Portuguese residency - current situation - advice needed

nortada

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No idea when we are likely to get to the Canaries... we are engineless, broke and waiting to see what develops.

Still no idea whether it will definitely be 90/180 from next year, but may leave the boat in Bruce's for a while anyway.

Re. Portuguese residency - another can of worms seems to be driving licenses. If I get residency then I need to swap my UK license for a Portuguese one before the end of the year. I guess the solution to this is to forget ever driving in Portugal, as I am more likely to need to drive while in the UK.

- W

When in Portugal, I only drive hire cars so post 31/12/20, as a tourist, I will drive on my UK driving license, endorsed with an international permit and carry my passport.

From experience, unless you appear to be breaking the law, hire cars appear to get little attention from the constabulary.

On the financial front, given the limited amount of driving we do, hire cars are a cheaper option than having a car in Portugal and far less hassle.
 

Graham376

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Re. Portuguese residency - another can of worms seems to be driving licenses. If I get residency then I need to swap my UK license for a Portuguese one before the end of the year. I guess the solution to this is to forget ever driving in Portugal, as I am more likely to need to drive while in the UK.
- W

Driving license not much of a problem, I drove for a long time on my UK one even in my Portuguese car. If pulled, just tell police you're a tourist, don't mention being resident. I applied for license swap in February and it still hasn't arrived. As the temporary paper one is only valid in country, applied for new UK one on grounds old one was destroyed. Winter car hire <€25/week so you may well decide to drive, talk to GHA, he knows the cheapest hire places around Bruce's.
 

Clancy Moped

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Or you could drive legally in Portugal without invalidating your insurance, by changing over, and not causing a problem in the UK.

If an insurance company can find a way out it will, and an iffy license is a surefire way of doing so.


'If you have a European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) licence
Holders of a licence issued in EU/EEA nations can drive in the United Kingdom until the document expires. You won’t need to retake your test or exchange your driving documents. But once you turn 70, or three years after you become a UK resident (whichever is the longer of the two), your licence will expire.'

Rules on driving in the UK with an overseas licence | startrescue.co.uk

Flying under the radar in this case makes no sense.
 

GHA

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Winter car hire <€25/week so you may well decide to drive, talk to GHA, he knows the cheapest hire places around Bruce's.
Really cheap deals seem to have gone, looks more like tenner a day in November instead of last year when tenner a week was more like it . Three times I had a car for a day for nothing, zero Euros, free. They seem to have plugged that discount hole now though :)
 

greeny

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No idea when we are likely to get to the Canaries... we are engineless, broke and waiting to see what develops.

Still no idea whether it will definitely be 90/180 from next year, but may leave the boat in Bruce's for a while anyway.

Re. Portuguese residency - another can of worms seems to be driving licenses. If I get residency then I need to swap my UK license for a Portuguese one before the end of the year. I guess the solution to this is to forget ever driving in Portugal, as I am more likely to need to drive while in the UK.

- W
If you're not staying in Portugal you won't need to drive. Thinking about it, you won't need residency either????????? Why bother? Find a way of getting the Spanish residency if that's where you're going to finish up. :) May be better for you in the long run.
 

webcraft

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If you're not staying in Portugal you won't need to drive. Thinking about it, you won't need residency either????????? Why bother? Find a way of getting the Spanish residency if that's where you're going to finish up. :) May be better for you in the long run.

Spanish residency involves giving up the right to UK health care. Not going to happen.

As for staying in Portugal - we'll see. If it is an easier way to enjoy Winter sunshine until Scotland rejoins the EU, then maybe. It will still allow 3 months in the Canaries every now and then.

- W
 

Graham376

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Or you could drive legally in Portugal without invalidating your insurance, by changing over, and not causing a problem in the UK.

You think it's so simple, try it yourself. This is Portugal we're talking about where nothing is simple, even without Covid restrictions leaving staff shortages during semi lockdown of government departments. February - get a medical, arrive at driving licence centre at 9am, take a number and wait until 4.30 to submit application and hand UK license in. They issue temporary paper licence valid IIRC, for 6 months, but only valid in Portugal so can't drive in any other country including UK. 6 months later, temporary license expires, no proper license yet received so no driving license anywhere. When it does eventually arrive, most likely will have missing groups such as trailers which need extra test for Portuguese but not for UK license holders.
 

Clancy Moped

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You think it's so simple, try it yourself. This is Portugal we're talking about where nothing is simple, even without Covid restrictions leaving staff shortages during semi lockdown of government departments. February - get a medical, arrive at driving licence centre at 9am, take a number and wait until 4.30 to submit application and hand UK license in. They issue temporary paper licence valid IIRC, for 6 months, but only valid in Portugal so can't drive in any other country including UK. 6 months later, temporary license expires, no proper license yet received so no driving license anywhere. When it does eventually arrive, most likely will have missing groups such as trailers which need extra test for Portuguese but not for UK license holders.
I have a Spanish licence that's valid in the UK until it's expiry date, you're advocating driving in Portugal without valid/ legal insurance.

As for Covid restrictions, we've applied for our biometric TIE cards and have received them.
 
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nortada

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I have a Spanish licence that's valid in the UK until it's expiry date, you're advocating driving in Portugal without valid/ legal insurance.

As for Covid restrictions, we've applied for our biometric TIE cards and have received them.

The last few messages rather highlights some of the differences between Spain and Portugal.

Using hire cars gets around the need to exchange a UK license and any insurance implications.
 

25931

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Technically I think she's correct. I've seen that written somewhere but can't lay my hands on it right now. However many people I know have not been held to that rule. If asked they just say they've lived here for between 3 and 6 months and are now applying to register their residency. It's not been an issue normally. Just steam ahead with your application and it should go through ok in my experience.
No queue at Lagoa Camara except for the one on the day while you queue to get a ticket then have to stand outside in line until it's your turn to go in. They can be a bit strict on the paperwork though and sometimes ask for proof that you've lived here for a while like electric bill or phone contract. A backdated rental contract would do the same thing. Our local village freguessia (spelling?) has been giving people a statement signed to that effect to help them.
It would appear from reports that Lagos Camara are much easier going and not as pedantic over the paperwork.
If I remember correctly I think Faro have transferred their normally Camara based, temporary residence process to SEF the immigration office and this has resulted in the big backlog and weeks waiting. Don't go to Faro. I believe that after Brexit, all the locales will be doing the same as we will be a "third country" after that date and only SEF will be able to deal with us as non EU citizens.
freguesia has only one s - not that it matters in the least. :)
 

Jungle Jim

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Regarding current car hire prices, I am currently funding a Citroen C4 for a friend from LC Rent out of Faro airport, 320 euros per month plus 25 euro toll deposit. She needed an automatic, if she could have taken a manual there are smaller and cheaper vehicles available I believe. She has used the company before with no problems.
 

GHA

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Regarding current car hire prices, I am currently funding a Citroen C4 for a friend from LC Rent out of Faro airport, 320 euros per month plus 25 euro toll deposit. She needed an automatic, if she could have taken a manual there are smaller and cheaper vehicles available I believe. She has used the company before with no problems.
Best I've found so far is https://www.holidaycars.com/ to get the prices then filter for driveonholidays for the actual car. They've been good as gold so far with no hard sell of extras (must be over 40 rentals so far) . Near the little fountain roundabout in Montenegro so walkable from the boatyard.
 

Graham376

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you're advocating driving in Portugal without valid/ legal insurance.

No I'm not, if you read a previous post I said I had obtained a replacement UK one as the original hadn't been cancelled. As far as Portugal is concerned, although I don't physically have their license, the application is being processed so well covered.
 
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