Pros & Cons of becoming a resident

[Guest]

I'm English......and yes I will give them a call.........Ive never heard of such a rule and Ive lived here for a few years now...MMmmmm

[digger]

Do please let us know what they have to say.....I had a few queries just before and just after moving here three years ago and I found the British consulate only too please help..

[steve]

Nationality does play a part. EU citizens are allowed to stay in Portugal for up to six months in a year but beyond this have to apply for a residencia.

I do not think that the Servico de Estrangeiros office in Portimao is a very welcoming place to visit. Long queues, some distinctly unsavoury looking applicants, a popular place for theft because victims have a readymade set of ID papers on hand and variable treatment by the officialsas to exactly what was needed and whether it needed to be translated. Others may have had happier experiences but I was glad that I paid someone to take me through the process of residencia application. Cost for my wife and myself totalled 140 euros and was I thought maoney well spent.

Apart from being legal it does confer the benefits that others have mentioned and I very much agree with Bob T that it helps to create a stronger feeling of belonging here.

I matriculated my own car -which you need a residencia to do free of taxes on a change of residence concession- but I speak some Portuguese and having worked for Customs in England I saw the process as a challenge. It was pretty drawn out and very frustrating at times so I would advise anyone who doesn't speak any Portuguese to think seriously about getting someone else to do it if they will only charge about 500 euros. I met people who were paying three times that figure.

The only drawback that I am aware of with a residencia is that the police may expect you to produce a Portuguese driving license. It is easier to produce a UK passport to support your UK driving licence.

Technically if you are out of the UK for more than 2 months you can be struck off your doctor's lists and you have to reapply on return but unless you are a regular visitor to your GP who knows? I know people who have lived here in Portugal invisibly to the authorities for years. This is probably still possible but increasing fiscal formalities will doubtless shorten the life of this option.

[falcon]

I’m no ‘Expert’ so would rather not answer the question. And I think the answer may depend on your nationality. Falcon mentions 8 months (was), but doesn’t mention his nationality. Best phone your consulate… ..they should answer this type of query over the phone no prob

Digger, I am South African but I hold a British Passport - so for all intensive purposes I am a British Citizen

[digger]

falcon!……I thought you were S African….don’t know why….I guess it must have been mentioned on here some time back…
Anyway I just thought the nationality thing relevant to all this….

[Rampage]

To ask a reverse question - is it possible to apply for residence in Portugal whilst owning property there but not yet spending much time there i.e. is there a minimum qualifying period? Although a British citizen I shall most likely be starting long-term residence in Portugal straight from a location outside the UK/EU. If residence status can be achieved in advance this might simplify things with respect to shipping/registration of personal effects and vehicles etc. Otherwise I might have to pay double costs relocating back to the UK then onwards to Portugal.

[steve]

Rampage I think that you need to speak to an expert about this. It might be possible to do this but the date of the residencia is going to set the clock ticking for things such as tax returns and the car matriculation process. You only have a year from declared entry to Portugal on a change of residence to matriculate and technically you should start the process not later than 6 months after the entry date.

A Brit moving here from a non EU country might also complicate things.

[Guest]

Hi guys

I have read this post with great interest.

With regards to wether you are considered a resident in the Uk and qualify for free NHS treatment you have paid into all your working life, think again. The rules changed in April this year and if you do not spend over 183 days in the UK you do not qualify.

This is the link to the tax office website
http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/pdfs/ir20.htm

and defines residency in the UK

This is a link to another website to an article I found about healthcare. So if you are thinking of nipping back to the UK for a free health check of dental care think again. Especially if this is the only thing stopping you becoming a resident in Portugal. So everything has to be taken on balance.

Enjoy and like me fume at the injustice...we who have paid into the system all our working lives have less rights than assylum seekers etc.

http://www.expat.telegraph.co.uk/global ... hel202.xml

Sorry the link is so long...but it is worth reading.

Are taxes cheaper in Portugal?

Piglet

[digger]

…hmmm….but piglet….ok forget the asylum seeker [that’s just too political and sensitive with its questionable humanitarian angle]…..you may think it unfair that Brits don’t automaticly qualify for NHS care when they live in Portugal most of the time……but because they are Brits they are entitled to pt nhs where the cost of some of the more expensive treatment is paid by the Brit nhs…..

[Burki]

Hi all,

I just browsed through the forum and found this topic which I find very interesting as my wife and I are thinking about going to Portugal in some time (well, a decade or so, but... ).
I checked the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs (and some other's of EU countries) and there you find a very clear answer on residence permits:

EU citizens (of the old 15 countries, there are other rules for the new 10)are allowed to stay in another EU country for up to 90 consecutive days. After that they have to leave or apply for a residential permit - which they are entitled to receive! You may, however, leave and come back for another 90 days - so far I understood.

The tax issue is different, there the 183 days rule is applicable for all EU countries, but this been said in this thread before.

Hope that helps, Burkhard.

P.S. Looking forward to go to CVO in three 1/2 weeks.....

[Guest]

Digger

Thanks for your response. If we became PT residents does this mean for ongoing treatment ie regular blood tests, and general monitoring of say a heart condition this would be covered under the PT NHS? )These are not covered by private medical as they are a pre condition).

What are the other benefits of becoming a PT resident in a nutshell as this is something we seriously need to consider.

Have you found it beneficial?

Kind Regards
Piglet

[digger]

Hi Piglet……..

What are the other benefits of becoming a PT resident in a nutshell as this is something we seriously need to consider

in a nutshell…I’m not too sure…Bob T gave three good reasons [see above]..and Burki says you have to if staying more than 90 days. I don’t know if I can add to that. For me/us it just seemed the right thing to do when we moved here and I don’t remember looking at the pros & cons. My wife is Portuguese so maybe our circumstances are a little different to yours.

If we became PT residents does this mean for ongoing treatment ie regular blood tests, and general monitoring of say a heart condition this would be covered under the PT NHS?

Once you’ve applied for a residencia and before you get it, they’ll give you a piece of paper….you can take to your local nhs health centre….get a GP and then every time you see him/her it will cost you 3 euros …..say you want an ECG [3 euros ish??] and blood tests [75 cents each]. I moved here 3 years ago and I needed an op….been on the list in the UK for about 2 years…..I got it done here within 2 months of being here ……. 3 days in hospital and it didn’t cost me a cent….
And drugs in a farmacia are something like ½ or 1/3 the normal price when you show your medical card….

Boa sorte

[digger]

…..and piglet….keep all your receipts……it’s all tax deductible

[Guest]

Thanks Bob

I think it is the fear of the unknown. and as we cant speak the language, at the moment alot is unknown