Sorry late to the game. Pertaining to the 7/14 requirement, I see people suggesting keeping receipts every day while in country, hotels using NIFās to prove stays, etc. Wouldnāt passport stamps showing entry and exit from Portugal suffice as proof you were in country for that amount of time?
No, because it doesnāt prove you were in Portugal the whole time. You could fly in and then go to Spain or France without any passport checks.
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Thank you.
We have been in Portugal the past two years (over 2 weeks each) staying in the same place. We have not started our residency yet as we are waiting for approval still. But when we do need proof, we simply ask the Touristic apartment to give us a receipt for the time spent there with the Primary NIF on it and that is considered proof?
Just getting my ducks in a rowā¦
I appreciate your help.
This is the whole point of the Schengen area
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Good point, was not thinkingā¦
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Every credit card machine has an option to use your NIF. Itās usually the first question. As a tourist, youāve probably ignored it. It can just be receipts from a grocery store. Iāve been advised to get one a day and scan them, since the receipts fade.
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Great advice. Yes as a tourist, we probably did ignore it.
Our attorney has given us very little advice, so much appreciated!
If you are in Portugal either for a visit or to live, you should give your NIF number as often as possible. All grocery stores will accept it and 80% of time ask if you want to give it (Numero de contribuente precisa?).
Once you submit it, you can actually get a print-out of your expenses directly form Portal das FinanƧas (https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/at/html/index.html). If you register yourself (or your lawyer should register you and send you the password), you could get see every purchase you made with your NIF, with date, vendor, and amount if you go to A Minha Ćrea > e-Fatura, and then click on the button you want (like Despesas Gerais Familiares). You may not even need to keep the receipts as this is the official government site.
Here is an example, and note the option to specify the time period and to export it into Excel.
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Nice, I didnāt know about that. Iād probably still keep the receipts, though. Iāve also heard that bigger supermarket chains like Pingo Doce have this as a feature of their loyalty cards, meaning the NIF goes in when you scan it, but I havenāt tried this.
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They do - I have their card (Pingo Doce). However, this is more centralised and covers the whole wide range of expenses. In my case, since I now live in PT (without the card, of course), it also shows medical insurance, auto expenses (including IMI taxes), etc. It is actually a rather convenient feature as a whole.
NIF numbers are assigned to each individual. So, when thinking about supplying a NIF number for purchases ( to demonstrate presence in Portugal) whatās the best way to handle this for a couple?
Iāve read suggestions of ā buy a coffee a day and supply your NIFā, but really should a couple buy two coffees separately, supplying both of their NIFās?
My husband generally supplies his number for purchases, so he is creating a record of presence, but Iām not, and Iām wondering if that could become an issue for me in future 
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We alternate with my wife. You might want to consider similar approach. However, since you are technically under āFamily Re-unificationā clause, I believe the authorities are a bit more lenient on secondary applicants.
This is good advice. I hope it isnāt the only way to prove presenceā¦
I wasnāt told to record my NIF when I moved to Portugal in 2022, instead that I could prove through alternative means (tax return, rental payments, utilities usage, mobile usage etc.)
I still feel good these alternative records will succeed, probably more time consuming given the reports - but it will be a long time before I find out for sure 
We alternate as well when in stores. He always pays for a meal when we are out with friends, I pay when it is just the two of us. He made plastic cards with our NIFs that I show when I use my debit card. ( My Portuguese is not very good yet.)
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Not sure if this is covered in any other thread but from what I know, only the primary applicant has a NIF. My wife and my daughter (who is 15) donāt have their own NIF.
Does one need to ideally maintain residency proof for all three - boarding passes will record the broad details. But what about daily details? Has anyone who is not resident in Portugal applied for NIF for the other family members?
You should get a NIF for each resident, Iām very surprised if you donāt need one for your wife at least - my lawyer set my wife and I up with our own. Maybe not strictly necessary I guess?
Got it, let me ask my lawyers if they can get it done. We are planning to be there in Lisbon in July for 2 weeks and wanted to get ready for tracking residencyā¦
I recommend getting a NIF for each family member, including minors.
Nifonline is a decent provider.
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