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Guides to moving to Portugal
Each guide covers one subject, with a 30-second summary and links to official sources. 55 guides so far.
Research
Open this step →Is it right for us?
Is Portugal right for you?
Who it suits, the weather in six places, the British community, costs, language, visas since Brexit, healthcare and the pace of life.What people wish they’d known
The surprises British movers mention most: AIMA delays, paperwork loops, cold and damp homes, low pay, Lisbon rents and the language.What rules catch Brits out in Portugal?
Carrying ID, drink-driving, phones, the vest and triangle, speed cameras, electronic tolls, smoking, beaches, street drinking, noise, holiday lets and cash limits.Work and pay
How do I get a job in Portugal?
Unemployment by region, what jobs pay, the 2026 minimum wage, sectors that hire, language and how Britons get permission to work.Will my UK qualifications be recognised?
Degree recognition under Decree-Law 66/2018, regulated professions and the professional orders (doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers), timelines and fees.What’s it like to work in Portugal?
Hours, long lunches, 22 days’ holiday, 14 salary payments, fixed-term and permanent contracts, trial periods, meal allowance, the right to disconnect and remote work.Is my Portuguese job offer a good one?
Gross salary in 14 payments, meal allowance, collective agreements, the minimum wage, trial periods, contract types, relocation, IFICI and IRS Jovem.+ calculatorWhat are my rights at work?
Hours, holiday, public holidays, sick pay, parental leave, dismissal and compensation, the right to disconnect and the labour inspectorate.Home, family and health
How much does it cost to live in Portugal?
Rent in six places, bills, food, transport passes, eating out, IVA on the mainland and the islands, and a monthly budget by household.+ calculatorWhere in Portugal should we live?
Lisbon and its coast, Porto, the Algarve, Madeira, Coimbra and Braga, plus the Silver Coast and the Alentejo, compared on climate, rent and flights.How do schools work in Portugal?
State, private and international schools, ages and the school year, enrolment on the Portal das Matrículas, Portuguese support (PLNM), UK qualifications and fees.Which Portuguese visa do I need?
Work and highly qualified visas, the EU Blue Card, D7 and D8, entrepreneurs, students, family, the golden visa now, fees, AIMA and the 90/180 rule.How does Portuguese healthcare work for Brits?
Registering with the SNS and getting a número de utente, the S1, what you pay, insurance for your visa, SNS 24 and why a GHIC isn’t enough.Making the move
Open this step →Before you fly
Do I still pay UK tax?
UK residence, the P85, split years, when Portugal starts taxing you, the new UK–Portugal treaty, NHR’s end, IFICI and IRS Jovem.Should I rent out or sell my UK home?
What letting, selling or leaving it empty means for UK tax, Portuguese tax and council tax once you live in Portugal.What happens to my UK pension?
The State Pension keeps rising in Portugal, the S1 for healthcare, how Portugal taxes pensions now NHR has closed, government pensions and voluntary NI.Can I bring my medicines?
What to carry, controlled medicines, the Schengen certificate once you live there, and moving your prescriptions to the SNS.How do I move money from the UK?
Exchange rates, safe transfers, the €10,000 cash rule, your ISAs and UK investments, and the cash you need to rent.+ calculatorHow do I bring my dog or cat?
Microchip, rabies jab, the animal health certificate, points of entry, and Portugal’s SIAC register and dog licence rules once you arrive.How do I ship my things to Portugal?
Customs since Brexit, the baggage certificate for duty-free household goods, what a removal costs, and bringing your UK car.Your first 30 days
Your first 30 days in Portugal
What to do first, in what order, and why the order matters.+ calculatorHow much tax will I pay in Portugal?
Your NIF, NISS, health number, AIMA residence card and Chave Móvel Digital, and how Portuguese income tax (IRS) works in 2026.+ calculatorHow do I open a Portuguese bank account?
Resident or non-resident accounts, the NIF and other documents, fees, the minimum banking services account, MB WAY and Multibanco.How do I find a place to rent?
Where homes are listed, licensed agents, what landlords ask for, short lets versus long leases, and how tight Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve are.Is this rental listing genuine?
The warning signs, how to check who owns a home with a certidão permanente, checking the agent and the IBAN, and where to report a scam.How do deposits and rental contracts work?
The caução and advance rent caps, lease length and notice, the annual rent update, registering the lease, bills, condominium charges and getting your deposit back.+ calculatorCan I drive on my UK licence?
Driving on a UK licence as a resident, exchanging it without a test, points and fines, tolls and Via Verde, inspections, IUC road tax and buying a car.Can I live in Portugal without a car?
Navegante in Lisbon, Andante in Porto, the Passe Algarve, Madeira and Coimbra passes, the €20 national rail pass, e-scooter rules, and Uber and Bolt under the new TVDE law.How do I get a SIM, internet and call home?
Getting a Portuguese number, loyalty periods, fibre at home, roaming and why your number matters for the Chave Móvel Digital.Your first weeks
Your first day at work
Your written contract, Social Security registration before you start, IRS withholding, the 14 payments, meal allowance, the work health exam and time records.Food shopping and eating out
The supermarkets, markets, IVA on food, meal times and the prato do dia, your rights in restaurants, tipping, alcohol rules and tap water.How do I make friends in Portugal?
