Online Resources For Life In Portugal
This is a compilation of online resources, from directories to forums to portals for Portuguese authorities. Wherever possible, the English version of the website is linked here. However, for technical reasons, sometimes you can only convert to the EN version after you visit the PT version.
Note: News in English is now a separate tab
SHORTCUTS TO POPULAR SECTIONS:
- FOR AMERICANS
- REAL ESTATE LINKS
- PORTUGAL’S REQUIREMENTS FOR BRINGING pets
- TAX IN PORTUGAL
- PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE LEARNING
- PORTUGUESE CULTURE, CUSTOMS, AND ETIQUETTE
- News from the Government of Portugal
- Safe Communities Portugal news (national non-profit public service association translating Portugal’s news stories to English)
- Weekly newsletter from Jorge Branco on Substack (Australian-Portuguese journalist based in Lisbon)
- ECO News (online economic newspaper focusing on Portuguese Companies, Banking, Markets and Politics)
- P GLOBAL (a selection of Público translated by FLAD to English until April 30, 2022)
- Portugal news (tourism website with a news section translated to English)
- The Portugal News (bare-bones translations of Portuguese news; you’re better off to use browser extensions for translation)
- Portugal Resident (note: articles are often “tabloid” style translations of Portuguese news, oriented towards Algarve and UK expats)
- Portuguese American Journal (Portuguese-American publishers, based in the USA)
Safe Communities Portugal has a comprehensive section on COVID-19 in Portugal
Jorge Branco’s Substack covers the latest on the COVID-19 situation every week
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It's important that foreigners understand their tax obligations in Portugal and consult with a tax advisor and/or Portuguese accountant before making the leap, especially before filing the first tax return. Skip directly to the Finances/Tax section for documentation.
MIGRATION TO PORTUGAL
High Commission For Migrations / Alto Comissariado para as Migrações
This is a Portuguese Commission for both Immigrants to Portugal & Portuguese Emigrants. The ACM website answers many common questions about living, studying, and working in Portugal. Read this first as a general overview.
http://www.acm.gov.pt/
https://www.facebook.com/ACMigracoes
If you are a foreigner establishing residency (temporary or long-term) in Portugal:
Vistos.mne.pt is for obtaining a visa for Portugal, IMIGRANTE is the guide for residency requirements, SEF is the government authority, their site has legislation, and CNAIM is the immigration support centre once you’ve arrived.
- VISTOS (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Portugal visas portal
- IMIGRANTE – The Official Website of Portuguese Immigration
- SEF – Foreigners and Borders Service / Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras
- CNAI / CNAIM – National Immigrant Support Centre / Centro Nacional de Apoio à Integração de Migrantes
PORTUGUESE LAW IN ENGLISH
The DRE (Diário da República Eletrónico) is the official website for Portuguese legislation, some of which is translated into English but for reading purposes only (not legally binding). The following is the DRE’s guide for investors, but it is useful for ALL foreigners doing their research and due diligence as it provides a summary in English AND provides the law reference.

THE LABOUR SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
FOR AMERICANS
- VFS Global USA – residency visas
- competent authorities for apostilles
- FBI report
From the US Social Security Administration:
IRS in Portugal:
- IRS for Americans abroad – summary of FATCA reporting
- Portugal tax treaty
- PWC overview
- US taxpayers living abroad
Pet export to Portugal:
UK Government Guide To Living In Portugal
The gov.uk website has a section for assistance and services in Portugal for UK citizens, but other English speakers will find it helpful as some of it is applicable to ALL foreigners.
Sections include: applying for a European Health Insurance (EHIC) Card, getting documents legalized, residency, healthcare, driving, a list of medical facilities and practitioners, travel advice, translators and interpreters, car importation, support of British citizens abroad, UK benefits, and voting.
Residential Tourism Guide - Portuguese Tourist Board
Living In Portugal is the Portuguese Tourist Board’s official website for Residential Tourism. It’s specifically for foreign citizens who wish to live in Portugal.
