Chave Móvel Digital for Foreigners: How to Activate and Use It
Portugal's digital key replaces separate passwords for tax, social security and health portals. Foreigners without a Citizen Card can get one, but only at a counter.
The Chave Móvel Digital (CMD, Portugal’s digital mobile key) is a free government login that links your mobile number to a single PIN for public portals such as the Portal das Finanças, Segurança Social Direta and SNS 24. Foreign nationals without a Portuguese Citizen Card activate it in person, using a passport or a residence document; most residence documents also need a Portuguese NIF.
The details below follow the gov.pt service page on activating the CMD, updated on 22 September 2026, and the autenticacao.gov.pt activation page, as of November 2026.
What is the Chave Móvel Digital used for?
The CMD lets you log in to public and private portals and sign documents digitally with one PIN. When you log in, you enter your phone number and PIN, then a temporary code sent to your phone.
- Portal das Finanças: tax returns, e-Fatura, IMI and IUC payments, NIF certificates.
- Segurança Social Direta: contributions, benefits and statements.
- SNS 24 and other health services online.
- gov.pt services and the gov.pt app.
- Justice services, such as the online criminal record certificate.
It replaces separate passwords for each portal, which matters because letters with Finanças passwords go to your registered address and can take days to arrive.
Which documents can foreigners use?
gov.pt accepts several documents besides the Portuguese Citizen Card:
| Document | NIF needed? |
|---|---|
| Passport | No |
| Brazilian citizen card under the Porto Seguro Treaty (equal rights status) | No |
| Residence permit card (Título de Residência) for non-EU citizens | Yes |
| EU residence card or certificate (Cartão or Certificado de Residência) for EU citizens and family members | Yes |
Some residence certificates do not allow a digital signature to be linked to the CMD, according to gov.pt; you can still use the key to log in. There is no minimum age, but each person needs their own mobile phone number. If you do not have a NIF yet, our guide on how to get a NIF covers the options.
Where do I activate it?
At a counter. The online options (the gov.pt app with face capture, the autenticacao.gov.pt portal with a card reader, and the route using Portal das Finanças credentials and a letter) all require a Citizen Card. So does the video-call option, which autenticacao.gov.pt marked as temporarily unavailable in November 2026.
For foreign documents, autenticacao.gov.pt lists in-person counters including the Espaços Cidadão network of citizen service points, criminal records counters, and Portuguese consular posts abroad.
- Book or check opening hours at your nearest Espaço Cidadão; many in Lisbon work with appointments.
- Bring your passport or residence document, your NIF if using a residence document, and the mobile phone you will link.
- Give the staff an email and your phone number; you will choose a PIN during the process.
- Test the login on autenticacao.gov.pt the same day.
Activation is free, as gov.pt states.
Can I sign documents with it?
Yes, once the digital signature is activated. Signing uses the same PIN and a code sent to your phone, and Portuguese public bodies accept the result as an electronic signature. Activating the signature is a separate step on autenticacao.gov.pt, and it is not available for some residence certificates.
Digital signatures are useful for leases, forms for AIMA and Social Security, and documents for your bank or employer that would otherwise need printing and scanning.
What should I do when my residence card changes?
If you activated the CMD with a residence card, check your CMD details on autenticacao.gov.pt after each residence permit renewal, and ask at a counter if a service rejects your login or the new card number needs to be recorded.
Keep the linked mobile number active: without access to the codes sent to it, you cannot log in. If you change number, update the CMD before cancelling the old SIM; autenticacao.gov.pt explains the current procedure.
Is it safe?
The CMD is as safe as your phone and PIN. Never give the PIN or SMS codes to anyone, including people claiming to be from Finanças, Social Security or a bank. Public services do not ask for your code by phone, email or text. If you suspect someone has used your key, change the PIN and contact the support line listed on autenticacao.gov.pt.
Bottom line
For a newcomer, the CMD is worth one trip to an Espaço Cidadão as soon as you have a NIF: it saves waiting for password letters and opens almost every public portal in one place. Bring the passport if your residence card is not issued yet, then update the key once the card arrives.
FAQ
Can foreigners get a Chave Móvel Digital online?
Not without a Portuguese Citizen Card. Foreign documents such as a passport or residence card are only accepted at in-person counters or Portuguese consulates.
Do I need a NIF for the Chave Móvel Digital?
Only if you use a residence document. With a passport or a Brazilian Porto Seguro citizen card, gov.pt says a NIF is not required.
Can I use a foreign phone number?
The key is tied to a mobile number that receives the login codes. Ask at the counter whether your foreign number can be used, since gov.pt only states that each person needs their own number.
How much does the Chave Móvel Digital cost?
Nothing. gov.pt says the CMD is free.
