v256.0 · relocation checklist · GB → PT · verified 2026-04
United Kingdom to Portugal — relocation checklist
15-step ordered checklist covering visa, banking, healthcare, housing, taxes, schooling, shipping, and pets. Written for the UK retiree, remote worker, or HNW post-FIG-window seeking EU lifestyle + IFICI / lower tax.
From
To
Total cost
£5,000-20,000 — visa, deposits, shipping
Timeline
14-20 weeks pre-arrival, 4-8 weeks post-arrival
Typical profile for this pair
UK retiree, remote worker, or HNW post-FIG-window seeking EU lifestyle + IFICI / lower tax
Step-by-step checklist (15 steps)
Pre-departure (16-20 weeks out)
- Choose visa post-Brexit — D7 (Passive Income), D8 (Digital Nomad), Tech Visa, Golden Visa (fund/investment routes)
Pre-departure (12-16 weeks out)
- NIF (Portuguese tax number) via attorney €100-200
Pre-departure (10-14 weeks out)
- Visa application at Portuguese Consulate London/Manchester via VFS Global, 60-90 day processing
Pre-departure (8-12 weeks out)
- Portuguese bank — Activobank, Millennium BCP, BPI; remote opening with NIF + POA
Pre-departure (6-10 weeks out)
- UK ACRO Police Certificate (£55-90) + Apostille (£30)
Pre-departure (4-8 weeks out)
- UK tax — SA109 (Non-resident); plan FIG window exit; Statutory Residence Test split-year
Pre-departure (4-6 weeks out)
- Housing — Idealista, Imovirtual; Lisbon/Porto €800-2,000/month
Pre-departure (2-4 weeks out)
- Ship — Anglo-Pickfords, AGS Movers UK→Portugal, 7-14 days road/sea, £2,000-6,000
Pre-departure (1-2 weeks out)
- Pet — UK pet passport invalid post-Brexit; AHC required per trip, vet visit £100-300
Arrival (Week 1-2)
- AIMA appointment within 4 months
Arrival (Week 2-3)
- Junta de Freguesia + SNS user-card
Arrival (Week 3-6)
- AIMA biometrics; Título de Residência mailed 4-8 weeks
Arrival (Month 2)
- IFICI registration if eligible
Arrival (Month 3-6)
- UK SA106 + SA109; Portuguese Modelo 3 ITR April-June
Ongoing
- Permanent residence after 5 years; EU passport via citizenship after 5 years
Cost breakdown
| D7/D8 visa application | £72 + £72 residence permit |
| NIF via UK attorney | €100-200 |
| ACRO + Apostille | £55-90 + £30 |
| Travel insurance (1 year) | £500-1,500 |
| First month rent + 2-month deposit (Lisbon 1BR) | €2,400-6,000 |
| Shipping (UK→PT) | £2,000-6,000 |
| Pet AHC + travel | £300-1,500 |
⚠ Gotchas + watch-outs
- Post-Brexit — UK pet passports no longer valid; AHC required per trip
- NHR closed end-2023 — IFICI replacement narrower
- UK FIG regime (April 2025+) gives 4-year clean break — plan timing carefully
- Statutory Residence Test (SRT) sufficiency required to break UK tax residence
- Portugal taxes worldwide income after Year 1 if not on IFICI
- UK-Portugal DTAA gives reciprocal protections
Official sources
- Portugal Consulate UK — https://londres.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/
- HMRC Non-residence — https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/non-resident
- AIMA Portugal — https://aima.gov.pt/
See also: United Kingdom profile · Portugal profile · all relocation checklists · Portugal digital nomad visa · Portugal tax residency · Portugal banking · Portugal healthcare
Last verified 2026-04. Immigration, tax, and banking rules change frequently — verify with official sources before acting.