Moving to Portugal?

Thinking of moving to Portugal? After all, the good weather, low cost of living, incredible cities, delicious food, and fun-loving people are some of the many reasons people move to Portugal from abroad. 

But packing up and moving to a foreign country takes a lot of planning. Forget one thing, and it can lead to you missing out on important paperwork, making costly mistakes, and being stressed. To guide you through the entire process, we’ve made this helpful relocation checklist.

Do Your Research

When moving to Portugal, conducting thorough research about your soon-to-be new home is crucial. Ensure your research covers all important aspects, from the overall cost of living, local housing, and education, to the price of essential commodities in Portugal supermarkets. What opportunities are there, how easy is it to get a job or university placement or retirement etc. 

If you’re a student, find out about what’s it like to study in Portuguese universities and how to get an internship. 

If you’re moving for work, explore the top International or Portuguese companies to work for and the average salary in Portugal. 

If you want to be self-employed, learn what it takes to open your own business in Portugal as a foreigner. 

If you’re a parent, learn more about the Portuguese education system or the international schools available for children. 

If you’re planning on retiring in Portugal as a foreigner, learn more about pensions and the best areas to live in. 

If you’re moving for work, explore the top International or Portuguese companies to work for and the average salary in Portugal. 

If you want to be self-employed, learn what it takes to open your own business in Portugal as a foreigner. 

If you’re a parent, learn more about the Portuguese education system or the international schools available for children. 

If you’re planning on retiring in Portugal as a foreigner, learn more about pensions and the best areas to live in. 

In terms of security, Portugal is a very safe country. However, big cities have their bad and good neighborhoods. You also don’t want to end up in a too touristy place.

The best way to get such information is by linking up with the expat community in the local town you intend to move to. Online platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp groups, YouTube where members freely interact and answer queries, will be helpful. Several websites also have detailed guides on almost anything you want to know about Portugal. 

Decide where you want to live

After doing a research about  all the facts you need to know about living in Portugal, you must choose where to live carefully. Suppose you fall in the category of people relocating for family commitments or work. In that case, the decision on where to reside is determined by the location of your family residence or workplace.

Another issue is connectivity. If you are going to live in a smaller town, it will be harder to either visit or be visited by your family and friends (unless the city has some exceptional attractions). In this matter, often large cities are better.

If you are not in the above two categories, your options are always wide open. You can choose to live in several interesting places. For instance, many expatriates prefer the capital, Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve for the beautiful beaches, the Silver coast or right in the center of Portugal in small towns or villages for a quiet relaxed kind of lifestyle. 

Make Arrangements for your visa

Once you’ve decided that you’re moving to Portugal and you’ve chosen which city you want to call home, you’ll need to work out your visa options. Find out how to get a Portuguese visa and work permit as a foreign citizen. If you are an EU citizen, you are in luck—you can enter Portugal freely and only need to register in the country after three months.

The Portuguese visa application process takes place in your current country of residence, at the Portuguese embassy, diplomatic mission, or consular post. Do keep in mind, these processes are not very organized. You may be surprised to see that you are missing one or two documents even after being provided a full list of visa requirements for Portugal by your own embassy. When in doubt about any required document, research online, and contact the embassy or consular offices by phone or email well in advance.

There are different Portuguese visa types—which one you get will depend on your purpose for being in the country. You can ask for a visa for work, investment, study, family reunion, among others. Most Portuguese visas cost around  €80 (88USD). Keep in mind , you need to pay for your residence card as well, which is about the same amount. Investment visas are considerably more expensive, at around €500  (550 USD), plus  €5,300  (5,800 USD) for the residence card. 

Get your documents in order (and apply for the visa)

Before you head to the consulate/embassy to apply for your Portuguese visa, make sure your passport is valid for more than 3 months and that at least 3 pages are empty.

Translate and legalize all important documents, if needed, such as your birth certificate or marriage certificate as you’ll likely need them. Do this at least 3 months before your planned departure as these processes can take weeks or months.

Important Documents

Despite being a  relatively modern country, Portugal and its government departments truly love their paper and their paperwork. For this reason, and to ensure you do not run into any unnecessary trouble, it is vital for you to have your personal documentation with you. This is especially so during your first few months when you may be in the midst of setting up multiple accounts and registering yourself for various things. 

Some of the important documents you need to carry with you include:

Passport

Applicable visa and any notification or correspondence related to your move issued for immigration purposes

Any letter that confirms your employment in Portugal if this is applicable to you, or work permit if you already have it

Birth certificate

Driving license

Educational certificates with complete transcripts

Any proof of income slips such as your bank statements

Insurance documents

Marriage or divorce certificates

Any medical reports that you have if you are suffering from or have previously suffered from a medical condition

School records and vaccination records for your children if you are moving with them 

If you are moving with your family, then this list would apply to each member of your family as well.

If you are relocating to Portugal with your pet, you need to ensure that you have its medical and vaccination records with you as well. 

It is also advisable that you make about 2-5 copies of each document in case any government department requires them for any reason. It will make any registration process go more smoothly for you.

