How To Register Your Address In Portugal
Navigating the maze of bureaucracy in a new country can feel like deciphering a secret code—especially when it comes to the essentials, like registering your address. But fret not, intrepid expat!
Our straightforward guide will make “how to register your address in Portugal” as easy as sipping vinho by the Douro.
What Exactly Is The Certificate Of Residence In Portugal For?
The residence permit in Portugal enters your life as an emigrant after you obtain the formalization of your main right of residence thanks to the CRUE (your residence permit of a European citizen legally living in Portugal).
If this right gives you not just the right to live and work in the Portuguese territory legally but also the residence certificate proves that you are really and permanently settled in the country.
This is another vital document that you need to keep close at hand and that you will often be asked for during administrative procedures.
How To Get Your Certificate In Portugal?
Go To Junta da Freguesia
The first step to applying for a residence permit in Portugal is, as often, to go to the first place in Junta da Freguesia or, in other words, the Borough Hall closest that is closest to your home.
Google is your friend; just search “junta da fregusia + your city” to go ahead and find the nearest town hall.
Request A Resident Certificate
When you are at the town hall, ask for a Certificado de Residente. Note that the Portuguese administration again refers to certificado, as in CRUE (Certificado de Registo of Cidadao da Uniao Europeia).
To distinguish them in French, it is quite common to use the word “certificate of residence” rather than Certificate. Let the thoughts be clear!
Submit The Required Documents
The documents to present when you apply for a Portuguese residence permit are:
- Valid identity document (citizen’s card, passport, or voter’s card)
- Address proof. The following proof of address is valid: NIF with your Portuguese address, BUNCH, Lease agreement or real estate purchase deed.
- Or even more atypical: A certificate in honor of two people in your street who say that you meet regularly with the other! In fact, Portugal still maintains traditional practices, although they tend to disappear.
You must then honestly declare the number of months you have already spent at the residential address you wish to include in your file. Your proof of address may not show the exact date you live at that address.
Review And Sign The Form
All you have to do is sign the form, and your application for a Certificado de Residente is complete. The Municipal Commissioner will verify that everything is in order and will keep your file, which will be studied by the Conservatorio de la Junta da Freguesia within 48 hours.
Get A Certificate Of Residence
The average processing time is 48 hours. Once this time has passed, return to your Junta da Freguesia and collect your precious document. That’s it, and you have proof of residence!
Keep it as it is a very official document and will serve you in several ways, such as vehicle registration.
Important Information To Know
The documents required for your application may vary slightly from Junta de Freguesia to Junta de Freguesia. Portugal is not entirely standardized in its administrative procedures: expect some significant differences whether you live in Lisbon or Santarem, for example.
Bob’s tip: call them before you go, so you have an accurate list of the documents you need.
Also, the cost of your application for confirmation of residence in Portugal is about €5 (the price may vary from town hall to town hall). Don’t forget to bring change with you on D-day as most of them don’t accept credit cards.
And know that if you urgently request to have it immediately, the price may increase significantly, but it can be used if you need it quickly, for example, to register a car.
Proof of residency is one of the only administrative steps that Bob cannot perform on your behalf. Ask him about everything else!
Proof Of Residence
To obtain a residence permit from the Parish Council, you must fill out the PDF form available below, print it, and go to the parish council with the necessary documents. The document will be delivered to you at the same time.
Proof of residence
Necessary documents:
- identity card (Cartão de Cidadão/Bilhete de Identidade/NIF (tax number));
- registered accommodation address (expenses – rent/bank loans/billing for water, energy, gas, medicine, kindergarten, transport);
- Passport with a visa to stay in Portugal for foreign nationals without a residence permit.
If you are not registered in this parish or if you are a foreign national and do not have a lease or loan in your name, you must present two witnesses from among residents and registered citizens in Paranhos with a photocopy of the ID card or ID card. (witnesses must sign the form).
More information: 22 502 00 46 | geral@jfparanhos.pt
Information on the amount to be paid can be found in the applicable rules and the General Tariff of Fees.
Who Can Change The Address On The Passport?
Any Portuguese citizen with a valid ID.
Any Brazilian citizen that is covered by the Porto Seguro treaty validates the right to hold a valid citizen card and is about to change the address of the card to a new one in Portugal.
If a person is under 12 years of age, they can only request a change of address accompanied by their legal representative, i.e., the person who holds their parental rights.
