Moving to Portugal is not hard, but it is a long sequence of steps that have to happen in the right order. Here is a realistic countdown, with the timings that catch people out, from the first decision to your first month on the ground.

12 to 9 months before

• Decide your region and visa route (D7 or D8), and confirm your income clears the 2026 threshold (€920 a month for the D7, about €3,680 for the D8).
• Apply for your background check (FBI in the US, ACRO in the UK, RCMP in Canada). The FBI report alone takes two to four weeks before apostille.
• Start saving the required deposit, roughly €11,040 for a single applicant.

9 to 6 months before

• Get your NIF (tax number) through a fiscal representative.
• Open a Portuguese bank account and move your savings in. From abroad this can take four to six weeks.
• Get your background check apostilled (about two weeks via the US Department of State, or the FCDO in the UK), and gather income proof, insurance and accommodation documents.

6 to 3 months before

• Book your visa appointment at your nearest VFS Global centre. Appointment waits vary by city, so book as early as you can.
• Research neighbourhoods and line up a short-term rental to land in.
• Get shipping and pet-transport quotes.

3 to 1 months before

• Once your visa is issued, you have a four-month window to enter Portugal, so book flights inside it.
• Confirm your first accommodation and notify banks, tax authorities and providers at home.

Your first 30 days in Portugal

• Attend your AIMA residency appointment. By law a decision is due within set periods, but the backlog is real, so keep every reference number.
• Register for the SNS (public health) at your local health centre, and set up utilities, internet and a Portuguese phone number.
• Start meeting people. This is the step most people skip and most regret skipping.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first?
Apply for your background check. It is the slowest item and everything else can be arranged around it.

Can I do this without help?
Many people do. A structured plan simply removes the guesswork and the costly mis-steps.

Get the full step-by-step toolkit

Sources

• Visa categories and thresholds: vistos.mne.gov.pt
• AIMA (residency permits): aima.gov.pt
• Background checks: FBI (US), ACRO (UK)

General information for June 2026. Related reading: How to Apply for Your NIF and Finding Your Dream Home.