Even before arriving in Portugal, you will learn that you need a Number of tax identification, in Portuguese it is called NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) or Número de Contribuinte.
We need NIF in Portugal for:
- purchase or rental of real estate;
- registration of business and your own company;
- investments in Portugal;
- connection to local communication operators;
- internet connections and subscription for it;
- applying for a gold visa in Portugal;
- any appeal to public authorities inside Portugal;
- any utility payment;
- medical appointments in Portuguese hospitals
This is not a complete list of why we need NIF in Portugal. To summarize it up, if you want to live in Portugal and not just come to visit for two weeks, you need a Portuguese taxpayer number (NIF).
Let’s take a look at all the ways you can use in order to get NIF. We apologize in advance for the restraint and formality of the article, but it will be rather an instruction that we hope will help you.
Until March last year, the most convenient was the personal receipt of NIF by appeal. But it has changed with the Covid 19 pandemic. For now it has become one of the most difficult ways to get a taxpayer number.
Today the easiest and fastest way to get NIF is to apply online. You’ll get your NIF by email, saving your time and efforts that would have to be spent in line.
In order to get NIF online, simply fill out the application on our website. All related questions can be found on the same page. We guarantee the receipt of NIF from 3 days, while maintaining a guarantee of a full return of money.
Most of our customers note that contacting us was a beneficial and correct decision. Moreover, it is difficult to deal with paperwork without the Portuguese language. Working with e-Residence, you don’t need to worry about it. Thanks to our partners, getting NIF will be as fast as possible.
To get NIF in person you have to visit the website of the Government of Portugal and find the nearest Finanças office.
If you don’t have registration in Portugal, you have to bring documents confirming your registration address in your country. This can be a statement from your bank in the last 3 months or another document indicating the address of your residence.
It is also possible to register with any European online bank and ask them to make a statement for the last 3 months. This method is appropriate for EU and EEC citizens. For countries that are not members of the European Union it’s required to make a confirmation of the address of residence confirmed by a government body.
Take the collected documents to the chosen Finanças branch, you must have documents proving your identity and confirming your address.
Check in advance that all documents are ok. You must have a passport, your country’s taxpayer number and a document that will certify your registration address outside of Portugal. We recommend that you use our service or a domestic lawyer who can help you to do everything in the right order. How quickly you get your taxpayer number depends on it.
When you take a queue ticket, the name for this operation in the menu may look like “Número de Contribuinte”. The time spent in the line depends on the busyness of the office and the number of personnel. Usually it takes up to 3-5 hours, be prepared for that. Due to the pandemic many branches are closed for visits, so we recommend not only to find the closest office at the Google map, but also to call in advance and clarify the time open for visitors.
Wait for your turn and go to the right room. Please answer all the questions the employee will ask. You do not need to worry or make up something, opening a bank account is a good reason to receive NIF in Portugal. You have to be prepared to answer all the questions you may be asked, honestly and clearly. Remember that Portugal is in the European Union and the same kind of laws work in it as in your country.
After a while, you will get your NIF and you can start to use it for making purchases and transactions domestically.
Because of the epidemic, many people use online services to apply for NIF. To do online go to the website of the Portuguese government and find the email addresses of the representative offices. You can use any office to apply online. By applying online you may experience some difficulties. In this situation you need to find an appropriate email address and write there, or just wait a few days and repeat the appeal. The letter must be in Portuguese, as it is an official document.
Using an online service you should attach your confirmed address and passport data. After applying you need to wait for approval and receipt of your NIF. We can not affirm how long the wait will take. Due to the pandemic, the waiting time for personal application has increased significantly.
The main difference in obtaining NIF for non-EU and EEC residents is that you should be accompanied by an appropriate tax representative person and the payment will be higher than for residents.
We recommend using the services of a lawyer or full support of our company to obtain the Portuguese tax number. The representative will help to fill out and collect all the necessary documents.
Our get the NIF online service will save your time, money and help to get the Portuguese taxpayer number as easily as possible.