When leaving Portugal permanently to another country, please make sure that you remember your obligations.

Residência is only necessary, when you reside in Portugal for more than 183 days (in one-year). If you hold a current Residência and you are planning to leave the country for more than 90 days, you must inform AIMA - Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo) of your intentions.

When leaving Portugal permanently you are required to surrender your card(s) together with a small declaration explaining your intentions. This is submitted to your local AIMA office or to your local Câmara Municipal (depending in which kind of residency you have). To use this simple example of the above-mentioned declaration, simply rewrite this text set out below.

DECLARAÇÃO

Eu, (NAME) , portador do cartão de residência nº (RESIDENCE CARD NR) de nacionalidade (NATIONALITY), residente em _____________ (ADDRESS) informo a Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo para todos os fins convenientes, que desejo cancelar a minha residência em Portugal.

Include the place where you live and the date, e.g., Portimão, 13 de Maio de 2025.

(SIGNATURE)

Tax Office (FINANÇAS)
Please make sure that you inform Finanças about your cancellation of Residência and provide them with your new address and contacts if you remain connected to Portugal.

Taxes (Property and Vehicle)
Your property tax or rates (IMI) will need to be paid up until you have sold your property. This can be either paid by a friend, by Multibanco or in the Post Office or you can settle down your Direct Debit through Finanças website. Rates are normally paid in May, but if your Rates are more than €100 then the bill will be split and you may pay in two or three instalments: May, August, and November (depending on the amount payable). When you have sold your property, you must check with the Finanças to confirm that ownership has been registered by the new owners.

This also works for your car/motorcycle tax (IUC).

Please Remember: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR TAXES.

Health Center (CENTRO SAÚDE)
If you are registered in your local Health Center, you need to inform them so that they can cancel your data from their system and assign the GP – Family Doctor (if applicable) to other users.

Selling your property?
When your property has been sold, you must remember that Capital Gains Tax (Imposto de Mais Valia) is applicable. If your property is your primary property, you may re-invest the monies, within Portugal, within a two-year period after the sale. If your house is in a Condominium: the administer needs to be informed of any ownership changes, this will relieve you of any further obligations.

When selling a property, it is always advisable to consult a lawyer, as each case is different, not forgetting your legal obligations when signing a promissory contract.

Services
To cancel contracts with the local services, a summary of some of the main services that you will need to cancel when your property has been sold.

Electricity and Gas
You must contact your electricity/gas supplier (by phone or email) and let them know that you want to cancel the contract.

Don’t forget your bills are paid one month in arrears, but you can now choose to pay whatever is owed until the day you cancel, which is calculated by the reading of your meter.

Documents needed:

Valid ID Card
Reading on the day
Your last invoice (Fatura)

Water (ÁGUA)
Water supply can be cancelled by a written request at your local Câmara or water departmentand you need to pay whatever is owed until that day for that you should provide the reading of your meter of that day.

Documents needed:

Previous water bill (Fatura) and proof of Identity

Telephone (TELEFONE/INTERNET)
To cancel an account with Portugal Telecom/MEO/NOWO/VODAFONE/NOS, you need to visit your local shop (loja), together with your ID card, or Residência, Passport etc.

If you are renting the equipment (telephone) from Telecom, please return this at the same time. To make the process even easier, take along your last telephone bill. If you are using another communications server, your telephone equipment will most likely be still rented from telecom, in this case you need to cancel with both companies.

Post Office (CORREIOS)
If you would like to redirect your mail you need to fill a form at your local office Post Office that is valid for 3 months. If you have an Apartado, you need to surrender the key and also fill in a declaration provided by the Post Office.

Bank (BANCO)
In order to close your bank account, you may verbally request at your local branch, but it is better to make the request in writing (Encerramento de conta).

Insurance (SEGUROS)
If you have household, car, or health insurance, then you need to cancel these policies. Contact your broker or insurance company for more information. The law states the minimum of 30 days’ notice to cancel although most of the insurance companies are requesting 60 days. Read your insurance policy carefully.

Driving Licence (CARTA DE CONDUÇÃO)
If you hold a Portuguese driving licence and you are leaving the country for a European country, then you may drive with the Portuguese licence until it expires. Once Residência has been requested renewal of a driving licence must be requested from the country you are now residing in.

Connected bulletins:

Driving Licence (Carta de Condução) P04E
Insurance (Seguros) I02E, I03E, I04E, I05E
Electricity U01E
Telephone (Telecom) U02E
Post Office (Correios) U03E
Water (Água) U04E
Property Rates (IMI) T02E
Capital Gains (Imposto de Mais Valia) T07E
Property buying and selling (Compra e Venda) H09E

P07E - Leaving Portugal

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