tom99

I have a problem in that I have left my driving licence in the uk (idiot or is the correct term senior moment ) so I am going back to get it with the intention of getting back before new year to swap for a pt driving licence. Booked a flight and the air line says I have to isolate for 10 days which means I will not be back for new year which also as I read it for some strange reason I have to be in pt on the 31st dec to qualify for the nhr scheme.
question 1 re- nhr do need to be in pt in person on the 31st or just registered as a resident which I have done?
question2 re -driving licence if I go back to uk and register my uk driving licence with imt as I think possible via email ,will this help in being able to swap in jan, as I will also need to get a health number to get the doctors cert.

Loafing Along

To apply for the NHR you will need to be registered on the Finanças site with a Fiscal number . If you have done that and have access to the site you can apply online, doesn't matter where you are in the moment you apply.

wellinever

I thought that if you become a resident in 2020, then you have until end March 2021 to decide to apply for NHR.

Again i tgought that as far as Driving licence is concerned you have 90 days after becoming resident to apply for exchange of licence, without taking a practical test.

campos

I thought same. on both points..
now

toots sweet

Correct me if I'm wrong but if you are returning to PT within the quarantine period that is OK. You don't have to sit out the whole 14/10 days(whatever it is now for heavens sake).You can return straight away as long as you don't go visiting friends, having a shopping spree etc etc. Just return to the airport.

Pistolpete2

We are in the travel corridor here in Grenada so this applies, as does it for Madeira and the Azores but not PT at large, and there is no exception for those who intend to turn around and return to Portugal within the 10 day period though there were (not implemented) plans for High Value Business Trips. We have to stop off for one hour in St Lucia enroute to the UK and IF St Lucia dropped off the corridor, we would have to quarantine in the UK, so you can see the lengths of the concept.

If that (St Lucia dropping off the list) were the case, we wouldn't strictly even be permitted to transfer between Gatwick and Heathrow to make our PT flight now that BA operate out of Heathrow to Faro until the clocks go forward.

Countries, territories and regions on the travel corridor list

You do not need to self-isolate if you’re travelling to England from one of the countries, territories or regions listed on this page. You must have spent the last 10 days in one of these places, or in the UK.

If you visited somewhere that is not on the list in the 10 days before your arrival in England, you will need to self-isolate. Visiting includes making a transit stop.

Lelandy

I think you're mixing things up a bit Pistolpete2? One of the permitted reasons for leaving quarantine in the UK is to leave the country, so the OP could fly back, collect his licence, and return as soon as he likes:

General exceptions

Exceptions from remaining at your place of self-isolation include where:

• you are travelling directly in order to leave England
  
  https://www.gov.uk/government/public...avel-to-the-uk
  

Pistolpete2

Thanks! Sorry about that! I feel a bit better for our own purposes now. I think that we could just about manage.

Pilotabroad

As per Lelandy says, perfectly acceptable to leave the UK at anytime during the quarantine period without completion.
In the last few months I've done it several times including arriving UK in the morning and leaving the next morning.

ShazD

Hi Tom99- we are doing the same as you, or trying to, regarding driving licence. You will need a UTENTE number. This is given out by your local Centro de Saude. It appears you need this to get a medical, even if you go privately- which is frustrating, as we could book a private medical tomorrow. This is what we think we know so far, but like you, if anyone can offer help, we would be grateful. We are in the position of waiting and waiting for this number to be given to us...there is seemingly a massive backlog.
So, I would go and try and get this number before returning to the UK.
In addition, we have no idea what will happen if we cannot get this medical done before the 31st. Hope you manage!

Loafing Along

Yes you need the Utente number even if a private doctor does the medical as they have to upload the certificate to the IMT system and that is a form of identification

bons

Is it correct that if you don't change your license now, next year you will have to take a practical maybe a theroy test and it will all be in Portguese?

Bomber Harris

If you don't exchange it before 31/12/20, you can still exchange it without taking a Portuguese driving test for up to 2 years from the date you became resident, BUT after 31/12/20 it becomes subject to the third country rules that have been suspended for UK licences during the transition period, which means it is only valid as a licence to drive for 90 days from the date you became resident. Therefore if you became resident more than 90 days before 31/12/20 (i.e. 02/10/20) you will be unlicensed from 01/01/21.
Some people are under the misconception that the 90 day validity period doesn't start counting until 01/01/21, they are wrong.

tom99

I like that answer it sounds reasonable and sensible ,if correct I'm off the hook, no need to rush back. Should I still try to register my uk licence with pt imt online which could be done from the uk

tom99

Ok I missed the end of year deadline. Just got our health numbers through so can now try to exchange the licence. Question now that uk has left eu will we be able to have both uk and pt licence?