How and where to get a Fiscal Number (NIF).

What is a NIF?

A NIF, or Fiscal Number, is a 9-digit sequential number for the treatment of tax and customs information, whose purpose is to identify the individual who has tax obligations in Portugal. So whether you want to open a Portuguese bank account or buy a house, a NIF is essential.

A request for a NIF must be done in person at any finance office (Finanças) or citizen's store. The process is free of charge and your NIF is allocated immediately.

What documents do I need?

Case 1: You are a citizen of a country in the EU:

Civil identification document or passport.

Case 2: You are a third country national:

Passport + certified proof of residence + Fiscal Representation*

Case 3: You are a Portuguese citizen under 10 years old and without Identity Card:

Portuguese birth certificate or equivalent document.

Case 4: You are a foreign child without a passport:

Birth certificate.

*Fiscal Representatives

A Fiscal Representative can be a Portuguese citizen or anyone with a permanent residence certificate (unfortunately temporary residence holders cannot be fiscal representatives).

Where fiscal representation is necessary, you will need to provide a document identifying your Fiscal Representative which expressly states their acceptance of the fiscal representation.

You are only required to arrange fiscal representation if:

you are resident in a country outside the European Community, you will have to arrange a Fiscal Representative in Portugal; or
you are unable to request a NIF in person, you can arrange a Fiscal Representative to deliver certified copies of the required documents on your behalf (including, in addition, a document declaring power of attorney for this purpose).