NickOxford

My partner are UK citizens & currently living in the UK. We were planning on moving to Portugal in a few years, but sort of last-minute we decided we'd like to get in now before Brexit.

We have a place to stay in Portugal while we look for our own place, and have more than enough money to support ourselves. The question is...is it too late? We can be there this month, and I know the procedure is to apply for residency at the local council, but my understanding is their all closed until January due to COVID.

Any insights or suggestions on best way to proceed would be most welcome. Thanks much.

ouriquejan

They're not closed, you just have to ring the bell. Go to the Junta first, get their paperwork, then head for the town hall. You will have to make an appointment with your local finances office though, to get your nif number.

Ddavies

Hi there, we are literally on the ferry to Spain, driving down to Portugal as I type. To get residency under the withdrawal agreement you need tax number regardless of if you are retired, working or not. It’s called a NIF number. You also need to open up a bank account with enough money in it to show you have funds to support yourself. We have been told 6000euros per person but to be safe we are putting in 20k. You also need to have paperwork to show you have a house or that you have rental agreement for longer than six months. You must also stay for six months and one day in Portugal each year OR if you come and go the amount of time is increased to eight months. You any be asked to prove you have fulfilled the six months and one day (or eight months) stay, but as yet I don’t know what constitutes as ‘proof’. You also need to pay tax on income. 10% I think on pensions. If you hire a tax consultant you may pay as little as 20% if you are a high earner. We got a tax consultant. Once you have bank account, proof of money, accommodation papers and a NIF you can then apply for a meeting at the town hall that you have to attend in person. If all is in order you get residency at the end of the meeting. I imagine all of this is possible to do yourselves if you are in Portugal, we could not be as we were selling up in the UK and jus could not get out there. We used an agency to do all the work for us (including tax consultant) whilst we stayed in the UK. They told us four days ago that now we have all the paperwork done we need to be in Portugal for between one- three weeks. We may get a town hall appointment in week one or week three no one knows. Luck of the draw. The company we used is called Emigrante - it’s money you need to spend but we couldn't have done it without them as we had no time, and no way of getting out there to do it ourselves. Other people where might have a better less expensive way to do it. If you have no time you will need to throw money at it. Good luck. The company we used were great. AsK for someone called Cristina. All the best.

NickOxford

Wow, that's fantastic information, thanks so much!!!! Just curious, how much did Emigrante charge you for the whole thing?

bons

We were looking into ferry prices and going to Spain, but it was too expensive. Are you staying in Portugal now.?

Ddavies

Ashamed to say we have not had a second to add it all up. I’d say on average between €600-800 per person. There are two of us but I didn’t need the tax consultant advice. You pay xxx among for them to sort out the NIF another amount for the bank account. Each item costs around €250. You just choose what you want. If you cannot get in under the withdrawal agreement there are other ways to get there. Americans apply for something called a D7 which I believe is what all Brits will need to apply for after 31st December. There are many benefits to doing it under the withdrawal agreement though. Some things like driving licences are a straight swap under the withdrawal agreement. Just saying don’t give up hope, there are always other ways to get what you want. Things we just learned: once you have your residency paper you are entitled to use the Portuguese healthcare system which is like our NHS. If you are thinking of taking a vehicle from the UK to drive around in in Portugal be very careful to make sure you have done something called ‘matriculation’ of the car. It’s illegal once you are resident to drive a car that is not registered with the Portuguese authorities.....I’m glad to be of help. I only came onto this site today to see if I could get Covid lockdown info and saw your post, so I joined so I could help you.

Ddavies

Just re-read your message. If you are going to be in Portugal this month it might make the whole process easier, you will need to check. Not sure what you mean by “we have somewhere to stay”. You absolutely need fixed accommodation with a rental agreement with your NIF number on the contract. (Or own your own property) Our NIF took a week to get, another week to get bank account. If however, your accommodation is staying in the house of Portuguese friends then there is an alternative to a rental agreement but your friends will need to apply to the local parish to inform the parish that you live with them (or in their property). They can do the form online. It’s called a ‘contractor de como data”.

