How to Get a Portuguese NIF Number (Online or In-Person)

Whether you’re moving to Portugal, buying property, or simply setting up a bank account, you’ll need a Número de identificação fiscal. Número de identificação fiscal translates to Tax Identification Number [source], and you’ll sometimes hear people call it a número de contribuinte as well, but most people just say ‘NIF.’

A NIF number is a unique nine-digit number, or form of personal identification, that is used in Portugal when opening a bank account, buying or renting a property, or official transactions such as signing up for a contract (e.g. home internet, utilities, or a phone contract). You won’t need a NIF if you’re just visiting as a tourist but, as mentioned, you will need one if you’re moving to Portugal.

If you are a Portuguese national with a valid citizen’s card you will likely already have a NIF number, however, if you’re a foreigner who hasn’t lived in Portugal yet (often referred to as a ‘non-resident’), you will need to request a NIF number.

There are two main ways that you can obtain a NIF number:

1. At a Financas or Loja de Cidadão office in Portugal.
2. Through a law firm or relocation company.

How to Request a NIF Number

As discussed, there are two main ways to obtain a NIF:

1. At a Financas or Loja de Cidadão office in Portugal.
2. Through a law firm or relocation company.

Anyone can request a NIF number, regardless of nationality or residency. However, the way in which you obtain it will depend on where you’re resident.

You’re resident in an EU/EEA country

(e.g. you live in France, Germany, Ireland, or Norway)

• If you’re moving to Portugal: You probably won’t need a NIF until you get to Portugal. You can wait until you come to Portugal and request one at a Finanças or a Loja do Cidadão office in Portugal. There should be no cost involved, you will receive your NIF on the spot, and you won’t need someone to come with you and act as your fiscal representative.
• If you need one before then (e.g. you’re buying a property from abroad): If you decide to obtain a NIF remotely (i.e. from outside Portugal), you will need to use a person or company to obtain one on your behalf. This could be someone you know, but most likely will be a lawyer or company.

You’re resident in the rest of the world

(e.g. you live in the US, Canada, the UK, or Argentina)

• If you’re moving to Portugal: you may be required to get a NIF for your residency visa application, if you’re applying for a visa (e.g. the D7, golden visa, digital nomad visa). While the default way to obtain a NIF is to go to a Financas or Loja de Cidadão office in person, this isn’t practical if you’re in somewhere like the US, Canada, or India. As such, you will most likely need to use a law firm or online company. Regardless of whether you obtain a NIF remotely or in Portugal at a Financas or Loja de Cidadão office, you will need a fiscal representative.

If you do come to Portugal to get a NIF and go to either a Financas or Loja de Cidadão, you should expect to pay €10.20 to get your NIF. If you hire someone to be a fiscal representative, you will also need to factor in that cost. On the other hand, if you use a law firm or company to obtain your NIF, you should expect to pay from around €74.25, which is around $USD80, and that cost typically includes fiscal representation for one year. The turnaround varies from 24 hours to several weeks, depending on the company and service.

We’ve analysed these companies to see which offers 1) the lowest prices and 2) the fastest turnaround, which we discuss in the comparison table below.

Here’s the current cheapest option from that table:

Still confused? Use our NIF helper to see how you should request your NIF.

How to Get a NIF Online

Both those resident in an EU/EEA country (e.g. France) and those resident in a non-EU/EEA country (e.g. the US or UK) can get a NIF number online using a law firm or company, such as those listed below.

You do not need a Portuguese address to get a NIF [source], although you will need to change your address to your Portuguese address when you move to Portugal via the tax office’s website, Portal das Finanças.

Comparison Table

• Cheapest: The cheapest option, with 12 months of fiscal representation, we could find is €74.25 (Anchorless.io) when you use the discount code PORTUGALIST25. If you really want to save money, get the Portuguese bank account as part of the same bundle.
• Fastest Turnaround: The fastest service was 24-48 hours (Lisbob.net), using the premium rush service. This costs extra, but could be worth it if you need to get a NIF quickly.
• Best-rated: Bordr is probably the best-rated on TrustPilot due to their excellent customer service, and it has the most reviews due to being the first company to start offering this service.

Will you need more than one NIF?

As each NIF is unique, each individual residing in Portugal needs a NIF, including children, although children don’t normally require one until they enrol in school [source]. This means couples can’t share a NIF like they can a bank account [source]. In short, each individual residing in Portugal needs a NIF number.

Steps to getting a NIF online

1. Choose a company from the comparison table (note: if they offer a discount code, be sure to take a note of it to get those all-important savings).
2. Click the relevant link where you will need to enter your details and upload relevant documents. These typically are:
   • Passport (or National ID card if you’re an EU citizen).
   • Proof of address such as a driver’s licence, bank statement, or utility bill.
   • If your documents are in a language other than Portuguese or English, you may be asked to provide a certified translation.
3. Pay for the service.
4. Wait for your NIF number, which is typically delivered over email.

