Yes, you can still move to Portugal from the UK, and it’s one of the easier countries in the EU to do it. Brexit means you need a visa now, the same as an American or a Canadian. But the bar for Portugal’s main visa is low enough that most British retirees clear it on their State Pension alone.
That visa is the D7. It needs €920 (about £769) a month in passive income, and pensions count, as does rent. That can be a buy-to-let you already own, or your own house back home if you let it out once you’ve moved. Remote workers can use the Digital Nomad Visa instead, though it has a higher bar and some complications.
The visa isn’t really the hard part, though. What catches Brits out is everything British that stops working when you leave: how your pension is taxed, the NHS, your bank, your ISA, your car. That’s most of this page. AIMA’s own figures show 48,238 British citizens living in Portugal[1] at the end of 2024, so you won’t be the first to work it out.
The short version
- Can Brits still move to Portugal? Yes. If you weren’t living here before January 1, 2021, you need a residence visa from the Portuguese consulate in the UK, then a residence card from AIMA once you arrive. Owning a house here doesn’t change that. More ↓
- How long can you stay without a visa? 90 days in any 180-day period, shared across the whole Schengen area and now logged digitally at the border. More ↓
- Which visa do most Brits use? The D7: €920 a month in passive income, plus 50% for a spouse and 30% per child, and usually 12 months of that (€11,040) in a Portuguese bank account. More ↓
- Is a State Pension enough? A full new State Pension clears the D7 easily. At today’s rates, you need roughly 27 qualifying National Insurance years for it to clear on its own. More ↓
- Will your pension be taxed in Portugal? Almost certainly. Since January 1, 2026, the UK–Portugal tax treaty makes pensions taxable only in Portugal once you’re resident. The exception is government service pensions, such as a police or civil service pension, which stay taxed in the UK. More ↓
- Healthcare: if you get a UK State Pension, the UK can pay for your Portuguese state healthcare through an S1. Everyone else needs insurance for the visa, then registers with the Portuguese health service (SNS) once resident. More ↓
Calculator
Can You Afford to Move to Portugal from the UK?
Enter your household and income and see whether you clear the D7 or the Digital Nomad Visa, how much savings you’d need, and whether you’d still clear it if the pound falls or the requirement rises in January.
920 769Your result
The calculator needs JavaScript. You can still check the figures in the visa requirements table and the State Pension section.
This is a guide to the income and savings figures, not a legal assessment. A consulate looks at your documents as a whole, on the day you apply.
Where Do You Want to Start?
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The full guide
Why Brits move, the Brexit rules, every visa's numbers, then pensions, healthcare and the rest. Or use the calculator above first.
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Just show me the visas
Income, savings, spouse and child figures, and accommodation rules for every route.
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Just show me pensions and tax
Whether your State Pension qualifies, how it's taxed, and what happens to inheritance tax.
Why Brits move
Why Do So Many Brits Move to Portugal?
Short answer
Most Brits move to Portugal for a lifestyle change: better weather, better food, eating out more, cheaper wine, beaches and a slower pace of life. It isn't the bargain it once was, so for most people it's a quality-of-life upgrade rather than a way to spend less.
I've been running Portugalist for more than ten years, and when Brits tell me why they're moving, it's nearly always the same list. Sunshine. Long lunches. A glass of wine that costs less than a coffee at home. Getting away from the UK for a while. Very few are moving for a job, and very few are moving to save money.
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The weather
Mild winters and long summers, especially in the south. Even Porto, which is wetter, is warmer than most of the UK.
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Food and eating out
Fish, fresh produce and a culture built around the long lunch. Portuguese food →
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Safety
A big one for retirees and families. Portuguese towns feel much safer than British ones, especially at night. How safe is Portugal? →
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English is widely spoken
Especially in the Algarve, Lisbon, Cascais and Madeira, and there are British communities all over the country.
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Beaches and outdoor life
Life moves outside: cafés, terraces, walks and the beach, most of the year.
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A slower pace
That feels relaxing on vacation. It feels less relaxing when it's your paperwork, but more on that below.
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The weather has a downside too
Summers bring heat waves and wildfires, particularly inland and in the center and north. Winter brings Atlantic storms. And the houses are cold: little insulation, often no central heating, so a mild winter outside can be a cold one inside. Why Portuguese houses are so cold →
Since Brexit
Can You Still Move to Portugal from the UK?
