Just like your NIF, your número de utente is one of many important numbers that you’ll need to have in Portugal. While the NIF applies to taxes, the número de utente is the number you need to give when you go to the hospital, the pharmacy, or visit a doctor or nurse at your local centro de saúde (healthcare centre).
To get a número de utente you normally visit your local centro de saúde with the following documents:
- Your passport or ID
- NIF
- Residency documents (e.g. CRUE or temporary residency permit)
- Social security card (if you’re working)
- S1 form (or equivalent) if you receive a pension from another EU country
Due to Covid, however, registrations are being done over email rather than in-person. You will need to email the above documents as attachments along with the information below to the appropriate email address.
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Place/town of Birth
- Passport number or residence permit
- Full address
- Portuguese home phone / mobile number
Those who entered on a visa and are waiting on an appointment with SEF to get their visas turned into a temporary residence permit can show confirmation of the appointment.
Where to email
Finding the email address that you need to send your details to is going to be your first challenge. Your second challenge will be waiting – at the moment it’s not uncommon for people to wait several months to receive their numbers. Some receive a confirmation that its being processed while others don’t.
The following are some of the email addresses:
Algarve
[email protected]
[email protected]
Lisbon & Tejo Valley
More email addresses:
Safe Communities Portugal has more email addresses for the Alentejo area. You can also access more email addresses by visiting sns.gov.pt/sns/pesquisa-prestadores/ and selecting the following. It’s not perfect but it does bring up quite a few contacts.