The legal representative must have a valid identification document (civil card, identification document, residence permit or permit, or proof of consular registration).
If the person in question is prohibited or affected by insanity, he can only request a change of address accompanied by his guardian or carer.
This person must have a valid identification document (citizenship card, identification document, residence permit or permit, or proof of consular registration).
Where Can You Change The Address On My Passport?
You authenticate on the Portugal portal with a citizen card or a digital mobile key or through the virtual assistant of the Portugal Sigma portal or on the Citizen Card reception desks.
What are the documents and requirements that are needed to change the address on the citizen card?
If it is on the location:
Mobile digital key or citizen card which indicate the complete new address.
If it’s online:
Mobile Digital Key or a Citizen Card and authentication PIN, software to use the card, compatible card reader. This indicates a completely new address.
What Is The Key Price To Change The Address On The Citizen Card?
If it’s online: Free of charge.
If it’s the location:
- IRN service desk: €3.00, to be paid at the time of the request
- Espaços Cidadão (Citizen’s Spot): free.
Payment methods:
ATM, cash, check (certified or bank draft) from a bank with a representative office in Portugal, postal order right to the order of IRN, IP.
How About Changing The Address On Your Passport?
1. If it’s over the internet:
Press “Change now” and verify yourself on the ePortugal portal using your Portugal citizen card or mobile digital key. If the change of address is right for a third party (e.g., a minor child), you must make sure to select the “On behalf of a third party” option.
The citizen card will be inserted into the reader by the person applying on behalf of a third party.
Follow the instructions.
Fill in the entire new address.
You will receive a letter confirming the change to your new address within five working days. If the letter is sent abroad, to the Azores or Madeira, it may take a couple more days to arrive.
After receiving the letter, you must make sure to confirm the change of address to the new address within the period specified in the letter. The address will actually change only after this confirmation.
2. Through the digital assistant of the ePortugal portal – Sigma:
Ask and select the service “Changing the address of the ID card”. Select the “Change here” option. To change to a new address, follow the instructions on your Identity Card.
You will receive a letter confirming the change to your new address within five working days. If the letter is sent abroad, to the Azores or Madeira, it may take a couple more days to arrive.
Right after receiving the letter, you must make sure to confirm the change of address to the new address within the period specified in the letter. The address will actually change only after this confirmation.
3. On the place:
All you need is a mobile digital key or an ID card. Go to the counter of the citizen card service and provide your complete new address.
You will receive a letter confirming the change to your new address within five working days. If the letter is sent abroad, to the Azores or Madeira, it may take a couple more days to arrive.
Right after receiving it, you can confirm the change of address on this portal or go to the counter of the Citizen ID card service and take the letter confirming the change of your address and your Mobile Digital Key or Citizen ID card with you.
Only when you confirm the change of address in the ID chip and from this date is it taken into account for public entities: health, social security, finance, and voter registration (voting place).
Consult the status of the ID card address change process. You can check the status of the address change process in your dedicated area of the ePortugal portal.
But only if you have made sure to change your address through the ePortugal portal, by phone, or in the Citizen Area by selecting the option given for “Reserved Area” – “Citizen Services ” – “ePortugal”.
What Is NIF Anyway?
Seasoned immigrants from Portugal know the term “NIF” very well. It is mentioned a lot in forums and groups about Portugal. But newcomers have probably never heard of it.
Wonder no more – NIF is a Portuguese tax number. The full name for it is Número de Identificação Fiscal, which is also known as Número de Contribute. In English, it is known as a fiscal number.
A NIF is the Portuguese equivalent of a UK National Insurance Number or a US Social Security Number. But in Portugal, its use goes far beyond both of them.
What Is NIF For?
You will use your NIF in Portugal for a plethora of things, such as opening a bank account, obtaining a telephone, internet, or service contract, buying or renting property, investing for a golden visa, obtaining a health number, opening a business, dealing with the tax authorities and much more.
It is, therefore, essential that you apply for a NIF right as you land in Portugal.
You don’t even really need to have a Portuguese address to get it. And just because you have a NIF in Portugal does not mean that you will automatically be liable to pay Portuguese taxes.
When you shop, many merchants will ask you the same question every time you make a purchase. They will usually ask you if you have a Número de Contribuinte, which really just means a NIF.
