Moving to Portugal from the UK: a complete how to guide

Thinking of starting a new life somewhere warm and sunny? Portugal might be just the perfect spot. In fact, UK natives are the second largest expat group in the country with over 45,000 residents.¹

In this guide we’ll list all the necessary information you need to know about moving to Portugal from the UK. This includes getting a visa, what the process looks like after Brexit, the cost of living and options for retiring in Portugal.

We’ll even take a quick look at the most cost-effective way to manage your money across borders. Open a Wise multi-currency account and you can send money between the UK and Portugal for low fees and a fair exchange rate.

But first, let’s start with some basics you need to know before your big move.

Living in Portugal - what you need to know

• Currency - Euro (EUR)
• Main languages - Portuguese, English, French²
• Population - 10,246,040³
• Number of British expats - 45,218¹
• Most popular destinations for expats - Lisbon, Faro, Setúbal, Porto¹

Cost of living in Portugal⁴

Before making another country your home, it’s good to know what you can expect when it comes to living costs. In general, the cost of living in Portugal is significantly lower in comparison to the UK.

To give you an idea of average prices in Portugal, here are a few examples you might find helpful:

	Cost in Portugal	Cost in UK
Three-course meal for two people	£34.51	£60
Loaf of bread	£1.07	£1.07
Draught beer (0.5l)	£1.73	£4.5
Monthly public transport pass	£34.51	£67
Utilities - monthly	£94.40	£207.80

When it comes to renting a place to stay, Portugal is over 35% cheaper than the UK. The percentage can be even bigger when an apartment is outside of the city center or in a smaller city. Either way, you’ll be saving money on rent.

If you wish to buy an apartment, the price difference is even more noticeable. On average, you’ll pay over 70% less per square meter in Portugal than you would in the UK. Apartments outside of the city center are even cheaper, so you’ll get a lot more for your money.

Healthcare system⁵

All legal Portuguese residents can have access to state healthcare, regardless of citizenship. It’s not completely free, since you have to pay standard fees called taxas moderadoras. However, it’s very affordable. Some examples of taxas moderadoras are 5 euros for a GP appointment or 15 euros for a visit to the A&E.

You can sign up for state healthcare through registering with the Portuguese National Health Service (SNS). The next step is getting a Healthcare User Number (Número de Utente de Saúde) at your local health centre. To make sure you’re getting up-to-date information on the rest of the process, make sure you contact the Portuguese authorities.

If you’re a legal resident in Portugal and a receiver of a UK State Pension, the UK might be responsible for your healthcare. You can find more information on this as well as how to apply using the S1 form on the UK Government’s website.

Opening a bank account in Portugal⁶

You can open a bank account in Portugal both as a resident and non-resident, even though the latter is a special type of account. Most banks will require similar documents for resident accounts and they usually include the following:

• Fiscal identification number
• Proof of income
• Proof of address in Portugal (e.g., utility bill)
• Proof of ID (ID card or passport)
• Contact details

Opening a bank account is usually free of charge, but banks do have other fees, as expected. Many banks offer the option of opening an account online, but you do need to visit a branch in person and sign some paperwork to finalize it.

Finding a job in Portugal⁷

Since finding a fitting job can be a long process, it’s best to start looking even before you move. You could begin by researching the job market and getting an idea of what you can expect. Also, learning Portuguese will get you many more job opportunities.

Some of the most prominent industries in Portugal are tourism, hospitality, electronics and transportation. IT, healthcare and tourism are also among the industries that have skill shortages.

If you’re looking for jobs in Portugal, here are a few handy places to start your search:

• Empregos Online
• Indeed
• Learn4Good
• Net Empregos
• SAPO Emprego
• Jobs in Lisbon (English speaking jobs)

You can also register with the Portuguese Public Employment Service. This will help you get information on vacancies and sign up for jobs.

Renting or buying property in Portugal

Finding a place to live is one of the most important things to do when moving to a new country. Whether it’s renting or buying, Portugal will certainly be cheaper than the UK.

Portuguese citizens like buying property, so over three quarters of them are homeowners.⁸ The good news is that foreigners can also buy real estate without restrictions. You can even get a loan from a local bank of up to 80% of the value of the property.⁹

The average price of a centrally located apartment in Portugal is just under £2,500 per square meter. It can go up to £6,000, while apartments outside of the central area cost around £1,600 on average.¹⁰

Renting is a more simple option. Even if you end up buying, you’ll need a place to stay in the meantime. Here are some online portals you can start looking through right away:

• Imovirtual
• Casa Sapo
• Idealista
• Custo Justo

Moving to Portugal from the UK after Brexit

Since Brexit, UK citizens have to apply for a visa in order to move to Portugal. Although it’s not impossible to move, the preparation lasts longer and involves more steps.

There are multiple visa types that UK citizens can apply for. We’ll explain the most popular ones so you know what’s the right pick for you.

How to get a visa for Portugal

UK citizens don’t need a visa to visit Portugal, but those who stay over 3 months need a residence permit. The routes UK expats usually take to get it are the D7 visa and the Golden Visa.¹¹

D7 Visa¹²

The D7 Visa is also known as the Passive Income Visa, since it requires holders to be able to support themselves during their stay. The necessary stable income can come from real estate, pensions, financial investments etc.

