This article outlines the key government departments and services you’ll encounter during your transition and stay in Portugal. From immigration procedures to healthcare access, understanding these institutions is crucial for successfully managing your affairs in your new home.
The following breakdown covers essential entities such as AIMA (formerly SEF) for immigration, Finanças for taxes, Segurança Social for social security, and various other administrative bodies.
Familiarizing yourself with these departments and their functions will help you navigate the Portuguese system more effectively, whether you’re applying for residency, managing your finances, or accessing public services.
In a recent webinar, Lisbon-based lawyer Sandra Gomes Pinto walked us through each of these different departments.
Let’s examine each one in detail.
AIMA
AIMA officially stands for Agência para a Integração Migrações e Asilo, but essentially it’s the immigration agency. Previously, it was called SEF and a lot of people still call it this.
When you apply for residency as a non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you start the process in your country of residency, but you will end the process with an interview at one of the AIMA departments in Portugal. When you renew your residency, you will do so with AIMA as well.
Finanças
Finanças is a term commonly used in Portugal to refer to the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority, officially known as Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT). This government agency is responsible for administering the country’s tax system and customs operations. It is similar to the IRS in the USA or HMRC in the UK.
Seguranca Social
The Segurança Social (Social Security) department in Portugal is a government institution responsible for administering social security programs and services to the Portuguese population.
It aims to provide social protection and promote well-being by offering various benefits and support systems to individuals and families in need. The key functions and services provided by Segurança Social include: pensions, unemployment benefits, and disability support, among other things.
Loja de Cidadão
Loja do Cidadão (Citizen’s Shop) in Portugal is a government initiative aimed at centralizing various public services in a single location to facilitate access for citizens. These one-stop shops provide a range of services from different government departments and agencies, making it easier for people to complete various administrative tasks in one place.
The key features and services offered at a Loja do Cidadão include: registry, passport registration, ID card registration, and tax-related services. Normally, there is a representative for Finanças in the Lojas de Cidadão.
While you can enquire about tax-related issues in either a Loja de Cidadão office or a Finanças office, if you have a complicated issue, Sandra suggests it’s better to go to your nearest Finanças office rather than Loja de Cidadão office. The Loja de Cidadão office is better for non-specific issues.
As well as having a Finanças representative, some Lojas de Cidadão offices also have an AIMA representative.
Espaço de Cidadão
Espaço de Cidadão is similar a Loja de Cidadão but typically has fewer services. As of July 2024, it does have a number of useful services for foreigners in Portugal, such as the ability to request your NIF number (tax identification number), NISS number (social security number), and número de utente (healthcare number).
Câmara Municipal
The Câmara Municipal is the municipal government or city council in Portugal. It is responsible for the local administration and governance of a municipality, which can range from small towns to large cities. The Câmara Municipal (sometimes just called Câmara) plays a crucial role in managing various aspects of local public life and providing essential services to the residents.
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, this is where you will register for residency and obtain your CRUE. Some taxes, particularly related to annual property taxes, are paid to the Câmara Municipal rather than Finanças.
Junta de Freguesia
The Junta de Freguesia is the local administrative body responsible for managing the smallest administrative unit in Portugal, known as a freguesia (parish). Each freguesia has its own Junta de Freguesia, which is elected by the residents of the parish. The Junta de Freguesia (sometimes just called Junta) plays a crucial role in local governance and community services, often handling issues that are more localized than those managed by the Câmara Municipal.
For unmarried couples living together, the Junta de Freguesia can issue a document that states you live together.
Conservatorio
In Portugal, the term Conservatória (or Conservatório in some contexts) refers to a registry office, which includes the civil registry (Conservatória do Registo Civil), the commercial registry (Conservatória do Registo Comercial), and the land registry (Conservatória do Registo Predial). These offices are responsible for recording and managing vital records and legal documents.
The Conservatória do Registo Comercial handles company creation or nomination of or changes to board members within a company. The Conservatória do Registo Civil handles documents related to an individual, such as births, marriages, and divorces. The Conservatória do Registo Predial handles documents related to a property, such as the acquisition of a property, a mortgage, or promissory contracts.
Centro de Saúde
The Centro de Saúde (Health Center) in Portugal is a primary healthcare facility that provides a range of medical services to the local community. These centers are part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) and are designed to offer accessible and comprehensive healthcare.
Typically, you would go to the Centro de Saúde for non-emergencies and would then be referred to a specialist, or potentially even the hospital, if necessary.
However, Sandra suggests that if you have a health problem, you should call SNS 24 on 808242424. They can give an assessment of the situation based on the conditions you give them over the phone. If it’s an emergency, they will refer you to the hospital. If it’s not an emergency, you will likely be referred to the Centro de Saúde. SNS 24 are able to make appointments in both on your behalf.
Obviously, if you know your condition is an emergency, particularly a life-threatening emergency, you should head straight to Urgências – the Emergency Room (ER) to those from the US or Accident & Emergency (A&E) to those from the UK and Ireland.