Short answer
British citizens can still move to Portugal, but since January 1, 2021 they no longer have freedom of movement and are treated as non-EU nationals. Anyone staying more than 90 days in 180 needs a Portuguese residence visa[2] applied for from the UK, then a residence card from AIMA after arrival.
Here before January 1, 2021
- You have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement[3] and should hold a Withdrawal Agreement residence card.
- After five years you can apply for a permanent card, valid for 10 years. Temporary cards are renewed through AIMA’s renewals portal[4], which only works from Portugal.
- If you were here but never got a card, the GOV.UK Living in Portugal guide[5] says to email AIMA at brexit@aima.gov.pt with proof of when you arrived.
Moving now
- You're a third-country national, exactly like an American.
- You apply for a residence visa in the UK, enter Portugal on it, and then attend an AIMA appointment for your card.
- The rest of this page is for you.
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Check whether you need a visa at all
Plenty of Brits are entitled to another passport without realizing it. If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you can register as an Irish citizen[6] through the Foreign Births Register. If a parent was an Irish citizen born there, you're probably Irish already. With an Irish or other EU passport, you don't need a Portuguese visa: you move and register here. Moving to Portugal as an EU citizen → Similar rules apply to other EU countries.
Owning a House Here Doesn't Give You Residency
Brits can still buy property in Portugal freely. What a deed doesn't give you is the right to live in it. Residency is a separate process, and owning a home here, or a rental property in the UK, makes no difference on its own. Since 2023 property hasn't counted for the Golden Visa either. Buying property in Portugal as a UK citizen →
The 90-Day Rule, and the Second-Home Approach
As a visitor you get 90 days in any 180-day period, shared across the whole Schengen area. A week in Spain on the drive down counts. Since the EU's Entry/Exit System[7] went live, those days are counted digitally at the border.
Some people, especially those with a second home here, choose to stay tourists: 90 days in, 90 days out. It avoids the visa, AIMA and Portuguese tax residency entirely. The catch is obvious. Half the year is the most you'll get.
There have been proposals to let second-home owners spend longer in Portugal, but nothing has been confirmed, and I'd be surprised if anything changes soon, if at all. Don't buy a house on the assumption that it will.
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It used to be much more relaxed
I remember when plenty of Brits who came over didn't really register here at all, and nobody seemed to mind. That's over. The border now counts your days, and residency comes with minimum stay rules.
You Have to Actually Live Here
Stay rules
Portugal's residence visas aren't a pass to travel around Europe. On a temporary residence card from a D7, Digital Nomad, D2 or work visa, you generally can't be away for more than six months in a row, or eight months in total, during each card's validity.
| Status | How long you can be away |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence card (D7, Digital Nomad, D2, D1, D3) | No more than 6 consecutive months, or 8 months in total, during the card's validity |
| Permanent residency (after 5 years) | Much looser. You can be away for long stretches without losing it: as much as 2.5 out of 3 years |
| Golden Visa | You only need to spend an average of 7 days a year in Portugal. Golden Visa stay rules → |
So spending winters here and summers in Devon isn't really what the D7 is for. If that's the plan, the Golden Visa or the 90-day route fits better. You also can't arrive as a tourist and switch to residence once you're here: the visa has to be applied for in the UK. Staying in Portugal for more than three months →
Your options
Which Visa Do You Need to Move to Portugal from the UK?
Short answer
Most Brits move on the D7 visa, which needs at least €920 a month in passive income, plus 50% for a spouse, 30% per child, and usually 12 months' worth in savings. Remote workers use the Digital Nomad Visa (€3,680 a month), people with a Portuguese job use the D1 or D3, entrepreneurs the D2, and investors the Golden Visa.
Every route except the Golden Visa also needs somewhere to live in Portugal before you apply. Here are the numbers side by side.