See to it that all your important documents are with you and carry them by hand during your trip. Don’t ship it together with your other belongings or leave them in your checked-in luggage. In the event of any unforeseen circumstances, your personal documents will remain safe with you. 

Move your belongings to Portugal

One of the most challenging aspects of any international relocation is arranging the transportation of your belongings. If you’re moving to Portugal, this process will largely depend on where you’re coming from and what you want to transport. Sorting removal companies to Portugal can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned expat. However, if you start the process early and give yourself plenty of time, it can be relatively stress-free.

If you’re trying to get your treasured belongings across borders or oceans to Portugal, then you may want to speak to a global relocation company. These are popular with expats as they know all about personal and corporate removals. Many also provide storage and other relocation services to help make your move seamless.  

Arrange your pet’s move to Portugal

If you are moving to Portugal with pets, you should know Portuguese law is fairly relaxed. Your four-legged friend should be vaccinated against rabies, which means it must be at least three months old. However, for breeds which are considered dangerous, you may need a special permit and a signed liability term. 

Find somewhere to stay

House hunting is most certainly not an easy task. If you would rather choose your new home in person, it is recommended that you stay at BNB or find a short term rental for the first month or so. This will allow you to take your time and really look for your dream home as opposed to having to rush and choose your home while you are thousands of miles away in your home country.

If you are going to Portugal to work for a company, then you may not need to deal with this if your company is setting up your home for you.

When first starting out in a new country, it is best to look out for rental properties in the area you want to live in.  If you want to purchase a property you should consider doing so at a later stage after  getting to know your areas of interest very well. 

Things to do before buying a property

Find a lawyer who speaks good English as well as Portuguese, who will explain everything properly to you and detail the costs. They will carry out searches, as it is vital to check a property is free of debts, has a title deed, check licenses, make sure all documents are in order and ensure the property has been built properly (or even been built!) and legally without claims on it from a third party

Apply for a NIF number (tax identification number ). You will need it to buy a property, car, setting up a bank account, get a new mobile phone etc.

Make sure you are aware of the taxes and costs you will incur; 10% buying tax, notary and land registry fees, legal fees, any mortgage costs, house insurance, and power of attorney, if needed.

If moving funds and change of currency, seek specialist advice on transferring your money to Portugal without high bank charges and poor exchange rates. 

Think about NIF, Bank account, Health insurance

Get your Portuguese Tax number NIF

If you’re planning to work and need to pay taxes on income or assets, make sure you’ve all the documents prepared for getting your tax number NIF. It’s similar to a social security number and is important for various reasons such as signing your employment agreement, opening a bank account, signing up for utilities, buy a property, etc.

You can apply for NIF number after you have a registered address or you can get a Fiscal representation through a friend or a lawyer. Visit the tax office Financas in your municipality with your passport and fill out the tax number form. You will receive the number on the spot.

Bank Account

Opening a bank account in Portugal is a pretty straight forward process. This is great news for expats who have just arrived in the country and are in the midst of setting up their life.

Portugal has state-owned banks and private banks and both types offer more or less similar services. However, private banks may have more branches and ATMs available, so this may be more advantageous for expats who may travel around Portugal to explore the country.

 You will need the following to open and use your account:

A phone number capable of receiving SMS

Proof of income

Proof of address which can be any of your utility bills not more than 6months old 

Passport as ID

NIF document from Finanças

Also bring € 150-250 in cash (to deposit into the new account) 

That’s it. With some banks You should be walking out of the branch in 10-15 minutes with a new debit card in your hand or the card will be sent to your address within 7 working days. 

Health Insurance

Arranging for proper health coverage for you and your family is one of the most important things you may have to do before relocating to Portugal. It will give you the peace of mind needed to start your life in a foreign country. Health Insurance in Portugal applies in both private and public hospitals. 

The Portuguese public healthcare system is free for resident taxpayers. It is considered high quality too, just not very speedy. Expect waiting times for just about everything: registering to see family doctors, seeing specialists, elective surgery, and so on. Between visiting your family doctor, getting a request for a medical exam, receiving the results, and taking it back to your family doctor or specialist, you could wait several months to years, depending on the specialty. For that reason, many people choose to take out private health insurance in Portugal, which is relatively affordable.

How does healthcare work in Portugal?

Portugal has a mixed healthcare system, with both public and private services. Public healthcare is managed by Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS), the Portuguese national healthcare system.

To enjoy your right to state medical services, you must first be registered with your local council (junta de freguesia). Here you must request proof of address, which you will need for your registration with the local healthcare center, centro de saúde. Bring your residence card (título de residência) and your work visa/or proof that you are retired.

After registering with the health center, you will be given your healthcare number, Número de Utente. You will need to show this number whenever accessing public healthcare services.

Portugal does have state-provided healthcare, which is free for all citizens and legal residents in Portugal. Even though medical care is mainly free, you may have to pay some fees when visiting emergency rooms, your family doctor, or requesting ambulance services. These will typically range from  €5 to  €20  (6—22 USD).

Private Health Insurance Plans

Private insurers can offer a range of insurance plans, from the most basic coverage to all-encompassing. In general, you should opt for an insurance plan that best fits your medical needs.