- Why Portugal – a profile of Portugal, stats, etc.
- Moving to Portugal – entry requirements, purchasing requirements, property taxes, etc.
- Living In Portugal – healthcare, schools, transport, etc.
- Buying A House In Portugal
Portugal - Facts & Figures
- PORDATA Contemporary Portugal Database (statistics about municipalities, Portugal, and Europe)
- CIA World Factbook (good for economic summary & statistics in table format)
- Encyclopedia.com – Portugal (a more comprehensive overview and history)
- World Health Organization – Portugal
- OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development) – Portugal data (published every 18 months, the next report is November 2021)
Latest report from OECD: “How’s Life In Portugal?” (February 2019) / read PDF online
Finances / Taxes
- Portal das Finanças: https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/
- overview of the Portuguese Tax System (EN) (including taxation agreements signed by Portugal)
- overview of Personal Income Tax from AICEP (Portugal’s trade & investment agency)
- PWC’s overview of corporate and individual tax matters in Portugal
- How to get a NIF/fiscal number from ePortugal.gov.pt (translate the PT version, the EN version is incomplete) — we provide Fiscal Representation in a limited capacity, please consult with us for more information
- “Duties of a Fiscal Representative” – article by Dennis Swing Greene of Eurofinesco in The Portugal News
Portuguese Culture, Customs and Etiquette
- http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/portugal-guide (brief)
- http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Portugal.html (more comprehensive)
Cost of Living Indices and Comparison Tools
Searching For A Home In Portugal
Casa Pronta is a government service to assist with real estate formalities. (Available only in Portuguese.)
Real Estate Guides in English
- Virtual Portugal: Steps and ways to purchase a Property
- Everything overseas: The Portuguese market and buying process
- Just Landed: Completion
- Expatica: Buying property in Portugal: a guide to Portuguese real estate
- Expatica: Guide to renting in Portugal and tenants’ rights
Note: there is no MLS (Multiple Listing Service) in Portugal.
Properties can be listed in classified advertising sites, agency sites, or unlisted and advertised only by a phone number in a window. We’ve made three lists below where ads can be found, with some overlap.
Includes furnished/unfurnished, short-term rentals, property sales, under construction, etc.
- Imovirtual
- Idealista**
- OLX (classifieds — includes homes)
- CustoJusto (classifieds — includes homes)
- Pure Portugal
- Green-Acres
- Casa Sapo
- Gabinohome
- Trovit
- iad Portugal
- BPI Expresso Imobiliário
- Kami Casa
** Watch out for FRAUDULENT LISTINGS — especially on Idealista! Contact us if you’re unsure, we will review the ones in question.
Furnished rentals only
- Nestpick
- Flatio
- BQuarto
- Erasmusu (not just for students)
- Uniplaces (not just for students but be aware no viewings allowed, rentals are sight unseen)
Real estate agencies
- Remax
- ERA
- Keller Williams
- ReplicaGold
- Sotheby’s
- Century21
- Portugal Property
- INS (Faro, Lisbon)
- Porto Prata (Porto)
- Frontal (Porto)
- Coldwell Banker
Calculating Electricity Costs
- EDP electricity potency simulator (in PT only) – check to see how much potency (kVA) you need to run appliances simultaneously
- compare tariffs for electricity and gas on DECO (in PT for DECO subscribers)
Moving Pets To Portugal
European Portuguese Language Learning
- 25+ FREE Learning Resources For European Portuguese – The Portugalist (some are below, but many are not).
