Portekiz Göçmenlik Rehberi

D1 Visa (Work Visa): It is a residence permit visa offered to professionals who have accepted a job offer in Portugal. The D1 visa comes into play only in cases where the position cannot be filled by a citizen of Portugal or an EU country.

D2 Visa (Entrepreneur Visa): This visa type is designed for new entrepreneurs aiming to establish innovative businesses in the country.

D3 Visa (Highly Qualified Activity Visa): The HQA visa is designed for highly skilled professionals in various sectors. This visa aims to attract top-level talents to Portugal who will contribute to the key sectors of the economy.

D4 Visa (Student Visa): It is designed for individuals from non-EU countries who want to study in Portugal for more than three months. It covers academic and vocational training, so it is the ideal visa option for students and trainees.

D5 Visa (Higher Education Visa): It is the visa type designed for international students who want to receive higher education in Portugal.

D6 Visa (Family Reunification Visa): It is the visa type that allows individuals legally residing in Portugal to bring their family members to join them.

The D7 Visa (Retirement or Passive Income Visa) is generally popular among a broad applicant base who want to make Portugal their new home. This visa category is an attractive option for individuals who can prove that they can provide sufficient income from passive sources. The minimum income in Portugal for 2026 has been determined as 920 €, and this is the minimum monthly (gross) earning amount required to apply for this type of visa.

The D8 Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) is designed for those who work remotely and have a remote work clause in their employment contract, and for freelance individuals. Earning a monthly income equal to 4 times the Portuguese minimum wage, being a citizen of a non-EU country, and having a clean criminal record are the requirements of the D8 visa.

Update: The D8 visa has come to be referred to as the "Dependent Visa" in visa applications. In other words, the visa type in which the family members of the visa applicant are evaluated has been named D8. The D8 Digital Nomad Visa is also referred to by its new name, D9.

Making an Appointment

Portugal D type visa applications are made from the Portuguese Embassy in Ankara. In order to make your application, you must first get an appointment by sending an e-mail to the embassy.

E-Mail Address: sconsular.ankara@mne.pt

Getting an appointment can be a difficult and long process for many people. Many applicants state that they can only find an appointment for six months later. Therefore, one of the most critical steps in your application is to act early and get an appointment.

After getting your appointment, you need to gather the necessary documents for your visa application and be present at the embassy with your documents on the specified date.

Documents

a. D7 Visa

• Original passport
• Passport copy
• Cover letter
• Bank account statement
• Retirement document and retirement bank account statement (Translation must be done by a sworn translator.)
• and/or Lease contract and title deed of real estate (Translation must be done by a sworn translator.)
• and/or Vehicle license and vehicle lease contract (Translation must be done by a sworn translator.)
• Civil registry record
• Turkish ID card photocopy
• Photograph
• 1-year lease contract in Portugal (You need to forward the original of the contract signed on both sides. In addition, the names and NIFs of each of the family members must be included in the contract.)
• 1-year savings statement shown in an account opened in a Portuguese bank
• Flight reservation (You can make a reservation that can be canceled later.)
• Travel health insurance (You should make it to start 1 day before the planned travel date.)
• Apostilled criminal record (You can get this in two ways. The first option is to get it from e-government as e-apostilled. After paying 80 TL with your credit card, it will come to your e-mail address within 1-2 days. The second method is to get it from the courthouse with a wet signature and apostilled.)
• Update as of April 2025: Recently, some of those who went to the Ankara Portuguese Embassy visa appointment said that the e-apostilled criminal records they received from e-government were not accepted, while others said they were. That's why we recommend you to get them with a wet signature from the Courthouse.
• Images of past visas
• If it is a family application, a copy of the marriage certificate and Formula B document (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)
• If there are children, Formula A (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)
• NIF document (Not mandatory)
• Certificate of residence (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)

b. D9 Visa

• Original passport
• Passport copy
• Cover letter
• Employment contract (It must be written in your contract that you work remotely. It would be good if you highlight and emphasize this.)
• Your payslips for the last 3 months (If your salary is deposited in a bank in Turkey, you can obtain it in English from any branch of your bank. If your salary is deposited in an international payroll company -deel etc- you can get your invoices in English.)
• Bank savings account statement
• Civil registry record
• Turkish ID card photocopy
• Photograph
• Document showing your accommodation in Portugal (For example; it can be a 6-month Airbnb document)
• Flight reservation (You can make a reservation that can be canceled later.)
• Travel health insurance (You should make it to start 1 day before the planned travel date.)
• Apostilled criminal record (You can get this in two ways. The first option is to get it from e-government as e-apostilled. After paying 80 TL with your credit card, it will come to your e-mail address within 1-2 days. The second method is to get it from the courthouse with a wet signature and apostilled.)
• Edit as of April 2025: Recently, some of those who went to the Ankara Portuguese Embassy visa appointment said that the e-apostilled criminal records they received from e-government were not accepted, while others said they were. That's why we recommend you to get them with a wet signature from the Courthouse.)
• Images of past visas
• If it is a family application, a copy of the marriage certificate and Formula B document (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)
• If there are children, Formula A (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)
• NIF document (Not mandatory)
• Certificate of residence (can be obtained apostilled from the Civil Registry Office.)

Important Note: There should be no staples, paper clips, transparent files, etc. in your documents. The Embassy does not accept documents in this way and asks you to remove them in the entrance hall of the embassy before entering the interview. We recommend that you remove them beforehand so that you do not waste time removing them there for a long time.

If your visa application is concluded, you will probably be given a D Type visa. Within your visa period (Generally a 4 Month - 120 days visa is given) you need to go to Portugal and complete the rest of the process there. These steps will continue at the immigration office called AIMA.