How the first year usually feels, language exchanges and classes, local clubs, volunteering, school parents’ associations and keeping in touch with home.The partner at home
Whether your residence permit lets you work, family reunification and your own permit, free Portuguese classes, getting qualifications recognised, and building a life of your own.How do pensions work in Portugal?
The Portuguese state pension, counting UK and Portuguese years together, your UK State Pension and S1, PPR savings plans, and how Portugal taxes pensions.How do I build a credit history in Portugal?
Why you start from scratch, the Banco de Portugal’s Central Credit Register and your free credit map, credit cards, mortgages for foreigners, and paying by MB WAY.Living here
Open this step →Make the most of it
How do we cope with, and enjoy, a Portuguese summer?
IPMA heat warnings, wildfire rules on burning and barbecues, Civil Protection SMS alerts, beach flags and rip currents, the Portuguese man o’ war, and the long school holiday.What are the cooler months like, and how do we make the most of them?
Cold, damp houses and heating, winter storms and IPMA warnings, snow in Serra da Estrela, big waves at Nazaré, and São Martinho, Christmas and Carnival.How do public holidays and school holidays work?
The 13 national holidays for 2026 and 2027, municipal holidays in Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, Coimbra and Braga, Madeira’s regional days, Carnival, the Santos Populares and the 2026–27 school calendar.Where can we go for a weekend away?
Short breaks from Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, Madeira, Coimbra and Braga by train and road: Sintra, the Douro, Évora, Óbidos, Peneda-Gerês, Madeira’s levadas, pousadas, and trips into Spain with the right documents.Work and money
How do I change jobs in Portugal?
What your residence permit allows, telling AIMA, notice periods (aviso prévio), final pay, unemployment benefit and its effect on your permit, and where the labour reform stands.Can I freelance or start a side business?
Your permit first, then opening activity at Finanças, green receipts (recibos verdes), the simplified regime, the €15,000 VAT exemption, social security for the self-employed, and setting up a Unipessoal Lda.Family and home
Should we renew our lease or move?
Automatic renewal under the Civil Code and NRAU, the 2026 and 2027 rent updates, the landlord’s notice not to renew, your notice to leave, the Mais Habitação rules, getting your caução back and rent support.+ calculatorCan we buy a home in Portugal?
NIF and fiscal representative, lawyer, the CPCV deposit, IMT and stamp duty for 2026, the under-35 exemption, mortgages, IMI and AIMI, condominium fees and short-term letting.How do we change schools in Portugal?
Transfers on the Portal das Matrículas, mid-year moves, the national priority rules, equivalence for UK schooling, Portuguese support (PLNM) and international schools.How do we find childcare, after-school care or holiday care?
Free creche places under Creche Feliz, free pre-school from 3, after-school care (AAAF, CAF and ATL), holiday camps, au pairs and babysitters, and the IRS deductions for childcare.How do we hire a cleaner or nanny?
Domestic service rules, the contract, registering with Social Security as an employer, contribution rates, the 2026 minimum pay per hour, insurance, and agencies or self-employed cleaners.Protect what you’ve built
How do we get permanent residence and citizenship?
Permanent residence and EU long-term residence after 5 years, time abroad, the basic Portuguese requirement, citizenship after 10 years under the 2026 law, and keeping your British passport.What should we check when our insurance renews?
Health insurance price rises, age limits and pre-existing conditions, home insurance (multirriscos) and compulsory fire cover, car insurance and proof of cover, cancelling on time, and complaints to the ASF.Do we need a Portuguese will?
Notary wills, choosing UK law under the EU Succession Regulation, forced heirship (legítima), 10% stamp duty and who is exempt, sorting out an estate, and UK inheritance tax.What should I check each year on UK tax, pensions and property?
A yearly check-up: UK and Portuguese returns, UK rent, pensions under the 2025 treaty, ISAs, foreign accounts in Annex J, voluntary NI, voting and UK bank accounts.Moving on
Open this step →Plan your exit
How do I leave Portugal, and in what order?
Notice at work and on your lease, AIMA and your residence card, your tax address and last IRS return, self-employment, the car and any property, in the order they need doing.What do I need to close before I leave Portugal?
Which bank account to keep, utilities, phone loyalty periods and cancellation fees, condominium charges, health insurance, your tax address, your Portuguese pension record and the returns that follow you.How do I take my pet back to the UK?
Your pet’s EU passport, rabies dates, tapeworm treatment for dogs, and approved routes from Portugal by air, or overland through Spain and France.Back to the UK
How do we settle back into the UK?
The NHS and your S1, tax in the year you return, National Insurance, your Portuguese pension, schools, university fees, your Portuguese licence and renting.How do we find a home and a job back in the UK?
Renting with no recent UK history, buying and stamp duty, job hunting from Portugal, your Portuguese criminal record certificate and qualifications.Get new guides first
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