Buying in Portugal as a Non-Resident: NIF, Account, Escritura

Portugal is procedurally simple compared to France or Italy, but it is not self-serve. Six things need to happen, roughly in this order, before you own a fracção autónoma in Lisbon.

Step 1: NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal). Portugal's tax ID. EU citizens can get one directly at any Serviço de Finanças. Non-EU buyers need a fiscal representative appointed (a Portuguese resident who receives AT correspondence on their behalf). Lawyers and accountants offer the service for €150-400/year. Mandatory before any other step.

Step 2: Portuguese bank account. Required for the transfer chain and the post-completion IMI payments. Millennium BCP, BPI, and Novo Banco all handle non-resident onboarding in English. Caixa Geral de Depósitos is slower but the cheapest. Allow 2-4 weeks.

Step 3: Due diligence through the Conservatória do Registo Predial. The certidão permanente is the title register — confirms ownership, liens, and pending charges. Your lawyer pulls it. Concurrently, the Caderneta Predial (tax authority's property record) confirms the VPT used for IMI and confirms no back taxes.

Step 4: CPCV (Contrato-Promessa de Compra e Venda). Promissory contract, 10-20% deposit. Deposit is refundable if the seller breaches; forfeit if you walk. This is the moment the deal actually commits. IMT is calculated on CPCV price — do not under-declare; AT has database-matching.

Step 5: Escritura. The deed, signed before a notário or on a Casa Pronta desk (Ministry of Justice one-stop). Balance paid, IMT and IS paid the same day, keys transferred. Deed registered automatically in the Conservatória.

Step 6: Post-completion. Register for IMI (annual, next October), take out building insurance (required), update condomínio (building association) records. If you plan to let, Finanças registration as a landlord is separate.

Typical total: 6-10 weeks from NIF to keys if paperwork is clean. 12-16 weeks if you are non-EU and the bank is slow. Budget realistically.