Moving to Portugal

International Relocation

International Relocation: Moving To Portugal

Portugal is an attractive European country inheriting the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and glorious warm weather that people mostly love about here. The place is overspread with coastal lines encompassing beautiful views of green hills and fascinating landscape stretched out no matter what horizon you are looking from. The elegant lifestyle, fresh food, culture, and beaches are a one-of-a-kind experience and people planning a relocation there will have a memorable lifetime. Portugal has a laid-back lifestyle as residents love to enjoy living in a stress-free environment so if you are looking forward to moving there with your family you will get the best weekend times to catch sight of sunsets with your loved ones. To save yourself from the exhausting process of relocation follow our immigration guide prepared perfectly according to your needs.

Visa

The first step for foreign citizens to enter a new nationality is a visa application but as per the amendments of the European Union, people from all the 27 territories are allowed to stay for 3 months and need to register with the authorities if they want to stay longer. However, there are three types of visas but people deciding on permanent relocation are required to choose Long Stay National Visas that validate emigrants to live there for more than a year so that they can have a permanent residency permit from the Portugal Immigration Service (SEF). There is also a subcategory in this type of visa depending on the purpose of your stay including work visa, student visa, professional training/internship visa, family visa, and retirement visa for senior citizens planning on living a peaceful life abroad.

Documents

To ensure a successful acceptance of your visa application immigrants are closely required to emphasize the information available on the visa portals. You can jot down the complete list of documents on your notepad to keep them separately in a file before visiting the embassy.

• Passport (with an expiration period of 3 months)
• Portugal Visa Application Form
• Visa Fee Receipt
• 2 Color Photographs
• Letter of Personal Introduction
• Bank Statement of last 6 months
• Income Tax Return File
• Flight Reservations for both sides
• Accommodation Proofs like hotel reservation/address proof
• Health Insurance (with minimum coverage of EUR 30000)

Job Prospects

In the world of strong competition language is the prime requirement when looking for job opportunities in Portugal and one must start looking for work even before landing in the country. There are famous professions that can increase your chances of winning a job role quickly if you are graduating from that profile which includes tourism, technology, telecommunication, real estate, hospitality, and pharmaceuticals. Considering the shortage of skilled workers in Portugal it is better that you keep your research and networks high as it will help you efficiently in finding a realistic opportunity. Also, a strong grasp of the Portuguese language can help you get jobs in public sectors but English would work greatly in tourism and call center jobs. Other useful information about job prospects is how you present your career overview on your resume and attach it with an impressive cover letter.

Insurance

Standing in never-ending lines of hospitals at the difficult circumstances of your life in an unknown country is something an expatriate would want for themselves. So buying yourself private health insurance is a never better idea because it will cover all your medical expenses, regular checkups, and dental care. Although Portugal has opened its gates for emigrant employees, students, business workers, etc are eligible to use public healthcare services. Still, immigrants prefer to secure themselves with an assured lifeline in their troubled times as the private sector has better facilities, maximum coverage, and direct payments of your bills. You can check out some policies available on international healthcare websites and select one according to the best offers, treatment, and most importantly budget.

Accommodation

Portugal is one of the most pocket-friendly countries when it comes to accommodation and even at the high season time you can get boarding at a reasonable price. People shifting apart from the EU/EFTA are conditioned with residence permits given by the Portuguese government; in brief, foreigners need to take living consent that is valid for one year which you can easily renew before the deadline. People looking for suitable housing should evaluate their options before moving to Portugal: Madeira, Lisbon, Braga, Alentejo, Azores, and Central Portugal are the best urban places if you wish to become a part of buzzing life. Being the second cheapest country in Europe immigrants can expect a relatively lower cost of living which is monthly around €1400 to €1500 for a single person. From calming sunsets to bustling streets you can get whatever view you want as there are private rooms, penthouses, villas, country houses, apartments, and guesthouses.

Moving Possessions

When it comes to relocating International with all your belongings shipped there it can be a challenging process because of the custom rules and higher amount of taxes on it. But it all depends on your need whether you want to store limited luggage or take all your household goods. There is the fastest but most expensive option like air freight and cheapest but slowest like cargo which will take about three months to reach Portugal. We would suggest keeping your packing list precise as you need to manage your funds when moving to a new country and keep items that are essential for your starting months because you will have access to all household goods there once you are settled properly. Depending on the weather and lifestyle you can keep casual summer clothes like shorts, jeans, t-shirts, bikinis, etc. Other important stuff include shoes, umbrella, charger, wallet, daybag, sunsafe, filter bottle, toiletries, bedsheets, and shower accessories.

Bank Account

Having an offshore bank account makes things easier for emigrants and will be helpful for your daily financial transactions like utility bills, accommodation charges, cash requirements, and other services. The top national banks in Portugal where you can open an expat account are Millennium BCP, Caixa Geral de Depositos, Novobanco, Banco BPI, and ActivoBank. You will receive both digital and mobile banking services as they have a lot of offers including low maintenance fees, zero language barrier, and easy cash transactions. You can simply sign up with these documents:

• ID Proof
• Address Proof
• Employment Evidence
• Social Security Number
• Mobile Number/ Email ID