Do I need a fiscal representative to get a NIF?
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I am not living in Portugal yet. Every guide says get a NIF first, and several companies want to charge me to be my fiscal representative. Is that actually required?
1 answer
- Accepted answer
It depends on where you live now, not on the city you want to move to. A person who is not resident in Portugal, and whose address is outside the EU, is the usual case for a fiscal representative: someone who already lives here and receives tax post for you. A citizen of the EU who can show an address can often apply without that step. The counter at Finanças, or the online route the tax office publishes, is where that is decided. It is free when you do it with the tax office.
Pay a company only for a service you have asked for, with a written price, after you know you actually need a representative. Nobody official sells a guaranteed NIF on WhatsApp. The practical steps in Porto are in Getting a NIF in Porto.
Checked 24 October 2026. This is not legal, tax or immigration advice. If an official page disagrees, follow that page.