If you plan to immigrate to Portugal, whether it is for working, studying, buying property, or doing something else, you will need to obtain a local Portuguese NIF tax number. In today's article, we will cover this topic in a little more detail and answer the most popular question on social networks “is it possible to open a NIF tax number from outside of Portugal?”.
What is NIF in Portugal?
NIF (abbreviation for "Número de Identificação Fiscal") in Portugal means Tax Identification Number, although you will often hear this number referred to as "Número de Contribuinte". This tax number consists of 9 digits and is unique for each individual. NIF is assigned to all residents and non-residents of Portugal who are subject to tax obligations in the country, while it can be obtained at any branch of Portuguese Tax Finanças.
Why is this number so significant for both residents and non-residents in Portugal?
The fact is that all the purchases that we make daily, including the rental of movable and immovable property, opening an account and bank transfers, the use of medical services, and so on - all these actions are subject to declaration in the Portuguese tax office and accordingly, for this we need NIF tax number.
Essentially, NIF is an identifier that records all of our tax activities. Thus, the Portuguese NIF is a critical and indispensable number not only for people who are going to live in Portugal permanently but also for people who want to buy property in Portugal or create a bank account, for example. It will be absolutely impossible to do this without a NIF tax number.
Who can get a NIF tax number in Portugal?
Any individual can obtain a NIF tax number in Portugal, regardless of whether he is a resident of Portugal or not. At the same time, minors can also count on obtaining a tax number in Portugal. Just when receiving it, they will have to provide additional documents.
All legal entities in Portugal also have tax numbers. Still, in this case, it is typical to call them not NIF, but NIPC (“Número de Identificação de Pessoa Coletiva”). Within the framework of this article, we will not consider this issue in more detail.
What is the main complexity of the NIF tax number formalization in Portugal?
The main difficulty in obtaining a NIF tax number in Portugal is that you must have a permanent residence address (registration) in Portugal; in other words, you must be a resident of Portugal. And here we reach the keystone question, how can a person be a resident in the country if he does not have a tax number? This is the main problem of obtaining a tax number in Portugal and the corresponding "vicious circle".
As long as you are a non-resident in Portugal, you will need an official tax representative who, in front of the Portuguese tax authorities, will confirm that he agrees to assume your tax obligations in case of non-fulfillment by you. Such a person can often be your good friend, who lives in Portugal, has all the necessary documents, is ready to help you and is responsible for you.
Can I get a NIF tax number without being in Portugal?
The good news is that obtaining a NIF tax number from outside of Portugal is entirely possible. Still, only if you have an official tax representative or are partnering with a specialized agency. Then, they can request and obtain a tax number for you (online or offline) without requiring you to come to Portugal. This is very convenient, especially given the current restrictions and difficulties in moving due to the pandemic.
At the same time, it is important to take into account that, unlike a personal visit to the tax office (when the NIF number is issued on the same day), in the case of requesting a NIF number, online consideration of the process can take from several hours to several days (most often it takes up to 3 working days). However, it's best to plan and have at least a month to get a tax number, anticipating a situation where the process may be delayed, and your purchase of a home or other important business will depend on it.
Can I trust an agency to get a NIF number in Portugal?
Sure, it is possible, and you really should do that, but only if you are sure that the agency provides quality services. Often people blindly trust the first person they meet on social media networks who promises to make a tax number or other documentation without any feedback on their work or guarantees. Be careful and check those agencies or private consultants you are going to work with.
We will be happy to recommend an agency Bordr for readers of WithPortugal, which will help you get a tax number in just 3 days after filling out an application that will take you no more than two minutes. Moreover, you can do all this online without leaving your home or being in Portugal. At the same time, the company Bordr guarantees 100% money back, which again underlines this service's seriousness and quality work.
Benefits of a NIF tax number in Portugal
The advantages of a NIF tax number in Portugal are, first of all, that by becoming a tax resident of Portugal, you automatically get the right to perform those actions that would be simply impossible without a tax number: buying real estate, opening a bank account, connecting to the Internet, concluding any kind of agreements - all these and many other actions will become available to you only after obtaining a NIF tax number. At the same time, let's not forget about the famous tax deductions, so remember to include your NIF when shopping or paying for services in Portugal.
Many people think obtaining a NIF tax number in Portugal is challenging. Still, after reading this article, we hope you are convinced that it is quite simple to do, mainly if you apply to a proven and reliable agency specializing in this type of service.
