Moving to Portugal, handled from door to door

Where we move clients to Portugal from

Dedicated corridor pages

• Netherlands → Portugal
• Germany → Portugal
• United Kingdom → Portugal
• United States → Portugal

Other origins we cover

• France → Portugal
• Belgium → Portugal
• Luxembourg → Portugal
• Austria → Portugal
• Switzerland → Portugal
• Ireland → Portugal
• Spain → Portugal
• Italy → Portugal
• Greece → Portugal
• Slovenia → Portugal
• Croatia → Portugal
• Sweden → Portugal

Customs & paperwork into Portugal

Moving from another EU country

Moving to Portugal from another EU country involves no customs clearance and no import duty on your belongings.

After arrival, you will need a Portuguese tax number (NIF), a certificate of residence from your local parish council (Junta de Freguesia) and, for stays of more than three months, an EU registration certificate. Read our full guide to moving to Portugal for the NIF, AIMA and residency steps in detail.

Moving from outside the EU (UK, Switzerland, Norway, USA, and others)

From outside the EU — including the United Kingdom since Brexit, the USA, Canada, Brazil and Switzerland — your used household goods can enter Portugal free of duty and VAT under the transfer of residence exemption. To qualify:

• you have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months — time spent in another EU country counts against this;
• you have owned and used your belongings for at least 6 months;
• you are moving your main residence to Portugal;
• your goods arrive within the legal time limit after you settle in Portugal.

EU rules allow up to 12 months, but Portuguese customs looks closely at shipments that arrive long after your move. Plan to ship as soon as possible after you settle — ideally within the first few months.

Shipments to a second home do not qualify and are taxed on the value of the goods, freight and insurance.

Goods admitted duty-free must not be sold after release.

Documents usually required for customs clearance

• Valid passport
• Portuguese tax number (NIF)
• Certificate of residence from your parish council (Junta de Freguesia), showing your date of residence in Portugal
• Residence permit or residence card for non-EU citizens
• Proof of your previous residence outside the EU (for example, a certificate from the Portuguese consulate in your country of origin)
• A detailed, itemised inventory of your belongings — generic descriptions such as "miscellaneous boxes" are rejected
• The customs declarations we provide at destination

An incomplete inventory is the most common cause of delays at Portuguese customs. We help you build it room by room during packing.

Special territories

Madeira and the Azores are part of Portugal and of the EU. We deliver to both by sea; transit times are longer than to the mainland, so mention your island destination at quote stage.

Vehicles and restricted items

• Vehicles Vehicles can travel with your household goods. Portugal applies a separate exemption from vehicle tax (ISV) when you transfer your residence, with its own conditions. Check eligibility before shipping.
• Wood packaging Pallets, crates and wooden packaging from outside the EU must be heat-treated and marked to international standards.
• Food and animal products Meat, milk and their by-products are prohibited in shipments from outside the EU, with limited exceptions.
• Pets Pets travel separately from household goods. They need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport or an official health certificate, depending on the country of origin.

How a move to Portugal works

1. Free quote. Share your origin, your delivery address in Portugal and roughly how much you are moving. A written quote lands in your inbox within 24 hours.
2. Survey and planning. A coordinator confirms your volume and the transport mode, and reviews the customs rules that apply to your move to Portugal.
3. Packing and collection. We bring the packing materials to your home, inventory each piece and load everything on moving day.
4. Transport. Your belongings travel by the mode that fits your route to Portugal: dedicated truck or shared load within Europe, sea container or air freight otherwise.
5. Customs clearance (where required). We prepare and file the documents for clearance in Portugal (Portuguese customs file (NIF, residence certificate, inventory)).
6. Delivery and set-up. Final-mile delivery to your door; unpacking and reassembly are added when your quote includes them.

A single point of contact handles your move to Portugal from estimate to delivery.

How your belongings travel — mode by mode

Door-to-door transit times are indicative and depend on the season, the exact addresses and, where required, customs clearance.

Door-to-door transit times are indicative and depend on the season, the exact addresses and, for non-EU moves, customs clearance. Allow about a week for clearance in Portugal once your documents are complete.

How the price of your move to Portugal is calculated

Like every international mover, we build your price to Portugal from a few concrete factors:

• Volume — the single biggest lever on the price, in m³. The online calculator walks you through it one room at a time.
• Distance and route — the actual door-to-door distance to Portugal, not a bird-flight shortcut.
• Transport mode — shared load, dedicated truck, sea container (shared or exclusive) or air freight.
• Services — everything beyond pure transport: packing, dismantling, crating, short-term storage, extra legs by ferry.
• Access — floors without a lift, narrow streets, long carry distances or the need for an external lift.
• Customs — brokerage, declaration and port handling charges on routes to Portugal that cross a customs border.
• Insurance — calculated as a percentage of the declared value of your belongings.

Typical volumes, as a guide:

For road moves inside Europe, the estimator returns a starting price in two minutes. Sea freight, air freight and any move that crosses a customs border go through a written quote, delivered within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay customs duties when moving to Portugal from the UK or the USA?

Not if you qualify for the transfer of residence exemption: at least 12 months living outside the EU, belongings owned for at least 6 months, and a genuine move of your main residence to Portugal.

Do I need a NIF before my shipment arrives?

Yes. Your Portuguese tax number is required for customs clearance of a non-EU shipment, so obtain it early in your planning.

How soon after my arrival should my belongings be shipped?

As soon as possible. EU rules allow up to 12 months, but Portuguese customs scrutinises late shipments, so we recommend shipping within the first few months of your move.

I lived in Spain for a few months before moving to Portugal. Does that matter?

Yes. Time spent in any EU country counts against the 12-month non-EU residence requirement, which can affect your eligibility for the duty-free exemption.

Can you deliver to Madeira or the Azores?

Yes. Both are part of the EU, so moves from other EU countries involve no customs. Transit times are longer because of the sea crossing.

How long does a move to Portugal take?

From Spain, a dedicated truck delivers within a few days; from the rest of Western Europe, usually within a week. From North America or Brazil, allow six to twelve weeks by sea container.