Life in Portugal Post Brexit, Has the World Moved For You❓

[nortada]

Friends have pointed out that it has become increasingly apparent that every EU country will do it's own thing post Brexit so a generic thread covering life after Brexit would be far too broad. Therefore I am floating this thread to share information between Expats and Long Term Brit Visitors to Portugal.

Possibly I should add, for me, Expats are those who plan to live permanently in Portugal and possibly cut all ties with the UK, while Long Term Visitors are those, who hope to maintain their status in the UK.

I suspect a lot of boat owners are in the second category.

 

[srm]

Didn't your generic thread finish with mainly Portugal based comments?
At present I don't have anything useful to add other than being happy for my boat to officially become EU based at the end of the year as I have no inclination to take it back to the UK in the foreseeable future.

 

[nortada]

Didn't your generic thread finish with mainly Portugal based comments?
At present I don't have anything useful to add other than being happy for my boat to officially become EU based at the end of the year as I have no inclination to take it back to the UK in the foreseeable future.

True but by having a thread dedicated to life in Portugal leaves the way clear for Brit resident in out countries to open a thread for their country, should they wish.

Take your point about your future plan for your boat but this thread can be far broader than just boat issues.

 

[Pavalijo]

I’m in your second category - living around 5 summer months on the boat in the summer and spending winters at home.
We have spent the last 2 summers in the Spanish Rias but looking to head South to the Algarve this year.
I have just e mailed the Portuguese consulate to seek advice on obtaining a non-lucrative residency with a view to basing ourselves in Portugal and having a summer cruise of up to 90 days into Spain (or longer by adding in Gibraltar and Morocco).
We will not be tax residents, and at the moment we can still obtain travel insurance to cover the period we are away.
Am I being over optimistic? I hope not! I will post any reply I get (although am not holding my breath!)

Edit - make that the Embassy in London

 

[nortada]

Content Deleted

 

[nortada]

I’m in your second category - living around 5 summer months on the boat in the summer and spending winters at home.
We have spent the last 2 summers in the Spanish Rias but looking to head South to the Algarve this year.
I have just e mailed the Portuguese consulate to seek advice on obtaining a non-lucrative residency with a view to basing ourselves in Portugal and having a summer cruise of up to 90 days into Spain (or longer by adding in Gibraltar and Morocco).
We will not be tax residents, and at the moment we can still obtain travel insurance to cover the period we are away.
Am I being over optimistic? I hope not! I will post any reply I get (although am not holding my breath!)

Edit - make that the Embassy in London

Although no longer Citizens of the EU, it has been confirmed that Brits are still able to register for Portuguese Residency, using the pre-Brexit documentation.

Suggest, once you arrive in the Algarve, you go into a marina (Lagos) and register for Portuguese residency.

Reference travel/health insurance; once you are Portuguese residents you will be able to use the Portuguese Health Service.

You might find :- How To Become A Portuguese Citizen And Keep Your British Passport - All You Need To Know About Registering And Residency

PS What is non-lucrative residency?

 

[Seashoreman]

Non-lucrative residency? Surely that means non-earning?

 

[Graham376]

Non-lucrative residency? Surely that means non-earning?

Never heard of that before. Most just book into a marina to establish an address and go to Camara and get 5 year residence then convert to permanent at the end of 5 years at SEF, as I did some years ago. I am retired and not working/earning here but there's no mention of "non-lucrative" on residence card.

P.S. Just an afterthought, are there different criteria for immigrants under retirement age?

 

[greeny]

Then when resident go and get a Portuguese issued Ehic card which is valid for the rest of europe.

 

[jordanbasset]

Fair do's to Portugal if it is really the case anyone can just turn up in a marina, get residency and be allowed free health care, regardless if you are an EU citizen or not. Not many countries will be that generous

 

[Pavalijo]

Hi, thanks for the replies. Thinking back I realise that I have borrowed the non-lucrative term from a website dealing with long stay visas in Spain - the non-lucrative term simply meant that you would not be entitled to work. The visa takes months to obtain so I gave up on that idea!
I will read the information linked to, thanks

Edit - and I gave up on the idea of Spanish residency when I discovered I may have to import the boat and pay tax (about 11% on a value decided by the authorities).

 

[Graham376]

Just had a laugh. Pensioners need medical for driving license in Portugal so I've started the process. Wife said she knew a good doctor who looked after her father, hang on I said, your father died! Anyway, went to see this joker and the medical comprised one question - do you need glasses for driving? No was the reply, OK said he €50, please. Had to produce passport, permanent residence card, UK driving license and medical registration number with local Centro de Saude. Medical goes on line to licensing dept.

