Portugal is a top destination for expats

According to SEF, the foreign population living in Portugal in 1980 was around 50,000, and in 2020 it reached 662,000, which is a tremendous sign of Portugal’s attractiveness in just thirty years. Foreign nationals from Brazil, the UK, Italy, France, and India are among the nationalities that have an increasing number of citizens living in the country.

The truth is that Portugal is not only about sunny days, great food, and welcoming people. Being on top as one of the safest countries in the world, having access to a free universal healthcare and school system, being a country with an overall low or moderate range of prices, and having several residence options for foreigners, such as the D7, D2 or the Golden Visa, makes it highly attractive for foreigners. 

The expat community is on the rise, and that includes families, digital nomads or just individuals searching for those benefits. For example, this is particularly true for expats from Hong-Kong, as per Bloomberg’s insight, which states that “Portugal [is] increasingly becoming a haven” since “Portugal offers a non-habitual resident pass where foreign income is tax exempt, along with other benefits for the first 10 years.”

In fact, tax advantages also play a huge part in Portugal's attractiveness. For new residents, the NHR regime is the most successful tax regime in Western Europe, the reason for this being the 10-year tax exemption on most non-Portugal-sourced types of income, whether or not they are taxed at source, and whether or not, under a double taxation agreement (DTA), tax at source is reduced (i.e. on dividends, interest or royalties) or even non existing.

There is a whole world to explore and there are numerous options for foreigners to relocate, but Portugal is definitely on the radar for foreign nationals, and, at L.V.P. Advogados, we would be happy to assist with any Immigration and Tax matters for an easy-going experience navigating the legal process in the country.