TAX NUMBER (NIF)

NÚMERO DE IDENTIFICAÇÃO FISCAL

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🔗 KEY LINKS

📍 KEY LOCATIONS

Tax Office Lisboa 7: R. Alfredo Soares 2-A, 1400-006 Lisboa

Tax Office Lisboa 10: Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 30B, 1050-217 Lisboa

These two Lisbon Tax Offices hand out passwords at the beginning of the day to apply for NIFs, without the need to have an appointment in advance. Few passwords are handed out, so it's necessary to arrive early and before the offices open at 9AM.

☎️ KEY CONTACTS

Portal das Finanças:

217 206 707

WHAT IS IT?

The Tax Identification Number (NIF) is a unique identifier number assigned to resident, non-resident individuals and entities for tax purposes, in Portugal.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The number is important for complying with tax obligations in the country, but it is also required by various institutions such as schools, employers, health centers and social security to identify and register its holder in these given authorities.

Anyone can apply for this number if they present the required documentation. Kids can also apply for this number if a legal representative makes the request in their names.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

1. The first step is to make an appointment or go to one of the tax offices that hand out NIF application passwords in the morning.

Tax Offices of Lisboa: 7 (R. Alfredo Soares 2-A, 1400-006) and Lisboa 10 (Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 30B, 1050-217 Lisboa) distribute this type of tickets early in the morning.

2. Appointments can be made in person at some Tax Authority offices, at the Finanças contact center (217 206 707) and some Tax Offices.

3. The Tax Authority requires that it is necessary to first apply for a NIF as a non-resident in Portugal

If your country of residence before coming to Portugal was a non-European country, you will need a tax representative. If your country of residence before coming to Portugal was a European country this step can be skipped, and you don’t need a tax representative.

The tax representative can be a Portuguese citizen, a citizen with permanent residence or a company.

4. Once you have an expression of interest, Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) residency, SEF appointment or Residence Permit, you need to change your fiscal address to Portugal and become a fiscal resident in Portugal.

The same steps must be followed as for applying for a NIF, but now without the need for a fiscal representative and the proof of address to be presented is Portuguese.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Original passport

Proof of address (utility bills, online shopping proofs, anything that shows your country-of-origin address in Portuguese or English)

Declaration of the fiscal representative accepting the fiscal representation (The tax representative can be a Portuguese citizen, a citizen with permanent residence or a company).

Copy of a Birth Certificate when the NIF is for a child. - If the document is not in Portuguese, English or Spanish is advisable to translate it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will my NIF number change when I become a tax resident in Portugal?	No, the number is unique and once assigned does not change.
Can a third party request the NIF for me?	Yes, but you will need power of attorney and the document must also be certified.
Is it possible to apply for a NIF online?	Yes, some tax offices accept NIF requests in the "E-balcão" function of the Portal das Finanças. However, only people who already have a NIF can access this function. The same documents are required, and this person will have to send a power of attorney giving them the authority to request the NIF on your behalf.
Do I have to change my tax address to Portugal?	Yes, there is a legal obligation to change your tax address and the taxes applied on the salaries of residents are different from those applied to non-residents.