| Visa | Main applicant | Spouse or partner | Each child | Savings | Accommodation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D7 Pensions, rent, dividends | €920 a month in passive income | +€460 (50%) | +€276 (30%) | €11,040, plus €5,520 for a spouse and €3,312 per child; usually in a Portuguese bank | Yes, before you apply. Usually a 12-month lease or a deed | |||
| Digital Nomad Remote work for non-Portuguese clients | €3,680 a month (4× the minimum wage) | +€1,840 (50%) | +€1,104 (30%) | €920 a month in passive income | +€460 (50%) | +€276 (30%) | €11,040, plus €5,520 for a spouse and €3,312 per child; usually in a Portuguese bank | Yes, before you apply |
| D2 Starting or moving a business | Means of at least the minimum wage, €920 a month | +50% of the minimum wage | +30% of the minimum wage | In practice, at least €11,040 (12 months of minimum wage), plus 50% and 30% for family, on top of the money for the business | Yes | |||
| D1 A job with a Portuguese employer | A contract (or promise of one) paying at least the minimum wage, €920 a month | Joins later through family reunification | Joins later through family reunification | No set figure. The contract is your means | Yes | |||
| D3 Highly qualified job | A contract of at least 12 months, paying at least €1,611.39 a month. | Can join without the usual waiting period | Can join without the usual waiting period | No set figure | Yes | |||
| Golden Visa Investment | No income test. Invest €500,000 in a fund, or donate €250,000 to culture (€200,000 in low-density areas) | Included in the same application | Included in the same application | The investment itself | No |
Students use the D4, which needs a place on a course and proof you can support yourself while studying. Everything is compared on the residency permits page, and the figures here update automatically each January when the minimum wage changes.
D7: The Visa Most Brits Use
The D7 is built for exactly the sort of income British retirees have. A State Pension counts. So do private and workplace pensions, dividends and rent. A couple needs €1,380 between them, and the savings usually asked for are 12 months of the requirement, held in a Portuguese bank. That's common practice rather than something written into the law. D7 savings →
Rental income works well. You can qualify on a UK buy-to-let, or on your own home if you let it out once you've gone. Keep the tenancy agreement and a few months of rent arriving in your account. UK rent is generally taxed in the UK first and then declared here with a credit for what you paid. What counts as passive income →
Digital Nomad Visa: Possible, With Complications
If you work remotely for a UK employer or for UK clients, the Digital Nomad Visa is usually the right route, and €3,680 (about £3,076) a month is achievable on a decent UK salary. The complications are mostly on your employer's side. They need to confirm in writing that you can work from Portugal, and some won't, because having an employee living abroad creates tax and social security questions for them. Freelancers need contracts and invoices to prove the income. D7 vs. Digital Nomad Visa →
D2: Research the Idea Carefully
A lot of the D2 plans I've seen over the years have been guesthouses, B&Bs, or services for other expats: dog kennels, handymen, property management, English-speaking estate agents. There's still some demand for those, but so many Brits have moved here and done exactly that that most of those niches are now taken.
If you want a D2, research the market properly, think about serving Portuguese customers rather than other foreigners, and expect more scrutiny than on the D7: a business plan, realistic projections, and proof the business can support you.
D1 and D3: Working for a Portuguese Employer
The D1 needs a job offer from a Portuguese employer paying at least the minimum wage. The D3 is for highly qualified roles, such as engineering, IT, medicine, research and university teaching, and needs a higher salary and usually a degree. The hard part of both isn't the paperwork. It's finding an employer willing to hire from outside the EU.
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You will earn a lot less here
Portugal's minimum wage is €920 a month (about £769), paid 14 times a year rather than 12. Someone working full time on the UK's National Living Wage[8] of £12.71 an hour (from April 2026) earns about £2,065 a month before tax. Average Portuguese salaries are the lowest in Western Europe, too.
So Portugal isn't somewhere people generally move to for work. There also isn't the demand for English teachers people imagine. That market is very well covered. Most Brits who work here bring the income with them.
Your State Pension
Can You Move to Portugal on a UK State Pension?
Short answer
A full new State Pension, about a month, clears the D7's €920 income requirement comfortably on its own. A partial new State Pension needs roughly 27 qualifying National Insurance years to clear it at an exchange rate of around €1.15 to the pound, and the requirement rises every January.
The new State Pension builds up in 35ths. Each qualifying year on your National Insurance record is worth 1/35 of the full rate of £241.30 a week[9], about £6.89 a week. You need 10 years to get anything, so the number of years you have decides whether your pension clears the D7 on its own.
| Qualifying years | Weekly pension | Monthly | In euros at €1.15 | Clears €920? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | £137.89 | £598 | €687 | — |
| 25 | £172.36 | £747 | €859 | — |
| 26 | £179.25 | £777 | €893 | — |
| 27 | £186.15 | £807 | €928 | ✔ Just |
| 28 | £193.04 | £837 | €962 | ✔ |
| 30 | £206.83 | £896 | €1,031 | ✔ |
| 35 (full) | £241.30 | £1,046 | €1,202 | ✔ Comfortably |
These are 2026/27 rates: weekly pension × 52 ÷ 12, against the 2026 D7 requirement of €920. The Portuguese government's 2027 budget assumes the minimum wage rises to €970 next January. On today's pension that would take 29 years; once the April 2027 increase arrives, about 28.
