Rule changes, deadlines and official updates for movers — verified and summarised by the team.
80 articles
Short-term Euribor hit new highs in early August while the 12-month rate eased, leaving foreign buyers in Portugal split on fixed vs variable.
PropertyPortugal mortgage rates for non-residents have eased below 3%, but banks still cap loan-to-value at 60–70%, leaving foreign buyers with far bigger deposits than locals.
ImmigrationThe government's 'lei do retorno' cleared parliament but now sits with the Constitutional Court, leaving irregular migrants in legal limbo.
ImmigrationPortugal's Economy Minister brands open-door immigration a failure. Foreign residents should expect further tightening beyond 2026's reforms.
ImmigrationA Penal Code clause allowing loss of nationality for serious crimes failed in Parliament in July 2026, after two Constitutional Court defeats.
ImmigrationAIMA and consular rules require months of private health insurance before D7 and D8 holders can access Portugal's public SNS system.
ImmigrationA Brazilian scholarship student was deported after AIMA took two years to decide his family's case, missing the legal 90-day deadline by far.
ImmigrationInvestors who filed in late 2025 are only now booking Q4 2026 biometrics dates, as AIMA's Golden Visa bottleneck shifts from approval to card issuance.
ImmigrationA parliamentary bill would restrict Article 122(1)(k), the exceptional permit non-EU parents use to stay near children in Portugal, to parents of Portuguese minors only.
TaxFirst IFICI approvals in 2026 show the 20% regime works for skilled professionals, but pensioners and passive-income expats get no equivalent break.
ImmigrationA new OECD report shows Portugal's foreign-citizen share nearly tripled since 2014, fuelling housing demand debates. GrowIN breaks down the numbers.
PropertyVacant housing data reframes Portugal's crisis for foreign buyers: 12% of homes sit empty even as the national shortfall tops 300,000 units.
ImmigrationFrom 1 July 2026, EU nationals and non-EU family members can request Article 16/17 permanent residence cards through AIMA's Renewals Portal.
PolicyINE's revision to 1.6 million foreign residents is forcing Portugal's Finance Ministry to draft the 2027 budget on outdated population data.
PropertyChiado, Príncipe Real and Alfama apartment prices fall 4-7% year-on-year even as Q1 2026 real estate investment hits €915 million, up 34%.
ImmigrationDirective (EU) 2024/1233 sets a 90-day decision deadline for residence-work permits. Portugal missed the deadline and now faces EU infringement action.
Cost of LivingINE's flash estimate shows Portugal's annual inflation slowing to 3.0% in July 2026, with a rare monthly price drop driven by cheaper energy and seasonal goods.
ImmigrationAIMA has begun emailing interview appointments to thousands of family reunification applicants, months after fees were paid, with dates promised by year-end.
ImmigrationAIMA and Segurança Social systems now link in real time, giving immigrants an instant NISS during residency appointments instead of separate visits.
ImmigrationAIMA's €2.5m Integrar para a Construção programme opens its second intake in September, training 500 immigrants for licensed construction trades.
PropertyPortugal's IMT Jovem tax-free threshold climbs 2% to €330,539 in 2026, letting young first-time buyers, including qualifying foreign residents, buy more without transfer tax.
PropertyPortugal has lifted the 2% cap on new-contract rent increases, letting landlords set market rents for fresh leases while renewing tenants stay capped at 2.24%.
Cost of LivingNumbeo's 2026 data show UK living costs 36.6% higher than Portugal's, yet UK purchasing power is 82% higher — a real squeeze for locally-paid residents.
PropertyBragança district posted a 36.8% annual house price jump while Lisbon and Porto growth slows — what it means for foreign buyers eyeing inland Portugal.
TaxPortugal's tax authority issues 2025 IRS assessment notices by 31 July, with payment or refund due 31 August — key checks for foreign filers.
ImmigrationDriving into Portugal from Spain? AIMA is now strictly enforcing the old PSP entry declaration rule — passport stamps no longer suffice.
