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Culture & Tradition, Visits
Marc Martin - Portugal
9 good reasons to live in Porto

Moving to a new country is quite an adventure, and the choice of destination is an essential part of any project. In Portugal, three regions attract the majority of expatriates who move there. The capital Lisbon, the southern region of the Algarve, and the region of Porto. Porto is Portugal's second largest city and has its own identity as well as a history rich in centuries of invincibility, hence its nickname of the Invicta city. Choosing the city to move to is just as, if not more, important than choosing the country, and anyone looking to move to Portugal will need to include Porto on their list when making their decision. To help and motivate you, I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I'd like to share with you my 9 good reasons for moving to Porto.

9 good reasons to live in Porto
Tips, Finance
Marc Martin - Portugal
How to get a Portuguese tax number NIF in ...

If you're thinking of moving to Portugal, obtaining a Tax Identification Number (NIF) is an essential step. Essential for a multitude of daily activities, from paying for groceries to buying a house, the NIF is your key to successful integration in this magnificent country. Contrary to popular belief, obtaining an NIF is quick and easy, even for non-EU/EFTA citizens, with the possibility of acquiring it online for less than €100 and in less than a week. In this comprehensive guide, I explain everything you need to know about obtaining your Portuguese NIF in 2024, online or in person, without hassle or excessive costs.

How to get a Portuguese tax number NIF in person and online? Complete guide to obtaining a NIF in 2024
Culture & Tradition, Visits
Marc Martin - Portugal
9 good reasons to live in the Algarve, Portugal

Moving to a new country is quite a project, and the choice of destination is an essential part of any expatriation. The Algarve, Portugal's southernmost region, is a favorite among expats in search of sunshine and joie de vivre. Renowned for its beaches, culture, exceptional weather and people, the Algarve is a rich and varied region, and one that could well suit the future expat in you. Whether you're looking for a serene retirement or to become a digital nomad, the Algarve has nothing to envy other regions. To help and motivate you in your project, I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I'm unveiling 9 good reasons to move to the Algarve in Portugal.

9 good reasons to live in the Algarve, Portugal
Tips, Finance
Marc Martin - Portugal
Top 5 websites for obtaining a Portuguese NIF ...

Obtaining your NIF, the Portuguese tax number, is the first and most important administrative step to take when you decide to move to Portugal. Essential for finding accommodation, working or opening a bank account, the NIF is your tax identification number, and it is advisable to apply for it before you arrive. There are many sites on the internet (including mine) where you can apply for your NIF remotely, each with their own prices, deadlines and special features, and it's not easy to find your way around. To help you make sense of it all and find the best site for applying for your NIF online, I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I've come up with my top 5 best sites for applying for a Portuguese NIF online.

Top 5 websites for obtaining a Portuguese NIF tax number online
Culture & Tradition, Visits
Marc Martin - Portugal
9 good reasons to live in Lisbon

For several years the Portuguese capital has been regularly nominated among the best cities to go to live there, and it is justified. Indeed, Lisbon has exceptional assets and does not have to be ashamed of other European capitals, whether in terms of heritage, infrastructure or quality of life. Choosing which city to expatriate to is just as or more important than choosing the country, and if Portugal is your favorite destination then Lisbon will have to be on your list when making the decision. In order to motivate you and help you prepare for this project, I am Lisbob, the expats’ assistant, and I reveal to you the 9 good reasons to live in Lisbon.

9 good reasons to live in Lisbon

Lisbon

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The average salary in Lisbon is at € 1,174 but 17% earn less than € 600, the number of bankruptcies down sharply

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The average salary in Lisbon is at € 1,174 but 17% earn less than € 600, the number of bankruptcies down sharply

The Union of Trade Unions of Lisbon, the USL, unveiled last Friday the latest figures concerning the remuneration of workers in the Portuguese capital. The average salary in the district of Lisbon is currently 1,171.9 euros monthly, but 17.7% of workers receive less than 600 euros and 29.2% earn between 600 and 900 euros. These figures, to which everyone can say what he wants, show in any case large wage inequalities in a capital whose cost of living has continued to explode in recent years, to become ultimately more expensive than other European capitals. Also, corporate bankruptcies have halved since the peak of 2015, but remain at a high level. What are the wage figures of the Lisbon workers? What is the wage trend in the Portuguese capital? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about these figures released by the USL.

