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Our Journey from the UK to Portugal
It all began years ago with a simple conversation — a dream we shared about one day living in Portugal. After countless visits, exploring every corner of the country, we fell in love. The stunning beaches, diverse landscapes, rich history, and warm, welcoming culture captured our hearts and sparked our imagination.
Most people think of Portugal and immediately picture the Algarve — golden sandy beaches, whitewashed houses, and endless sunshine. And while the Algarve is undeniably beautiful, there is so much more to this incredible country.
Portugal is full of surprises: lush green valleys, vast national parks, breathtaking monuments, and centuries-old churches steeped in history. It’s a country rich in culture and diversity, where every region has its own unique charm. We know we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface, but we’re excited to share what we’ve experienced so far on this journey.
If you’re thinking about moving to Portugal, we hope our experience can help guide you through the process from start to finish. There’s a lot to consider, and you might be wondering: Where do I even begin?
For us, it all started with research. One of the first and most important steps was obtaining our NIF — Número de Identificação Fiscal — Portugal’s Taxpayer Identification Number. This number is essential and acts as a kind of personal ID for financial and legal matters. You’ll need it for just about everything: opening a bank account, signing a rental contract, purchasing a car, setting up utilities, and even making larger purchases.
Once we had our NIF numbers, the next step was coming to Portugal to open a bank account. This is another key part of the process, as many services — including renting or buying a property — require a Portuguese bank account.
If you’re at this stage or just beginning your journey, feel free to visit our Guides page for practical step-by-step help. And for a more personal take on the ups and downs of our move, head over to Our Experience — we hope it inspires and supports you on your own adventure.
FAQs
Moving to Portugal?
Here you will find everything we did to get your residency in Portugal, getting a NIF, Bank account, purchasing a house, NHR etc.
Who is behind iPortugal?
We are two couples that moved to Portugal from the UK in October 2023. We want to share our whole experience from moving to Portugal to our first few months here.