If you are Brazilian and planning anything in Portugal — a move, a property, a visa, a bank account — the NIF (número de identificação fiscal) is almost always the first step, and you can get it without leaving Brazil. It is the nine-digit tax identification number issued by the Portuguese Tax and Customs Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira), and it plays a role in Portugal very similar to the Brazilian CPF: it identifies you in every official and commercial transaction. Anyone can hold one — resident or non-resident — and the whole application can be done online from Brazil.
Do Brazilians need a fiscal representative?
Not to request the NIF. A non-resident Brazilian can request a NIF without appointing a fiscal representative in Portugal. The obligation to have one arises when you establish a tax relationship in Portugal (for example, you buy a property or a vehicle, sign an employment contract or work on your own account), and the Tax Authority can then require you to appoint one within 15 days. The representative is a local point of contact, registered with the Tax Authority, who receives official correspondence on your behalf — useful because the Tax Authority writes by post to a Portuguese address, not by email to Brazil. NIF Express provides that representation as part of the service, so you are covered when the obligation applies.
Is the NIF free? What exactly do you pay for?
The NIF itself is issued free of charge by the Portuguese State — the Tax Authority does not charge to attribute a number to an individual. What you pay for is the work of obtaining it remotely: the power of attorney, the filing at Finanças, and the fiscal representation for a non-resident. With NIF Express the price of €49.99 covers the application and your first year of fiscal representation, with no hidden costs.
What you can do with your NIF
For a Brazilian, the NIF unlocks essentially everything: opening a Portuguese bank account, signing a rental contract or buying property, setting up utilities and a phone, and building the file for a residence visa. If your plan is a D7 or a digital-nomad visa, the NIF is one of the first documents the process expects. Getting it early, while you are still in Brazil, means the rest of your relocation is not waiting on it.
How the remote process works
The process is fully online and does not require a visit to a Portuguese consulate. You provide a copy of your passport (or Brazilian ID) and proof of your address in Brazil, sign a power of attorney authorising a representative to act for you, and your NIF is registered directly with the Tax Authority. With NIF Express your number is typically ready in 5–14 working days, handled entirely remotely, with the power of attorney signed by a lawyer registered with the Portuguese Bar Association. The Tax Authority access password follows separately by registered post to your representative about a week later.
Do you keep the same NIF after you move?
Yes. The NIF is permanent and never expires, so the number you obtain from Brazil is the same one you will use after you land, register a Portuguese address, and eventually cease to need a representative. Once you become resident in Portugal and register a local tax address, the non-resident representation requirement falls away — but the number stays with you for life.
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Prefer Portuguese? See the NIF online service in Brazilian Portuguese — adult €49,99, minor €74,99, 12 months of fiscal representation included.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Brazilian get a NIF from Brazil?
Yes. Any person, resident or not, can obtain a Portuguese NIF, and the whole process can be completed online from Brazil without visiting a consulate.
Do I need a fiscal representative?
Not to request the NIF: a non-resident can request one without a fiscal representative. The obligation arises when you establish a tax relationship in Portugal, and the Tax Authority can then require you to appoint one within 15 days. The first year is included in the €49.99 price.
Is the NIF like a CPF?
It plays a comparable role: the NIF is your tax identification number in Portugal, used in official and commercial transactions much as the CPF is in Brazil. They are separate numbers from separate countries.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
With NIF Express it is €49.99, including the first year of fiscal representation, and typically ready in 5–14 working days.
Do I keep the same NIF when I move to Portugal?
Yes. The NIF is permanent and never expires. When you become resident and register a Portuguese address, the representation requirement ends, but the number stays the same for life.
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