r/PortugalExpats

Dear Members,

We’re about to start the process of moving to Portugal for good. We’re an Indian couple who have been living in Dubai for more than 10 years.

After many years of a fast-paced, clock-driven life, we’re now looking for something slower and simpler. We’re thinking about starting a small Indian snacks shop, grocery shop, or something similar. Neither of us has done this before, so it would be completely new territory for us.

Most of my professional life has been in programming/coding, and I also have experience in the printing industry.

My questions are mainly for those who have already walked this path:

• Do you think we’re moving in the right direction?
• Realistically, can a newcomer still build a small business and make a place for themselves in Portugal?
• We understand that things can move slowly in Portugal, especially bureaucracy and business processes. How difficult is that in day-to-day reality?
• We’re not looking to move countries just to get back into another 9-to-5 routine. Is running a small family business a realistic way to build a decent life there?

We’re not expecting to become rich. We’re mainly looking for a more peaceful and sustainable life where we can work for ourselves.

Would really appreciate hearing from people already living in Portugal, especially anyone who has started a small business there.

Thanks a lot.

Hello I’m buying a property in Portugal for €370k and negotiating the CPCV. I already have a formal mortgage approval from a Portuguese bank for €333k (90% of the purchase price) and the property valuation has been completed. However, the seller has rejected the financing condition proposed by my lawyer.

The CPCV does contain the standard seller-default protection: if the seller is in definitive breach, including failing to execute the deed according to the agreement, I can terminate and claim double the deposit after a 15-day cure period.

The seller also has four existing mortgages over the property which need to be discharged before/at completion.

Is it common in Portugal for sellers to reject a financing clause even when the buyer already has formal mortgage approval? Would you be comfortable signing the CPCV with a €37k deposit in this situation?

I’m a 32 M and my gf is 26 F, we are considering moving to Portugal soon and it’s so hard to find what people are paying for car insurance online and it says it can range from 350€-1200€ which is a massive dif. We are looking for something cheap like a 22 Dacia sandero or 22 Renault Clio, OR ev like Tesla model 3, Mach e or Peugeot e308. What do you pay for your car insurance just so I can get an idea ? Make, model, year and preferably full coverage insurance only. Appreciate it thank you!

Can someone tell me more about this neighbourhood? (Sobreda) I will be moving there and based on what i see on the maps, its end of the world. Does anyone have experience what it’s like there and if there’s any amenities close by or will I have to travel again everywhere by bus.

Did you know the Portuguese have an American Football league?

You can support your local team:

Near Porto:

Renegades

Mutts

Warriors

Near Lisbon:

Bulldogs

Devils

Crusaders

Navigators

Follow the teams on YouTube or go to a game. Admission is free.

Hi,

I am planning to have a road trip, starting in Porto, crossing to Galicia and then driving back and dripping the car in Lisbon. Does anyone know the cost to drive the car into Spain and back?

I need some reccomendations on renting car in Lisbon, could really use some help. I'm looking for a solid car rental company that won't give me headaches.

Nothing fancy, just reliable wheels, fair prices, and no hidden fees. Anyone got recommendations or places to absolutely avoid? Appreciate it!

Has anyone use any of these Klass Wagen, Guerin, Amoita, and SIXT?

This is a message for eligible US citizens overseas who want to participate in the 2026 midterm elections, especially those living in Portugal. Here's how you can get involved:

Steps to Request Your Ballot

1. Register or update your registration. Through the Federal Voter Assistance Project or through Votefromabroad.org.

2. If you're already registered, request a ballot! You need to request a ballot every calendar year that you want to vote.

3. Fill Out and Return Your Ballot: Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions carefully to complete it and return it by the specified deadline.

Need Assistance?

We're here to help! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at GOTV @ votefromabroad .org (just remove the spaces). Additionally, our FAQ for voting can answer questions on how to make the process go smoothly.

Importantly: Spread the word!

Do you have any friends, contacts or family overseas that you could reach? All eligible US citizens can vote regardless of where they're living. Share the link https://voteabroad.org/RedditVote26: If you have any questions about voting, I'd be happy to answer them here on Reddit.