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Three things that move these numbers
Your record, not the headline rate. If you were "contracted out" of the old earnings-related scheme, common with workplace and public sector pensions, your State Pension can be lower than your years suggest. Some people get more than the full rate. Your forecast is the only figure that counts.
The pound. The requirement is in euros and your pension is in pounds. A few cents on the exchange rate decides whether 27 years is enough. Sometimes it moves in your favor. Plan as if it won't.
January. The requirement rises with the minimum wage every year, and you'll need to show it again when you renew.
Check your State Pension forecast[10] before you do anything else. It gives your weekly amount directly, so you don't have to count years.
What If You're on the Old Basic State Pension?
Anyone who reached pension age before April 2016 is on the old system, and that's still most pensioners: DWP counted 13.2 million people getting the State Pension in August 2025[11], of whom 5 million were on the new one. The full basic State Pension is £184.90 a week, about £801 a month. At €1.15 to the pound that's around €921, so it clears €920 by about a euro.
Many people on the old system also get an additional State Pension (SERPS or the State Second Pension) on top, which can lift the total above the new full rate. If the basic pension is all you have, though, I wouldn't apply on that alone. A thin margin is not a margin, and the requirement rises every January.
Can You Top Up Your National Insurance?
Often, yes, and it's usually good value. Voluntary Class 3 contributions cost £18.40 a week in 2026/27[12], about £957 for a full year. That year adds roughly £6.89 a week, about £358 a year, to a new State Pension, so it pays for itself in under three years. If you're one or two years short of the D7 line, buying them is the cheapest fix there is. Check your National Insurance record for gaps[13].
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Fill the gaps before you leave
Since April 6, 2026, the cheap voluntary Class 2 contributions are no longer available for time spent abroad, and new applicants can only pay Class 3 for periods abroad if they've lived in the UK for 10 continuous years or have 10 qualifying years. The new rules on GOV.UK[14].
Most people moving from the UK will still qualify, but it's simpler to deal with it while you're still a UK resident. This mostly helps people on the new State Pension; people already on the old basic pension have little or no room to top up.
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Pension Credit doesn't come with you
Pension Credit is only for people living in Great Britain, and GOV.UK says you can’t get it if you’re moving away permanently[15]. If yours tops up a small State Pension, you lose that money when you move, which matters most to exactly the people closest to the D7 line.
The process
How Do You Apply for a Portuguese Visa from the UK?
Short answer
Brits apply for a Portuguese residence visa in the UK through VFS Global[16], on behalf of Portugal's consulate general in London[17] or its consulate in Manchester[18], depending on where you live. If it's approved, you get a four-month visa to enter Portugal, where AIMA takes your biometrics and issues a two-year residence card.
Two things trip Brits up. The first is getting an appointment at all: slots can be hard to find, so start looking well before you need one. The second is the order. For the D7 and the Digital Nomad Visa you need a NIF (tax number), a Portuguese bank account and somewhere to live in place before you apply. That usually means signing a 12-month lease on a place you may not move into for months.
In the UK
Get a NIF
Non-residents from outside the EU apply through a fiscal representative. Compare NIF services →
Get your ACRO certificate
The UK police certificate comes from ACRO[19]. Some documents need an apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office[20].
Attend your VFS appointment
Bring the documents on the foreign ministry’s list[21], plus travel insurance for the visa.
In Portugal
Enter on your visa
It's valid for four months and allows two entries.
Get your card
Two years, then renewable for three. Permanent residency is possible after five.
Register for healthcare
An S1 if you get a State Pension, otherwise straight onto the SNS. Número de utente →
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Documents expire while you wait
Criminal record certificates have a shelf life, and appointment waits can outlast them. Get your ACRO certificate last, once you know your appointment date.
Want a lawyer to check your documents?
Most rejections and delays come from paperwork that doesn't match: dates, names, a lease that starts on the wrong day. A lawyer looks at the whole pack before VFS does.
Changed in 2026
How Is Your UK Pension Taxed in Portugal?