If I were you I would email Emigrante ASAP. Over the weekend scan your passports, find two utility bills with your address on it and scan them too, and also your latest bank account statement. You will then need to find a ‘notary’ - (we were recommended one by a friend) but you can google for one in your area. What Emigrante need to do is have power of attorney POA in order to apply for your NIF and a bank account (they will send you a form) this form you will need to be notarized but you don’t need it have an Apostille (don’t worry if that means nothing to you- it didn’t to us either - but if you are asked if you want it by the notary - you don’t). It cost us £80 each for the notary to witness the POA and to witness our passports. Of course you don’t need to do the POA thing if you will be in Portugal but we couldn’t be. And anyhow it’s so late in the day and Emigrante are experts in this so you may as well let them do it! I don’t know - they may advice differently. I can’t think of anything else to say to help. It’s a phaff but it is doable.

RichardHenshall

Obtaining your NIF costs nothing - see https://eportugal.gov.pt/servicos/pe...essoa-singular

Obtaining your CRUE costs €15.00 - see https://eportugal.gov.pt/servicos/pe...a-ue/eee/suica

campos

You can get a non-resident NIF via email. You need an NIF to open a bank account. If more convenient to get a non-resident NIF before you arrive, just scan copies of passport and official document with your UK address, and a basic googlo translation of requirements. The Portimao office issued mine in less than a day from request. Other places might do same. Portimao - [email protected].
An easy and quick bank acc to set up is with Activobank (Lisbon, principally). The ladies in the Chiado branch are super friendly and helpful.

toots sweet

All that seems very complicated. It is as easy(generally) as going to the post office for a stamp. You just need all the correct paperwork.......
This is what I was asked for NIF FULL ADDRESS( we have a house here) so suppose you will need validation of your rental address if applicable.....
passport...€15. (this was all photocopied) I was also asked for proof that i was receiving a pension.I am getting that sent,but still got my CRUE the next day.Told it was ready by phone AND email !!!! Done .Not asked for proof of bank acount or anything else. Ladies at the camara were great. This was at our small local camara,so possibly an easier ride than larger ones as they are always busy and can be real pains in the **%%£.
PS Just walked in,no appointment needed. Priority is getting nif and bank account.

atlasthemonk

Hi and welcome
Everybodys testimony to receiving their residency is different. My story
1 NIF number at the town Finances. Bring passport, UK national insurance number ,UK bank account and utility bill. You have a place to stay in Portugal I didnt at that time. (January 2020)
2 open a bank account. Bring NIF number and above details.
3 Astedado (spelling ?).Apply at local Junta. NIF bank account and current location/ residency and two signatures (with a photocopy of their Portugese citizens card) from two people who can vouch of your good character and live IN the junta area. An agent (if you go down that route) can do that
4 Take the above to the Camara and apply for residency.

The bottom line is that the Portugese people are by nature helpful and they are keen to welcome UK citizens to their country , so ask for help to make your dream come true. You have time.

suiko

"You absolutely need fixed accommodation with a rental agreement with your NIF number on the contract. (Or own your own property)"

You don't. Even Air B&B works if you get an atestado at your local freguesia (witnessed by two local residents).

yevlondon

just my experience to add in the mix. got NIF by email from Portimao office (emailed a copy of my passport and scan of my UK bank statement as proof of UK address).

got my certificado de residente de Uniao Europeia (CRUE) with ONLY my passport and a signed form (this is Lisbon, office in Saldanha). emailed for an appointment and was given a date a week later. no proof of money or address was required. but this can be different in other parts of the country. total cost of both actions was 15 euros.

NickOxford

Wow, thanks to all for the advice and input. It's quite a bit to sort through, it sounds like everyone's experience is a little different. Part of me thinks we should just fly there and make sure we're there by the 31st and sort things as best we can!

bicabica

Yep, that's what I would do. You cannot establish residency from abroad: you have to be here physically.

I have seen it suggested many times that an Air BnB type contract is no good. You need a proper rental contract if you don't already own a property. After you have established residency you can wait until the new year to apply for a residency certificate. I understand that the rules are slightly differeent between câmaras.