Documents & Requirements

• Passport (or National ID card if you’re an EU citizen)
• Proof of address such as a driver’s licence, bank statement, or utility bill.
• Fee, which ranges from around €80 to several hundred, depending on the company.

Do I need ongoing fiscal representation?

Most companies and lawyers charge an annual fee for fiscal representation, and the first year is usually included when you obtain a NIF through them. The exception is Novomove.

However, the rules have changed and, in many cases, you won’t need to pay for ongoing fiscal representation [source].

• If you are planning to move to Portugal, you won’t need a fiscal representative once you get to Portugal.
• If you don’t move to Portugal, and don’t have financial ties to Portugal, such as a house or car, you don’t need a fiscal representative.
• If you are an EU/EEA resident, you can receive communication from Finanças at your EU/EEA address.

All of the companies listed have a way of cancelling fiscal representation if you do not require this. Be sure to do so before the end of the year, otherwise they are likely to charge you for a second year of fiscal representation. As mentioned, Novomove does not charge for fiscal representation.

How to Get a NIF in Portugal

Both residents of an EU/EEA country (like Ireland or Italy) and residents of a non-EU/EEA country (like the US, UK, or Turkey) can apply for a NIF number in-person at a Finanças or Loja do Cidadão office in Portugal. You do not need a Portuguese address to get a NIF [source], although you will need to change your address to your Portuguese address when you move to Portugal via the tax office’s website, Portal das Finanças.

However, those resident in a non-EU/EEA country (e.g. the US, UK, Switzerland [source], or Canada) need a fiscal representative to accompany them. Those resident in an EU/EEA country (e.g. Poland or Denmark) don’t.

Who can be your fiscal representative:

• A Portuguese lawyer.
• An individual, such as a friend or family member, who’s resident in Portugal and willing to act as your fiscal representative.

Non-EU/EEA residents need a fiscal representative when requesting a NIF number. This can be a company such as Bordr or it could be an individual, such as a friend or family member, who’s resident in Portugal and willing to act as your fiscal representative. – Kathleen Lo, Bordr

EU/EEA members do not need a fiscal representative when requesting a NIF directly at a Finanças or Loja do Cidadão office in Portugal. However, those from Switzerland do. – Kathleen Lo, Bordr

Steps to getting a NIF in Portugal

1. Work out whether you need a fiscal representative: If you are a non-EU/EEA resident, you do. If you are an EU/EEA resident, you don’t.
2. Find a Finanças or Loja do Cidadão office near you. You can find your nearest Loja do Cidadão offices here, but Google Maps is often easier for finding Finanças or Loja do Cidadão offices.
3. You do not normally need an appointment to get a NIF. However, you should pick a day when you are able to get there early due to the typically long queues.
4. Make sure you have all the required documentation, such as
   • Passport (or National ID card if you’re an EU citizen).
   • Proof of address such as a driver’s licence, bank statement, or utility bill.
   • If your documents are in a language other than Portuguese or English, you may be asked to provide a certified translation.
5. When you get there, take a senha (ticket) and wait your turn. The button you need to press will probably say “NIF” or “Número de Contribuinte.”
6. Wait until your number is called and then explain that you are here for a NIF.
7. While it’s likely that the person you speak to will speak English, the people who work in Finanças are not known for being helpful so try to make an effort in Portuguese. 

In theory, it should be as easy as walking into a Finanças or Loja do Cidadão office and requesting one. In practice, it isn’t always and it may take a lot of your time, particularly in large cities, as some Portugalist readers share. However, this is a good introduction to what bureaucratic life in Portugal can be like (it varies from place to place).

I tried visiting a Finanças office but was told that in order to get a NIF I would need to make an appointment. In order to do that, someone with a NIF would need to make an appointment for me. Now knowing anyone, I tried another Finanças office (the head office in Porto) and was directed to the Loja de Cidadão. While they were very helpful, they only offer a limited number of tickets per day and even though I waited for hours, I eventually gave up. I came back the next morning at 5:55 AM … and that was just in time to get a prime spot near the door. The queue was about 100m+ at 9:30 when they opened (on a Saturday). From then on it was easy, but I wished I had just ordered one online beforehand.

Roman

As mentioned, the quality of service varies from place to place and some people have a much easier experience.

I walked in, no prior appointment and got the NIF within 5 mins. Although making an appointment is required, but I was lucky that they attended to me. Nonetheless, this is my personal experience.

Prince

The ease of getting a NIF will greatly depend on which Financas office you go to. If you go to one in Lisbon or Porto, you will need to get there before 8 am and there will be long, long lines. If you can go to a Financas in a small town or use one of the online services. Even if you’re an EU resident, it’s not worth the pain of queuing.

