Immigrate to Portugal from UK

Many British nationals choose to retire to more sunny European countries and Spain and Portugal are their top choices. However, UK citizens can find that Portugal is an attractive country before they decide to retire. They can purchase property, open a business, or relocate to Portugal for employment purposes. 

A country with spectacular beaches and rich history, Portugal offers options for those who wish to live in Lisbon and other large cities but also for immigrants who are looking for picturesque areas to retire. In case you want to immigrate to Portugal from UK, our team of attorneys is at your disposal.

In this article, our team of Portugal immigration specialists describes the main manners in which British citizens can reside long-term in the country. Foreign nationals who wish to know more details about a particular situation described herein can seek out our agents to receive personalized information. We can also give you details on how to obtain Portugal citizenship.

Moving to Portugal from the UK

According to the post-Brexit regulations, British nationals who wish to relocate to Portugal from the UK are required to apply for a visa suitable for their purpose of stay in Portugal when their stay exceeds 90 days in any given 180-day period. Visa-free stays of up to 90 days apply only to those who travel as tourists, to visit friends and family, for sports or cultural events, or for short-term business, or training.

For medium and long-term stays for work, study, business, or family reunification purposes, a residence permit in Portugal is required for UK nationals.

Discussing the requirements for your relocation beforehand is recommended in all cases. In October 2023, the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) was replaced by the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA). This change is part of a strategy to make immigration procedures more efficient, however, it also means that applicants now submit their documents to AIMA.

Our Portugal immigration agents can give you complete information about the attributions of AIMA, as well as the requirements that will apply to your application.

We present an infographic about this topic:

Types of residence permits for those who move to Portugal from the UK

British citizens can acquire the right to reside in Portugal with one of the following permits:

• for employment: British nationals who have obtained an employment contract with a Portuguese company or those who are subject to intra-company transfers.
• for study purposes: students or individuals who wish to continue their studies at a Portuguese university; this can represent the first step to relocate to Portugal;
• for independent work: self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, and investors who will work or open a business in the country; our team of Portugal immigration agents can provide details.
• as a highly qualified professional: highly skilled workers such as researchers who have been invited by a higher education institute or research centers.
• for retirement: UK nationals who wish to retire in sunny Portugal; based on proof of sufficient income for the applicant; a popular option for moving to Portugal.

One of our immigration lawyers in Portugal can provide UK nationals with detailed information as needed.

Each of these types of residence permits is applied for before the applicant decides to come to the country and continue his or her stay for more than three months. Our team of agents who specialize in immigration to Portugal can provide applicants with complete details about the documents that need to be submitted when making the application.

We invite you to watch a short video presented by our team:

Permanent residency in Portugal is often the goal of many UK nationals who wish to relocate to the country. Whether this is done through investment, retirement, or passive income, or working as a digital nomad, one needs at least five years of temporary residence before the permanent status can be acquired. Our team can give you more details and assistance for application.

We recommend getting in touch with our team before you submit the application to the Embassy of Portugal or the Consulate General of Portugal (located in London).

Working and doing business in Portugal

UK entrepreneurs and freelancers can relocate to Portugal for one year (subject to a possible extension) under the Portuguese nomad visa. This is different from the passive income visa and the applicant will need to be able to show that he or she derives sufficient income solely from professional activities contracted outside of Portuguese territory. Our team can give you more details.

If you want to work in Portugal, you can apply for a residence permit for employed work, an intra-company transferee, to engage in independent professional work, as a highly qualified employee, to engage in teaching activities, or cultural ones. A residence permit for those who will be conducting highly qualified activities in a certified company is also in place as the tech visa.

British investors who wish to immigrate to Portugal from the UK should know that the conditions for the Portuguese golden visa have changed, with investments in real estate no longer leading to residency.

The options that remain available for the investor’s residence permit are the following:

• fund subscription: with a minimum value of EUR 500,000 in qualifying investment funds;
• investments in cultural and artistic outputs: the minimum donation is EUR 250,000 and it must be made to preserve Portugal’s national cultural heritage; our immigration lawyer in Portugal can give you more details;
• investments of at least EUR 500,000 in a new company (creating 5 jobs) or an existing commercial company, while also creating 5 new jobs, or maintaining 10 existing ones;
• other investments, such as those in scientific research (which are also subject to a minimum value of EUR 500,000).

Retiring to Portugal, doing business, or relocating for permanent employment purposes can all be great routes to gaining citizenship in Portugal, if one remains in the country long enough and also meets the general eligibility criteria for naturalization. Irrespective of your nationality, if you are interested in this process, you can reach out to our local team of experts for guidance.

Residence permit applications for those who immigrate to Portugal from UK

UK nationals who submit their application for a work or residence permit in Portugal are expected to provide the following documents:

• Photographs: two recent and identical ones;
• ID: their valid identification document, which can be a passport;
• Criminal record: the one issued by the UK authorities;
• Supporting documentation: any agreements, contracts, or business plans that confirm their chosen residence permit application.
• Others: depending on the particular situation, other documents may be needed, such as tax registration confirmation, social security registration confirmation, and others.

UK nationals who need more information about the documents they need to submit to the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate can reach out to our agents for more detailed information. Our team will ask you to provide us with relevant information about your intention to stay in Portugal and will be able to offer personalized counseling once you provide certain details.

If you are interested in immigration from the UK to Portugal, you should know that the country recently reported the highest number of resident migrants. The data, summarized below by our team, shows the following:

• the data published by AIMA in September 2026 shows that 1,585,854 foreign citizens were living in the country;
• over the last 5 years the number of foreigners has more than doubled;
• the country’s migrant population represents about 14% of its overall population;
• it was also revealed that 182,000 individuals were from EU countries.

One of our Portugal immigration agents can assist you if you wish to immigrate to Portugal from UK. As highlighted in the statistics, UK nationals make up a diverse age distribution and they choose to relocate to the country both for employment purposes and also for retirement. Contact us for personalized assistance.