NIF number in Portugal | What it is | How to get

We are going to talk about the Tax Identification Number in Portugal. It’s what we call the NIF here in Portugal.

For anything and everything in Portugal, you need to have the NIF.
So, Getting the NIF should be the first step.

We need the NIF to study, work, start a business, bank account. Anyway, everything.

The topics for this video are:

• How to get your tax identification number in Portugal?
• What is NIF?
• Where to get the NIF?
• What is the tax representative?
• Necessary documents.

What is NIF?

You will hear people saying “NIF” to refer to the tax number.
The translation of tax identification number in Portuguese is “Número de Identificação Fiscal”.

Therefore, NIF are the initial letters, in Portuguese, of this document (acronym).

I think it’s important to explain this, because you will often hear about the documents in Portuguese. So, you better get used to the pronunciation.

Nobody will tell you: What is your tax identification number. People will say: What is your NIF?

So, remember that: NIF, Número de Identificação Fiscal and Número de Contribuinte are the same thing. Its the tax identification number (in english).

Where to get the NIF?

You can go to the place called “Finanças”. To put it simply, Finanças is like a tax collection service.

If you can’t go in person, you can give someone a power of attorney. This way, you will have your NIF in the same way.

There are two options for you to go in person. You can go to a Finanças address or a citizen’s store.

The name of this place (citizen´s store) in Portuguese is Loja do Cidadão. In English, the translation can be Citizen’s Store.

The purpose of the citizen’s store is to bring together all public services in the same place.

By the way, at the Citizen’s Store you can also find the Foreigners and Borders Service (the SEF), Social Security and other important public services.

But, our subject here is NIF. So, let’s go.

What is the tax representative?

You need a tax representative to get your NIF.

This is perhaps the hardest part for most people.

The tax representative must personally go to Finanças to represent you.

It is possible for you to give a power of attorney so that someone can do everything for you, including tax representation. In that case, you don’t have to go in person.

Necessary Documents

Now let’s present the list of required documents. It’s not too complicated.

You must submit:

• A civil identification document or other legal equivalent document;
• A document containing the address abroad;
• The representative’s tax identification document;
• The representative’s civil identification document.
• Declaration and power of attorney, if applicable.

Adriano Martins Pinheiro is a lawyer in Portugal.