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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In a spectacular reversal of migration policy worthy of an April Fool's joke, Portugal has announced that it has found a successor to the famous 'Golden Visa' programme, which was deemed too banal and insufficient. Instead, the new Portuguese government is unveiling with fanfare and fireworks (ecological, of course) its brand new programme: the Supreme Platinum Visa. I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I'll tell you all about this new Portuguese programme.
In a sleight of hand worthy of a tax magician, Portugal's Socialist Party (PS) has launched what could be seen as a lifeline for future tax residents - but there's a catch! The regime for non-habitual residents (NHR), initially condemned to disappear in the State's draft budget for 2024, has been resurrected... but with conditions so strict that they deserve a standing ovation for their creativity. I'm Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I'll tell you all about the 'extension' of non-habitual resident status in Portugal.
The resident-non-habitual NHR status is a fiscal regime that was created in 2009 by the Portuguese Government. It is a tax system that grants a 20% tax rate or a total exemption on the taxation of income of expatriates who choose to live in Portugal, for a period of 10 years. And this is not just about retirees ! In order to get the famous tax scheme, it is necessary to prepare well. In total more than 23,000 people benefited from this tax regime. Of course, certain conditions must be met in order to benefit from the non-habitual resident NHR status in Portugal, and becoming a resident is one of them. The NHR scheme is granted to both active and retired people if they meet certain criteria. What is the NHR status ? How do you qualify for NHR in Portugal ? What are the conditions to qualify for NHR status in Portugal ? What are the tax benefits of non-habitual resident status ? How to get NHR status ? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the non-habitual resident NHR tax status in 2021.
If you use the roads of Portugal, whether as an expatriate or a simple tourist, then you will surely have to go through automatic tolls and gantries and other SCUTS. Payment of tolls is mandatory in Portugal, whether you are a regular user or if it is the only time you use Portuguese roads and tolls. Failure to pay SCUTS in Portugal can result in heavy fines of up to several hundred euros. It is possible to opt for an automatic payment method, that is to say, be billed via your Via Verde box or the chip on your license plate. If you do not have one of these devices you can adjust them in person. How to pay SCUTS and electronic tolls in Portugal ? What are the penalties for forgetting payment of SCUTS ? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the payment of SCUTS and tolls in Portuguese land.
Real estate prices in Portugal continue to rise and Lisbon continues to grow, as does Porto. In the third quarter of last year, the average value of homes sold in Portugal increased by 7% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching an average of 1,054 euros per square meter. Since the crisis that hit Portugal hard, real estate prices continue to break records and some even speak of speculative bubbles about to explode. According to figures published by the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística), some districts have seen an increase of almost 40%, but some areas have seen their prices drop, especially in Lisbon! What is the price of real estate in Portugal? What are the cheapest areas to buy a house? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, gives you this map of property prices in Lisbon and Porto.
In this period of pandemic, many taxpayers have wanted to go to an office of Finanças (the Portuguese tax authorities) and have been refused access. Indeed, it is now necessary to make an appointment before going to a Finanças office. This process is done online, but it is not very easy and only in Portuguese. In order not to make the trip to the tax authorities for nothing and to be sure of being received, Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, explains how to make a face-to-face meeting appointment on the Finanças website.
Sharks sometimes come to have fun near the Portuguese coast, and that's what obviously happened this Sunday, August 2nd. three Algarve beaches have hoisted the red flag after a shark was spotted near Tavira. The beaches on which the red flag was raised were Terra Estreita, Barril and Ilha de Tavira. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the return of sharks to the Algarve.
Portugal is a country which, behind its deeply conservative roots, is not cold-hearted, on the contrary. Indeed, Portuguese couples know and practice swapping and libertinism as in other European countries for quite some time. Even if the number of places and clubs where to engage in the practice of swapping are not numerous, they are nevertheless of quality and the libertine couples of all Portugal and elsewhere will find their happiness there. Swing Club, swinger club, libertine club, many are the names for the hot spots frequented by naughty couples in Portugal, but the goal is the same: practice swingers in a caring place and with people you trust. What are the best swingers’ clubs in Portugal? Where are the libertine bars and what are the rules? Lisbob, the expatriate's assistant in Portugal, tells you all about swingers and libertines clubs and bars in Portugal.
