Living in Portugal: this is what it could look like for you

Watch the sun set in the Algarve or enjoy the bustling city of Lisbon. Have you been dreaming of living in Portugal for years? Then you definitely want to read this blog. We give you an example of what living in Portugal can look like for you.

Living permanently in Portugal

Make your dream a reality by moving to Portugal. You may have visited the country before during a summer holiday and you would like to settle here permanently. But what do you have to imagine when living in Portugal? And how much does it differ from your current home country? We explain all that in this blog.

Port, beautiful nature and a warm climate

These three things are characteristic of living in Portugal. And don't forget the pastel de natas that can be eaten anywhere. Especially the climate is a big reason to move to this country. The landscape is also very diverse. You can climb mountains, but also enjoy the beautiful coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

This is how you experience living in Portugal

Portuguese people are very relaxed by nature. This means that you sometimes have to wait a little longer for your contractor or other business appointments. In addition, the Portuguese have a rich cultural life. The buildings in large cities are monumental and have a rich history. You will also enjoy the food. Especially in combination with traditional fado music.

Faith is very important to many Portuguese. That is good to know when you want to live in Portugal. Most of the society is Catholic (more than 80%), so you will have to deal with many religious festivals. When you move here, it is important that you respect the traditions. The Portuguese are very conservative by nature and attach great value to their traditions.

Can I just go and live in Portugal?

You may be wondering: can I live in Portugal as a Dutch citizen? Of course that's possible. In fact, it is quite simple compared to other countries. When you come to live in Portugal, you can easily open a Portuguese bank account online and finding a house is also easier than in the Netherlands.

To live in Portugal as an EU citizen, you must meet one of these requirements:

You are employed or self-employed on Portuguese territory;
You have sufficient income to support yourself and your family members (and you have health insurance);
You are enrolled in an accredited private or public educational institution.

You can settle anywhere in the country, provided you register with the relevant municipality. Proof of deregistration from your current address in the Netherlands is also required, as well as your passport. It must be established that you are a citizen of the EU.

You will then receive a document from the EU that allows you to live in the country for five years. After those five years, you can quite easily get a final residence card to extend your stay. That has to be done with the S.E.F. (Servico Estrangeiros e Fronteiras). Good to know: although this document contains your passport photo and fingerprint, it does not replace your passport.

Where is the best place to live in Portugal?

Where's the best place to live in Portugal, you ask? Some popular places to move to are:

Lisbon
Porto
Braga
Madeira
Azoren
Algarve

Where do Dutch people live in Portugal?

Portugal is a popular country to emigrate to. This is evident from the large number of Dutch people who move to the southern European country to enjoy the climate and culture. Most Dutch people live in the Algarve. For example, they have a holiday home to receive other Dutch people during the holiday period.

Living in Portugal working in the Netherlands: what about it?

As you can read above, you can live in Portugal if you work there or if you have enough income to support yourself. For example, because you continue to work in the Netherlands. This is possible with a remote job where you continue your normal activities from another country. Wages in the Netherlands are a lot higher than the wages in Portugal. Since the cost of living in Portugal is lower than in the Netherlands, you can live a rich life in this southern European country.

Would you like to live in Portugal and have you already arranged all your affairs? Then De Haan Verhuizingen is happy to take care of the move for you. So that you can already start dreaming about the sun, the port and the fine culture.

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