Under normal conditions, an AIMA appointment should be printed on the visa page in your passport. You can see this in the section called Agendamento, an example of which is below. You will see a 10-digit number that looks like agd.sef.pt/?1234567890. What you need to do is to type this link into your internet browser. Afterwards, you can view the details of your AIMA reservation.

To view the AIMA reservation printed on your visa, when you type the link starting with http:// and continuing with 10 digits into your browser, you can find out your appointment time and place.

If you cannot reach your appointment in this way, you can follow the path below:

To view the AIMA reservation printed on your visa, you can register on the SEF page as follows:

1. Go to https://www.sef.pt/pt/Pages/registo.aspx.
2. Specify an e-mail address for registration.
3. The screen below will appear before you. You will type your 9-digit visa number located in the upper right area of your visa in the "Numero de documento" section. Then, select your date of birth and current nationality to create a password.

4. Log in after creating your registration. From the Agendamentos section in the menu, you can see the details of the AIMA reservation assigned to you.

In Portugal, junta (or Junta de Freguesia) refers to an official document issued by the local administration of the place where a person resides in Portugal. This document verifies the information about the address you reside in and is a document that is generally required for various official transactions. It is especially used for transactions with local government, banking, social services, health services, etc.

1. Required Documents:

• Identification document
• A document regarding your address (lease agreement, title deed, etc.)

2. Application Process:

• To get a certificate of residence, you need to apply to the local Junta de Freguesia office. This office is the local government body serving the municipality to which you are affiliated.
• During the application, you must submit documents verifying the address to which the residence certificate will be issued.

3. Processing Time:

• The processing time may vary depending on the Junta you apply to, but it is generally a document that can be obtained at the time of application.

This document is very important especially in terms of registering your official address in Portugal and applying for legal transactions.

NIF is the Portuguese tax number and is one of the first things you need to get before coming to the country. You can get the NIF number from Loja de Cidadão or from companies providing services in this regard. In remote applications, it will generally be forwarded to you within 1-7 days depending on the fee you pay.

Companies where you can get NIF service are not shared in this guide in order not to be an advertisement. Please get advice from other people in the Portuguese Immigrant Community.

An example NIF document is as follows:

NISS is the Portuguese Social Security Number, the equivalent of SSK - Social Insurance Institution in Turkey in Portugal. Every citizen officially working in Portugal needs to obtain a NISS number. The most important document you need to get a NISS number is a work document where you can prove that you work in Portugal. Under normal conditions, it is not possible for people arriving with a D8 visa to get a NISS number; however, if they prove their work, you may be given a NISS number at the initiative of the relevant institution.

To apply for NISS, you can visit the NISS Application Page or visit the "Loja de Cidadão" branch closest to you. If you get a number for the NISS unit at the branch, they will take care of you and your application will be made on your behalf.

The NISS application page is below. You need to upload the necessary documents to the system, even if there are more than one, "Made into a single document". Afterwards, you will receive information about your application as an e-mail. (See NISS Application Page)

AIMA; "Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo" meaning "Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum" is the state institution that deals with immigration applications and services. Until recently, AIMA was working as SEF - Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (Foreigners and Borders Service), which we could call "Foreigners and Borders Department"; however, do not forget that as of now, what is meant when SEF is mentioned is AIMA with its current name.

There are a total of 34 AIMA offices throughout Portugal. AIMA deals with procedures related to immigration and settlement. You need an AIMA appointment for your procedures. Under normal conditions, your AIMA appointment has been assigned to you in the Agendamento / Appointment section on the visa printed in your passport; but in some cases your appointment date may have passed or there may not be an AIMA appointment made for you.

In such cases, you need to get a new appointment from scratch. To make an appointment, you need to send an e-mail to geral@aima.gov.pt. You can find the AIMA official website and the contact information and working hours of the branches below.

11. How Can I Get an AIMA Appointment?

To get an AIMA appointment, you can send an e-mail to geral@aima.gov.pt or call (+351) 217 115 000.

Loja de Cidadão; are central state departments that we can translate as "Citizenship Office" where bill transactions, NISS-NIF etc. applications, passport procedures (for Portuguese citizens) etc. can be handled. There is a separate counter and color code for each unit here. A sequence number is taken from the numerators at the entrance, when your turn comes on the notification screens, you can go to the relevant counter. The color codes of the counters are indicated on the ceiling for convenience.

Under normal circumstances, when your visa is approved; there should be an area named "Agendamento" on the visa page, an example of which you can see below. This is the information of your AIMA appointment. If this part is not on your visa, unfortunately it means that an appointment has not been assigned to you. Consulting the consulate is useless, because there is nothing they can do about this. AIMA appointments are beyond the authority of the consulate general.

What you need to do in this case is; to request a new appointment from AIMA.

With the AIMA announcement dated June 3, 2025, it was stated that AIMA appointments, which are necessary to convert a consular visa into a residence permit, will now be taken online. AIMA has started to offer a new online appointment service for Consulate Residence and Work Visa (for non-CPLP member countries) holders.

You can access this service from the following link: https://contactenos.aima.gov.pt/contact-form

Steps to follow to make an appointment:

1. Select the "Residence Permit" option.
2. Then, click on the "Residence Permit with Consular Visa (Non-CPLP)" option.

In order to fill out the application form completely, it is mandatory to provide the following information:

• Passport number
• Visa number

In addition, digital copies of your passport and visa must be uploaded to the relevant areas. It is important that these documents are legible and up-to-date.