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Complete list of coronavirus testing sites in the Greater Lisbon region

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Complete list of coronavirus testing sites in the Greater Lisbon region

If you have symptoms related to covid-19, you may be diagnosed. The Regional Health Authority of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo (ARSLVT), in compliance with the principles of equity, quality and proximity of healthcare provided to the population, has reorganized human and material healthcare resources primary health and created 35 zones dedicated to the diagnosis of coronavirus in the region. This Thursday, the map with the network of these areas was unveiled. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, offers you the complete list of coronavirus screening locations in the Greater Lisbon region.

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Collapse of the ceiling of the Lisbon metro on the blue line: 4 injured, the line closed for 2 days

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Collapse of the ceiling of the Lisbon metro on the blue line: 4 injured, the line closed for 2 days

An incident occurred this Tuesday, September 29 on the blue line of the Lisbon metro in Portugal. In fact, part of the ceiling collapsed between São Sebastião and Praça de Espanha stations at around 2:23 pm The authorities recorded 4 injuries and the line will be closed for 2 days. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you about the ceiling collapse of the Lisbon metro.

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Lisbon: A new metro line will connect Oeiras and Sacavém for 490 million euros

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Lisbon: A new metro line will connect Oeiras and Sacavém for 490 million euros

Lisbon will see its public transport network disrupted in a few years, if the work is completed. This Wednesday, July 29th, the 3 cities of Lisbon, Oeiras and Sacavém, made a joint declaration to announce this new aerial metro project to link Cruz Quebrada with Alcantara and Santa Apolonia with Sacavém. The existing tram line 15 should be used between Alcantara and Santa Apolonia. No date for completion of the project has been announced. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about the new skytrain line that will link Algès and Sacavem for 490 million euros.

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15-day extension of the state of calamity for 19 municipalities in Greater Lisbon, Portugal still at 3 different levels

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15-day extension of the state of calamity for 19 municipalities in Greater Lisbon, Portugal still at 3 different levels

As of July 1st, 19 municipalities in the Lisbon region are affected by the state of calamity which imposes stricter rules than in the whole country. The Portuguese government decided on Monday to extend the state of calamity by 15 days in all 19 parishes, and the rest of the Lisbon metropolitan area remains under contingency. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about extending the state of calamity for 19 municipalities in Greater Lisbon and Portugal, still at 3 different levels.

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New lockdown in 19 parishes of Lisbon area

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New lockdown in 19 parishes of Lisbon area

It is a complete change of strategy for the Portuguese capital. After the announcement in recent days of a tightening of the deconfinement rules, it is finally a comeback to lockdown which is confirmed for Lisbon. Only outings to work and shopping will be allowed, according to the Observador newspaper. 19 municipalities in the Lisbon region are affected. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about the return of lockdown in the Lisbon region.

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Mini-lockdown: check out the new rules for the Lisbon metropolitan area

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Mini-lockdown: check out the new rules for the Lisbon metropolitan area

Recent Portuguese figures for the coronavirus epidemic are not good, especially in the Lisbon area. Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Tuesday new measures that will only be in place in the Lisbon metropolitan area, AML, and will remain until the spread figures for covid-19 improve. Over the past few days, Portugal is the 2nd European country with the highest ratio of new cases and Lisbon has been forced to tighten the rules. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about the new Lisbon mini-lockdown rules.

