If you’re trying to decide whether to get your Portuguese NIF in person or online, the answer mostly comes down to where you live now.
For some people, getting it in Portugal makes perfect sense. For most, particularly Americans, Brits, and Canadians, it is usually a waste of time, money, or both.
The short answer
You should usually get your NIF:
- Online if you live outside the EU/EEA and need it for a visa (e.g. the D7 or Digital Nomad Visa)
- In Portugal if you live in the EU/EEA and don’t mind standing in line at Finanças
Tip: Get your NIF through Portugalist for just €64.
If you live outside the EU/EEA, getting Your NIF in Portugal usually does not make sense
This applies to most Americans, Brits, Canadians, Australians, and other non-EU/EEA nationals.
If you are applying for a visa, such as the D7 or Digital Nomad Visa, you will normally need a NIF before you submit your visa application.
Even if you plan to come to Portugal on a scouting trip, it rarely makes sense to get a NIF number in Portugal. This is because to get a NIF in person at Finanças, non-EU/EEA residents normally need a fiscal representative.
What is a fiscal representative? This is some who’s resident in Portugal who is willing to act as the point of contact between you (someone living outside the EU/EEA) and Finanças (the Portuguese tax office).
Most people do not have someone they can ask to do this.
That leaves you with two realistic options:
- pay a lawyer or service provider to help you get it in person, or
- get it online through a specialist service
For most people, the second option is the obvious choice.
If an online NIF service costs under €70, it usually makes very little financial sense to pay a lawyer to stand in line at Finanças for you. It will normally cost more, take more coordination, and use up time that could be better spent on your scouting trip.
So for most non-EU/EEA visa applicants, the answer is simple: get it online.
The exception: you already have a friend or family member in Portugal
There is one situation where getting it in person can still make sense.
If you already have a trusted friend or family member living in Portugal who is willing to act as your fiscal representative, then doing it in person may make sense.
When wouldn’t it make sense? If that person lives somewhere like Lisbon where the lines at Finanças are notoriously long and often require you to being queuing at the crack of dawn. If, however, they live in a smaller town, the process can be relatively painless.
If you live in the EU or EEA, getting it in Portugal is usually fine
This is where things change.
If you are resident in the EU or EEA—and yes, this does not include Switzerland—you can usually get a NIF in person without a fiscal representative.
That means you can go yourself to:
- Finanças
- Loja de Cidadão
- Espaço Cidadão
And get it done there by yourself.
For this group, getting a NIF in Portugal is often the cheapest option because it can save you the roughly €70 you might otherwise pay to do it online.
It is also less urgent. EU/EEA citizens do not need to apply for a Portuguese visa before moving, so they usually do not need to get a NIF months in advance in the same way non-EU/EEA nationals often do. Many move to Portugal first and then get their NIF numbers once they’re physically in Portugal.
So, if you’re living somewhere like Ireland, France, Germany, or Spain, it usually makes more sense to get it in person—financially speaking, at least.
That said, some EU/EEA residents still prefer to do it online
Just because you can get it in person does not mean you have to.
Some people still choose to get their NIF online because it saves time and hassle. That is understandable.
Finanças offices are not known for being fast or convenient. Depending on where you go, you may need an appointment, have to wait in line, or it may push your non-existent Portuguese too far.
So EU/EEA residents should feel comfortable getting a NIF in Portugal, but they should not feel obligated to do it that way either.
Sometimes paying for convenience is worth it.
Bottom line
For most non-EU/EEA residents, especially people applying for visas like the D7 or Digital Nomad Visa, getting a NIF online is usually the right choice. It is cheaper, easier, and more practical than trying to organize a fiscal representative and deal with Finanças in person.
For most EU/EEA residents, getting a NIF in Portugal often makes sense. You can normally do it yourself, avoid paying for a service, and sort it out once you are here.