include a loyalty period (fidelização) with fees for leaving early, so read the term before you sign.