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List of supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, bakeries and shops offering home delivery in Lisbon

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List of supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, bakeries and shops offering home delivery in Lisbon

During this quarantine it is important to be able to continue to provide food and other pharmacy products for example. "The advantage" of living this pandemic in the 21st century is that there are many companies that offer home delivery services and even contactless. Whether cleaning products, fresh products, drugstore or even good fresh bread, it is possible to have almost anything delivered. In order to cope with these weeks of confinement as best as possible, Lisbob has prepared a list of supermarkets, pharmacies, drugstores, bakeries and restaurants that offer home delivery. Bonus: discounts offered on certain services.

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Housing: Lisbon worse than Barcelona or Berlin with an effort rate of 58%

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Housing: Lisbon worse than Barcelona or Berlin with an effort rate of 58%

In Lisbon, the effort rate for renting a 2-bedroom apartment, taking into account a couple and a smaller household, can reach 58%, almost double that in Berlin and Barcelona. As a reminder, the effort rate is the ratio between the sum of expenses related to the main dwelling and household income. The expenses include for the owners the loan repayments for the purchase of the accommodation, the property tax and the co-ownership charges. According to an analysis by the Publico newspaper published on Monday, it would be twice as difficult to find a rental property in the Portuguese capital than in Berlin or Barcelona, ​​while these 2 cities have higher rental prices than in Lisbon . One reason is lower incomes. Lisbob, the expats assistant in Portugal, tells you everything about this survey.

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Coronavirus in Portugal : Two new suspected cases in Portugal

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Coronavirus in Portugal : Two new suspected cases in Portugal

Two new suspected cases of infection with the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Portugal were validated today by the Directorate General for Health (DGS), after clinical and epidemiological evaluation. This is what the Portuguese Secretary of State for Health is announcing today. One is in Lisbon and the other in Porto and tests are pending to confirm or rule out the coronavirus infection. According to the DGS, it is "a patient returned from China who was referred to the Curry Cabral hospital, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central" and a man "returned from China who is already at the Centro Hospitalar de São João ", in Porto. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about this two new suspected cases of coronavirus in Portugal.

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French tourist stabbed in the back at a McDonald's in Lisbon

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French tourist stabbed in the back at a McDonald's in Lisbon

A 21-year-old French tourist was stabbed on Tuesday at a Mc Donald’s restaurant in Lisbon while in the queue. The victim had to be assisted at the São José hospital but his life is not in danger. The attacker is on the run and is actively sought by the Portuguese police. The reason for this attack is currently unknown because the victim does not know the culprit of the stab which left a wound of 30 centimeters in the ribs. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about this terrible assault in Mc Donald’s de la Rua Rodriguo da Fonseca.

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Suspension of works on the new circular subway line in Lisbon

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Suspension of works on the new circular subway line in Lisbon

This is bad news for those who bought a property near one of the new stations. In fact, as part of the vote on the Portuguese State Budget 2020, a proposal from the PAN party (animals and nature) obtained favorable votes from the PSD, BE, PCP and Chega in order to suspend the work of the new circular metro line in the Portuguese capital. The PS and the Liberal Initiative party voted against this initiative and the CDS abstained. The deputies behind this proposal want the metro to first be extended to Loures as well as Alcantara, areas poorly served by public transport, but also to give priority to the maintenance of the existing network. However, this suspension is only valid for 2020 at the moment. Those who have been impatiently waiting for the new metro line will have to wait. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the suspension of work on the new circular metro line in Lisbon.

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Coronavirus in Portugal : 2 new suspected cases in Lisbon

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Coronavirus in Portugal : 2 new suspected cases in Lisbon

Two new suspected cases of infection with the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Portugal were validated today by the Directorate General for Health (DGS), after clinical and epidemiological evaluation. This is what the Portuguese Secretary of State for Health is announcing today. The two suspect patients have been admitted to Curry Cabral hospital in Lisbon and tests are pending to confirm or rule out the coronavirus infection. The two unrelated patients show all signs of the coronavirus. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about this two new suspected cases of coronavirus in Portugal.