Short answer
Once you're tax resident in Portugal, your pensions will most likely be taxed here. Under the UK–Portugal Double Taxation Convention[22] that took effect in Portugal on January 1, 2026, pensions paid to a Portuguese resident are taxable only in Portugal (Article 17). The exception is government service pensions, which stay taxable only in the UK (Article 18).
A lot of what's online about this is out of date. The new convention replaced a treaty from 1968, and GOV.UK confirmed it in force[23] on January 8, 2026. If you've read that the State Pension stays taxed in the UK, that's usually a mix-up with government service pensions.
| Income | Where it's taxed once you're resident here |
|---|---|
| UK State Pension | Portugal. The new convention has no separate rule for it, so it falls under the pensions article. |
| Private and workplace pensions | Portugal (Article 17) |
| Government service pensions | The UK (Article 18), for pensions from service to the UK government, such as the police, the civil service or the armed forces. |
| Rent from a UK property | Generally the UK first, then declared in Portugal with a credit for UK tax paid |
Portugal taxes residents on worldwide income once you spend 183 days here or have a habitual home here. Tax also kicks in sooner and climbs faster than in the UK, so the reliefs many British pensioners count on don't work the same way here. For most people moving from England or Wales, that means paying more income tax in Portugal than at home; for Scots, with their higher bands, the gap is smaller.
You save in other places, such as cheaper eating out in the right places and cheaper private healthcare. The old NHR tax break closed to new applicants at the end of 2023, and its replacement, IFICI, is aimed at researchers and highly qualified professionals. It does nothing for retirees.
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UK tax-free doesn't mean Portugal tax-free
ISAs and the 25% tax-free pension lump sum are British tax breaks. GOV.UK says you can keep an ISA[24] and its UK tax relief after you move, but you can't pay into it while you're non-resident.
Portugal generally doesn't recognize either shelter, so a lump sum taken after you become resident here can be taxed like other pension income. Take it, or rearrange things, before you move, and get cross-border advice first.
Inheritance Tax: Portugal Has None
Short answer
Portugal has no inheritance tax, however large the estate. The UK charges 40% above the nil-rate band. But under the rules in force since April 6, 2025, a long-term UK resident stays within UK inheritance tax on their worldwide assets for up to 10 tax years after leaving.
In Portugal, the only charge on an inheritance is a 10% stamp duty on Portuguese assets, and spouses, children, grandchildren and parents are exempt from it. Portal das Finanças on gifts and inheritances[25]. In the UK, inheritance tax[26] is 40% on estates above the £325,000 nil-rate band, with a further allowance for a home left to children or grandchildren.
For a Brit with a large estate, that's a real reason to consider Portugal. It's a slow one, though. Since April 2025, UK inheritance tax depends on residence, not domicile. If you've been UK resident for 10 of the last 20 years[27], you keep long-term resident status for up to 10 tax years after you leave. That's 3 years if you lived in the UK for 10 to 13 years, rising to 10 for most people who've lived there all their lives. UK property stays within UK inheritance tax regardless.
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Get advice before you move, not after
This is a long game with a lot of moving parts: the tail, UK assets, pensions, and wills in two countries. Speak to a cross-border adviser early. Wills in Portugal →
Tell HMRC You're Leaving
If you don't normally file a Self Assessment return, GOV.UK says to fill in form P85[28]. If you do, you tell HMRC through your return instead, using the residence pages (SA109). Your State Pension can be claimed from abroad through the International Pension Centre, and it keeps getting its yearly increase while you live in Portugal, which isn't true in Canada or Australia. State Pension if you retire abroad →[29]
Healthcare
Can Brits Use the NHS or the S1 in Portugal?
Short answer
British residents of Portugal use the Portuguese health service, the SNS, not the NHS. If you get a UK State Pension, GOV.UK says[30] the UK may pay for that through an S1 form, registered with Portuguese social security and your local health center. Everyone else needs insurance for the visa and then registers with the SNS once resident.
If you know the NHS, you'll recognize the SNS. It was modeled on it, and it's similar in the ways that matter: long waiting lists for non-urgent care, but good-quality treatment once you're seen, and especially good in an emergency.
You get a UK State Pension
- Ask NHS Overseas Healthcare Services for an S1 form. GOV.UK says the request is made by phone.
- Register it at a social security office (segurança social) and at your local health center (centro de saúde).
- S1 holders can also get a UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for trips elsewhere in Europe.
