Moving to Portugal from the UK after Brexit: 3 ways!

Charming cities, breathtaking coastlines, and warm Mediterranean climate, Portugal presents a wealth of enticing benefits for those considering a move from the UK. However, what distinguishes this country most from other European countries is the fact that, together with a different climate, it offers relatively easy relocation options for the British. In this article, you will learn how easy it is to move to Portugal from the UK after Brexit and travel around Europe.

Moving to Portugal from the UK after Brexit: How can you do it?

There are several options for moving to Portugal depending on for how long you want to move and what costs you are willing to pay: no visa, D7 visa and Portuguese Golden Visa.

The Portuguese Golden Visa program is an initiative launched by the Portuguese government in 2012 to attract foreign investment into the country. It offers residency and, eventually, citizenship to non-EU/EEA nationals who make a significant investment in Portugal. 

Although leaving the EU has resulted in some restrictions on travel for Brits, the Golden Visa program offered by Portugal remains as open to UK citizens as it is to other countries.

What exactly is the Portuguese Golden Visa?

Under this program, individuals can obtain a residence permit by investing in various options, such as real estate, capital transfer, job creation, research activities, or supporting artistic production. By fulfilling the investment criteria, applicants and their families can obtain temporary residence permits initially valid for one year, which can be renewed for subsequent periods of two years. After five years, they may be eligible to apply for permanent residency or citizenship.

What are the benefits of moving from the UK to Portugal through the Portuguese Golden Visa?

The Portugal Golden Visa program provides UK citizens with free movement across the Schengen Area. Another advantage is that after 5 years if you want to apply for permanent residency or citizenship these can also be granted to your family members. In addition to this, other key benefits include:

• This residence permit allows you and your family to live, work, and study in Portugal.
• It can be an investment opportunity that will potentially generate additional income.
• You have diverse investment options, which makes it easier for more people to join the program. 
• Public hospitals in Portugal offer very affordable or even free medical care for both citizens and residents of the country and cost of living is also not high. 
• This program has relatively low physical presence requirements, what means that you can keep residency while spending limited time in Portugal.
• If you obtain citizenship and a Portuguese passport it will allow you to travel visa-free to 172 countries in the world.
• You will find many schools that are international as well as those that offer British curriculum.
• There is the Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) tax system in Portugal  which offers attractive tax breaks for foreign residents. They also have a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) which prevents you from paying taxes in Portugal if you’re already paying them in the UK.

Moving from the UK to Portugal without investing a lot of money: D7 Visa

Portugal D7 visa, is also known as the Retirement Visa or Passive Income Visa. To get this type of visa applicants must demonstrate that they have a certain minimum passive income of per month and per annum. It’s very popular among digital nomads and freelancers. For example in 2023 the minimum income requirement is:

• 760 euro/ per month; 9120 euro/ per year for the main applicant
• 380 euro/ per month for a spouse
• 228 euro/ per month for each child under 18.

This type of visa is valid 4 months, after you have to apply for a residence permit to the SEF office.

Moving to Portugal from the UK for a short-term

Good news! UK nationals can visit Portugal without a visa, but can only stay for up to 90 days within 180 days. It’s also a good option if you want to get to know life in a country before you decide to invest and go through the process of getting permanent residency.

But you’re probably wondering: “Is it a good idea to move to Portugal?”

There are many benefits in Portugal that attract the British. We have already mentioned the education options and the attractive tax system. Here are other advantages that make Britons often think about moving to Portugal:

1. Safety – Portugal is considered one of the safest countries in Europe. In 2021, it was ranked 4th in the Global Peace Index Ranking.
2. Popularity of English – Portugal has the ninth-highest English proficiency among non-native speakers in the world.
3. Low cost of living – rental prices in Portugal can be anywhere from 30% to 50% lower than comparable properties in the UK.  However, it’s important to note that this is a general approximation, and the actual percentage difference can vary depending on the specific cities or regions being compared.
4. Climate – comparing to rainy and cloudy UK, Portugal boasts a pleasant Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers.

Are you considering moving to Portugal? Let us know on gowork.uk if your employer allows this. And if you want to know about job opportunities in British companies in Portugal, don’t wait and ask a question in their threads.