Your first 90 days in Portugal: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
AIMA's backlog is the defining arrival reality: appointments, cards and renewals slip by months, and much of early expat life runs on the visa plus proof of a pending file.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Autorização de Residência (residence permit) — biometrics at an AIMA appointment (the ex-SEF agency)
Before the 120-day D-visa expires; the appointment is often pre-assigned with the visa
AIMA inherited a backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases; permit appointments and card delivery commonly run months behind schedule.
Get your NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal)
Required for a lease, bank account, utilities and phone contract — effectively everything in Portugal keys off it.
Issued at any Finanças (tax office) counter; non-residents commonly obtain it before arrival through a fiscal representative or an online NIF service.
Open a bank account
Banks want a NIF, passport, proof of address and often proof of income; US persons face extra FATCA paperwork but major banks accept them. Many arrivals bridge with Wise or Revolut until the NIF and lease exist.
Enrol in healthcare
With a residence permit, registration at the local Centro de Saúde yields an SNS user number (número de utente); private insurance is typically required for the visa and carries new arrivals until SNS registration completes.
Sort your driver's license
A US (OECD) licence stays valid — no exchange required while it is valid, holder under 60 — but it must be registered with IMT within 60 days of residency; voluntary test-free exchange needs an apostilled US driving record.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Portugal: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Portugal?
Autorização de Residência (residence permit) — biometrics at an AIMA appointment (the ex-SEF agency) — Before the 120-day D-visa expires; the appointment is often pre-assigned with the visa. AIMA inherited a backlog of hundreds of thousands of cases; permit appointments and card delivery commonly run months behind schedule. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the NIF and do I need one?
NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is Portugal's personal tax/ID number. Required for a lease, bank account, utilities and phone contract — effectively everything in Portugal keys off it. Issued at any Finanças (tax office) counter; non-residents commonly obtain it before arrival through a fiscal representative or an online NIF service.
Can I drive in Portugal on a US license?
A US (OECD) licence stays valid — no exchange required while it is valid, holder under 60 — but it must be registered with IMT within 60 days of residency; voluntary test-free exchange needs an apostilled US driving record. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Portugal?
With a residence permit, registration at the local Centro de Saúde yields an SNS user number (número de utente); private insurance is typically required for the visa and carries new arrivals until SNS registration completes. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Portugal's system treats foreign residents.