Hospitalization and surgery are the basic features of private health insurance coverage in Portugal. You can add some extras depending on your specific medical needs including:

Ambulatory services: doctor's appointments, appointments with specialists, exams and tests, even physical therapy

Childbirth

Dentistry 

Some health plans may even include ophthalmology, prosthetics, and other special medical needs and treatments. You can add several people to the same insurance plan, meaning your entire family could be covered by the same insurer.

How to Get Health Insurance in Portugal?

Once you know which health plan is right for you, based on your medical needs and budget, you simply need to contact the local insurer or you can get it through your bank. You might have to provide them with some information about your medical history. The process is done entirely via phone or email.

How much is the average Cost of Health Insurance in Portugal?

How much is health insurance? Private insurance in Portugal is generally quite cheap. This could cost between  €20 and  €50 (22–55 USD) a month, depending on your age and the extent of your coverage. This means you can pay anywhere between  €400  (440 USD) a year for a basic plan and  €1,000  (1,100 USD) yearly for a more well-rounded coverage.

Costs with your insurance may also depend on your preferred method of payment. You can choose to have a network of service providers to which you can go. This means whenever you need medical treatment you may only rely on hospitals, clinics, or doctors with which your insurer has an agreement. For this type of insurance, you would typically pay monthly, semesterly, or annually. Alternatively, you can choose to be reimbursed by your insurer after you have paid medical costs out of pocket. You may also have a mix of both payment services.

Getting your Utilities Set Up

Another thing that you need to look into is setting up your basic utilities in your new home. When renting in Portugal, the most common practice is for tenants to pay their own utility bills. In these cases, you would need a contract with each utility company under your own name and a bank account for payment through direct debit and the meter readings if you don’t have a smart meter.

However, it is also not uncommon for utility costs to be included in the monthly rent, especially if your contract is short-term. This can be advantageous for tenants, since it means they would not need to draw up utility contracts. For the case of water, this would require visiting the company’s offices in person with your rental contract.

The average cost of utility bills per month excluding internet, may be between USD 100 to USD 150, depending on where you live in Portugal.

 Let’s briefly explore each one of these in turn. 

Electricity

There are a few companies to choose from especially if you are in a larger city. However, if you are in a smaller town, you may not get to choose your electricity provider.

Gas

There are also a few gas suppliers that you can choose from when setting up your new home in Portugal. These are for homes that may not have any built-in heating. Gas is generally used to heat water, cooker and to keep homes warm. At times the property you end up choosing may have the main gas connection or if it doesn’t you have to use gas bottles. These bottles can be replaced at the supermarket or petrol station and some companies will deliver.

Water

Depending on upon where you are in  Portugal , the water taste a little strange so try not to drink straight from the tap or if you do you will get used to the taste. Water usage is charged progressively and you will need to pay a connection fee to set it up. 

Internet

Another essential utility that you will need to set up once you arrive at your new home. Like most modern countries, Portugal has a wide range of internet and broadband providers the main ones which are NOS, MEO which have terrible customer service ( that's my experience) then you have Vodafone and satellite internet. Each of them has its unique selling points. Try to find out about the available plans before picking a provider and plan.

Waste/Refuse Disposal

This is usually arranged for by the local council of your district and is a service that will require you to pay an annual fee if you are a homeowner.

And there you have it — all the essentials to set up your new home in Portugal.

Think about education in Portugal

If you’re moving to Portugal with children, you’ll probably need to start thinking about schools long before you start packing. Generally speaking, you have the choice between public and private schools. Although public education is accessible to all residents of Portugal, regardless of nationality, it’s understandably taught in Portuguese. However, this will be much cheaper than say international schools, and will also give your little ones a chance to integrate into the local culture.

That said, many parents do prefer to enroll their children in a private or international school. Furthermore, these can often be better alternatives for older children who are working towards their exams. Just be aware that these schools can be significantly more expensive than what you are used to, so make sure to do your research ahead of time. If you have young children, you may also want to start looking into childcare options in Portugal before your move. This is particularly true if you’re looking for English-speaking care, as places fill up fast. 

Get an international driving permit

As long as you’re over 18 and have a valid driving license, you’re able to drive in Portugal for up to six months after you arrive providing you have a car insurance. If your license is issued by an EU/EEA country, you’ll also be able to use your existing license until it expires. However, it’s recommended if you plan to stay in Portugal for years you will need to renew/replace your existing license with a local license.

If you are a non-Eu/EEA national, on the other hand, you will need to swap your driving license for a Portuguese version within your first six months in the country. Depending on where you arrive from, you may also need to accompany it with an International Driving Permit. This will allow you to drive legally in Portugal. Notably, these are typically much easier to obtain in your home country, so make sure you apply well ahead of time to avoid getting stuck in first gear.

Learn some Portuguese

Whether speaking Portuguese is your dream or not, learning the language can certainly be helpful. For instance, a lot of the bureaucratic procedures take place in Portuguese, think filling forms or calling an automated phone line. So learn the basics before you move and your future self will thank you!