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Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Old Jan 30th 2020, 5:34 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Diddion
It is the country in which your NIF is registered that counts. It needs to be altered to the Portuguese address before you can apply for NHR. AlgarveAndy - did you not have this problem, when applying for NHR with a UK address?
Now you're just complicating the issue regarding the OP.......He has been in the USA for years!!
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 5:44 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Euroguy
Now you're just complicating the issue regarding the OP.......He has been in the USA for years!!
Sorry, I don´t get you. If your NIF is registered to any other country, it needs to be altered to Portugal before you can apply for N^HR-´.
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 5:58 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

So NIF is what in the USA???
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 6:02 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Euroguy
Originally Posted by RichardHenshall View Post
Getting your NIF as a non-resident has little to do with registering residency in Portugal. This is how people end up getting confused about the requirements.
I was informed by Richard Lee today quite the opposite, he said NIF is 1st thing to do, so who do I believe, a guy who did te procedure today or YOU???
Getting your NIF is an easy thing to do and is a prerequisite for many other things such as getting a job, renting long-term (officially) or owning property, opening a bank account, signing up with utilities etc etc. It may prove difficult to provide evidence of residence in the absence of these things, so because it's easy it often comes first. If you're planning to live in Portugal, you'll need it soon enough.

However it's easy to obtain the NIF as a non-resident and is separate to the topic under discussion. The documentary requirements are quite different.

It's your choice who you believe.

Last edited by RichardHenshall; Jan 30th 2020 at 6:03 pm. Reason: Grammar!
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 6:13 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Euroguy
So NIF is what in the USA???
https://eportugal.gov.pt/pt/servicos...essoa-singular
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 6:43 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Euroguy
... Cortiz will need [...] for his imminent move to Portugal [...] a NIF at some stage, so would him getting one while visiting not be prudent?
Yes it would be prudent, though why are you asking on his behalf? I'm sure he could ask for himself.

Last edited by RichardHenshall; Jan 30th 2020 at 8:18 pm.
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 7:28 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

I was just about to ask that, actually.....

To be clear about my situation and plans: My wife and I are UK citizens, currently living in the U.S. We are going to Portugal next week to decide where we want to live. We then return to the US, and sort everything out over the summer (house, dog, belongings.... ). Then we go back to Portugal to settle in Sept., renting initially.

The suggestion is that we obtain our NIFs on this coming visit - but what Euroguy posted states we would not be able to do that since we do not have an EU address. I actually still have a UK bank account, but the address on it is my US one, so that's no help.

This leads me to think that it would just better to wait until we move in Sept. and have a Portuguese address. Would that cause any issues? Other than just getting a bit of bureaucracy out of the way in advance, is there any real disadvantage to doing it all once we've actually moved?

I don't wish to bother UK friends by asking if I can use their address, or try to game the system in any way.

EDIT: Also, now that I think of it, since we'd have to change any foreign address on our NIFs before applying for the NHR as @Diddion mentioned, that seems to make obtaining in prior to our move pointless as well as impossible?

Last edited by Cortiz; Jan 30th 2020 at 7:46 pm.
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 8:17 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

You can get your NIFs as non-EU residents (even though EU citizens) but you'll need a fiscal representative. This can be anyone resident in Portugal. However, when you come to register for online access to your tax account at the Portal das Finanças it is to their address that the activation password will be sent, so it's better to be someone with whom you intend to maintain friendly relations.

As I said earlier it's difficult to get a proper long-term rental without the NIF. Catch 22, anyone? However you're only facing the same problem that every other non-EU resident visitor or immigrant faces.

Are you intending to use any professionals who might oblige? Lawyer, accountant, etc

You really only need the NIF earlier if you want to do things that require it. It's likely to be a problem for all incoming Brits from 2021 onward.
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 8:32 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Sorting the NIF in advance would mean one important item ticked off and sorted before you come, as would a Portuguese bank account (Millennium will open accounts for non-residents]. Why not call in to a solicitor (who will also be your fiscal representative) to apply for you, whilst you are here, and call into a local bank?

Changing your NIF registered address is dead easy, when you have a permanent home and formal residency documents. Just call in to the Finanças and they will do it on the spot
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 9:37 pm
  #25  
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Thanks @Diddion and @RichardHenshall

We don't know anyone in Portugal, so I guess we'd need to be through a solicitor. Any idea how much that might cost? This is already going to be a massively expensive project so we're trying to cut any unnecessary expenses.

Does Millennium need some kind of minimum deposit, and could I open the account online?
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 10:01 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

It's hard to guess at costs for your (temporary) situation. The actual costs to your representative are minimal (aside from future risks from your failing to meet your obligations) and so you could get this service for little or no cost if your rep was expecting to get further income from you (through conveyancing, for example) before then being released from the risks.

That said, in my experience solicitors seem to operate on a minimum billing of €100 or so, even for trivial matters.
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Old Jan 30th 2020, 11:01 pm
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

As these things go, we are not talking about much at all (other than in major cities). I would have thought maybe 50 euros for the two of you you will be able to get quotes, and shop around, if need be. Look for a small, one-person, small town solicitor, since, there being no litigation involved, you do not need the services of Harvey Specter.

I think it unlikely for you to be able to open an account with Millennium. When we opened our accounts we went to Cardiff in Wales to meet a member of their London office, who went there periodically to serve the sizeable Portuguese population there. It involved signing about a million documents. But it would certainly be easier to sort this whilst you are here. Have a look at their Millennium FAQs for residents abroad

There are contact numbers on the page. I see that the do have offices in US, and I don’t recall any minimum deposit; if so, it would not have been massive.

Last edited by Diddion; Jan 30th 2020 at 11:04 pm.
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Old Jan 31st 2020, 7:59 am
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by Diddion
It is the country in which your NIF is registered that counts. It needs to be altered to the Portuguese address before you can apply for NHR. AlgarveAndy - did you not have this problem, when applying for NHR with a UK address?
Hi all, yes I did indeed have this issue, the online NHR application would not allow me to submit the application because my NIF address was outside of Portugal.
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Old Jan 31st 2020, 9:03 am
  #29  
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Originally Posted by RichardHenshall
Yes it would be prudent, though why are you asking on his behalf? I'm sure he could ask for himself.
Cortez, l will pm you again as l now have my tax form number so next is the Residency office!

Taxio documentario!! :-)

Last edited by Rosemary; Jan 31st 2020 at 9:14 am. Reason: removed unnecessary remark
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Old Jan 31st 2020, 11:37 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: Proving UK *Residency* when Registering for Residency in Portugal?

Clarification, please: Do I need an NIF prior to applying for residency? This is clearly the order in which others are doing it, but I'm wondering if it is the only order.

If so, this effectively means that I need to either (1) have an actual residence in Portugal - and proof of it in the form of a rental agreement and utility bills, presumably? Or (2) I need to appoint a solicitor as a fiscal representative in order to first get the NIF, as a prerequisite to getting the residency document?



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