Do not worry if your temporary visa (usually given for 4 months) expires. As long as you do not leave Portugal, you can continue bureaucratic procedures without falling into illegal status. According to the decision announced by AIMA, people whose visa has expired have the right to stay in Portugal until October 15, 2025. You can see the details of the previous official decision until June 30, 2025 below.

1. Official AIMA decision
2. Announcement made on AIMA X - Twitter address

The following documents are requested from immigrants applying with a D8 visa. These documents may vary depending on the AIMA branch visited, the relevant officer, and the situation of the immigrant.

1. Notificação de Agendamento, that is "Appointment Notification", containing the details of your AIMA appointment. Since AIMA appointments are usually received via email, this notification will be sent to you via email again. It will be to your benefit to go with a document proving your appointment. Pay special attention to the date of the appointment and the address of the AIMA office. AIMA Branches and Working Hours
2. ID or official document that can replace it (driver's license, passport, etc.). Never forget to take the passport on which your visa is printed when going to your AIMA appointment.
3. Original or printout of your NIF document.
4. Junta Atestado or Contrato De Comodato showing your residential address in Portugal.
5. NISS (You do not have the opportunity to get a NISS number with a D8 visa, but this item is on AIMA's request list. You can take the printout of the rejection email sent to you after your NISS application.)
6. Your employment contract and job details provided by your company. Although submitting this document in English is accepted; its Portuguese translated version is preferred by AIMA. They may also request the translated version from you.
7. Recent past payslips (payslip, paycheck, etc.) and statements of the bank account where they are deposited. You will be asked to prove your declared income with your 3 payslips and state that it has been deposited into your account by your company.
8. Official documents showing your financial and economic situation (Bank account printouts, investment accounts, retirement funds, etc.) Although this may be an optional request, it can benefit you to support your application status.
9. Bank account located in Portugal and (or) the European Union. Priority is given to banks located in Portugal, but Revolut, Transferwise accounts are also accepted. You must show savings corresponding to the minimum wage for 12 months in your account. +50% of this total amount for the spouse and +30% per child should be added. As of 2026, the minimum wage in Portugal is 920 Euros. (For example, the minimum savings amount required for a family of three with one child for 2026; 1st Person: 920 x 12 = 11,040 2nd Person (spouse) 11,040/2 = 5,520 3rd Person (child) 11,040 x 0.30 = 3,312 11,040 +5,520 +3,312 = 19,872 €.)
10. Criminal record. Although this may be optional, there is definitely a benefit in bringing it. Preferably, the apostilled version obtained from district governorships in Turkey should be chosen. E-apostilled criminal records issued by e-government can also be accepted. District governorships can issue apostilled criminal records with different language options. Obtain the Portuguese one. Due to possible needs, it may be beneficial for you to get criminal records for additional languages (English, German, etc.).
11. Health insurance. This is an optional request. Depending on the situation of the AIMA officer, it may or may not be requested. Even if you already have health insurance, you may also consider taking out temporary insurance in Portugal.

You can follow the current legislation regarding citizens and immigrants who do not have Portuguese citizenship from the official website of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Official Website: https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/

National Visa Laws: https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/national-legislation

You are required to fill out an application form during your AIMA appointment in Portugal. This form is available at all AIMA branches and will be given to you free of charge. If you want to review the application form and examine it before attending your AIMA appointment, you can use the link below. This link will direct you to the document on AIMA's official website.

AIMA Appointment Application Form

Our pets are a part of our family. So, how can we take our cute friends with us when moving to Portugal? You need to complete some mandatory steps before taking your pet to Portugal.

1. Microchip Application: First of all, your pet needs to be microchipped. This microchip contains your pet's identification information and is mandatory in all European countries.

2. Rabies Vaccine: A rabies vaccine must be given after the microchip is inserted. At least 30 days must have passed since the vaccine was given for it to be considered effective.

3. Rabies Titration Test: In order to document that your pet has a sufficient level of rabies antibodies in its blood, you need to have a rabies titration test. The steps of this test are as follows:

• The veterinarian takes a blood sample from your pet and applies a centrifuge process.
• The centrifuged blood sample must be sent to the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Veterinary Control Central Research Institute for testing. You have three different options for sending:

a) Sending via Veterinarian: You can send the blood sample via your veterinarian. The veterinarian handles all paperwork and payment procedures. This method is generally the easiest but slightly more costly option.

b) Sending by Cargo: As a more economical option, you can send the blood sample yourself by cargo. For this: Receive the centrifuged blood from the veterinarian. Put the blood sample in a styrofoam box together with an ice pack. Add the stamped and signed petition you received from the veterinarian, documents containing your animal's identity and vaccination information, and the receipt showing that the payment has been made to the cargo package. Analysis Fees Institute Payment Information. Send the package you prepared to the institute. Institute address and contact information.

c) Hand Delivery: You can deliver the blood sample by hand by going to the institute personally. You do not need to make an appointment for this. During working hours, you can go to the institute with the blood sample and the receipt of the payment and make your delivery.

Steps After Test Result Arrives

After receiving the rabies titration test result, you need to complete the following procedures in order to take your pet to Portugal:

1. 3-Month Waiting Period After Test: After receiving the rabies titration test result, a 3-month waiting period must be completed for your pet to be able to travel. This period is mandatory for entry to Portugal.

2. Obtaining Travel Document from District Agriculture Directorate: Before starting the journey, you need to obtain a document certifying your pet's identity and health status: Take your pet to the nearest District Agriculture Directorate. Here its chip is checked and you are given a travel document valid for 2 days. (If you received the document on Friday and your journey is on Monday, there is no problem.)