I've been looking through Reddit (Google is just pure frustration atp) and it seems like there might be some new laws(?) and so I wanted to make a post for newer updates about how to get a NIF.

I thought, at first, that I would just have to go get it from a Finanças shortly after I land in Lisbon with my passport/visa and proof of address. I heard it would be preferable to go to a smaller city to avoid traffic. But then I heard I would need a fiscal representative (???) and I really don't know what to do.

Do I even trust what I'm reading on the internet? Someone please enlighten me 🙏 I NEED to make a bank account once I land in Portugal and I need the NIF for that, I can't afford any delays.

Any additional information or advice would be appreciated!!

I got offered 2800 gross monthly from aubay Portugal.

According to them the net is 2000 but when I searched online, it should be 1700.

How does this work ?

And if you can, please tell me a range of how much it costs to live in Lisboa.

And is this a fair deal for an engineer with 3 years of experience?

I'm from a third-world country.

EDIT:

I'm fullstack engineer (React/Java).

Under 35 years (Turns out that also matters) and currenctly going in single.

They have health insurance included.

The offer didn't specify 14 or 12 months. <=> I asked and it is 12 months.

No meal allowance mentioned.

I'm supposed to live in Lisboa and if the next project is in Porto I would move there. Depends on their clients.

I am a student living in a private room at a student residence in Lisbon, which costs around €1,000 per month. I have only been living here for a few days.

While I was away from my room, two male staff members entered my room without informing me beforehand or afterward.

Before moving into this residence, I had lived in several hotels for a long period and experienced several theft incidents. Because of those experiences, I had developed a habit of leaving a camera recording when I go out to protect my belongings. I never expected the camera to record staff entering my room.

The two staff members entered my room shortly after I left, carrying a fire alarm. This was not an emergency. If the existing fire alarm was faulty and they entered my room to replace it, the accommodation was already aware of the issue. I therefore do not understand why they entered my room without informing me beforehand.

I had only recently moved in, so many of my important personal belongings were on my desk and had not yet been organized. Several pairs of my underwear were also exposed on the desk. One of the male staff members placed the fire alarm very close to my underwear, which made me feel extremely humiliated.

If I had not had my camera recording, I would never have known that two staff members had entered my room while I was away.

I am now extremely uncomfortable staying here and no longer feel that my privacy will be respected while living here.

I plan to ask management to terminate my contract without penalty, refund the remaining amount I have already paid for the unused period of my accommodation, and return my full security deposit.

I am extremely shocked that they secretly entered my room shortly after I left and replaced the fire alarm without informing me beforehand or afterward. I am unsure how I should properly deal with the situation.

I would really appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts on this situation.

Edit: I want to clarify one point from my original post. I mentioned that the staff came into my room to replace the fire alarm, but that was only my assumption based on the camera footage showing them carrying a fire alarm. I actually do not know why they entered my room or what they did while they were inside.

The accommodation has never told me that they entered my room, either before or afterward, and they have never explained why they entered. I only know that they entered because I happened to have my laptop camera recording.

Also, this is a private student residence and is not affiliated with my university.

If it was an emergency, then of course I understand that staff may need to enter the room without prior notice. However, if they actually entered my room to fix the fire alarm, as I initially assumed from the footage, then the issue must have already been known to management. I had been living there for several days without receiving any notice or explanation about a problem with the fire alarm, and then they entered my room soon after I left.

That is why I find it difficult to understand how this could have been an emergency requiring immediate entry without notice. The timing seems inconsistent with the idea that this was an emergency. My contract specifically states that staff must provide at least 24 hours’ notice before entering my room, except in cases of emergency.

