How to Apply for a NIF in Portugal Online as a Non-Resident

If you live outside Portugal and need a Número de Identificação Fiscal (NIF), here is how to apply for a NIF in Portugal online, without travelling to Portugal. The NIF is a 9-digit number issued by Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT), Portugal’s tax authority. As a non-resident, you can request the NIF remotely through a representative with a power of attorney, such as an authorised Tax & Accounting service. This page is the application walkthrough: who can apply, which documents are needed, how the process works for EU and non-EU citizens, and what to expect after filing. If you first want to understand what a NIF is and what you can use it for, start with What is a NIF in Portugal? and come back here to file.

Quick answers

Who can apply for a NIF in Portugal as a non-resident?

Any foreign individual can apply, regardless of nationality. The documents differ slightly (EU/EEA citizens can use a national ID card instead of a passport), and no applicant needs a fiscal representative to get the NIF itself.

What documents are needed?

A valid passport (non-EU citizens) or an EU national ID card, plus a proof of address issued outside Portugal — a utility bill, bank statement, or driving licence less than three months old. The full list is on the document requirements page.

Do non-residents need a fiscal representative?

Not to get the NIF. The obligation starts once you have a tax relationship with Portugal, such as property or a car registered there, a job or self-employment there. Non-EU citizens must then, within 15 days, appoint a representative or activate electronic notifications through Portal das Finanças; self-employed non-EU citizens need a representative either way. For EU/EEA citizens both are optional. The official rules on the Representante Fiscal and the Registo de Não Residente are published by AT at info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt.

EU or non-EU — which route applies to you

If you are an EU or EEA citizen, you can request a NIF in Portugal as a non-resident without a fiscal representative, and it stays optional later: even once you own property or work in Portugal, you may appoint a representative or activate electronic notifications (NCEPF), but you do not have to. A fiscal representative is still practical if you want an intermediary in Portugal to handle tax notifications and the access password, especially if you do not read Portuguese.

If you are a non-EU citizen — holding a passport from a country outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland, UK citizens included — you do not need a fiscal representative to get the NIF either. The rule starts once you have a tax relationship with Portugal: you own property or a car registered there, or you work there as an employee or self-employed. Within 15 days you must then appoint a fiscal representative or activate electronic notifications; if you are self-employed, you need a representative even with electronic notifications. The fiscal representative must be a tax resident of Portugal or a company registered in Portugal.

Step-by-step process

Here is how to apply for a NIF in Portugal online, step by step:

1. Prepare your documents. Take a clear, colour scan of your passport or EU national ID card (300 dpi, JPEG or PNG). Have a proof of address — utility bill, bank statement, or driving licence — issued outside Portugal in the last three months, showing your full name and address.
2. Submit your application. Upload both documents through our secure portal and fill in your application details. We review the documents and let you know if anything needs correcting before filing.
3. Sign the Power of Attorney. You sign a Power of Attorney (procuração) authorising our Portuguese team to request the NIF on your behalf. Signing is fully remote — no notary visit needed. For non-EU applicants, the procuração also appoints us as your fiscal representative for the first 12 months.
4. We file with Autoridade Tributária. Our team delivers the application directly to AT. You receive your official NIF certificate by email as a signed PDF once it is issued.