Cost of LivingPortugal's CPI climbed to 3.3% in 2026, above the euro area average. Foreign residents on local salaries feel it far more than pensioners with foreign income.
PropertySix months after storms Kristin, Leonardo and Marta, EU aid has arrived but hundreds of Leiria households, many foreign-owned, remain without landlines.
ImmigrationAIMA has begun a weekly itinerant support service in five towns, aiming to ease pressure on overwhelmed offices and help immigrants outside major cities.
ImmigrationAIMA has tendered a €208,000 contract to rebuild its troubled Portal das Renovações, with the new system due within 12 months of award.
ImmigrationWith real estate off the table, Portugal's Golden Visa now runs almost entirely on CMVM-regulated funds — and due diligence has tightened accordingly.
TaxPortugal's IRS withholding system trues up mid-year again — here's what foreign employees and pensioners should expect in their August 2026 payslip.
Cost of LivingBank of Portugal sees 4.1% wage growth in 2026, but a spring inflation spike and soaring rents mean many foreigners aren't feeling the improvement.
Cost of LivingFresh INE rental data show Lisbon's median new-contract rent far outpacing Coimbra's, a gap foreigners should weigh before choosing where to settle.
TaxForeign residents in Portugal face new mandatory crypto and offshore disclosure fields on the 2026 IRS return, with tax due by 31 August.
Cost of LivingInflation has climbed to 3.3% even as Portugal's minimum wage stays near €920, widening the gap between local pay and foreign-earned income.
ImmigrationAIMA says inconsistent name spellings between passports, NIF and Social Security records are delaying and rejecting residence applications. Here's the fix.
ImmigrationPortugal plans dedicated immigration court divisions nationwide after an EU warning, as 100,000+ AIMA lawsuits still clog Lisbon's courts.
PropertyPortugal raised the construction value used to calculate IMI to €570/m², a 7.1% jump affecting new builds, renovations and re-assessed homes from 2026.
Cost of LivingA 2.24% rent update coefficient for 2026 lets Portuguese landlords raise existing leases, adding to rising tolls, transport and utility costs.
ImmigrationAIMA's contact form now lets applicants follow each stage of a residence permit — from submission to card delivery. Here's how the new tool works.
ImmigrationAIMA is verifying Segurança Social contributions against declared income at renewal — a new risk for self-employed D2 and D8 visa holders in Portugal.
PropertyConfidencial Imobiliário data shows Portugal home sales rose 7% in Q2 2026, but non-resident and foreign buyer transactions kept shrinking.
PolicyA 2026 Observatório das Migrações brief flags pressure on housing, health and schools in immigrant-heavy municipalities and urges targeted investment.
ImmigrationPSP's UNEF now runs border checks, removals and returns, taking that job from AIMA. Here's what it means for foreign residents in Portugal.
Cost of Living2026 rent and property data reveal a near 2x cost gap between Lisbon/Porto and Portugal's interior, reshaping where newcomers on fixed budgets should settle.
ImmigrationForeigners with a pending AIMA residence application can register for Portugal's SNS and get a user number without waiting for approval.
Cost of LivingEurostat data shows Portuguese electricity prices climbing sharply in recent years, adding pressure on foreign residents already squeezed by rising rents.
PropertyEuribor's retreat from its 2023 peak is starting to trim monthly mortgage bills for foreign homeowners in Portugal, even as prices keep rising.
TaxEU DAC7 rules mean Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo now report host earnings directly to Finanças, closing loopholes for foreign property owners in Portugal.
ImmigrationPortugal has scrapped the manifestação de interesse scheme. Non-EU workers must now secure a visa from a consulate abroad before moving.
ImmigrationPortugal's D8 visa income threshold jumped to €3,680/month in 2026, tied to the new minimum wage, squeezing out lower-earning remote workers.
ImmigrationBrussels opens infringement proceedings against Portugal for missing deadlines on single work permits and asylum reception standards.