Hi all, I’m a young black person about to make this move. I’m simply calling out to see if there are many other black expats on this thread. I want to know about your experiences in Portugal. I also am curious specifically curious on black hair culture and if you all have seen fellow dreadheads. I need Portuguese dreadhead support lol.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 30-year-old woman from Morocco and I’m currently facing a difficult career decision. I would really appreciate some advice, especially from people who have experience living and working in Portugal or France.
Here is my situation:
🇲🇦 I’m Moroccan, currently living in Morocco.
👩‍💻 I have 4 years of experience as a QA Engineer.
🇵🇹 I have a** job offer in Lisbon as a QA Engineer, with around €2,000 net/month + health insurance.
🇫🇷 At the same time, I have been accepted into a Master’s degree in France (M2, one year**).
The idea with France would be to complete the Master’s and then look for a job there.
So I have two options:
Option 1 – Portugal 🇵🇹
Take the job in Lisbon, start working immediately, gain international experience and build my career there.
Option 2 – France 🇫🇷
Go to France for one year to complete the M2, then look for a QA/software testing job after graduation.
Considering that I already have 4 years of professional experience, would you choose the Portuguese job or the Master’s in France?
If you were in my position, which option would you choose and why?
I’d especially appreciate opinions from people who have actually worked in Portugal or France, particularly in tech/QA.
Thanks in advance!

Hi! I have a driving licence from my home country and I’ve just renewed my residence permit in Portugal. My driving licence is valid until 2029.
Does anyone know if I can exchange my foreign driving licence for a Portuguese one? Do I need to take a driving test or a theory test?

Edit: I checked the IMT website and I’m still a bit confused. I’ve been a resident in Portugal for about 5 years, but I’ve just renewed my residence permit. Can I still exchange my Ecuadorian driving licence for a Portuguese one now, or am I already over the time limit?

I wrote this with the help of AI

I’m looking for some outside perspective because I’ve been stuck in my own head about this for months, and I handled the situation badly.

I currently work in France for a well-known IT/consulting company, on a fairly prestigious public-sector technology assignment.

My situation here is objectively very comfortable. I have a good name on my CV, the work is useful for my career, I live close to my family and friends, and my housing costs are extremely low. The compensation is good for my situation as well, so money was not really the deciding factor between the two opportunities.

A few months after starting this position, I was contacted by a large international company about an internal technical position in another European country.

The new role appealed to me much more professionally.
It would mean:
Moving from consulting to an internal position.
Working in a technical field that interests me more.
Joining a large international group where I could potentially develop internally and move up over time.
Living abroad for the first time.
Moving to a city I really like.

The compensation was also attractive, but I don’t want to give exact numbers because I want to keep this anonymous. Financially, neither option was so obviously better that it made the decision for me.
The problem was that I was extremely conflicted.
On one side, I had a comfortable life in France, family, friends, almost no housing expenses, and a prestigious current role.

On the other side, moving abroad felt like an adventure and probably the more exciting long-term career move.

There was another factor: when the new company originally contacted me, I had only been in my current role for a short period of time. I wanted to stay long enough for the experience to actually mean something on my CV rather than leaving almost immediately after joining.

So I kept hesitating.
Eventually, a few months ago, I accepted the offer and signed the employment contract.
The agreed starting date was in mid-August.
Here is where I seriously messed up.
In France, I have a roughly three-month notice period with my current employer.
Despite signing the new contract, I never actually resigned from my current job.

For months I kept going back and forth:
“Do I really leave this comfortable situation?”
“Do I move abroad?”
“Is the new internal role worth giving everything here up?”
“Should I stay longer so my current experience looks better on my CV?”
I kept thinking I would eventually become certain.
I never did.

As the start date got closer, I raised the possibility with the new company that I might need to start later.

At the same time, I was speaking with my current employer and trying to understand whether I could shorten my notice period.
But I still didn’t clearly tell the new company early enough that the fundamental problem was: I had never resigned, therefore I could not realistically be available on the agreed start date.

The start date arrived.
I did not show up.
The manager who had hired me had apparently even traveled to the new location partly to be there for my onboarding.
I feel terrible about that part.

I spoke with him afterward and told him the truth: I had not resigned, I had been incredibly hesitant about the move, and I had handled the situation badly.