3. Send Information Email to Airport Veterinary Point: 48 hours before the journey, you need to send an information email to the veterinary point of the airport you will fly from. Add the following information to this email: Passenger Name, Pet Name, Breed, Flight Number, Departure Airport, Departure Time, Arrival Airport, Arrival Time. In addition, you must attach the following documents to the email: Rabies titration test result, Your pet's passport.

Lisbon Airport Veterinary Point E-Mail Address: pcflisboaa@dgav.pt

Porto Airport Veterinary Point E-Mail Address: pifportoa@dgv.min-agricultura.pt

4. Procedures to be Done at Portugal Airport:

When you arrive in Portugal: Go to the veterinary control point of the airport. Your pet's chip and documents will be checked again here. You can complete your transactions by making the necessary payment (payment by card is accepted).

After your residence application is completed by AIMA, now all you have to do is wait for your residence card. On the other hand, due to some difficulties in Portuguese bureaucratic processes (card delivery, institution to be contacted, etc.), we strongly recommend that you read the following steps carefully:

How Does the Card Distribution Process Work?

1. After your AIMA card is printed, "CTT - Correrios, Telegrafos e Telefones" (Portuguese official postal administration, equivalent to PTT in Turkey) will deliver your card to your address.
2. If they cannot reach you at your address, they will leave an official note in your mailbox or a suitable place stating that they tried to reach you. With this note, you can go to the CTT branch and receive your card or find out its current status.
3. Cards not picked up from the branch after a certain period of time (estimated 1-2 weeks etc.) will be sent back to the AIMA branch where you applied. In this case, you will have to pick up your card in person and pay 28.5 Euros (February 2025 price). Your AIMA branch will inform you of the current price.

Card Distribution Process Advice

1. At the end of your AIMA application, ask the officer dealing with you how long it will take for the residence card to arrive. Average delivery times are estimated as 3-4 weeks; but it is also possible that it will take longer. Delivery times also vary from branch to branch. Learn the average delivery time from the officer himself and create a reference point for yourself.
2. Ask your officer who and how to contact in case the residence card is delayed, lost, etc. Definitely get an e-mail address and an active phone number that you can reach. AIMA branches (let's choose Braga as an example) have an official address like braga@aima.gov.tr. However, since these addresses are a general address belonging to the branch, which are also published on AIMA websites; the probability of the e-mails you send being answered late, not being seen, or not being noticed will be higher. Therefore, if possible, ask for the official AIMA e-mail address of the officer dealing with you (or whose responsibility this is) and state that you want to communicate with him when necessary. This address (let's assume the officer's name is Jose Saramago) will be in the form of jose.saramago@aima.gov.pt. The importance of this direct communication process is this: Based on our personal experiences, we can say that problems can arise in the distribution of residence cards. There may be address determination problems in CTT distribution, a note may not have been left, your card may have returned to AIMA. Such problems are within possibilities. But the real problem is; there is no system where applicants can follow the developments throughout this process. We are told to wait for the delivery of the card, but there is no clear path to follow in cases such as loss, delay, or return. This is exactly why, considering the difficulties in the general bureaucratic working structure in Portugal; an open channel where we can establish healthy communication with the AIMA branch where we carry out the process is absolutely necessary.
3. After the AIMA application (or before, when your place of residence is certain), go to the CTT branch responsible for the area where your address is located, introduce yourself and explain your situation. Make sure your house is known by the institution and, if possible, meet the officer(s) in charge of distribution. In addition, learn the reasons why addresses cannot be found (no name on the bell, missing apartment number, etc.) and correct them, if any, to prevent possible distribution problems.

The rules for entry, stay, exit and deportation of foreigners in Portugal are determined in Article 85 of the Law published in the Portuguese Official Gazette dated July 4, 2007. Relevant Law (Lei n.º 23/2007, de 4 de julho)

1. Under what circumstances is the residence permit definitively canceled?

The residence permit is definitively canceled in the following cases:

• (a) If a deportation decision has been taken for the person
• (b) If the residence permit has been obtained through misleading or false statements (false information, forged documents or fraud)
• (c) If there are serious suspicions that the person has committed a serious crime or real indications that they intend to commit a serious crime
• (d) If it constitutes a threat to public order and security

2. Can leaving the country for a long time cause the residence permit to be canceled?

Yes, leaving Portugal for a long time without a valid reason can lead to the cancellation of the residence permit:

• If you are a temporary residence permit (residência temporária) holder during the residence permit: If you stay outside Portugal for 6 consecutive months or a total of 8 months (intermittently), it can be canceled.
• If you are a permanent residence permit (residência permanente) holder: If you stay outside Portugal for 24 consecutive months or a total of 30 months in the last 3 years, it can be canceled.

3. What should be done if it is necessary to leave the country for a long time?

• Before leaving, it is necessary to apply to AIMA (Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service) and get permission.
• If there is an exceptional situation (for example, a sudden family situation), an application can be made after leaving.

4. If the situations listed above are in question, will the residence permit necessarily be canceled?

No. If the person can prove that they work in their home country or conduct a business/enterprise, cultural or social activity, it is not canceled due to long-term absence.

5. How does the process work if the residence permit is canceled?

• An official notification is made to the canceled person.
• The decision is electronically transmitted to the relevant state institutions.
• The residence permit card is taken back.

6. Who makes the cancellation decision?

The Minister of Internal Administration (Ministro da Administração Interna) or the AIMA General Director authorized by him can make the cancellation decision.

7. Can the decision be appealed?

Yes, it can be appealed in administrative courts. However, the appeal process does not automatically guarantee the person's stay in the country (the decision is strictly implemented but the legal process can continue).