Tom

Not all financas offices are created equal. We found the Tavira office to be incredibly difficult. Couldn’t get an appointment just to get a NIF number for 5 weeks. People were unfriendly and unhelpful. We went to another financas and it was a much better experience.

Tim

If you’re visiting a Finanças or Loja do Cidadão office in a smaller town, it’ll probably be easier. The offices of both departments in Lisbon and Porto are known for having long queues.

Documents & Requirements

• Passport (or National ID card if you’re an EU citizen)
• Proof of address such as a driver’s licence, bank statement, or utility bill.
• Someone to be your fiscal representative, if you’re a non-EU/EEA resident.
• Fee, if a non-EU/EEA resident, which is €10.20.

What about plastic cards? The Portuguese Tax Authority no longer issues NIF cards at its Finanças offices, but you can get a file that you can print out yourself on the e-fatura website. The 2-page PDF issued by Finanças would be the best document to use as proof of your NIF.

There is no requirement to carry your NIF on you, but it is a good idea to have it memorised (in Portuguese ideally rather than English). Most people recite the 9-digit number in 3-digit blocks e.g. 231-574-290.

You can check your NIF number by logging into your personal tax account on Portal das Finanças or if you’ve forgotten it, you can visit a Finanças office [source].

Using Your NIF

Once you are a tax resident in Portugal, it is a good idea to use your NIF even when it’s not required (it’s not required at the supermarket, for example [source]). Using it can reduce your tax bill in certain categories (e.g. for groceries, haircuts, and at the mechanic’s) [source]. You will also receive one entry into a weekly draw for every €10 you spend [source].

An example NIF would be 231-574-290, so it looks almost like a phone number. You should memorise your NIF in Portuguese, as the person requesting it may not speak English.

Tax Implications

If you obtain a Portuguese NIF you won’t automatically have tax obligations in Portugal or be required to file a Portuguese tax return. However, even if you haven’t made Portugal your country of residence, you may have tax obligations in Portugal if you have purchased a property or car in Portugal, for example [source].

However, it’s important to note that changing the address on your NIF from your non-Portuguese (e.g. your address in the US) to a Portuguese address (e.g. your new address in Portugal) can be construed as changing your tax residency to Portugal. For this reason, you should only register a Portuguese address within the Finanças Portugal when you want to be considered a Portuguese tax resident. An accountant can advise on when is best to do this.

Leaving Portugal

At some point you may decide to leave Portugal or to sell a property, leaving you with no financial ties there.

The NIF number does not expire and does not need to be renewed [source], however, it also cannot be cancelled. However, as of 2022, you no longer need an ongoing fiscal representative if you have a NIF, don’t reside in Portugal, and don’t have any tax obligations here (e.g. owning a property).

If you’ve already left Portugal, you should update your address so that you won’t be considered a tax resident in Portugal anymore. If you don’t update the address associated with your NIF, you might be liable for personal income tax in Portugal. You can update your address at Portal das Finanças.

Useful Words & Phrases

• Resident: If you’re legally living somewhere (e.g. the USA) you’re considered a resident there (e.g. a resident of the USA).
• Non-Resident: If you aren’t living somewhere, you’re considered a non-resident. If you see the word non-resident, it usually refers to people not living in Portugal as opposed to not living somewhere else.
• Fiscal Representative (representante fiscal): A person living in Portugal (or company) that acts as your intermediary between you and Finanças (the Portuguese tax authority). If you have a non-EU/EEA address, you will need a fiscal representative. This person (or company) is responsible for passing on communications from Finanças to you. See our article on fiscal representatives.
• Citizen: This normally refers to where you hold citizenship, and is often (but
• EU: The European Union, which is a union of member states (such as Germany and France). Following Brexit, the UK is no longer a member of this union.
• EEA: The European Economic Area. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are in the EEA but not the EU.
• Número de contribuinte: Another word for the NIF number. At the supermarket, the cashier might ask ‘contribuinte?’ What she is asking is whether you want to add your Portuguese tax number to the receipt.
• Finanças: The Portuguese tax authority. Like the IRS in the USA or Inland Revenue in the UK.
• Loja de Cidadão: A one-stop shop for government and essential services. In these shops you can find Social Security, Tax and Registration services, as well as EDP, Galp or CTT services, among other entities. You can find your nearest Loja de Cidadão here.

Other Numbers

There are several personal identification numbers in Portugal, such the NISS (social security number) and número de utente (healthcare number). The other numbers are typically requested once you’ve moved to Portugal and you can find out how to request them in these articles:

• How to get a NISS Number
• How to get a Número de Utente

Sources

• Portugalist Webinar: The Portuguese NIF Number – Everything You Ever Wanted to Know Answered By Bordr.io