PropertyQ1 2026 data shows overseas purchases falling for a third year running as Portuguese house prices keep climbing and property-linked insolvencies rise.
ImmigrationA 28-judge task force resolved over 22,000 court cases against AIMA since April. Here's what it means if you've sued the agency over a stalled permit.
ImmigrationPortugal's 2026 Nationality Law adds a civic knowledge test and a democratic principles declaration for naturalising foreigners, alongside longer residency waits.
TaxFrom 1 July 2026, foreign-owned corporate groups can file consolidated VAT returns across Portuguese subsidiaries under the new RGIVA regime.
ImmigrationPortugal's top court has blocked, for a second time, a law letting judges strip naturalised citizens of citizenship over serious crimes.
TaxPortugal's tax authority has issued its first IFICI approvals, confirming the NHR successor works — but only for narrow professional categories.
PropertyOECD's 2026 survey finds Portuguese house prices doubled against incomes in a decade — what it means for foreign buyers weighing property now.
Cost of LivingJune 2026 data show headline inflation cooling slightly, but core and services prices keep climbing faster than local pay — a widening gap foreign earners barely feel.
PropertyCouncil of Ministers unveils rental law overhaul and Emergency Housing Fund — what foreign tenants need to know before their next lease renewal.
ImmigrationLaw 61/2025 rewrites Portugal's Foreigners' Law, adding a two-year residence threshold before spouses and relatives abroad can join sponsors.
Cost of LivingFuel and energy costs have pushed Portuguese inflation to its highest since 2023, squeezing foreign residents on fixed pensions or overseas salaries.
PropertyA new Banco de Portugal recommendation lowers the maximum debt-to-income ratio for mortgages to 45% from 1 August 2026, tightening financing for buyers.
PropertyLisbon's revised containment zones and a mass licence cancellation shrink the Airbnb market further, reshaping the calculus for foreign property investors.
PropertyPortugal's reduced 6% VAT on new-build homes for permanent residence is now taking effect, with a €660,982 price cap benefiting buyers and self-builders.
ImmigrationLaw 61/2025 rewrote Article 57-A: Portugal's 120-day job-seeker visa now excludes applicants without a degree or recognised technical skillset.
Cost of LivingNew INE data show Portuguese residents travelling more but spending less per trip, echoing the budget squeeze foreign residents feel on daily costs.
ImmigrationAIMA and Social Security link systems so immigrants get their NISS instantly during regularisation, ending a second-trip headache that hit 250,000 people in 2025.
ImmigrationGolden Visa holders are preparing collective legal action after Portugal's new Nationality Law ties the citizenship clock to AIMA's own permit delays.
PropertyMedian house prices reached €3,156 per m² in June, an eighth consecutive monthly record, even as annual growth cooled to 8.9%.
Cost of LivingPortugal's minimum wage rose to €920 in 2026, but OECD data show housing costs have doubled against incomes in a decade, deepening the local affordability squeeze.
PropertyDecreto-Lei 97/2026 sets a flat 7.5% IMT for non-resident buyers of Portuguese homes, refundable only if they become tax residents within two years.
ImmigrationISS data shows a 66% jump in foreign workers who stopped contributing to Social Security in 2025, as cost pressures and AIMA delays fuel departures.
ImmigrationFrom 1 July, EU nationals and family members can apply for permanent residence online via AIMA — even as 30,000 cases sit in a stalled backlog.
TaxPortugal's IRS filing window runs 1 April–30 June 2026. Here's what's new for foreign residents: NHR, IFICI, crypto reporting and offshore disclosure.
ImmigrationAIMA is moving residence-permit renewals to its online portal while a large legacy backlog persists. What it means for foreigners in Portugal right now.
ImmigrationAIMA cleared record numbers of cases in 2025, yet tens of thousands remain stuck and appointment waits still stretch for months in 2026.
TaxAfter the 30 June IRS window: what foreigners in Portugal should verify about their 2026 return — refunds, IFICI status, and how to file late.
