CRUE - What documents did you need at your Câmara?

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REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE FOR EU/EEA/SWITZERLAND CITIZEN

https://www.sef.pt/en/Pages/conteudo-de … spx?nID=22

@dancart

Hi

I have just obtained my CRUE from Caldas da Rainha Camara. They were super helpful. This is what I needed

1. Passport size photo

2. Atestado da Residencia- you get this first from your local Junta. We had bought a house so the house deeds were presented. We also had to show payment of utilities in our name. If you have a lease + utility payment such as water or electricity that should be ok. Names on lease + bills will need to agree.

3. Passport

4. Evidence of financial support such as payslips of regular or retirement income. They werent interested in Bank balances etc.

5. They did ask date of entry to Portugal but not evidence of it. You could show boarding pass if you have it.

I had my brief interview and received my document right away though I had to collect it the following day as the President of the Camara needed to sign it.

I hope this helps. Happy to answer any other qs you might have.

Roz

@JohnnyPT Thanks for the link. It is our understanding that each Câmara asks for different documents.

Thought it would be a good resource for everyone if people listed their nationality, Câmara, and the documents they required to obtain CRUE.

@roz66 great .. thanks for listing the documents you were required to show at Caldas da Rainha Camara. Very helpful. Thanks

Hello.

I find the range of approaches that the local Câmaras take fascinating. Here is an account of my experience.

On arrival in Porto, I called the city hall to confirm the requirements for CRUE. I was told to hold off for 90 days before making an appointment, and to bring my EU ID, proof of funds, and proof of address. I asked whether AirBnB was acceptable, and they said yes. When I called to make my appointment 90 days later, I asked about the requirements again, and I got the exact same answer as before, confirming AirBnB was just fine.

On the day of my appointment, the first thing the city hall staff asked to see was a proof of address. They dismissed my AirBnb confirmation/receipt on the grounds that AirBnB is classified as "temporary tourist accommodations", not something that one can have as a residence. I shared what I had been told over the phone, to which the city hall staff replied that phones at the city hall are answered by an outsourced firm (which I interpreted as meaning that the people answering  phones may not have complete or correct information). To their credit, the city hall staff took my details and offered to speak with the contractor to ensure that the people answering calls understand the correct requirements.

So we found an apartment we liked, and signed a lease. My next city hall appointment went smoothly. The documents they asked for:

• EU ID (or passport);
• A 12-month (or longer) lease registered with Finanças (another option would be owning a property); and
• A balance of €30,000+ in an overseas bank account, which I was told is to cover 5 years of living expenses in Portugal for a couple (they also would have accepted a Portuguese bank account statement, or Portuguese tax return confirming income, or a Portuguese/overseas employment contract).

That was it. I was asked for the date of my arrival in Portugal (no evidence requested). And I was not asked to provide a photograph, or atestado de residência, or any utility documents.

I received my CRUE on the spot. It is valid for 5 years.

Best wishes with yours!

@mfx That's great. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with teh Porto Câmara. We were actually looking at living in Porto!

Did they speak English in the Câmara in Porto or do we need to brush up on our Portuguese

@dancart Both the staff I spoke with on the phone and the gentleman with whom I had my appointment at the Porto city hall spoke fluent English. (The only challenge was the automated phone tree at the city hall that presented options in Portuguese only. I do not remember which key to press for a CRUE appointment, but whatever I pressed -- incorrectly -- the staff who answered simply redirected my call to the right extension.)