The application process for the D7 Visa starts in the Portuguese Consulate in the UK. If you’re eligible to apply and you prepare all necessary documents, you’ll get a temporary four month visa. Then you’ll have to travel to Portugal for an appointment with the Immigration and Border Services (SEF). If everything goes according to plan, you’ll get a two year residence permit. After five years, you can apply for permanent residence or even citizenship.

Here’s some of the required documentation for the D7 Visa:

• Valid passport
• Two passport photos
• Proof of accommodation for a year
• Proof of passive income
• Criminal record check
• Six months of bank statements

Golden Visa¹¹

The Golden Visa is a very popular option with UK expats. It’s given to those who make a certain type of investment in Portugal. Just like the D7 Visa, it opens the door to permanent residence or citizenship after a five year period.

There are different acceptable investment options, such as investment funds or property acquisition. The required property value starts at €280,000 and goes up to €500,000.

However, there might be some upcoming changes to the Golden VIsa program. If they happen, the real estate investment route will no longer be possible. This leaves you with the following options:

• Venture Capital Fund Investment
• Commercial Company Investment
• Research Funding
• Job creation
• Cultural Heritage Support¹³

Make sure you keep up with the most recent updates ahead of making your decision.

Retiring in Portugal

Portugal is considered to be one of the best places in the world to retire. If you want to make that happen, here’s what you need to know:

Retirement visas¹²

The D7 Visa we mentioned above is also known as the Retirement Visa, since retirees make perfect candidates. Your pension can serve as proof of stable income, which is one of the main requirements. You can prove it by showing your Annual Tax Return or another valid document.

https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/portugal-d7-visa/

The D7 Visa allows family reunification, so you can bring your partner with you, as long as you can support both of you. After five years, you can apply for permanent residence in Portugal or even a Portuguese passport.

Pensions¹⁴

You can claim your UK State Pension in Portugal, but you have to contact the International Pensions Centre first. You’ll need to send them the international claim form and later let them know you want your pension paid into a local Portuguese bank. You can choose to get paid every 4 to 13 weeks.

Also, the UK and Portugal have a double taxation agreement, so you don’t have to worry about being taxed on your pension twice.

How to move your belongings from the UK to Portugal¹⁵

Since Brexit happened, moving your belongings to Portugal is a more complicated process. It’s best to consult an experienced relocation company and get some professional help.

You’ll need to obtain a Baggage Certificate called Certificado de Bagagem before moving. This serves as proof that you’ve owned your belongings for at least six months and qualifies you for duty-free import. Also, your shipment must arrive in Portugal 12 months into your temporary residence permit. Doing this properly will require some good planning on your part.

Moving to Portugal from the UK - a checklist

Don’t know where to start with the list of things to do before your move to Portugal? Here’s a checklist covering some of the main tasks you should focus on:

• Apply for your visa of choice
• Find a place to live - you can either do this online or by traveling to Portugal to look at properties
• Get an estimate for shipping your furniture and personal belongings over to Portugal and get the Baggage Certificate
• If you’re retired, request to have your UK state pension given to you in Portugal and look into transferring personal pensions
• Begin researching Portuguese banks to find the right one for you and see the requirements for opening an account
• Register with the Portuguese National Health Service (SNS) and get a Healthcare User Number
• Look into the procedure for registering as a resident once you arrive

Save on your relocation costs to Portugal with Wise

Need to pay rental deposits or visa application fees before relocating to Portugal? You might want to consider options other than your bank.

Using a Wise multi-currency account to cover international moving costs could be cheaper than using your bank. With Wise, you can send money between the UK and Portugal for small, transparent fees and mid-market exchange rate.

You can also use Wise to receive income from the UK (such as pension payments) in GBP. This helps you avoid high conversion fees and exchange rates your bank will most likely have. Once the payment lands in your Wise account, you can convert it to EUR for lower fees and the mid-market exchange rate.

And before you officially open a Portuguese bank account, you can use your international Wise debit card to spend like a local from the moment you arrive. The card automatically converts to EUR at the fair rate whenever you use it, so you don’t need to worry about exchanging money. All you’ll need is the one debit card for low-cost spending in 150+ countries.

Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

Sources used for this article:

1. SEF - Relatórios de Imigração, Fronteiras e Asilo 2022
2. Language Knowledge - most popular languages in Portugal
3. Worldometers - Portugal population (2023)
4. Numbeo - cost of living in Portugal compared to the UK
5. Gov.uk - healthcare in Portugal
6. Lexidy Law Boutique - open a bank account in Portugal - 2023 procedure
7. Expatica - finding a job in Portugal
8. Trading Economics - Portugal home ownership rate
9. Properstar - how to buy property in Portugal as a foreigner
10. Numbeo - property prices in Portugal
11. Global Citizen Solutions - Portugal Golden Visa for UK citizens
12. Global Citizen Solutions - Portugal D7 Visa
13. Get Golden Visa - Portugal Golden Visa ending
14. Gov.uk - State Pension if you retire abroad
15. Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas - Baggage Certificate

Sources checked on 25-Jul-2023.