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Huge strike in public services in Portugal for the revaluation of wages

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Huge strike in public services in Portugal for the revaluation of wages

With a proposed salary increase of 0.3% in 10 years, the Portuguese government has annoyed the public service. In fact, the employees of the public administration of Portugal are currently carrying out a national strike, the first of the current legislature of Antonio Costa, and are organizing a demonstration in Lisbon this Friday with the different trade union organizations of the CGTP and the UGT. They anticipate strong support for the demonstrations and indicate that the various public services, such as administrations and waste collection, are strongly impacted by the staff strike, which has been going on since midnight and which will officially end this evening at the same time. The big national demonstration will start at 2.30 p.m. from Place Marquês de Pombal and many public workers from across the country plan to go there. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the civil service strike in Portugal.

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Coronavirus : 1st suspected case of infection in Portugal

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Coronavirus : 1st suspected case of infection in Portugal

Portugal would hold its first case of coronavirus patient? Today the Portuguese Directorate General for Health (DGS) confirmed the first suspected case of coronavirus in Portugal, with a patient under observation at the Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon. According to DGS, the "patient, who returned today [this Saturday] from China, where he has been in the city of Wuhan (Hubei province) for a few days, is already under observation at the Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon, a hospital of reference for these situations ”. The official press release from the Portuguese DGS is available by clicking here. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the global coronavirus epidemic.

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Coronavirus outbreak : Lisbon airport does not screen passengers from China

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Coronavirus outbreak : Lisbon airport does not screen passengers from China

The new coronavirus that has appeared in China has already infected more than 800 people and has killed 41 people (at the time of writing), leading to the quarantine of several Chinese cities. Tens of millions of people cannot get out of their cities, and some airports are cordoned off. The virus having already reached other countries including France, airport checks are necessary. Portugal, however, still has not implemented screening for passengers from China. This information is reported to us by the Bombeiros24 website.

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Definitive green light for the new Montijo-Lisbon airport ?

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Definitive green light for the new Montijo-Lisbon airport ?

The new Lisbon-Montijo airport will be done after receiving the final green light from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). This new airport has been debated for a few years and after multiple twists in this file, the environmental impact study (DIA) gave a favorable opinion to the construction of Montijo airport in exchange for several environmental measures of a amount of 48 million euros. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the final green light given to the construction of the new Montijo airport.

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First drop in rental prices in Lisbon since 2016

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First drop in rental prices in Lisbon since 2016

Is something happening in the Portuguese capital real estate market ? In fact, the residential income index recorded in the third quarter of 2019 the first negative variation since the third quarter of 2016, according to data from Confidencial Imobiliário. The mad increase in rental prices in Lisbon is coming to an end, after years of increases which have caused housing difficulties for locals. Some see it as a financial bubble burst, others as a simple adjustment. This 1.4% drop is the first for several years. At the national level, the increase was 0.2%, and 2.5% for Porto. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the falling rents in the Portuguese capital.

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Sunday will be a "no pants day" in Lisbon's subway

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Sunday will be a "no pants day" in Lisbon's subway

Be careful this Sunday if you take the subway in Lisbon. In fact, you may be surprised, pleasantly or not, by slightly undressed travelers. This January 12th is the "No Pants Subway Ride Lisboa", which will once again challenge all the brave passengers of the Lisbon metro. The goal ? Traveling without pants. Yes, only in underwear ! The initiative comes from New York and will once again be present in the Portuguese capital. She promises to generate smiles and some chills. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about this day in underwear in the Lisbon metro.

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Shutdown of Lisbon airport for five months from January and end of the Lille - Lisbon flight

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Shutdown of Lisbon airport for five months from January and end of the Lille - Lisbon flight

From January 2020 until at least June, Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport will be limited due to the expansion that will result in its partial closure. As part of the development of the airport of the Portuguese capital and pending the new airport of Montijo, work will be undertaken to expand and improve. The closure will be complete during the night and will increase the available space. In total the works represent an investment of one billion euros, and some lines will simply disappear. What are the consequences of this closure? How long will the work last? Lisbob, the expatriate's assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the shutdown of Lisbon airport.