Hi, I haven’t been able to apply for NIF - need advice please from someone with recent experience with this.
Apparently all foreign citizens, including EU/EEA, now must (?) apply through the online platform eportugal - e-Balcão with a tax representative, however three different people who have tried to log in to be my tax representative have all received a message saying they ‘do not have permission to apply for NIF for someone else’ (they are all Portuguese citizens and residents, one an accountant who regularly uses the system for other functions). So I’m not sure what’s happening and how to get around this.
I’ve tried to email my passport/address directly to a finanças and apply that way, but the response was that all foreign citizens must now apply through the online portal. I could email other offices and hope to have more luck?
My tax representative called the helpline and was told to make an in-person appointment under their name (for a different matter), and then on the day to bring me along and ask to apply for a NIF for me. However this could work or not, depending on who assists us on the day. Moreover, the first available appointment in all of Porto area is only in one month. So I could be waiting all this time and still be refused on the day.
Advice please from someone with recent experience of this?
Sorry, this has been the case for some time. I spent 5 weeks in PT in August / Sept, with the help of several PT citizens and we were unable to get any help with this.
Our fiscal representative just got our NIF numbers for us this week. I thought they were goiong to get it online, but I do not know if they did or went in person.
So… Got my NIF yesterday
It was quick and simple (and free). Did it in person, got an appointment outside of Porto within 2 days (the Porto offices I called only had available appointments one month away. Though not sure that’s reliable either). After trying to apply via email with a few Financas branches and being refused (they all referred me to apply online, which didn’t work for the tax reps I had) I just started calling around. Some branches refused, others had a long wait for an appointment or unusual requirements, until I reached one which was straightforward. The actual appointment was efficient and easy, they just asked for my passport and rental contract (I’m a UK passport holder, now renting an apartment and living in Portugal. But different branches require different documents I realise. Just come prepared with any docs they might ask for to support your application, and be friendly :).
Conclusion - it really is a hit/miss depending on who you’re in contact with. Be prepared to navigate through the system with a bit of initiative, not taking things for face value. And the ‘official advice’ isn’t always the best one. Ha.
Anyone can be your fiscal representative, as long as they’re a Portuguese resident with a NIF number (so a friend or a relative, for example), it doesn’t cost anything, it’s free. Unless you want to pay a professional service or a solicitor to do this for you, but that’s solely by choice, it’s not a requirement.
Hi Tom, usually Portuguese lawyers can solve this kind of issues very fast as they have preferential communication channels with Finanças. I usually request 5 to 10 NIF per week for my clients and the release is immediate.
Also, I advise to nominate a professional to be tax representative as they have all responsibilities regarding your relationship with tax authorities in Portugal and they can be considered liable in case of any issue.
usually between 100 euros and 500 euros per year depending on the complexity of your tax return in Portugal (e.g. if you own assets that produce income).
It is true that is not mandatory to nominate a solicitor or a tax professional to be tax representative but I strongly advise to do that because tax representative are considered liable along with the tax payer by Portuguese authorities.
