Did you fall in love with Portuguese life and dream of living in this beautiful country? If you wish to reside in Portugal for more than three months, you will have to prove your settlement in the country. So, after obtaining your CRUE Certificado de Registo of Cidadao da Uniao Europeia, you must now get your "Certificate of Residency". Be careful not to confuse both ! Indeed, the CRUE is your residence permit in Portugal, and the certificate is, as its name suggests, proof that you live here. Although the nuance is subtle these are two very distinct documents. How to obtain a certificate of residence in Portugal ? What are the steps to obtain a resident certificate from Junta da Freguesia ? Lisbob, the expatriate's assistant in Portugal, tells you all about how to get it in 6 simple steps.

What is the certificate of residence in Portugal for ?

The certificate of residence in Portugal makes its entry into your life of expatriate after having obtained the formalization of your right of residence thanks to the CRUE (your certificate of residence as a European citizen living legally in Portugal) . If the latter gives you the right to live and work legally in Portuguese territory, the residence certificate proves that you are actually and permanently settled in the country. This is another important document to keep at your fingertips and which you will often be asked for during your administrative procedures.

Obtaining your Certificate of Residence in Portugal

1. Go to the Junta da Freguesia

The first step to apply for a certificate of residence in Portugal is, as often, to go to the Junta da Freguesia, in other words, the Borough Hall closest to your home. Google is your friend, just search for "junta da fregusia + your city" to find the nearest town hall.

2. Request a Resident Certificate

Once at the City Hall, apply for a Certificado de Residente. Note that the Portuguese administration speaks again of certificado, as for the CRUE (Certificado de Registo of Cidadao da Uniao Europeia). In order to distinguish them in French, it is common to use the word "certificate of residence" and not certificate. Let's keep the ideas clear!

3. Submit the requested documents

The documents to provide when you apply for an attestation of Portuguese residence are:

• Valid identification (identity card, passport or voter's card)

• Proof of address. The following proof of address is valid:

  • NIF with your Portuguese address

  • CRUE

  • Rental contract or act of real estate purchase

Or, more atypical:

• A certificate on the honor of two people on your street who say you meet regularly in the latter! In fact, Portugal still retains traditional practices, even if it tends to disappear.

4. Declare on the honor his seniority of residence at the desired address

You must then declare on the honor the number of months that you have already spent at the address of domiciliation you want to indicate in your file. Your proof of address may not indicate the exact date that you live at this address.

5. Check and sign the form

All you have to do is sign the form and your application for Certificado de Residente is complete. The municipal agent verifies that everything is in order and keeps your file, which will be studied by the Conservatorio de la Junta da Freguesia within 48 hours.

6. Get the Certificate of Residence

The average processing time is 48 hours. Once this time has passed, go back to your Junta da Freguesia to retrieve your precious document. That's it, you have your certificate of residence! Keep it safe because it is a very official document and will serve you in several ways, such as vehicle registration for example.

Good to know :

The documents requested for your application may be slightly different from one Junta de Freguesia to another. Portugal has not completely standardized its administrative procedures: expect some serious differences whether you live in Lisbon or Santarem for example. Bob's advice: call them before you go, so you have the exact list of documents you need.

Also, the price of your application for an attestation of residence in Portugal is about 5 € (the price may vary from one town hall to another). Remember to bring change with you on D-Day, as most of them do not accept credit card payments. And know that if you make an urgent request to have it immediately The price can go up considerably, but it can be used if you need it quickly, such as for a car registration, for example. The Residence Certificate is one of the only administrative steps that Bob can not make on your behalf. For all the rest, just ask him!

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