As an Irish citizen you can live and work in Portugal without a visa. The first thing to sort is your NIF (Portuguese tax number), which almost every other step depends on. If you're a remote worker or self-employed, get advice on the IFICI tax regime before you move, not after. Most direct load moves go by road via the Rosslare to Bilbao ferry and arrive in 5 to 7 days & shared loads take 2 to 3 weeks.

Portugal has become one of the fastest-growing destinations for Irish movers, and the profile has changed. It used to be where people retired. Now it's remote workers in their thirties, young families who've done the maths on housing, and professionals doing their Dublin job from Lisbon or the Algarve for a fraction of the rent.

This guide covers what to sort before you go, how your belongings actually get there, the tax question worth understanding early, and what a move costs.

Do Irish citizens need a visa to move to Portugal?

No. Ireland and Portugal are both EU members, so you have full freedom of movement. You can live and work in Portugal without a visa or permit.

If you're staying longer than three months, you register as a resident at your local Câmara Municipal (council) and apply for an AIMA registration certificate, AIMA is the body that replaced SEF in 2023. You'll need proof of address, your NIF, and proof of income or employment. That's local registration, not immigration control, and it's straightforward once your NIF is in place.

The NIF

The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is your Portuguese tax number, and it sits at the top of the chain. You need it to open a bank account, sign a lease, buy a car, or set up utilities. Almost nothing works without it.

The time-efficient route is to apply at the Portuguese consulate in Dublin before you leave. You can also apply at a Finanças office once you arrive, or through an appointed fiscal representative, but doing it from Dublin means you land ready to move on housing and banking straight away.

Open a Portuguese bank account early too, since most paperwork wants a local IBAN. Millennium BCP and Santander Totta are common choices among expats, and CGD (the state bank) has the widest branch network in rural areas. Some neobanks let you open a Portuguese-IBAN account remotely before you arrive.

The tax question: NHR, IFICI, and why it matters early

Portugal built its tax system to attract skilled workers and retirees, and for years that meant the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) regime, a flat rate on certain foreign income for ten years. The original NHR closed to new applicants at the end of 2023.

The replacement is IFICI, and it's narrower. It applies to specific categories: technology roles, scientific research, and certain qualified professions. Whether you qualify, and what it means for your Irish income, depends on your exact situation.

This is the one area where the advice is simple: talk to a tax adviser who knows both Irish and Portuguese law before you move, not after you arrive. The difference between qualifying and not can be significant, and some of the decisions are hard to reverse once you've established residency. AMC handles the move; the tax planning needs a specialist.

How your belongings get from Ireland to Portugal

This is a long run (the far southwest corner of Europe) and AMC does it on our own trucks the whole way rather than handing your shipment between carriers.

The route runs from your door anywhere in Ireland to Rosslare Port, across by ferry to Bilbao in northern Spain, then down through Spain and into Portugal, delivering door to door. Our vehicle is a road train (a truck and drag in two bodies) holding up to 3,000 cubic feet. That's enough for a large family home in a single load, and it means your belongings stay with one team from collection to delivery.

You've got two main options, and the right one comes down to how much you're moving.

Groupage (part load) shares the truck with other shipments heading the same way. It's the most common choice for a studio, a one-bedroom, or anyone not moving a full house. Typical timeline: 7 to 14 days from collection.

Dedicated truck is your own load, for three-bedroom houses and up, tight delivery windows, or bulky items like a piano. Typically 5 to 7 days door to door, and more expensive.

Because Portugal is an EU move, customs is clean. Used household goods you've owned for six months or more come in free of duty and VAT when you're relocating your main residence. You'll need a detailed inventory (we provide the template), your NIF, proof of your previous Irish residence, and your new Portuguese address. New or still-boxed items and vehicles are handled separately.

Why we ask for your exact address up front

This matters more in Portugal than almost anywhere else we go, so it's worth being direct about it.

Give us the exact destination address as early as you can, ideally at the survey stage. Many Portuguese towns and older city districts have genuinely narrow streets that a full road train can't get down. When that's the case, we add a shuttle service (transferring your belongings to a smaller vehicle for the final leg to your door) and that's a real cost that needs to be in your quote from the start, not a surprise on delivery day.

The Algarve's older town centres, the tight streets of Lisbon's historic quarters, hillside villages, and rural properties with steep or unmade access are the usual candidates. Flag the address, the building, and anything you know about parking or lift size at the survey. We've done enough of these moves to plan the right vehicle, but only if we know what we're driving into.

Where are Irish people moving in Portugal?

Most of our Portugal moves head south to the Algarve, but we deliver the length of the country, including Lisbon, Porto, and the Silver Coast between them.

The Algarve is where the largest share of Irish movers land. It has the most established expat infrastructure (English-speaking GPs, international schools, Irish and British social networks) and Faro airport runs direct flights to Dublin and Cork. Lagos, Tavira, Vilamoura, and Carvoeiro all have real Irish communities. It's no longer only retirees; remote workers wanting coast and space are a growing part of the picture.