If you have the project to undertake in Portugal, then one of the key steps in starting a business is the legal choice of the entity to be formed. It is important to know all the types of companies that can be incorporated in Portugal, in order to choose the best option to ensure the success of your business. Indeed, even if the legal forms are similar to what can be found in other European countries, Portugal has its peculiarities which make a bad choice of status can lead to many setbacks.
You must always consider the strengths of the future company, the assets to be allocated, the type of responsibility, and the required capital investment. Last but not least, you must decide if it is an adventure that you intend to conduct alone or with other partners. What are the different legal forms for companies and businesses in Portugal? What status to take if the activity is for an individual or for a group? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you everything in this comprehensive guide to all legal forms of business and society, individual or collective in Portugal in 2020.
In this way, to help you make this decision, it follows a list of different legal forms of companies, divided into two categories - individual and collective.
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.
If you are working in Portugal, then at some point you may need to be on sick leave. Not that the weather in Portugal is wetter than you thought (though), but that it's okay to get sick and sometimes essential to let your body or mind rest and heal. Whether you are an employee or a self-employed person, it is possible to take leave for medical reasons. It is important to know your rights as well as your duties with the Portuguese social security, especially when you do not master the language or the laws of your country of expatriation. In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, we have gathered the essentials of what you need to know in terms of sick leave and sick leave in Portugal. Who has the right to take sick leave? How much do you receive health benefits in Portugal? How to go on medical leave? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the sick leave and sick leave in 2020.
You know Lisbob and his outspokenness: it is summer, and to relax the atmosphere Lisbob wanted to take stock of these famous infrastructure or renovation projects which have still not seen the day in Portugal, despite recurring announcements and sometimes even several inaugurations. Of course, this problem exists in other countries and Portugal is not the worst. Still, 30 years to decide to build an airport is a long time, and it is risky to decide on end dates when a project is "launched". In question, a mixture of disorganization, improvisation, corruption but also of crises of all kinds. Lisbob, the expats assistant, has prepared for you the top 5 projects that take a little time to come to fruition in Portugal. If we forgot one, please let us know in the comments.
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.
When settling in Portugal, obtaining your NIF (fiscal number) is one of the first steps to take, but the request for the Finanças portal password is just as important. Indeed if you have never registered on the Finanças portal (the Portuguese tax authorities), it is essential that you start by asking for your password. This is the most direct (in some cases the only) way to manage certain tax services. For example, via the website of the Finanças portal, it is possible to file your tax return, issue recibo verde or register and validate your invoices. Having a Finanças password is therefore essential, because many of these services and procedures are only possible via the Internet. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, shows you how to request and obtain your password from the Finanças site in Portugal.
The Portuguese newspaper Diario Das Noticias had access to the list of the most popular names in 2020 in Portugal and unveiled the latest trends. The attribution of the first name of newborns is taken very seriously in Portugal which is one of the strictest countries in Europe on this subject, with a list of around 1,000 authorized first names, which explains why the same first names are often used. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, tells you all about the ranking of the first names of Portuguese newborns in 2020.
In recent years, the number of beaches accessible to people with reduced mobility or wheelchair-friendly has increased in Portugal. Today there are a total of 188 beaches and bathing areas capable of accommodating a public with mobility difficulties, so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of Portuguese beaches. Some also have the necessary equipment so that people with reduced mobility can swim and practice other activities. What are the best beaches accessible to people with reduced mobility? Where are the seaside areas open to the disabled? LisBob, the expat assistant, has prepared a complete list of the best accessible & wheelchair-friendly beaches for disabled in Portugal.
Since few years the IRS income tax declaration is entirely online in Portugal. The automatic IRS option is undoubtedly an option that greatly facilitates this obligation since it allows you to validate your declaration in a few clicks. If you want, you can trust fiscal authorities and let the declaration fill in automatically : you will just have to validate the declaration at the end of the process. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about how to complete your automatic IRS tax return online, step by step. Because the sooner you validate and submit your return, the sooner you will receive a refund if you are entitled to it.
The good weather has already arrived in Portugal and the temperatures are also rising. The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has just released its forecast bulletin: temperatures will reach in places up to 37ºC in broad daylight, and the nights will also be hot with values above 20ºC. The IPMA announces that these nights will be "tropical" and recalls the measures to be taken in the event of high heat. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about this heat wave and its tropical nights.
