Residency for EU/EEA/Swiss Citizens

Moving to Portugal as an EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen

woman holding an EU flag

If you’re an EU citizen — for example, from Ireland, Germany, or France — moving to Portugal is refreshingly straightforward. Unlike non-EU citizens, you don’t need to apply for a visa before you move. You can just… come. No need to rent a property in advance. No waiting months for a visa to be approved. No navigating the D7, D2, or Golden Visa paperwork. You simply need to show you can support yourself in Portugal (we’ll cover how in a …

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Moving to Portugal with Non-EU Family Members: A Complete Guide

A smiling family of three poses outside, sitting close together. A young girl in a pink shirt holds a soccer ball, with her father in a plaid shirt kneeling beside her and her mother in a denim jacket standing behind, embracing them.

If you’re an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen planning to move to Portugal with a non-EU spouse, partner, or children, you have good news: your family members don’t need to apply for standard Portuguese visas like the D7 or Golden Visa. Instead, they can join you through a streamlined family reunification process called “Article 15.” However, while this process is simpler in theory, getting an appointment with AIMA (Portugal’s immigration agency) can be challenging (and some choose to go the visa route instead). …

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How to Get Your CRUE as an EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen

woman holding an EU flag

If you’re from the EU/EEA/Switzerland, you have the right to move to Portugal under EU freedom of movement rules. There’s no visa, no sponsorship, and no embassy process. You can simply move to Portugal and begin living here. However, once you decide to live here (rather than just visit), you need to register that residence and obtain the CRUE: Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia (EU Citizen Registration Certificate) This is the document that formally recognises your residency …

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