Lisbon is the choice for people relocating for work or keeping a career remotely, with a growing tech sector and a large international community. It's the most expensive city in Portugal, and rents have risen sharply over the last few years, so the gap to Dublin has narrowed. Families often settle in Cascais, Sintra, or across the river in Almada and Setúbal for more space.

Porto is roughly where Lisbon was five years ago: smaller, more affordable, genuinely beautiful, with growing tech and creative sectors. The Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river is popular with families.

The Silver Coast  (Óbidos, Peniche, Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha, between Lisbon and Porto) has quietly become a favourite for Irish families who want lower prices, good access to international schools, and a slower pace.

What does it cost to move from Ireland to Portugal? (approx from Dublin to Lisbon)

Cost is driven mainly by volume, with access and timeline on top. These are realistic ranges for road freight, collection in Dublin:

Move Size: Studio/room of belongings
Groupage estimate: €900 – €1,500
Dedicated truck estimate: Not applicable

Move Size: 1 bedroom apartment
Groupage estimate: €1,400 – €2,400
Dedicated truck estimate: €3,500 – €5,000

Move Size: 2 bedroom apartment
Groupage estimate: €2,200 – €3,800
Dedicated truck estimate: €4,500 – €6,500

Move Size: 3 bedroom house
Groupage estimate: €3,800 – €6,000
Dedicated truck estimate: €6,000 – €9,000

Move Size: 4+ bedroom house
Groupage estimate: Quote required
Dedicated truck estimate: Quote required

Portugal is a longer run than Spain, so both groupage timelines and dedicated-truck costs sit a little higher than a Spanish move. Packing, vehicle transport, and any shuttle service for narrow access are quoted separately. The only way to get a fixed figure rather than a range is a pre-move survey, in-home across Leinster, or by video call anywhere.

Bringing your car: the two taxes that catch people out

An EU car doesn't pay import duty, but Portugal has two vehicle taxes that surprise people.

ISV (Imposto Sobre Veículos) is a one-time registration tax based on engine size and CO2 emissions. For a typical five-year-old family car it runs anywhere from €1,500 to €5,000 or more, and larger or higher-emission vehicles pay significantly more. IUC (Imposto Único de Circulação) is the annual road tax, also based on engine size and emissions.

If your car is a few years old with a smaller engine, the numbers are manageable. For a newer or larger vehicle, it's often cleaner to sell in Ireland and buy locally, Portuguese prices are broadly comparable, and you skip the import taxes and re-registration entirely. If you do bring it, you must register within 60 days of establishing residency, pass the IPO inspection (the NCT equivalent), and take out Portuguese insurance. AMC can transport your vehicle alongside your household goods or separately.

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FAQs

Q.Do Irish citizens need a visa to move to Portugal?
‍No. Ireland and Portugal are both in the EU, so you have full freedom of movement and can live and work in Portugal without a visa. If you're staying more than three months, you register as a resident and get an AIMA registration certificate.

Q. What is a NIF and how do I get one?
‍The NIF is your Portuguese tax number, needed to open a bank account, sign a lease, buy a car, or set up utilities. The easiest route is to apply at the Portuguese consulate in Dublin before you leave. You can also apply at a Finanças office on arrival or through a fiscal representative.

Q.How long does a move from Ireland to Portugal take?
‍Groupage (a shared load) takes 2 to 3 weeks from collection. A dedicated truck is typically 5 to 7 days door to door. The route runs via the Rosslare to Bilbao ferry and then south through Spain into Portugal.

Q. Can AMC deliver to the Algarve, or just Lisbon?
‍We deliver door to door across the whole country: the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto, and the Silver Coast. Most of our Portugal moves are to the south. Give us your exact address at the survey so we can plan the right vehicle.

Q.Why do you need my exact address before quoting?
‍Many Portuguese towns and older districts have narrow streets a full truck can't reach. Where that's the case we add a shuttle service, moving your belongings onto a smaller vehicle for the final leg. That's a real cost, so it needs to be in your quote from the start rather than a surprise on delivery day.

Q.Should I bring my car or buy one in Portugal?
‍For older, smaller-engine cars the import taxes (ISV and IUC) are manageable. For newer or larger vehicles, selling in Ireland and buying locally is often cheaper once you factor in ISV, which can run €1,500 to €5,000 or more. You have 60 days from establishing residency to register an imported car.

Q.What if I'm in Portugal before my furniture arrives?
‍Common, and not a problem. If you're flying over to sort housing first, we hold your shipment and deliver when you're ready. Tell us at booking rather than the week before.

Get started

AMC has been moving Irish families across Europe for over 25 years, running our own trucks the full route to Portugal via Rosslare and Bilbao, door to door. We are FIDI-accredited and FAIM-certified, the highest independent standards in international moving, held by fewer than 600 companies worldwide.

The first step is a free pre-move survey, in-home or by video call. It takes 30 to 60 minutes and gives you a fixed quote based on your actual volume and access.

Get a free pre-move survey here.

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AMC Removals is an Irish-owned international removal company with over 25 years of experience. FIDI-accredited and FAIM-certified.

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