You don't
- You need proof of healthcare cover for the visa. Visa insurance →
- Once resident, register with the SNS like a Portuguese citizen. Getting your número de utente →
- Your GHIC is for temporary stays, not a substitute for registering once you live here.
Lots of Brits here also take out private health insurance, for the same reasons people do in the UK: to skip the waiting list, and to see English-speaking doctors more easily. It's much cheaper than in the UK, usually somewhere between €50 and €150 a month depending on age and cover. Paying a private doctor yourself is typically €70 to €100. How healthcare in Portugal works →
Before you go
What Happens to Your UK Bank Account, Car and Belongings?
Short answer
Moving abroad changes more British admin than the visa does. Some UK banks close accounts for customers living abroad, ISAs can't be paid into, a UK driver's license can be used until it expires, and a UK car is usually better sold than imported. Belongings are easy: shared trucks run from the UK to Portugal all the time.
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Your UK bank account
Check before you go. Some banks close current and savings accounts once you live overseas; Barclays says it will[31]. Keep one that works abroad for your pension.
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Your driver's license
GOV.UK says registered residents can drive on a UK license until it expires, under a UK–Portugal agreement. Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licenses must be exchanged[32].
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Your car
You can bring a UK car, but importing it is complicated and comes with vehicle tax, and you'd ideally want the steering wheel on the left. Generally it's better to buy one here. If you want to buy in the UK, a left-hand-drive car makes more sense.
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Your belongings
Easy, because of how close the UK is. Lots of companies run trucks to Portugal, which saves you the hassle of a shipping container. A baggage certificate from the consulate in London[33] lets used belongings in without duty.
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Your pets
UK-issued pet passports are no longer accepted in the EU. You need an animal health certificate, a microchip and a rabies vaccination. GOV.UK pet travel rules[34].
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British TV
BBC iPlayer and ITVX are blocked outside the UK. There are ways around it, some free and some not.
Daily life
Is Portugal Cheaper Than the UK?
Short answer
Portugal isn't as cheap as it once was. Groceries cost about the same as in the UK, sometimes more, and utilities cost more because the houses are colder. Eating out, wine and private healthcare are cheaper. Most Brits end up spending about the same, and the gain is in lifestyle rather than money.
✓ Cheaper or better than the UK
- Eating out, especially outside the cities. In central and northern Portugal you can still get a huge lunch for very little.
- Wine. A very drinkable bottle costs €3 to €5.
- Fish. There's far more variety than in a British supermarket, and it's fresh.
- Long-distance trains. Slow, but Lisbon to the Algarve can be under €10 booked ahead.
- Private healthcare and health insurance.
✗ More expensive or worse
- Groceries. Fruit and the weekly shop cost about the same, if not more.
- Utilities. Expensive in both countries, but colder houses mean bigger bills here. Utilities in Portugal →
- Cars, electronics and anything imported.
- Rent in the popular places. Lisbon, Cascais, Ericeira and Lagos are on par with many UK cities.
- Doing things online. Fewer services are digital, though that's changing.
The savings on eating out aren't what they were in Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve. If you want the cheap, enormous lunches people remember, go to the countryside, especially central and northern Portugal. You'll still find a menu of the day for much less than a British pub lunch.
Bureaucracy is the other big difference. Emails often go unanswered, so you take a ticket (senha), wait in line and do it face to face. And your money depends on the pound. A good year for sterling feels like a pay rise, and a bad one like a pay cut. Cost of living in Portugal →
Is Portugal Safe and Good for Families?
Safety is one of the biggest reasons Brits give for moving, especially retirees. Portuguese towns are generally much safer than British ones, and people feel comfortable walking around at night. The crime foreigners do run into tends to be pickpocketing and break-ins rather than violence.
It's a big draw for families too. There are lots of British and international schools around the Algarve and Lisbon in particular, many teaching IGCSEs and A-levels or the IB, but you'll have to budget for the fees. International schools in the Algarve → · Schools in Portugal →
Is Portugal Expat-Friendly?
Very. English is widely spoken, and there are big British communities in the Algarve, Madeira and around Lisbon, plus pockets all over the country, even in rural places like Castelo Branco. The kind of Brit varies by place: people looking to live cheaply inland, and people with more money in Vilamoura, Vale do Lobo or Cascais.