In summary, a residence permit; can be canceled for reasons such as false declaration, suspicion of crime, security risk or leaving the country for a long time. However, if there is a justified reason, cancellation can be prevented by notifying AIMA in advance.

Required Documents

1. Health report: I got it from Bata Branca by paying 25 €. You don't need to go to the clinic. You contact them via WhatsApp and they send the report via WhatsApp in about 2 minutes. WhatsApp No: +351 932 021 933
2. Originality Declaration Document of Turkish Driving License from the Consulate: An appointment must be made from the www.konsolosluk.gov.tr web address before the transaction. The fee for the document is 19 €
3. Fiscal Address Document Obtained from Finanças: You can log into the Finanças system with your NIF number and password and download this document.
4. Your Turkish Driving License (Turkish Driver's License)
5. Portugal Residence Permit Document
6. Turkey Passport

After these documents are ready, you can log into the system from the link below using Finanças or Digital Key (Chave Móvel Digital):

https://autenticacao.imt-ip.pt

After entering the system, you choose the "Troca de Título de Condução Estrangeiro" (Foreign Driving License Exchange) option. You fill out a short form and upload the documents above.

Then you receive an e-mail for a 30 € payment. You make the payment 24 hours after receiving the e-mail. After making the payment, your application is taken into consideration.

This evaluation process can take between 1 week and 2 months.

When the evaluation is completed, you receive an e-mail again. Then you get an appointment at the nearest IMT office via the SIGA system and go with the originals of the documents you uploaded to the system.

The transaction at the IMT office takes about 5 minutes:

• Documents are checked
• Your photo is taken
• Your Turkish driver's license is originally taken from you

The process is completed in this way.

Afterwards, your Portuguese driver's license is sent to your address by CTT cargo between 1 week and 2 months.

1. Purchasing Process

a. Individual Sales (Buying a Car from a Person)

• The buyer and seller go to a notary office (IRN) together.
• If there is any debt or mortgage on the vehicle, the transfer process is not carried out.
• If it is confirmed that it is debt-free, the transfer process is carried out in the presence of a notary public.

b. Buying a Car from a Dealership

• Dealerships carry out transactions digitally via IMT (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes).
• DUA (Documento Único Automóvel), that is the vehicle license and title deed, is updated via the IMT system and delivered to the buyer.
• This method is faster and less costly as it eliminates notary costs.
• The new license is printed within a few weeks and delivered to the buyer's address.
• The vehicle can be used after the insurance transactions are completed.

2. Post-Sale Checks

To check whether the vehicle transfer has been completed or not:

• You can check whether the license plate information and the license have passed to you by searching for "Veículo" on the Finanças (Tax Office) portal.
• In purchases from a dealership, the dealership issues an invoice on your behalf and it may take some time for the vehicle to pass to you.

3. Payment and Security Measures

Payment method:

• Payment must be made by bank transfer (EFT).
• Standard transfers can take 2 business days, so sellers often request instant transfers.
• There may be an additional fee of around 3 Euros when using the instant payment option (depends on your bank).

Payment security:

• Make sure that the person you made the payment to is the person written on the license.
• Get a copy of the license.
• Check if the IBAN owner is the same person as the vehicle owner.
• These checks are critical to prevent fraud.

4. Validity of Insurance and Driver's License

• It is forbidden to drive without compulsory traffic insurance.
• There is no separate comprehensive insurance in Portugal, insurance packages include all guarantees.
• For an average 5-year-old vehicle, the annual insurance fee is around 350 Euros.
• Driver's licenses obtained from Turkey are valid.
• On the IMT website, there is a list showing that the driver's licenses of the United Nations member countries are valid. It is recommended that you keep this document in your vehicle.

5. Tax, Inspection, Parking and Periodic Maintenance

• Tax: The tax determined during the vehicle registration process must be paid.
• Inspection: Vehicle inspection is mandatory in Portugal and must be done periodically.
• Parking: Depending on the region you live in, you may need to get a parking card from the municipality.

To access the records of the expenses you made with NIF and financial details in Portugal, you need to log in to "Portal Das Finanças". You can reach the official website from https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/at/html/index.html.

Click on "Iniciar Sessão" to log in:

Log in for access (usually your NIF number is used as user)

After logging in successfully, you will view the page below.

Once a year, you must check via the Finance Portal that all the receipts you received while shopping are correct and then submit your Personal Income Declaration (IRS) to the Portuguese Tax Authority.

There is an official application called e-Fatura to manage your tax transactions in Portugal. This application was developed by the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira) and allows you to track, classify your invoices and see your tax benefits. In addition, you can quickly record new invoices by reading the QR codes on the invoices.

Key Features of e-Fatura:

• Digital Platform: e-Fatura is an application designed to increase transparency and efficiency in the Portuguese tax system. It can be used by anyone with a Portuguese tax identification number (NIF) and can be downloaded for free from Google Play or App Store. However, since the app is published in the Portuguese App Store, it may not be directly available in the Turkey App Store. In this case, you may need to change your App Store country or region settings to Portugal. You can find detailed information on how to do this on Apple's official support page. You may need to change the Google Play or Apple Store country option to Portugal to install the E-fatura application.
• Tax Deductions: The system allows you to benefit from tax deductions for your various expenses by tracking the invoices linked to your NIF number. These deductions cover categories such as health, education, housing and general family expenses.
• Invoice Validation: e-Fatura allows you to check whether your invoices are assigned to the correct categories and make the necessary corrections. This is important for you to get the right tax deductions.

