How to Get a Portuguese NIF Without Living in Portugal

Getting a NIF used to mean one of two things: flying to Portugal to request one in person at a Finanças office, or appointing a fiscal representative through a lengthy, often paper-heavy, notarized process. For most applicants today, neither is necessary anymore.

The traditional routes, and why they are slow

The in-person route requires a Finanças appointment, a queue, and a physical presence in Portugal, which is simply not realistic for someone still living abroad and only beginning to plan a move. The traditional remote route, appointing a fiscal representative through a law firm or accountant, works, but historically involved notarizing a power of attorney, sometimes getting it apostilled depending on the country, and mailing physical documents back and forth, a process that could stretch over several weeks.

The remote process today

A modern, fully remote NIF application looks like this:

• Upload a passport or EU national ID, and a proof of address
• Sign a power of attorney and upload it, no notary or apostille needed
• Your request is submitted to Finanças, the Portuguese Tax Authority, on your behalf
• You receive your official NIF document by email, typically in 5-7 business days

The key simplification is the power of attorney step. Rather than requiring a notary to witness your signature and, depending on your country, an apostille to make that notarization valid abroad, your signature is accepted directly, scanned and uploaded like any other document. That single change is what turns a multi-week process into one that fits inside a working week.

Who this works for

This route works for anyone applying from outside Portugal, of any nationality, with no prior residency or Portuguese address required. It also covers minors applying alongside a parent, which requires the child's birth certificate and, normally, both parents' signatures on the power of attorney, or a single parent's signature with proof of sole custody or the other parent's death certificate. Useful if you are planning a family move and want everyone's paperwork sorted at the same time.

What to do once you have your NIF

A NIF on its own does not do much, its value comes from what it unlocks next. Most people move on to opening a Portuguese bank account, then start the paperwork for whichever visa fits their situation, whether that is the D7, the D8, or the Golden Visa. If you are planning to buy rather than rent once you settle, it is also worth reading up on buying property in Portugal ahead of time.