Loafing Along

No did not have to do that - it was a simple form with a declaration to tick about previous residency and country and origin.
Answered back ( on the same web page ) in 48 hours

The whole process was simplified and made web-based last July, maybe you have been reading pre July 2016 information

Mac and Mabel

Ditto that. We applied September 2016 and had to do nothing more than is contained within the guidelines issued by Finanças/AT that is linked from post #11. This is slightly out of date as it still refers to the option of paper applications whereas only applications vis the online portal are accepted as of July 2016, but all other details are still current afaik.

ricko

Loafing Along, and Mac and Mabel
Many thanks for your replies - that information is very reassuring.

It seems so simple that I wonder if anyone could be rejected for the scheme.
Is it just a tick box process, as the Portuguese government are very eager to get as many people onto the scheme as possible?

I went back and looked to see where the information about 5 years of tax returns came from, and judging by the website address, it was a Portuguese lawyer or accountant.

Thanks again for such positive information.

Diddion

Can someone comment on this tax/residency question?

1. Having purchased a car on May 14 this year, we intend arriving in Portugal on May 15 next year so that we will avoid import duty.
2. I believe that our period of PT residency will hence commence on May 15 next year, being the first day of our arrival.
3. We will, though, leave the UK on April 5th, so we will not be UK residents in the 2018/19 tax year. We will have no permanent UK residence. We will perhaps just tour around Europe, spending time and as little money as we can...
4. So what will our residency status be between 6 April and 14 May? To whom will taxes be due?

This is not an idle question, as there are tax implications for us, and I can't believe that we would have no residency status during that gap. The car is special to me, by the way, and rare in Portugal, so please don't suggest leaving it behind! Any thoughts much appreciated!

macliam

I think you might be confusing residency with tax residency, they are not the same thing. When you arrive in Portugal you will have a 3-month visa, like any EU citizen. After the 3 months you should apply for residency from the local Camara - to achieve this you must have a permanent address and be able to show you will not be a burden on the state.

Tax residency is different, once you spend more than 6 months in Portugal, you will be liable to submit a tax return to the Portuguese IRS. This will levy tax on your worldwide income and assets, but thare are some allowances, etc. You need to take advice on this - the tax tear runs Dec-Dec not Apr-Mar like the UK, so there are some games you can play.....

If you intend NOT being tax resident in the UK during the next financial year, AIUI you need to declare that to the Inland Revenue. It was suggested to me that you will then need to stay away from the UK for the next year, save maybe a 2-week holiday .... any more and it might be decided that you are still a UK tax resident.

Good luck.

Diddion

Thanks, Macliam - I am generally aware of these issues, and it is the tax residency position that exercises me. Our plan will to become tax resident and make use of the NHR status once we are able to do so - having gained our residency. So: our residency will start on 15 May - the question in my mind is whether our tax residency will also start on 15 May, or will apply for the full year - from 1 January.

I believe the issue of UK tax residency is far more complex than you suggest, because we can find ourselves automatic UK tax residents if, for example, we spend 90 days in a UK property, of which 30 days are in the year in question. So, 30 days in the UK next year - and that's it! The number of days one can spend in the UK depend upon the UK Statutory Residents Test, and the number of ties - this is how the HMRC put it: https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...nal_078500.pdf

So, in a nutshell, we don't want HMRC to (for example) say we are UK residents but on holiday during the gap between 6 April and 15 May.

We certainly need good advice on this, though of course other forum contributors might have encountered similar situations.

macliam

Contact eurofinesco (I have no involvement with them) - I was very impressed with Dennis Swing Greene's knowledge of the Portuguese system and matters affecting UK expats generally. I seem to recall you had contacted them already - I'd sugggest you ask specifically about the timings for leaving the UK/declaring in Portugal.

Diddion

Thanks, macliam. I did contact them, and the receptionist passed my message onto the MD. But that's the last I heard......

macliam

Worth chasing it up - doesn't sound like Dennis to me, he spent quite a while talking to me at a (free) tax seminar in Ourique, even though it was unlikely I'd have any work for him.

DiDAN

Hi Sarah,

I've recently done all the quest with only having AirBnb rental for a month.
Got my Residence Cert and NHR status now. (took me less then 2 weeks)

It will depend on your local Junta de Fraguesia (local parish) if they issue a proof of address straight away or will ask you for some more proof.
Here in Setubal they were very pleasant and I had no problem to get one, then it's only doc you need in Camara Municipal (Local Council) to get a Res. Cert.

The step by step instruction was very helpful though. Thank you guys!

factseeker

Hi DiDAN,

You comment is really interesting as I was just about to write to the Forum.

I am retired and recently arrived presently based near Faro now looking to log onto the fiscal system here with intention of obtaining NHR before a property purchase.

My wife and I have researched for renting and I think we are now organised.

Comments here have been enormously useful in particular Mac & Mabel and I use this opportunity to say many thnxs.

However my situation is that I may find it difficult to just simply sit tight here for a full 6 months in one straight stretch as although I am retired my expertise is in software and I might find myself 'On call' to anywhere in the world.

I would generally be out and return within 2 to 3 weeks at most - that sort of thing.

Do I understand your comment to indicate that it is possible to obtain/settle the whole thing up to and including NHR in a couple of weeks??

If so is that from arrival in Portugal or would one have had to be here for some time previously??

Hope to hear soonest as I had been planning to go get IFNs early next week.

Best Rgds.

DiDAN

Hi,

As I mentioned, it took me no more than TWO weeks to settle in Setubal from the scratch.
But I assume it could be different in other parts of the country.

Loafing Along

NHR takes 48 hrs online from application to decision. What can take more than a week is registering/ setting up your access with the Finanzas site as they post your access code to you once you have done the online registration process.

factseeker

Hi,
Thnxs for reply.

So to summarise as I understand it - provided all goes reasonably smoothly in the paperwork etc - all is correct and one follows the correct proceedure - it should be possible to obtain a confirmation of NHR within circa a month of initial arrival in Portugal??

Best Rgds.

DiDAN

Yes :-)