He was understandably frustrated, but surprisingly he initially seemed willing to see whether something could still be worked out.

Around midday he scheduled a 30-minute meeting for the following morning between me, himself and a senior manager in the organization.
His email said they wanted to discuss the onboarding issue, understand the impact, look at possible dates and align on next steps.
He also said he would send me a separate email asking for a formal written commitment from my side regarding my availability.
That separate email was never sent.

About six hours later, I received another message from the manager saying that, after alignment with HR and their previous formal “no show” communication, they were cancelling the meeting.
The message basically ended by wishing me the best in my professional career.

So my interpretation is that the manager initially tried to find a solution, then HR or another decision-maker reviewed the situation and decided not to continue.

The next morning I sent them an apology.
I acknowledged that I had not been transparent enough, took full responsibility, admitted that my actions did not reflect the commitment I had made, explained that I had failed to resign early enough to complete my notice period, and apologized to everyone who had invested time in preparing for my arrival.

I also told them that I had now made my decision, that the uncertainties were resolved, that I genuinely wanted to join, and that if they were willing to reconsider I was ready to provide a clear and realistic availability date.
I made it explicit that I understood rebuilding their confidence in me would be my responsibility.
So far I haven’t received a response.

The frustrating part is that now that the opportunity may actually be gone, I realize how much I had projected myself into that life.

I had imagined living abroad, better weather, being close to the coast, building a new life, working internally instead of consulting, and developing my career inside a large international company.
If they called me now and said, “We are willing to reconsider, but we need a definitive answer: are you coming?”, my answer would be yes.
That certainty came far too late.

I know I screwed up. I’m not looking for people to tell me that the company was unreasonable. From their perspective, I signed a contract, committed to a start date and then didn’t show up because I had never resigned from my existing position. I understand why that destroys trust.

What I’m trying to figure out is what I should realistically do now.
Would you:

- Leave the apology email alone and wait?
- Follow up after a couple of business days if there is no response?
- Call the hiring manager, since he initially seemed willing to find a solution?
- Assume the opportunity is dead and move on?
- Resign from the current position anyway because this whole situation has made it clear that I actually want to leave and try living abroad?
- Absolutely not resign unless/until the new company formally reopens the offer?
- And for anyone who works in HR/recruitment: once someone is formally marked as a first-day no-show, - is there realistically any chance of reversing that internally if the hiring manager still wants the person?

I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who have either been in a similar situation or dealt with something like this as a hiring manager/recruiter.

I know the obvious lesson is that by refusing to make a difficult decision, I eventually allowed the decision to be made for me.

I’m trying to figure out what the smartest next move is without making another impulsive mistake.

TL;DR: I signed a job offer abroad but never resigned from my current job because I kept hesitating. I missed the agreed start date, the company cancelled onboarding after HR got involved, and I’ve since apologized and asked them to reconsider. Now I realize I actually wanted the move and don’t know whether to wait, follow up, or move on.

My husband has been undergoing medical care from a work related accident in the US since last year. We obtained our D7 visas and moved here in April with the intent to retire here.
We used our two entries already as we had to go back to the US for another surgery due to his work accident. He will need to go back at least one more time in September for follow ups with his surgeons. Our relocation company told us it is allowed since it is medical and told us to keep documentation from his doctors.
I’m just worried about leaving with an expired visa and then returning a couple of weeks later and not being able to enter the country.
Anyone had anything similar medical related?

Hi everyone, I have a question about residence permit renewal in Portugal (AIMA) and I’m wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation.

I submitted a request to update my address on the renewal portal, as AIMA advises before starting the renewal process. However, after more than a week without any update, I ended up starting the renewal process even though my address was still not updated.

I didn’t realize that once the application is created, the 10-day payment deadline immediately starts counting. Now it has been about two weeks since I requested the address change, and I only have 3 days left before the payment deadline expires.

My question is:
If I don’t make the payment and the application is automatically cancelled, once my address is updated, can I simply start a new application normally?
Or would I need to contact AIMA to “unlock” or reactivate anything?

Has anyone been through this situation before?