Residency

Once living in Lisbon it is important to have in mind that we need to have a residence permit after the first year.

Depending on where you come from, you have different rules.

CRUE (Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia)

For EU citizens, after three months it’s required to have a Certificate of Registration for EU Citizen, the CRUE, which is a document required for the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Swiss citizens who wish to stay in Portugal for more than three months. It serves as proof of their legal residence in Portugal.
It allows you to live, work, and access public services like healthcare and education.
The CRUE is valid for 5 years and can be renewed.

What you need to know:

-You must apply for it within 90 days of arriving in Portugal (also the fourth month is ok!)
-It is issued at the City Hall (Câmara Municipal) of your area of residence or Loja de Cidadão.
-Required documents usually include:

Valid passport or national ID
Proof of residence (rental contract, utility bill, etc.)

Where to ask for:
Loja Lisboa Alcântara

It’s the basic document for all the rest. You must have the CRUE to open an account, to subscribe to centro de saude (public Health Center) and for working.

If you are a European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Swiss citizen, you can decide to renovate your CRUE or request the following or apply for a Permanent Residence Certificate after five years of continuous legal residence in Portugal

1.2 Permanent Residence Permit for EU Citizens in Portugal

What is it?

This permit grants you permanent residency rights, similar to Portuguese citizens, without needing visa renewals. It allows you to live, work, and access public services like healthcare and education.

Where to Apply?

You must apply at AIMA, the Portuguese immigration office: https://aima.gov.pt/pt

Required Documents:

-Valid passport or national ID
-Copy of CRUE certificate (proving 5 years of residence)
-Proof of residence (rental contract, utility bills, or proof of property ownership)
-Proof of financial stability (employment contract, self-employment proof, pension, or sufficient bank funds)
-Proof of Social Security Number

The permanent residence certificate does not expire, but it is recommended to renew it every 10 years to update information.

2. Residence Permit in Portugal for non-EU citizens

Residence permit

How to Apply for a Residence Permit?

-Apply for a residence visa at the Portuguese Consulate in your home country.
-Enter Portugal and schedule an appointment with AIMA (ex-SEF) to receive your residence permit.

Required Documents:

-Valid passport
-Proof of income or employment
-Proof of accommodation in Portugal
-Health insurance (if not covered by Portuguese social security)
-Clean criminal record certificate
-Completed residence permit application form

Residence Permit Validity & Renewal:

-First permit: Usually valid for 1-2 years
-Renewable every 2 years
After 5 years, you can apply for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship

Some tips for the appointment:
To make an appointment at AIMA, we need to say that it takes a lot of time, so take patience and try to make your appointment with a lot of anticipated time!

Create your account at https://aima.gov.pt/pt

Choose the topic/specificity of your appointment

Choose a date within the free options

Sometimes there is not even the option to have an appointment, so you try to open it as much as you can!

If you are struggling with the process of resident permission, here you have two associations that can help you with it:

RENOVAR A MOURARIA: https://renovaramouraria.pt/pt/
https://renovaramouraria.pt/en/services/

SIRIGAITA: https://sirigaita.org/

CASA DO BRASIL: https://casadobrasildelisboa.pt/