Residency In Portugal

Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, as well as their family members, have a right to enter, remain and reside in Portugal. If you intend to stay in Portugal for a period exceeding three months (90 days), you need to apply for a Registration Certificate (Certificado de Registo) via your local town hall (Câmara Municipal) in Portugal, which is valid for five years.

If you’re going to have any kind of official existence in Portugal, the first thing you need is a fiscal number – Número de Identificação Fiscal (NIF) or sometimes known as a Número de Contribuinte. You need a fiscal number to do most bureaucratic things in Portugal and you can get a fiscal number as a non-resident of Portugal.

To qualify for a Registration Certificate, applicants are required to produce:

• A valid EU/EEA/Swiss passport or ID;
• A fiscal number (NIF)
• Proof of accommodation – an attestation of residence issued by the local parish (Atestado de Residência da Junta de Freguesia), or final
  deeds of purchase (Escritura de Compra e venda) or property lease contract (Contrato de Arrendamento).
• Proof of earnings or evidence of sufficient means to support yourself and your family.

The Registration Certificate must be taken to your local tax office within 60 days to complete the residency process to become tax resident in Portugal.

After five years’ residency in Portugal, you can then apply for a Permanent Residency Certificate (Autorização de Residência Permanente), also known as a ‘Residency Card’. You must apply to the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) – the Borders and Immigration Agency – at any of its offices before your Registration Certificate expires. A Permanent Residency Certificate is valid for 10 years. And will need to be renewed every 10 years at an SEF office.

Sovereign is able to assist clients with their visits to the local council and tax department and with the booking of the relevant meetings with the authorities.

Portuguese immigration policy includes several bilateral agreements with non-EU countries – the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, for example – that allows their nationals to enter and stay in Portugal for 90 days within a six-month period (180 days) without needing any visa for Portugal.

Non-EU nationals who wish to stay longer than three months, however, will need to apply for a long-term visa or Portuguese residency visa before arriving, which allows them to apply for a Portuguese residence permit from the SEF after arrival. Generally, a permit (Autorização de Residência) is granted to allow Portuguese residency for one year. This can be renewed every two years for a total of five years, after which the holder can apply for a permanent residence permit.

All non-EU citizens applying for a Portuguese residence permit will need to demonstrate evidence of sufficient funds and accommodation. There are additional documents and requirements, depending on the reason given for requesting a Portuguese residence permit – employment, self-employment, study, retirees and family members.

Residents who are from non-EU/EEA countries can apply for Portuguese permanent residence after having lived in Portugal for five years if they have a valid temporary residence permit and can prove that they have had a legal and uninterrupted residence in Portugal for the five-year period.

• In addition, further specific residence permits are available under the Portugal residence permit programme, notably:
• The Portugal Golden Visa, which is the primary route for Portugal residency visas for foreign investment and investors;
• The Portugal Passive Income Visa, also known as D7 Visa, for passive income earners, including retirees, who intend to move to Portugal.