How to Get a NIF in Portugal: Who Needs One and How to Apply
The Portuguese tax number comes before almost everything else: a lease, a bank account, a job contract. Getting one is simple once you know which route fits your situation.
A NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is the nine-digit tax number Portugal’s tax authority, Finanças, gives every taxpayer. Foreigners request it by appointment at any tax office (Serviço de Finanças) or Loja do Cidadão, or online through a legal representative. A fiscal representative is not required just to get the number.
The same number stays with you for life, whether Finanças lists you as resident or non-resident. Rules and procedures below follow the AT’s own leaflet on NIFs for foreign non-residents, updated in October 2026, as of November 2026.
Who needs a NIF?
Practically everyone who lives in Portugal needs one. The AT describes the NIF as essential for jobs, contracts, bank accounts and social security, and gov.pt adds buying goods and services to the list.
In daily life you will be asked for it to sign and register a lease, open a bank account, get a phone or internet contract, start a job, enrol with utilities and receive invoices that count toward your tax deductions. Portuguese citizens with a Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão) get a NIF automatically; everyone else applies.
How do I apply in person?
Book an appointment first. Walk-in requests are not the standard route.
- Book on the Portal das Finanças under Contacts, then appointment service (Atendimento por Marcação), choosing the option for a NIF or change of address for people without a Citizen Card. Select subject Identification and sub-subject NIF request, and enter your ID document number.
- Or book by phone through the AT call centre on (+351) 217 206 707, working days 09:00 to 19:00.
- Go to the tax office or Loja do Cidadão you chose with a valid passport or other civil ID, plus a document showing your foreign address if your ID does not show it.
- If the documents are in order, Finanças assigns the NIF and registers you as non-resident at your foreign address.
Non-EU citizens applying in person need the entry visa in their passport, unless it shows a visa for another EU country or they are from a visa-exempt country, according to the AT. Documents in a foreign language must come with a certified translation.
Can I get a NIF online or from abroad?
Yes, through a representative. Since 1 July 2025 a legal representative, such as a lawyer or solicitor holding your power of attorney, can file the request on the Portal das Finanças e-balcão. The path is new question, area Registo Contribuinte, type Identific, question Atrib/Alter NIF-Singulares.
The request needs a copy of your passport, proof of your foreign address if the passport does not show it, and the representative’s ID with the power of attorney. Powers of attorney given to lawyers and solicitors do not need a notarised signature. The same person can apply for you at a tax office in person. The AT does not list a fee for assigning a NIF in its guidance, but representatives charge for their own work.
Do I need a fiscal representative?
Not to get the number. The AT says naming a fiscal representative (representante fiscal) is optional when the NIF is assigned to a non-resident. The obligation starts later, if you are a non-resident and create a tax relationship in Portugal.
| Your situation (as of November 2026) | Fiscal representative? |
|---|---|
| Non-resident, NIF only | Not required |
| Non-resident with an address in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein | Optional |
| Non-resident outside the EU who buys property or a car, or signs a work contract here | Within 15 days: name a representative or sign up for electronic tax notifications |
| Non-resident outside the EU who works self-employed in Portugal | A VAT fiscal representative is mandatory before starting, even with electronic notifications |
| Tax resident in Portugal | Not required |
Failing to name a representative when it is mandatory can lead to a fine of €75 to €7,500 under the general tax offences law (RGIT). A foreigner can act as someone’s fiscal representative only with a valid residence permit and a resident tax registration.
How do I change my NIF address to resident?
Update your tax address within 60 days of becoming tax resident. Under the AT’s rules you are resident if you spend more than 183 days in Portugal in any 12-month period, or have a home here that suggests you intend to live in it as your usual residence.
- Book a tax office or Loja do Cidadão appointment for a change of address, picking the EU/EEA citizen or third-country citizen option, or file it on the e-balcão once you have a Portal das Finanças password.
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens bring their ID and the EU citizen registration certificate from their municipality. A deed or lease, a work contract or a document from a public body is also accepted as proof of address.
- Non-EU citizens bring their passport and a residence permit valid on the day, or the receipt or appointment notice for a pending AIMA case that shows the address.
If your address differs from the one on your AIMA documents, the AT asks for proof that you also asked AIMA to change it. Once you are resident, your annual IRS tax return and any special regime depend on that registration.
What do I do with the NIF next?
Ask for the Portal das Finanças password (senha de acesso) so you can see notices and file returns online. Give your NIF to shops when you want invoices counted toward deductions. Then use it for the next steps: opening a Portuguese bank account and renting an apartment in Lisbon.
Bottom line
Get the NIF early, even before you move, because landlords and banks ask for it first. A representative is needed to apply online and in some later tax situations. Change your registration to resident within 60 days of moving, because it decides how your later tax returns are treated.
FAQ
Is the NIF the same as the NISS?
No. The NIF is your tax number from Finanças. The NISS is your social security number from Segurança Social, needed to work and to receive benefits.
Can I get a NIF without a Portuguese address?
Yes. Finanças registers you at your foreign address as a non-resident, and you change it later when you become resident.
How long does it take?
The AT does not publish a standard processing time. In person, the request is handled at the appointment; online, it depends on when the AT answers the e-balcão question.
I lost my NIF card. Do I need a new number?
No. The number never changes. You can request a second copy of the taxpayer card, and the number also appears on your Portal das Finanças account.
