Frequently asked questions
The questions private clients ask most often, answered plainly — with the current 2026 rules, not a decade-old assumption.
Is Portugal's tax regime still favourable for people relocating?
It is more selective than it used to be. The old NHR regime closed to new entrants in 2024 and was replaced by IFICI, a narrower incentive limited to specific professional activities, offering a 20% flat rate for ten years but excluding foreign pensions. Whether Portugal is tax-efficient for you now depends entirely on your income sources — it deserves a proper analysis, not a decade-old assumption. Read more in NHR is over: Portugal's IFICI tax regime explained.
Do I need to speak Portuguese to get residency or citizenship?
Not for residency. For citizenship by naturalisation, Portugal requires A2-level Portuguese plus, since a 2026 law change, a further test on Portuguese culture and civic rights and duties. Neither is difficult for someone who starts early — the applicants who struggle are the ones who leave it until year six or seven.
How long does it actually take to get a residence permit?
Longer than the statutory timeline suggests. AIMA, the agency handling residence permits, has run significant backlogs for years. The realistic answer depends on your specific route and current processing volumes — I plan every client's calendar around the pessimistic case, not the official one.
What's the difference between the golden visa and the D7 visa?
Broadly: the golden visa is for people who want a European base without relocating their daily life, built around a €500,000 investment and roughly seven days a year in Portugal. The D7 is for people with passive income who intend to actually live in Portugal, at a much lower financial bar but a real presence requirement. See the full route comparison for D8 and the EU Blue Card too.
Can my spouse and children move with me?
Usually, but timing now depends on your route. Since a 2025 law change, most residence permits — including D7 and D8 — require two years of prior legal residence before you can bring family over, unless you cohabited at least 18 months before the move. Golden visa and EU Blue Card holders are exempt and can include family from the start. Details in the family reunification note.
How long before I can apply for a Portuguese passport?
Portugal's nationality law changed in May 2026. Naturalisation now takes 7 years of legal residence for EU and CPLP nationals, or 10 years for everyone else, counted from the date your first residence permit is issued — not from when you applied. Applications already filed before the law changed may still fall under the old five-year rule. Full detail in the citizenship note.
I'm American — does moving to Portugal end my US tax obligations?
No. The United States taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of residence, so an American in Portugal manages two tax systems, not one. Annual US filing, FBAR, and FATCA reporting all continue, and many European investment funds carry adverse US tax treatment (PFIC status) unless structured carefully. See moving to Portugal doesn't end your American tax life.
Do you handle wills, estate planning, or asset management too?
I flag these issues as part of every relocation — moving to Portugal can change which country's succession law governs your estate — but for the drafting and structuring itself, I bring in vetted specialist legal partners under my coordination. You keep one point of contact; the specialist expertise arrives already integrated into your plan. More on this in how I work with specialists.
What does working with you actually look like?
Three stages: assess your realistic options honestly, including the ones that don't fit; prepare a complete file the first time, since most delays are self-inflicted; and stay on the file through submission, decision, and renewals, so nothing is left to chance after you've paid.
Is my information kept confidential?
Yes. Every enquiry is treated as confidential from the first message, whether or not it leads to an engagement, and your file is never discussed beyond the specialists directly involved in it.