 

[srm]

Fair do's to Portugal if it is really the case anyone can just turn up in a marina, get residency and be allowed free health care, regardless if you are an EU citizen or not. Not many countries will be that generous

Not quite as simple as that, but a lot more friendly and cheaper than some other EU countries and one particular ex-EU country.

Basicaly, as an EU citizen you have to apply for a certificate of residence if you remain in Portugal for more than three months and my experience was that a marina address was acceptable. (A bank then accepted this certificate and address for opening an account with them). There are different requirements for none EU citizens. To register for health care you will need a Social Security number - which seems to involve having an employer or registering as self employed in Portugal. Unless, of course, you are retired and have a state pension then reciprocal agreements apply - discussed at length in more than one thread.

After five years with an EU certificate of residence you have to apply for a permanent residence card if still resident, which involves proving residence. (one sailor who is keeping his boat here failed this). As discussed on another thread requirements seem to vary between SEF offices. After six years residence you may apply for citizenship - which seems to take about a year to process.

All sound simple but you have to accept Portuguese bureaucracy so expect that the various hoops and goal posts can and do move, often from one office or official to another.

 

[Graham376]

To register for health care you will need a Social Security number - which seems to involve having an employer or registering as self employed in Portugal. Unless, of course, you are retired and have a state pension then reciprocal agreements apply - discussed at length in more than one thread.

I found Social Security number not needed, nor did I have to register as self employed as I'm retired. I simply went to a Centro de Saude and registered with a GP. Although I'm retired, there are no reciprocal agreements for me as I am still a UK resident as well so don't have an S1.

 

[nortada]

Not quite as simple as that, but a lot more friendly and cheaper than some other EU countries and one particular ex-EU country.

Basicaly, as an EU citizen you have to apply for a certificate of residence if you remain in Portugal for more than three months and my experience was that a marina address was acceptable. (A bank then accepted this certificate and address for opening an account with them). There are different requirements for none EU citizens. To register for health care you will need a Social Security number - which seems to involve having an employer or registering as self employed in Portugal. Unless, of course, you are retired and have a state pension then reciprocal agreements apply - discussed at length in more than one thread.

After five years with an EU certificate of residence you have to apply for a permanent residence card if still resident, which involves proving residence. (one sailor who is keeping his boat here failed this). As discussed on another thread requirements seem to vary between SEF offices. After six years residence you may apply for citizenship - which seems to take about a year to process.

All sound simple but you have to accept Portuguese bureaucracy so expect that the various hoops and goal posts can and do move, often from one office or official to another.

Sounds simple. Is that simple so not too sure about your agenda?

 

[Pavalijo]

I get the impression from inferences in this thread that whilst different Camaras (town halls?) have varying levels of beaurocracy it might be easier to go through the process in Lagos, where the authorities presumably deal with many Brit yachties who arrive and stay for the winter - and linger a while.
We expect to arrive around early/mid July and will head there as soon as we arrive. We will be heading home early-ish August - so will only being around for a few weeks be long enough to complete the process? Would we be better to wait until our return in Spring 2021?
Ideally we would prefer to go home in August with our residency so we can plan our 2021 season......

 

[Graham376]

Would we be better to wait until our return in Spring 2021?

NO, you won't be a citizen of the EU by then, needs to be done before end December.

 

[nortada]

I get the impression from inferences in this thread that whilst different Camaras (town halls?) have varying levels of beaurocracy it might be easier to go through the process in Lagos, where the authorities presumably deal with many Brit yachties who arrive and stay for the winter - and linger a while.
We expect to arrive around early/mid July and will head there as soon as we arrive. We will be heading home early-ish August - so will only being around for a few weeks be long enough to complete the process? Would we be better to wait until our return in Spring 2021?
Ideally we would prefer to go home in August with our residency so we can plan our 2021 season......

Unless things change dramatically, you will get the registration completed within a couple of hours - start to finish.

Nevertheless, you need to register before the end of the Transition Period.

 

[25931]

After six years residence you may apply for citizenship - which seems to take about a year to process.

All sound simple but you have to accept Portuguese bureaucracy so expect that the various hoops and goal posts can and do move, often from one office or official to another.

To obtain citizenship you need to speak the language but it shouldn't be a problem after 6 years.

 

[Graham376]

To obtain citizenship you need to speak the language but it shouldn't be a problem after 6 years.

Don't count on it, not speaking the language meant I never had an argument with my mother-in-law