How to get a NIF in Portugal in 2026: the questions expats ask

How to get a NIF in Portugal before or after you move, when you need a fiscal representative, what it costs and how it differs from a NISS.

The NIF (número de identificação fiscal) is Portugal's nine-digit tax number, issued by the Tax and Customs Authority (AT). You need it to sign contracts, open a bank account or start a job. The number never changes, whether you are registered as a resident or a non-resident.

General information on the official rules, not tax advice for your situation.

Can I get a NIF before I move?

Yes. Since 1 July 2025, people without a Portuguese Citizen Card apply through one of two AT channels: online through the e-balcão on the Portal das Finanças, or in person at a tax office (Serviço de Finanças) or Loja do Cidadão, always with an appointment. If you apply from abroad, your NIF is issued with non-resident status. Residents have a third route.

Three ways to get a NIF: online through a legal representative, in person by appointment, or at an Espaço Cidadão once you live in Portugal — The three ways to get a NIF. Source: Portuguese Tax Authority and gov.pt

Can it be done online, or by a lawyer?

Online, yes, but not by you directly: the request must come from a legal representative who can log in to the Portal das Finanças, such as a lawyer, a solicitor or anyone holding your power of attorney. The AT stresses that this role is separate from a fiscal representative.

Your representative opens a new e-balcão question (Registo Contribuinte > Identific > Atrib/Alter NIF-Singulares) and attaches copies of:

your passport or other civil ID
a document showing your address abroad, unless your ID already shows it
their own ID and the power of attorney

A power of attorney given to a lawyer or solicitor, identified as such, needs no certified signature; others do. Documents in another language need a certified translation.

What if I apply in person?

Book through the Portal das Finanças (Contactos > Atendimento por Marcação, the option for people without a Citizen Card) or by phone on +351 217 206 707, working days from 9:00 to 19:00. Bring your passport and proof of your address abroad if your ID does not show it.

Facade of the Estremoz tax office (Serviço de Finanças), an old building with ornate windows, at dusk

If you are not an EU national and apply yourself, your passport must carry an entry visa for Portugal, unless it has an entry visa for another EU country or your nationality is visa-free for the Schengen area.

Do I need a fiscal representative?

Not to get the number. In the AT's own words, a non-resident's NIF request "does not require the designation of a tax representative". What happens next depends on where you live:

EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (and Andorran citizens living in Andorra): appointing a representative or signing up for electronic notifications is optional.
Anywhere else, the UK and US included: once you have a tax link with Portugal (a car registered here, property here, a contract to work here or self-employment here), you have 15 days to appoint a fiscal representative or sign up for electronic notifications (the Portal das Finanças system or the ViaCTT mailbox).
Self-employed and living outside the EU: you must appoint a VAT representative resident in Portugal before you start, even if you use electronic notifications.

Any person or company domiciled in Portugal can act as representative, including a foreigner with a valid residence permit registered here as a resident. Missing a required appointment can mean a fine of 75 to 7,500 euros and losing the right to complain or appeal to the tax authority.

What does it cost?

gov.pt says the request is free for Citizen Card holders and may cost something in other cases, for example when made through a representative. The AT pages we checked list no fee for the request itself; a lawyer or company sets its own fees. The combined service for residents below is free.

NIF, NISS, residence permit: what is the difference?

NIF: your tax number, from the AT.
NISS: your social security number, used with Segurança Social. Foreign nationals apply online with ID, proof of their work situation (such as an employment contract) and proof of a residence application. It is free, has no fixed deadline, and a registered letter tells you when to collect it.
Residence permit: your right to live in Portugal. Non-EU citizens deal with AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum); EU citizens register with their câmara municipal (town hall) and receive a registration certificate.

Once you have a Portuguese address and a residence permit (or a pending application), an EU registration certificate, or international protection, you can request the NIF, the NISS and the national health service (SNS) number in one free appointment at one of 12 Espaços Cidadão (Braga, Faro, Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal districts). You sign in with a Chave Móvel Digital linked to your passport, which can be created on the spot, or with eIDAS; AIMA reviews the request.

What to do once you move

Switch to resident status. You become a tax resident after more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period starting or ending in the year concerned, or, with a shorter stay, if you have a home here that shows you intend to keep it as your usual residence. Tell the AT within 60 days, through the e-balcão (Registo Contribuinte > Identific > Alteração Morada/Singulares) or in person by appointment. EU citizens show their registration certificate; others show their residence permit or proof of their AIMA appointment or application.
Get your Finanças password. Request it on the Portal das Finanças. It arrives by post at your tax address, on average within 5 working days; while you live abroad it goes to the address on file, or to your fiscal representative if you have one.
Sort out your NISS and SNS number, together at an Espaço Cidadão or separately.

Rules change, so check the Portal das Finanças before you act.