Catarina DuarteStart with the NIF (tax office), then the NISS (Social Security) and the health user number (SNS). If you are from outside the EU, you also sort out residency at AIMA; if you are an EU citizen, you register at the town hall. This order unlocks everything else: bank account, housing and contract.
Where do you start when you arrive?
Start with the NIF. It is your tax number from the Finanças (tax office), and almost everything in Portugal asks for it before anything else. No NIF, no bank account, no lease, no signed work contract. Then comes the NISS (Social Security), the health user number (SNS), and finally residency. In that order.
The logic is simple: each document unlocks the next one. Doing it out of order just costs you days.
1. NIF — tax office
The NIF (tax identification number) is your key. Get it at a Finanças desk or through a representative. It is the base for everything else, including opening a bank account and renting a home.
2. NISS — Social Security
The NISS (Social Security number) connects you to the contributory system. Your employer usually handles the essentials when you start, but it is good to know your number. It is the gateway to the social protection we describe in health and social security in Portugal.
3. Health user number — SNS
The user number gives you access to the National Health Service. You request it at the health centre for your area of residence. With your NIF and address already sorted, this step is quick.
4. Residency — AIMA (non-EU) or registration (EU)
If you are an EU citizen, you do a simple registration at the town hall after a few months. If you come from outside the EU, residency is handled at AIMA. As a rule:
- EU/EEA/Switzerland: citizen registration at the town hall.
- Outside the EU: residence permit through AIMA.
- In both cases, the NIF comes first.
With a fully remote role, you are not tied to one city while you sort this out. Check the open opportunities and organise the move at your own pace.
Keep everything organised from day one. Our first 30 days checklist helps you forget nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Portuguese address to get the NIF?
Before residency, you can get a NIF with a tax representative or a foreign address. You update the address at the Finanças later. Confirm your case with the Tax Authority.
Does the employer handle the NISS for me?
The company reports your employment to Social Security, but it is in your interest to have your own NISS. If you have one, share it; if not, get one.
I am from the EU — do I need a visa?
No. You enter and work freely. You only do the EU citizen registration at the town hall once you settle in.
How long does it all take?
It varies. The NIF is usually the fastest; residency (non-EU) is the one that needs the most patience. Sort the NIF out before you arrive if you can.
Can I start working remotely before I have everything?
The NIF and the Social Security link are the essentials for the contract. The rest you can resolve in the first few weeks.
Get the NIF first and everything else falls into place. That is always the sequence I recommend.
- Tax Authority / Finanças (NIF) [confirmar]
- Social Security (NISS) [confirmar]
- SNS — National Health Service (user number) [confirmar]
- AIMA — Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (residency) [confirmar]