You can use the QR codes below to download the E-Fatura application:

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pt.gov.efatura.mobille.dev.app

Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/e-fatura/id887477687

The application opens with a page where you enter your NIF number and password. Then the image on the right opens. When you click on the QR code area at the top, your NIF number and your QR appear. You can save your shopping to your NIF number by having that QR read at the shopping cashiers. (Or you can just say your NIF number.)

The application says in the second line that I have 34 invoices waiting for my approval. Before every tax payment time, you need to approve these invoices from here. While the system saves some invoices automatically, it cannot determine which category some fall into and asks if this is clothing, health expenditure, etc. After your marking, the correct taxation process is completed.

Below is the screenshot that appears when the pending invoices section is clicked. As can be seen, it is recorded that the two expenses on the page are "Restaurant"; but it could not distinguish the others. When you go into them and mark what they are, the approval process will be finished.

Finally; when you cannot add your NIF number to an expense for some reason, there is an area in the application where you can scan the QR code under your invoice/receipt. Click on the registar section at the bottom right:

Health Centers (Centro de Saúde) in Portugal provide primary health care covering services such as medical appointments, family medicine, nursing services, nutrition, psychology, oral health and social assistance. These services are covered by Segurança Social (Social Security), the Portuguese public health system.

By registering at the local health center, you get access to all of these services for only a small fee.

The fees charged for examinations and procedures are quite different between the private health system and the public health system. An appointment with a specialist doctor is 7 euros in the public system, while it can be 15 euros in the private system (for example, using Allianz health insurance).

Another difference is the freedom to make an appointment. In the private system, the person can choose the health professional they want. The appointment time is also generally shorter. It may be necessary to wait 2-3 months for a specialist doctor appointment in the public system.

Still, unlike the private system, the public system does not set any limits on chronic or serious diseases, so it is always good to have a family doctor in a health center.

In order to get an Utente (SNS - Serviço Nacional de Saúde) number, you must be legally residing in Portugal. The following groups can apply:

Legal residents:

• EU Citizens: Can apply with a CRUE (Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia) document.
• Non-EU Citizens: Those with a valid residence permit (e.g. D2 Entrepreneur Visa, D7 Passive Income Visa, D8 Digital Nomad Visa, etc.) can get an SNS number.

Temporary residents

In some cases, people with temporary residence permits can also benefit from SNS services to a limited extent. This situation may vary depending on the visa type and the center you apply to.

How to Apply for an Utente Number (SNS)?

1. Required Documents

The following documents are usually requested during the application:

• Identity Document: Valid passport or national identity card
• Residence Document: For EU citizens: CRUE document, For non-EU citizens: Residence permit, SEF appointment document or visa page
• Proof of Address: A document showing your address in Portugal (lease contract, bill, certificate of residence from the Junta, etc.)
• NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal): Portuguese tax number
• NISS (Número de Identificação da Segurança Social): Not mandatory, but may be requested in some centers
• Application Form: Some health centers may ask you to fill out their own application form

2. Where to Apply?

• Applications are usually made at local health centers (Centros de Saúde) or in some cases at public offices such as Loja do Cidadão.
• You can visit www.sns.gov.pt or get information from the local municipality to find out the nearest health center to you.
• Some centers work with an appointment system, so it is recommended to confirm by phone beforehand.

3. Application Methods

a) Face-to-Face Application:

• Go to the health center and tell the reception you want to apply for an SNS number.
• Usually you have to take a turn and wait.
• Deliver your documents to the officer.

b) Application via E-Mail (valid in some centers):

Prepare an e-mail containing the following information:

• Full name, date of birth, nationality, place of birth
• Passport or residence permit number
• Your Portuguese address and phone number
• Attach scanned copies of all required documents (in PDF format).
• Send the e-mail to the address specified by the relevant health center. If you do not receive an answer, you can send a polite reminder e-mail a few days later.

4. Receiving the SNS Number

When your application is approved, your SNS number is usually given immediately or within a few days. The number can be delivered to you digitally via e-mail or by printing it out in face-to-face applications. A family doctor (médico de família) can be assigned with the SNS number and it is possible to make an appointment from the health center.

To find out the nearest health center to you: You can call the National Health Line at 808 242 424 or check the SNS online portal.

After registering, you can make an appointment at the health center when you need it. You can go directly to the Centro de Saúde to make an appointment.

If you have a chronic illness, do not yet have a social security number and therefore an SNS number but need medication, you can use the prescription obtained from your home country.

Hospitals

There is at least one state hospital in every city in Portugal and most have English-speaking staff.

Important hospitals:

• Lisbon: Hospital de Santa Maria
• Porto: Hospital de Santo António
• Hospital da CUF (Located in Lisbon and Porto, it is a private hospital.)
• Hospital da Luz (Located in Lisbon and Porto, it is a private hospital.)

Pharmacies

In addition to "real" pharmacies recognized by the green cross logo in Portugal, there are also many pharmacies where products such as over-the-counter painkillers and stomach medicines are sold. The "Wells" pharmacy chain is usually next to Continente supermarkets.

Pharmacies can sell prescription drugs, while chemist shops cannot.

Both generally offer health-related services (e.g., diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure tests).

Pharmacy working hours: Monday - Friday: 09:00-13:00 and 15:00 - 19:00, Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00.

Despite this, there are 24-hour open pharmacies in most regions. You can easily find the pharmacy on duty near you on the internet.

An emergency fee is charged for prescription transactions made outside of working hours.

Pharmacies usually carry several brands of the same drug. You can ask for the more affordable "generic" equivalent. Ask for "genérico" for this.

1. Electricity and Natural Gas Services

The main companies providing electricity and natural gas services in Portugal: EDP (Portugal's largest energy provider), GALP, Iberdrola, Endesa, Gold Energy, Meo Energia (Provides electricity only).

