Buying Property in Portugal as a Foreigner: NIF and Legal Steps
September 5, 2026
Portugal places no restrictions on foreign nationals buying property, whether you plan to live there, rent it out, or simply invest. The process is straightforward by international standards, but it follows a specific order, and skipping a step tends to cause delays rather than save time.
The typical steps
- Get a NIF, required to sign any contract or deed in Portugal, for buyer and seller alike
- Open a Portuguese bank account to handle the transaction and any local mortgage payments
- Sign a promissory contract (contrato-promessa) and pay a deposit, typically 10 to 30 percent
- Complete the final deed (escritura) and register the property
The NIF is the very first step: no notary or Conservatória do Registo Predial (the land registry) will process a property transaction without one, for either party. Since the promissory contract already carries legal weight and can include penalty clauses if either side backs out, it is worth having your NIF, and ideally your bank account, ready well before you start making offers.
Costs to budget for beyond the price of the property
Buyers should budget for more than just the purchase price. Municipal property transfer tax (IMT), stamp duty, notary and registration fees, and, if used, legal fees for a lawyer reviewing the contract, together typically add several percentage points on top of the purchase price. These vary depending on the property's value and use, so getting an estimate specific to the property you are considering, rather than a generic percentage, avoids surprises at closing.
Financing as a non-resident
Non-residents can generally get a mortgage from a Portuguese bank, though terms, required down payment, and documentation are usually stricter than for residents. Having a Portuguese bank account and a track record with that bank, even a short one, tends to make the mortgage application smoother than approaching a bank cold.
If the purchase is tied to a visa
If you are buying as part of a broader relocation plan, it is worth sequencing the purchase alongside your visa application rather than treating them as unrelated. The D7, D8, and Golden Visa routes each have different implications for how a property purchase fits into your timeline, so getting advice on both together avoids having to redo paperwork later.