There are also companies that import British products, and shops selling them, especially in the Algarve and Cascais, so you don't have to give up everything from home. The Portuguese themselves are polite, sociable and love to complain, which should feel familiar, but they're more family-focused and slower to let strangers in. Portugal vs. the UK, compared in full →
Where to live
Where Do Brits Live in Portugal?
Short answer
In the past most Brits went to the Algarve, and it still has the biggest British community. It has got a lot more expensive, though, so the Silver Coast is growing in popularity, and more people are moving inland to central and northern Portugal, often to do up a ruin and live off the land.
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The Algarve
The traditional first choice: sunshine, golf and English everywhere. Lagos, Albufeira and Tavira are now expensive, and inland prices have followed people to Silves and Monchique.
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The Silver Coast
Growing fast with Brits priced out of the south. Wilder beaches, lower prices and towns that feel more Portuguese. Winters are cooler and wetter.
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Central and northern Portugal
There's always been a steady stream of Brits wanting to do up a ruin and live off the land, and this is where they go. Cheap property and space, but fewer services and a real wildfire risk in summer.
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Lisbon and Cascais
Lisbon is walkable, international and, for rent, comparable to a mid-sized UK city. Cascais is the elegant, expensive option 30 to 40 minutes away by train.
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Porto
More traditional and cheaper than Lisbon, with the Douro Valley on the doorstep. Cooler and rainier, closer to British weather than people expect.
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Madeira
Spring-like all year and popular with British retirees. Lovely, but it feels small after a while, and imported goods cost more.
Is it right for you?
Is Moving to Portugal from the UK Worth It?
Short answer
Moving to Portugal from the UK works best for retirees with a full State Pension, or a State Pension plus another pension, and for remote workers who comfortably clear the Digital Nomad threshold. It works less well for anyone relying on a Portuguese salary, on the old basic pension alone, or who wants to split the year between the two countries.
Probably a good fit
- You'll have a full new State Pension, or a State Pension plus a private, workplace or rental income.
- You work remotely and earn well above the Digital Nomad threshold.
- You're moving for the lifestyle and are happy to live here most of the year.
- You've done the tax sums, not just the weather ones.
Think harder first
- Your only income is the basic State Pension, or you rely on Pension Credit.
- You'd need a Portuguese job. Local salaries won't fund a coastal lifestyle.
- You want six months here and six in the UK. The D7 won't allow it; the Golden Visa or the 90-day route might.
- An EU passport is the main goal. Citizenship now takes 10 years from when AIMA issues your card, so in practice I'd budget 14 to 15 years from the day you move. Portuguese nationality →
If Spain is the alternative, Portugal has two big advantages for Brits. Spain's equivalent visa asks for €2,400 a month for a single applicant, more than twice the D7, and Spain generally makes you give up your British passport to naturalize. Portugal recognizes dual citizenship[5] with the UK. Portugal vs. Spain →
If It Doesn't Work Out
Plenty of people move back, and it's worth knowing how before you go. GOV.UK has a guide to returning to the UK permanently[35], and if the NHS was paying for your care here through an S1, you need to cancel it. The reasons people leave are usually more mundane than you'd expect. Why people leave Portugal →
Next steps
What I'd Do If I Were Moving from the UK
Start a year out. The visa is quick compared with everything that has to be in place before you can apply for it.
12 to 6 months out
Check your numbers
Get your State Pension forecast, fill any National Insurance gaps, and add up your income in euros.
Get tax advice
Before you take a lump sum, sell a house or move an ISA. Ask about inheritance tax too.
6 months out to arrival
NIF and bank account
Both can be done from the UK.
Lease or purchase
Then book VFS early, and time the ACRO certificate to the appointment.
Apply at VFS
Plan the truck, the pets and the car around the four-month visa.
Arrive and register
AIMA, the SNS or your S1, and form P85 for HMRC.
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I've decided: it's the D7
Go through the requirements in full, then get the paperwork checked before you book VFS.
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Not yet. I'm a few years out
Most readers are. We recommend signing up to our emails and videos while you get ready to move.
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Portugal isn't the one
Compare the alternatives honestly, starting with the country most Brits weigh it against.
Common questions
Moving to Portugal from the UK: FAQ
How long can a UK citizen stay in Portugal without a visa?
A UK citizen can stay in Portugal for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, shared across the whole Schengen area. Time spent in Portugal on a residence card or long-stay visa doesn't count toward the 90 days, according to GOV.UK[5].