Required Documents for Application: Passport or residence card, Lease contract, NIF (Tax number), Bank details for direct debit (optional), Meter number (if any).

How to Make a Subscription? By going to the branches of the companies, By filling out the application form on their websites, By phone (Keep in mind that you may encounter people who do not speak English).

What is Potência?

"Potência Contratada", i.e. contracted power, is the maximum energy capacity that the electrical system of your home can support at the same time. Briefly, it determines how many devices you can run in your home at the same time.

When getting an electricity subscription in Portugal, different power options such as 3.45 kVA, 4.6 kVA, 5.75 kVA, 6.9 kVA are usually offered. The higher the Potência value, the more devices you can run at the same time - but the amount that will be reflected on your bill as a fixed fee will increase just as much.

For correct potencia selection, it is recommended that you consider: How many people will live in the house, How many devices (e.g.: washing machine, oven, dishwasher, air conditioner, etc.) will run at the same time.

What happens if the Potência is selected too low? The electrical fuse (disjuntor) may trip when several devices are run at the same time. In this case, you need to turn off the devices and manually turn the fuse back on.

What Happens if the Bill is Delayed? In case you miss the payment deadline of the electricity bill: Initially, the potência is automatically reduced (for example, pulled to 3.45 kVA). This means that you can use a very limited number of devices at the same time. This process usually happens without any notification. When the bill is paid, the power level returns to its previous state, but this process may take a few days. If no payment is made for a long time, the electricity may be cut off completely. Therefore, paying the bills on time is important in terms of not encountering power cuts and limitations.

2. Water Service

Water services in Portugal are generally provided by Águas de Portugal (AdP), a state enterprise, and its local subsidiaries. EPAL in Lisbon, Águas do Porto in Porto, SMS in Setúbal.

Required Documents for Application: Passport or residence card, Lease contract, NIF, Bank details for direct debit (optional).

How to Make a Subscription? By going to the branch of the relevant company, Via their websites, By phone (Keep in mind that you may encounter people who do not speak English).

Note: Water bills are usually sent every 2 months. During subscription, you are asked whether you want a monthly or 2-month bill. 2-month bills are usually preferred due to low amounts.

3. Meter Readings

Meter reading officers can sometimes enter incorrect data. For this reason, it is recommended that you read your meters yourself and transmit your invoice information directly through the system.

For Electricity and Natural Gas:

• Register to the website or mobile application of the supplier company.
• Enter the consumption values on the meter in the specified date range every month.
• Enter the consumption values above the numbers such as 181, 182 and 183 that appear on the meter into the relevant boxes in the application without writing the zeros.

For Water: Meter reading can be done via the websites or applications of companies such as EPAL and SMS. Regular monthly notification increases the accuracy of the invoice.

Informative link regarding EPAL's water meter reading: https://www.epal.pt/EPAL/en/menu/customers/meter-reading/reporting-meter-readings

Informative link regarding Águas do Porto's water meter reading: https://aguasdoporto.pt/leitura-do-contador/leitura-contador

Informative link regarding SMS's water meter reading: https://sms-setubal.pt/cliente/mysms/

The Portuguese banking system operates via Multibanco, one of the most advanced interbank networks in the world. Most banks in Portugal are members of the Portuguese Banking Association, and the central bank is the Banco de Portugal.

There are generally 3 types of bank accounts in Portugal:

• Current accounts: These are standard accounts for daily banking transactions. Usually there is a monthly account fee of around 5€.
• Instant-access savings accounts: Offers the possibility to save money with higher interest rates, but provides easy access to money.
• Savings accounts: Offers the highest interest rates but contains conditions such as minimum deposit amount and withdrawal times.

If you prefer a bank that requires a physical branch visit, you can easily find the nearest branch using the branch locator on the bank's website. If you do not speak Portuguese, it may be useful to ask in advance if there are English-speaking staff at the relevant branch.

Banks in Portugal are generally only open between 08:00 and 15:00 on weekdays.

When opening a bank account, the following documents are usually requested: Identity document (passport or identity card), Proof of address (e.g. CRUE), NIF number, Payslip, Copy of employment contract, Employer statement.

If all your documents are ready, the account opening process usually takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. The relevant bank cards are delivered within a few days. Most banks provide instant internet banking access if necessary.

Bank cards are of two types: Debit cards: Allows you to spend only the money currently in your account. Credit cards: Allows you to borrow up to a certain limit from the bank and then pay it back with or without interest.

Both card types have annual fees, but credit card fees are generally higher.

If international mobility is important to you, that is, if issues such as easy service procurement between countries, commission-free payment in more than 150 currencies, fast and free money transfers are important to you, you can evaluate the following digital banks: Revolut, Nickel, Monzo, Moey.

You can find it in two ways:

1. By following real estate websites or classified ad sites: Idealista, Imovirtual, Casa Sapo, Expatriates - OLX and Trovit (Portuguese only)

2. By working with real estate offices: ERA, Remax, Century21

Rental Documents: Your NIF (Tax) number, Your passport or identity card

Why is the Official Lease Contract ("Contrato de Arrendamento") Important?

• An official contract is required for CRUE/residence permit update.
• Some landlords may choose to work informally without obtaining an official license ("Licença de arrendamento"); this may cause problems for a foreign national.