This is because many Portuguese people use their NIF to claim these purchases as expenses on their annual tax returns. As a foreigner in Portugal, this is unlikely to apply to you as you are likely to be a resident with NHR tax status and income from outside Portugal.
For e.g., if your business is incorporated in the UK, you will still claim business expenses on your UK corporation tax return.
HMRC has a much stricter definition of what it considers allowable expenses than Portugal. However, if you do end up deciding that you want to open a business in Portugal or become a freelancer, you will want to claim as many expenses as possible.
Back then, you used to hand out NIF whenever you went shopping.
Does A NIF Make You A Tax Resident In Portugal?
No. It is possible to have a resident or non-resident NIF in Portugal. For e.g., Golden Visa residents need a NIF but do not need to be tax residents in Portugal (unless they choose to be).
However, if you are resident in Portugal on a D7 visa, you will need to become a tax resident to maintain your status. You are considered a Portuguese tax resident from the day you change your NIF address to Portuguese.
You can do so either through the Finanças portal or in person at one of the offices.
How Do You Get A NIF In Portugal?
By now, it is probably clear to you what NIF is and what it is used for. But when it comes to how to get a NIF, that’s where things can get confusing.
This is because there are several different ways to obtain a NIF, depending on your permanent residence status in Portugal, whether you hold an EU passport and where you apply for the NIF.
Let’s step by step go through the options for obtaining a NIF in Portugal. We will first look at the process for EU/EEA citizens.
How To Obtain A NIF From An Online Vendor
Due to the difficulties associated with obtaining a NIF, several convenient online services have been created to meet this need.
These are especially helpful if she files her D7 application on her own without the help of an attorney.
Update NIF Address
If you are receiving a NIF for the first time, you may use your original address outside Portugal.
As explained earlier, this is fine. However, if he later becomes a full-time resident, he will eventually have to update his NIF address in Portuguese.
The NIF address can be changed in several ways. Go to the Finanças office and change your address immediately. You will need to provide proof of your new address in Portuguese, such as Utility bills, rental agreements, or title deeds.
Change your address on the Finanças online portal. This method is useful if your local financial institution doesn’t accept walk-in customers or you don’t want to go there in person.
Now let’s look at the steps required to access the portal and change your address.
Step 1: Register with the Portal: once you have registered, you will receive an access code and password. Please note that Finanças will only mail to addresses already associated with NIF.
Yes, the address can be outside of Portugal. So if you apply for NIF, make sure that someone can receive mail at that address.
When you open the website in Chrome, Google Translate takes over the functional task of displaying the website in English. It will be as follows.
Enter the required information and click Register. DIČ stands for NIF, and the taxpayer’s address is the address originally used to obtain his NIF.
Step 2: Log in to the Portal: Once you receive your details via email, you can log in using your NIF and password. Now let’s see how to change the address.
Step 3: Check NIF Addresses, First, let’s check the addresses Finanças has already collected. Once the portal has been translated into English in your browser, navigate to the following sections: You are here > Home > Services > Advice > Current registration status > General data.
Further down on the page is a list of all personal information, including name, NIF, and current registered address. It looks like this (minus the shaded areas):
Step 4: Submit your change of address request. Then go to the e-balcão section and submit a change of address request. In your browser, click the area circled in red in the image above.
I arrived at the e-balcão homepage. Click “Customer Service” above. Clicking on the “Customer Service” button will take you to a page where you can make a “Request for Information“.
From the dropdown menu, select the same settings as at the top of the create New question page. Next, write your request in the question box and attach a copy of your proof of address.
A simple translated text such as the following is sufficient for this task: Newspapers like accurate information about me. Please allow one to two weeks to process your application.
Please note that there is no email notification. You should check the portal in the same section to see if anyone has replied. If you have a question for Finanças, leave a message in the same section.
Once your application has been processed, you will receive a message from Finanças on the portal with your downloadable address verification documents.
If the address is updated, it will also change in the general details section. Congratulations! You are now an official tax resident of Portugal. The next important step is to apply for NHR tax status.
Conclusion
So there you have it—a no-fuss guide to ensuring you’re officially on the map in Portugal. As you embrace your new Portuguese chapter, remember, every piece of paperwork is just a step closer to those sun-kissed beaches and historic towns.
Here’s to many delightful years ahead in this Iberian gem!
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