Settling in Portugal: NIF, residence and what is included

What does a settling-in service in Portugal include?

There is no standard package. Agencies sell a mix of registrations, appointments and practical set-up, alone or after a home search. Of the 17 agencies ReloFinder lists with a Portuguese office, 16 list settling-in help, 14 list immigration support and 12 list school search (Portugal directory, data export of 7 Oct 2026). Those are the services agencies say they offer, not a promise for your case.

We found no published price for these jobs from an agency on ReloFinder beyond the one covered in our cost guide, so ask for the list of items and the price of each, in writing. Agencies list items such as the NIF and fiscal representation, a bank account, the visa file and the AIMA appointment, a lease review, utilities and school search, and what a package bundles differs from one firm to the next.

Which admin steps does a newcomer face in Portugal?

The steps depend on your passport. These are the sourced ones.

• NIF (tax number). Everyone. Free; no deadline stated. Online or at a tax office, and an attorney can act with a power of attorney.
• Residence permit with AIMA. Non-EU citizens. Apply within the 4 months of the residence visa. You attend an AIMA appointment.
• Health centre registration. Foreigners with a residence permit. No deadline stated. Ask your health centre.
• Driving licence exchange. A licence from a country with an agreement. Drive for up to 90 days from the issue of the permit, and file the exchange in that time. You hand over the licence at the IMT counter.
• School place. Children. Not sourced. Parents apply.

EU and EEA citizens skip the AIMA step. AIMA says they have the right to enter, stay and live in Portugal under Law 37/2006, and that no body can demand a residence permit from them (AIMA).

How do I get a NIF?

The consumer association DECO PROteste, summarising Tax Authority rules, gives two routes. Online, a legal representative files a request through the Tax Authority’s e-balcão with a copy of your passport and a document showing your address abroad. In person, you go to a tax office or a Loja de Cidadão, with an appointment if you wish, with a valid passport and an address document. An attorney can act for you with a power of attorney, which does not need a notarised signature if it is issued to a lawyer. Documents in a foreign language need a certified translation, and requesting the NIF is free (DECO PROteste, 9 Jul 2024).

A non-resident does not need a fiscal representative when the NIF is issued. If you live outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and later enter a tax relationship in Portugal, such as owning property or signing an employment contract, you must appoint one within 15 days, or join the electronic notification system. Check the rule on the Tax Authority portal: this summary is a consumer association’s.

How does the residence permit work?

For non-EU citizens, a residence visa from a consulate comes first. The visa portal says it is valid for four months, allows two entries and obliges you to apply for a residence permit with AIMA during that time. The deadline to decide a residence visa application is 60 days (types, deadlines). Our moving guide lists what the official pages ask for in each route.

We found no official waiting time for the AIMA appointment. Wikipedia, a secondary source, reports that AIMA replaced SEF in October 2023 and that by late 2024 many applicants were reporting waits of 4 to 12 months, particularly in special categories such as golden visa holders (Wikipedia, Immigration to Portugal). Plan for months, and ask any agency what happens to its fee if the appointment slips.

What about a bank account?

We did not read an official rule on bank accounts for newcomers. DECO PROteste says a Portuguese NIF is indispensable to open one. Some agencies sell help with it. Which documents a bank asks for depends on the bank, so ask before you go.

How do I register for health care?

Foreigners with a residence permit can register at a health centre of the national health service, and a user number is given at registration if you do not have one (gov.pt, updated 12 May 2026). Prefer the health centre of the area where you live. Until you hold the permit, a residence visa asks for travel insurance covering medical costs and repatriation, as the visa portal’s documents list says.

How do I exchange my driving licence?

The rules depend on where your licence comes from. For an EU or EEA licence, the exchange is optional, costs EUR 30 and needs your identity document, a residence communication to the town council if you have no citizen card, and the licence (IMT, EU and EEA).

For a licence from a country that has an agreement with Portugal, counting from the date your residence permit was issued, you may keep driving for up to 90 days but must file the exchange. Between 90 days and two years you can still apply but cannot drive on the foreign licence. After two years you must pass a practical driving test. You need a medical certificate issued through the electronic platform, a tax-domicile certificate if your permit shows no address, and, for categories C, D and E, a psychological assessment. After the online request, the IMT calls you to a counter to hand in the licence and give a photo and signature. The fee is EUR 30, with 10% off online (IMT, agreement countries).

What about schools?

We did not read the rules for school enrolment in Portugal, so we give none. A school search is a separate service, and 12 of the 17 agencies on ReloFinder list it. Ask the school or the town council for the calendar before you choose a neighbourhood.

Which steps can an agency do, and which need me?

An agent can prepare your file, book appointments, translate, accompany you and chase answers. The sources above show where you appear yourself:

• You in person: the AIMA appointment, the IMT counter visit, and the tax office if you request the NIF in person.
• Someone can act for you: the NIF, through an attorney with a power of attorney or a legal representative online (DECO PROteste).
• Not sourced: bank account opening, utilities, school enrolment and health centre registration steps. Agents may offer them, and the documents vary by provider.

How long does it all take?

The official figures are a 60-day decision for a residence visa, four months of visa validity, and 90 days to file a licence exchange. Everything else, including the appointment, depends on the office and the period. Treat any promise of a date with caution.

What we could not source

We did not read official rules for bank accounts, school enrolment, the AIMA fee, or health-centre registration for people who do not yet hold a permit, and we found no official waiting time for the AIMA appointment. The NIF rules come from a consumer association’s summary of the Tax Authority’s rules, not from the Tax Authority’s own page. To compare agencies, read how to choose a relocation agency in Lisbon, or get matched.