Can I live in Portugal if I own a house there?
Not on that basis alone. Owning property in Portugal doesn't give you residency, and since 2023 property hasn't qualified for the Golden Visa. Without a residence visa you're limited to 90 days in 180. Buying property after Brexit →
Can I qualify for the D7 with rental income?
Yes. Rent counts as passive income for the D7, whether it comes from a buy-to-let or from your own UK home let out after you move. You'll need the tenancy agreement and evidence that the rent arrives regularly. What counts as passive income →
Can I open a Portuguese bank account from the UK?
Yes. Several Portuguese banks open accounts for non-residents remotely once you have a NIF, and most D7 applicants open one before their visa appointment to hold their savings. Opening a Portuguese bank account online →
Can I move to Madeira or the Azores from the UK?
Yes. Madeira and the Azores are part of Portugal, so the same residence visas apply, and the S1 covers state healthcare there too. Moving to Madeira →
Do I need to speak Portuguese to move to Portugal?
Not for a residence visa or residence card. You need A2 Portuguese for citizenship, plus, since May 2026, knowledge of Portuguese culture, history and civic duties. Day to day, you'll manage on English in the Algarve and Lisbon, and struggle outside them.
How long does it take to get Portuguese citizenship as a Brit?
Under the nationality law in force since May 19, 2026, most non-EU nationals, Brits included, need 10 years of legal residence, counted from the date AIMA issues the residence card. Add the wait for the card and for the application to be processed, and 14 to 15 years from moving is realistic. Permanent residency is still possible after five. Applying for Portuguese nationality[36].
Can I keep my British passport if I become Portuguese?
Yes. Portugal recognizes dual citizenship with the UK, so you don't have to give up British nationality, according to GOV.UK[5].
Does Portugal have inheritance tax?
No. Portugal has no inheritance tax, only a 10% stamp duty on Portuguese assets, and close family are exempt from it. But a long-term UK resident stays within UK inheritance tax for up to 10 tax years after leaving, and UK property stays within it regardless. Inheritance tax for long-term UK residents[27].
Can I bring my elderly parents to Portugal later?
Yes, but since October 2025 you need to have been resident for two years before sponsoring a parent through family reunification. Families who apply together at the consulate aren't affected. Bringing dependent parents →
Is Portugal safer than the UK?
Generally, yes. Portuguese towns feel much safer, especially at night, and crime against foreigners tends to be pickpocketing and break-ins rather than violence. Portugal vs. the UK →
Sources
Sources and Official Guidance
Every official rule and figure on this page comes from one of these. Numbers in brackets in the text point here. Last checked November 2026.
- AIMA, Relatório de Migrações e Asilo 2024 (annex: foreign residents by nationality)
- Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, types of national visa
- AIMA, who can benefit from the Withdrawal Agreement
- AIMA, residence card renewals portal
- GOV.UK, Living in Portugal
- Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, Registering a foreign birth
- GOV.UK, EU Entry/Exit System
- GOV.UK, National Living Wage increases to £12.71
- GOV.UK, The new State Pension: what you'll get
- GOV.UK, Check your State Pension forecast
- DWP, Benefit statistics: February 2026
- GOV.UK, Voluntary National Insurance rates
- GOV.UK, Check your National Insurance record
- GOV.UK, Voluntary National Insurance contributions abroad from 6 April 2026
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit eligibility
- VFS Global, Portugal visa applications in the UK
- Consulate General of Portugal in London
- Consulate of Portugal in Manchester
- ACRO Criminal Records Office
- GOV.UK, Get a document legalised
- Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, documents for residence visas
- GOV.UK, 2025 UK–Portugal Double Taxation Convention
- GOV.UK, Portugal: tax treaties
- GOV.UK, ISAs if you move abroad
- Portal das Finanças, gifts, inheritances and stamp duty (in Portuguese)
- GOV.UK, Inheritance Tax
- GOV.UK, Inheritance Tax if you're a long-term UK resident
- GOV.UK, Tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
- GOV.UK, State Pension if you retire abroad
- GOV.UK, Healthcare for UK nationals living in Portugal
- Barclays, Living outside the UK
- IMT, exchanging a foreign driving license (in Portuguese)
- Consulate General of Portugal in London, notary acts and certificates
- GOV.UK, Taking your pet abroad
- GOV.UK, Returning to the UK
- gov.pt, Applying for Portuguese nationality
Thinking about Moving to Portugal?