What Should Be in a Typical Lease Contract: Landlord's name, address, NIF, Tenant's name, address, NIF, Description of the apartment, Lease term and amount, Time/place where the rent will be paid, Notice period before moving out

Airports: Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), Faro (FAO)

Trains (CP - Comboios de Portugal): Alfa Pendular (AP): up to 220 km/h (Lisbon-Porto, Braga, Faro), Intercidades (IC): up to 200 km/h, with more stops, Regionais (R): All local stations, Urbano (U): Lisbon and Porto suburbs

Buses: Rede Expresso, RodoNorte, Eva Transportes, Flixbus

Intra-city: Carris (Lisbon), STCP (Porto)

Metro: Operates between 06:00 and 01:00 in Lisbon and Porto. There are monthly or combined (bus+metro) subscription possibilities.

Uber: Using Uber is very common, fast and economical in Portugal.

Bolt: A local alternative to Uber is the Bolt application. Speaking for Lisbon, you can meet all your taxi needs in the city with Bolt at very reasonable prices.

There are currently three main mobile operators in Portugal: MEO, Vodafone, NOS

In addition to their websites, they all have physical stores and you can get service from these stores if necessary. You can use the operators' websites to find the nearest store.

SIM cards come as prepaid in varying amounts and can be reloaded in specific amounts depending on the operator.

However, you need to present the following documents to get a monthly mobile plan: Identification document, Proof of address, Your NIF number

Monthly mobile plans differ in terms of cost and the advantages they offer depending on the provider.

Portugal has a closed telephone numbering plan. Therefore, all numbers are nine digits, including the Portuguese mobile phone code. All mobile phone numbers generally start with 9, followed by eight digits.

If someone from abroad wants to call your Portuguese mobile phone, they must add the country code: Country exit code + Portugal country code + mobile number = 00 351 9XX XXX XXX

Stores in Portugal usually close for two hours at noon. General working hours: Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 13:00 and 15:00 - 19:00, Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00

Markets: There are traditional markets selling fresh local products in most towns of Portugal. The most known ones: Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon, Mercado do Bolhão in Porto

Shopping Malls

Some malls in Lisbon: Colombo, Vasco da Gama, Amoreiras, Freeport, El Corte Inglés

Some malls in Porto: Mar Shopping (IKEA is located here), NorteShopping, Arrábida Shopping Center, Cidade do Porto, Via Catarina, El Corte Inglés

Malls also generally have various services such as supermarkets, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, health/dental clinics. Working hours generally vary between 10:00 - 00:00 and can be checked from the website of each center.

Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Mini Markets

There are many domestic and international market chains in Portugal. Some large chains: Continente, Auchan, Pingo Doce, Mercadona, Leclerc, Lidl, Intermarché, Spar, Aldi

They are generally open every day between 09:00 - 22:00. Some offer online shopping and home delivery. You need to give your NIF number for online shopping.

Electronic Products: Some big chain stores are: Worten, Fnac, Rádio Popular

Furniture: Can be bought online or through the store. Big stores: IKEA, Conforama, Área. Home improvement stores: Maxmat, Leroy Merlin, Bricomarché

Learning the language of a country is very important in order to adapt to both daily life and culture. You have many options to learn Portuguese and improve your language level. Below we will explain how you can access the training supported by AIMA that immigrants can benefit from free of charge (or with a very low fee).

AIMA carries out studies supporting Portuguese language and culture for immigrants. You can examine the details of these studies and projects on the page on AIMA's official website. Our recommendation; primarily to visit this website in order to learn current information: https://aima.gov.pt/pt/lingua-portuguesa

AIMA-supported Portuguese courses are called Cursos de Português Língua de Acolhimento (PLA) or simply PLA. In order to get general information about the courses and learn the courses in your living area, you can send an e-mail to lingua.portuguesa@aima.gov.pt. A Portuguese and an additional English message (you can benefit from applications such as Google Translate etc. for translation) explaining that you take part as an immigrant in Portugal and that you want to get information to learn Portuguese will be sufficient. The contact addresses and details of the institutions located in your city and neighborhood will be transmitted to you.

Courses are generally opened twice a year, in autumn and spring semesters, and take an average of 150 hours. The autumn semester starts in September-October, and the spring semester starts in January-February, but there may be changes in the semester dates depending on the institution. Trainings are usually held face-to-face. Although small in number, there are also institutions providing online education.

In addition to courses, you can find Portuguese learning applications and resources shared by AIMA below:

1. Portal da Oferta Formativa: An official search portal where you can list all trainings throughout Portugal; https://www.ofertaformativa.gov.pt/#/pesquisa-cursos-alunos
2. Plataforma de Português Online: An application where you can practice Portuguese. Official address: https://pptonline.acm.gov.pt/ To register: https://pptonline.acm.gov.pt/students/register
3. Speaking Practice: You can practice speaking Portuguese from the address https://www.speak.social/en/.

The Portuguese tax declaration period is the 3 months during April - May - June. The declaration period ends as of July 1st.

If you could not complete your tax within the official declaration period, you have to make a small penalty payment. Although it increases with the delay period, the penalty payment in the first month, July, is 25 Euros. The delay fee increases exponentially up to 112.50 Euros as time passes. After paying this fee, you can complete your tax declaration.

If you are a salaried employee, your tax is automatically deducted and after being calculated for your registered expenditures within that year, your receipts that you processed via e-invoice, its payment is made to your account.

If you are a working person making a tax declaration (sole proprietorship, working outside Portugal, having income, etc.); after your tax is calculated (based on the tax bracket related to your income), your tax refund is deducted from the tax you need to pay. Instead of getting a tax refund, a discount is made in the tax you will pay.

To submit it when needed (for example AIMA may request it), you can get the "No Tax Debt" letter via Financias. This document, which is given with the logic of the Criminal Record in Turkey, covers you retroactively for a period of 3 months, it does not have long-term validity. Therefore, consider this situation in case of need and act accordingly.