Flatio rental agreement is suitable for a D7 visa?

Hello Leslie57,

Welcome to Expat.com 😀

Please note that I have created a new thread with your post for better visibility on the Portugal forum.

This should increase your chances of finding useful information about whether a flatio rental agreement is suitable for a D7 visa.

Learn more here: Living in Portugal: the ultimate expat guide

All the best,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

Hi @Leslie, Welcome.

Flatio itself is a platform that connects landlords and tenants, but it is not directly responsible for registering contracts with the tax office.

Registering the contract with the tax office is the responsibility of the landlord, as is issuing the rent receipts. However, the platform has information and articles that clarify this matter for both landlords and tenants.

Registering the contract with Finanças is crucial to guaranteeing the legality of the lease, both for the landlord and the tenant. For the visa, the rental contract must be legalised, i.e. registered with the tax office and with the stamp duty paid by the landlord.

NIF and bank account

You can request your NIF free of charge from the tax office.  But as you don't have an address in Portugal, you must have a tax representative. A tax representative can be anyone with a tax address in Portugal. It could be someone you know, a solicitor, a national or foreign citizen, etc., as long as he lives /has tax address in Portugal. 

I suggest you contact a solicitor, as he can also help you with opening a bank account (as well with rental agreement and any visa issues you may need).

Solicitors, Lawyers & Administrative division of Portugal:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=941009

Regards

@JohnnyPT

Thank you. I will explore the solicitor option.

Does the Portuguese friend have any obligation or legal responsibility if they go with you to the tax office when applying for a NIF no?

I misinformed you. Since 2022, a tax representative is no longer required for the NIF.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 33#5596898

(Post #30)

So you can request it. However, banks place a lot of restrictions on non-residents opening bank accounts. Your solicitor can help you with this, although there are a few banks that allow it.

Opening a Bank Account as a Non-resident

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=933658

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Experience sharing about Visas to Portugal (D7 & others)

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=971460

Residence Rights in Portugal for UK citizens after BREXIT

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=908742

@JohnnyPT

Thanks Johnny. We will try our luck at the Financas next week.

Hi and Welcome,

Take paperwork to get NIF at Financas  on UK address.

Take  dual sim phone (or old 2nd phone) and get a PT sim (airport shop can supply) as local contacts do not like to call "overseas" numbers.

Print off contact details (so they get your email/local phone correctly) and go into every local "Estate Agent" and tell them what you are looking for (obviously work out beforehand what you are looking for). From experience there are property for sale/rent which do not appear on interweb searches and also some on there are not real / out of date.

Try Activo online bank  (part of Millenniumbcp bank) using UK address for "Simples account" go into one of their 5 "offices" in Porto, big interactive screen press En (unless you want Pt) and book next appointment. You'll need some paperwork, UK mobile number, passport ........... they'll send a txt to call you forward to appointment then go through all the "paperwork" and hand you ATM card and temp code (you could ask to deposit a few euro) then they  accompany you to inhouse ATM to stick in card, look away as you change code. You'll walk out with bank account, working ATM card n interweb bank access ( this needs your UK phone number). Go to outside and sit in sunshine with an coffee and check online , that sends code to your UK mobile,  that your deposit is there and so all works.    Ooooo Activo Simples does not charge monthly fees.

Thanks Strontium. A very practical and detailed explanation. I’ll let you know how I get on when we return from PT next week.