During the first three months of staying, the citizen is not obliged to register to obtain a document that declares is right of staying, but it can be made voluntarily at the City Council of the area of residence. The EU citizens have the right to live in Portugal, for a period of three months, without conditions and formalities besides the ownership of valid identification document (ID, citizen card or passport). The same principle is applied to the family members of the EU citizens, with a valid passport, that accompanying him/ her of are gathered. The EU citizens that see their staying extended for more than three months must make the registration that formalizes their right of residence. After three months of staying in the national territory, the EU citizen has 30 day to make that registration, receiving the Certificate of Registration
That request is made at the City Council of the area of residence and the following documents are needed:
Employees
- Valid identification document;
- Declaration, under oath, that they perform a subordinated professional activity or independent in Portugal; or
- Declaration, under oath, that they do have enough financial resources to support him and his family members, as well as an health insurance, provided that such is required by the Member-State of the nationality of the Portuguese citizens
Pensioner
- Valid identification document;
- Declaration, under oath, that they do have enough financial resources to support him and his family members, as well as an health insurance, provided that such is required by the Member-State of the nationality of the Portuguese citizens
Students
- Valid identification document;
- Declaration, under oath, that, they are registered in a public or private education institution, officially recognized;
- Declaration or other way of proving that they do have enough financial resources and an health insurance, provided that such is required by the Member-State of the nationality of the Portuguese citizens
- If the registration is not made they are punished with a fine between 400 to 1500 Euros. Notes:
- Do the registration or keep it without gathering the necessary conditions means a fine between 500 to 2500 Euros.
- If there is an abuse of rights, fraud, marriage or forged or convenient union, they are charged and the rights of residents are withdrawn.
As a European citizen you obtain automatically the right of permanent residence in other EU country after you have lived there legally during at least five consecutive years.
You may, then, request a document of permanent residence that confirm your right to live in that country permanently without restrictions.
In contrast with the certificate of registration, which is mandatory in several countries, the document of permanent residence is not mandatory.
The document of permanent residence may be useful contacting with authorities or for purposes of administrative formalities. The authorities may not demand documents that prove that you have a job, means of subsistence, health coverage, etc.
The authorities must issue the document of permanent resident as soon as possible and the cost must not exceed the amount paid by the national citizen to obtain the respective document of national identification. If that is not the case, you may go to our assistance services.
The permanent document of residence must have a validity of ten years and be renewable automatically without additional conditions or requisites.
To obtain a permanent document of residence you must present:
- Document proving that you live legally in the hosting country for the last five years. The authorities may, for example, demand a certificate of registration issued at the time of arrival to the country and/or other documents of support (work contract, tax declaration, rental contracts, water or electricity bills, etc.) or
- Document proving the professional activity ended and are gather the conditions to acquire beforehand the right of permanent residence.