Immigrating to Portugal with Your Family
Portugal is a beautiful country with a rich culture and history, and it's becoming an increasingly popular destination for families looking to move abroad.
Portugal is a great place to raise children, with excellent schools, a high standard of living, a mix of modern amenities and historical architecture, a family-oriented European culture, not to mention plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and travel at your fingertips.
So if you're thinking about immigrating to Portugal, there are several things you need to know:
First, if you are not a EU resident, you'll need to obtain a visa. Portugal offers several types of visas, some of the most popular ones are:
the D7 visa, a long-term visa for passive income earners,
the new D8 Digital Nomad visa for self-employed individuals
the D2, Entrepreneur Visa, requires demonstrating that you are running or investing in a company within Portugal, or you are able to set up a new company in Portugal
the Golden Visa was also a popular one but the program will be shut down soon. If you’ve already started the process and need help getting your property secured, please contact us.
While each visa has its own requirements, some general requirements include: providing proof of income, health insurance, proof of accommodation in Portugal and a clean criminal record.
When considering where to live, there are many great cities and towns in Portugal that are great for families. Some popular cities for expats include Lisbon, where we live and love, Porto, and the Algarve region. When looking for a place to live, you'll want to consider factors like proximity to schools, transportation, and amenities. Depending on the visa you apply for you’ll either have to purchase a property or you’ll need to find a rental property. Again, depending on the visa you apply for, you’ll have to provide proof of accommodation before you relocate. This can be a massive pain point for applicants and understandably so.
While cost of living will vary greatly between larger cities like Lisbon and Porto in comparison to smaller towns, the overall cost of living in Portugal is generally lower than many other countries in Europe. Healthcare in Portugal is also very good, with both public and private healthcare options available. All residents in Portugal have access to the public healthcare system, but most of the people choose to have private health insurance which is significantly lower than that of countries like the US, for instance.
So if you are considering immigrating to Portugal with your family, it can be a great experience to give your family and to yourself. While the immigration process can be a bit bureaucratic, with the right planning, preparation and guidance, you can make the transition to live in Portugal with ease and we will be happy to help.
Até já,
Mia and Rafael