Basic lessons
- Talk the Streets – YouTube Channel, online resources, tips
- Portuguese With Carla – a podcast/YouTube channel with free lessons
- Portuguese With Leo – podcast with transcription, YouTube Channel, online resources
- Portuguese Lab – podcast, resources, website with free content
- Learn European Portuguese Online – website of resources + blog
- 123 EuroPortuguês – native Portuguese teacher based in the USA
- http://www.internetpolyglot.com/portuguese/lessons-en-pt (there’s also an app)
- useful Portuguese phrases, by Omniglot.com
- Forvo: Portuguese Pronunciation Dictionary (includes useful phrases)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/portuguese/talk/
From intermediate to advanced
- Practice Portuguese – study materials for European Portuguese learners (recently, offering more basic lessons for beginners as well, not just for intermediates/advanced)
- The EP Experience – European Portuguese language and culture blog by Luís Domingos
- Portal Da Língua Portuguesa – Portuguese language portal, an organized repository of linguistic resources
- Learn European Portuguese – Google site with a listing of other resources, including most frequently-used Portuguese words
Online dictionaries, translators, and grammar assistance
- DeepL – more accurate for Euro PT than Google Translate, also has apps for computer and phone
- Linguee.pt – (here’s PT/EN), also has an app
- Reverso – a contextual translator
- Microsoft Translator (note: sometimes better EU text, but Brazilian voice) – also has an app
- Google Translate (note: tends to favour Brazilian PT) – also has an app
- Conjuga-me – this site will conjugate Portuguese verbs
- Priberam – Portuguese dictionary
Mobile apps
- DeepL – (Android and iPhone)
- Memrise (Android and iPhone)
- Reverso (Android and iPhone)
- Drops (Android and iPhone)
- Internet Polyglot (Android and iPhone)
- Microsoft Translator (Windows, Android, iPhone)
- Google Translate (Android, iPhone)
- Top 10 apps for learning European Portuguese according to Portuguese With Carla
Translation Services
Emergency, Crime Prevention & Related Community Services
- http://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/
- Protecão Civil Autoridade Nacional (National Authority of Civil Protection) (PT/EN)
Health
- SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) portal: https://www.sns.gov.pt/
Volunteering
- Bolsa do Voluntariado (search or list volunteer opportunities)
Driving
- IMT (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes) portal: http://www.imt-ip.pt/ (if your browser is set to English, try this and run it through a translator)
- Exchanging a foreign driver’s license
- Expatica: How to get a Portuguese driving licence as a foreigner?
- Portugal Tolls
- Paying Highway Tolls: https://www.pagamentodeportagens.pt/PPP_Portal/PPPHome.jsf
Post Office
Post Office Locations and Services (EN)
http://www.ctt.pt/feapl_2/app/open/stationSearch/stationSearch.jspx?lang=01
Shipping
Within Portugal, try Chronopost (part of the post office): http://www.chronopost.pt/en/
Within EU
- GLS Logistics: https://gls-group.eu/PT/en/home
- Eurosender: https://www.eurosender.com/
Online Marketplaces
- Comparison shopping: https://www.kuantokusta.pt/
- Classifieds (includes homes to rent/buy): http://www.custojusto.pt/
- Classifieds (includes homes to rent/buy): http://www.olx.pt/
- http://www.coisas.com/
- http://pt.ebay.com
- https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/
Consumer Advocacy
- DECO (lots of comparison tools for companies and service providers)
Beach Directories for Mainland Portugal
- OCEAN BEACHES: https://www.playocean.net/en/portugal
- RIVER BEACHES: http://aquapolis.com.pt/praias-fluviais-portugal/
Services For Expat Communities
- AFPOP (Association of Foreign Property Owners of Portugal) – expat association based in Portimão (Algarve), founded in 1987; membership fee provides a range of services for foreigners in Portugal
Expat Blog* directories, Portugal
Expat Information/Blogs*/Forums
- http://www.expatexchange.com/portugal/liveinportugal.html
- http://www.expatica.com/pt/
- http://portugal.angloinfo.com/
- http://www.heyportugal.com/index.php?id=7:life-in-portugal
- http://www.expatsportugal.com/forum/…
- http://www.expat.com/en/destination/europe/portugal/
- http://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=354
- https://www.internations.org/guide/portugal
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