Moving to Portugal

Practicalities of moving to Portugal and understanding the Portuguese way of life.

Practicalities of moving to Portugal and understanding the Portuguese way of life

If you are thinking about making Portugal home, one of the things you may be considering is getting to grips with Portuguese. 

No mean feat!

Portuguese is an ancient language with latin roots.  This is evident from the written word, but when it’s spoken, the language is totally different to all other western European languages making it quite a tricky language to learn.

A few other interesting facts about Portuguese include the fact that apparently Rumanian and Portuguese people can understand each others languages, Portuguese is the fifth most commonly spoken language in the world, and many Portuguese words are evident in the Japanese language - for example ‘arigato’ is ‘thank you’ in Japanese and it comes from the Portuguese word for ‘thank you’ - ‘obrigado’ (or ‘obrigada’ if spoken by a woman).

Moving to Portugal - Visa Information

To visit Portugal, if you are a British national or a national of an EU Member state or a citizen of Canada, New Zealand, Australia or the USA you can stay visa-free for up to 90 days, everyone else requires a visa.

As Portugal is a full member of the European Union, citizens of pre-2004 EU member states don’t require work permits or visas.

UK and EU nationals working in Portugal will be afforded the same rights as Portuguese nationals when it comes to equality of pay, working conditions, vocational training, social security and union membership.

If you are an EU national you are also allowed to enter Portugal for up to three months to look for work or set up in business there.

Even if you are an EU or British national, you may be asked to prove that you have adequate finances for the duration of your intended stay and that you have a return ticket or at least the cost of your return journey covered.

The recent enlargement of the EU does not mean that the above rules necessarily apply to citizens of the new EU member states.

If you are from one of these countries - with the exception of Cyprus and Malta - and you want to move to Portugal, or if you are from a non-EU country you should contact the Portuguese Embassy in your country to see what restrictions apply.

If you are successful in your bid to move to Portugal and you are ready to make this vibrant and beautiful country home, what can you expect?

Lifestyle

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and it is a lively, exciting city with plenty going on to keep you occupied and active.  Along Portugal’s coast, especially the Algarve region, you’ll find sophisticated beach resorts and golf complexes, and in Portugal’s more rural areas you’ll discover a country still conspicuously underdeveloped.

Whatever lifestyle you are looking to achieve you’ll soon discover plenty of opportunities to fulfil your expectations.  From a sophisticated life in a vibrant European city to experiencing life that has changed little over the last century...Portugal could afford you both!