New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2025

@Julien

I am from India. I have successfully applied for a Job Seeker Visa of Portugal on 7 May 2025. So I will get my Job Seeker Visa till 15 July 2025, and I will be arriving in Lisbon, Portugal till 25 July 2025. So, I will be looking for a suitable job opportunity in Portugal. I have almost 10 years of experience in IT (Information Technology) Industry in IT Technical Support Department/Functional Area.

I am really very excited to come to Portugal.

I am really very excited to come to Portugal. - @jatinlodhiya7

From memory so check. I think that visa gives you six months in total to find a job and a new visa.

Six months living isn't going to be cheap, so you should get into job hunting as soon as possible.

Good luck.

@Fred

Yes Fred, you are right. I have already started my job search from India. Also please let me know if you have any information about Portuguese Job Market. And do you know anyone who has already gone to Portugal on a Job Seeker Visa?

Lets connect on Whatsapp chat or call to have better discussion. My Whatsapp number is ***. Thanks.

Hi Tamie! A warm welcome to you — thank you for sharing a bit of your story.

I’m so sorry to hear about what you went through with the hurricanes. That must have been incredibly difficult, but it’s inspiring to see you starting fresh and opening a new chapter here in Portugal.

Based on what you’re looking for, I believe there are several smaller cities that could be a great fit — peaceful, with good infrastructure, access to public transportation, shops, and restaurants. Places like Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Braga, Caldas da Rainha, Guimarães, and Fafe are all worth considering.

If you need more specific advice about neighborhoods, the rental process, or local contacts, I’d be happy to help however I can.

Wishing you the best of luck with the sale of your home in the U.S. and this exciting new beginning! 💛

@Julien

Hi All,

We are Amanda and William, currently residing in South Carolina, USA. Originally from Colombia, South America, we have also spent time living in Chile. Our passion for travel has inspired us as we plan to retire in approximately two years, with Spain and Portugal as our primary destinations of interest.

We intend to embark on an exploratory trip to Portugal and Spain soon to familiarize ourselves with the regions and identify potential cities or towns where we might like to settle.

We are eager to exchange information and insights related to our plans with like-minded individuals.

@amlgonzalez

What a coincidence. Same name. Same plan. Same timeline this year. Similar background. Hehe.

We are Joe and Marcy, retirees currently living in central Florida and western North Carolina. We are researching living in Lisbon, ideally in the central part of the city with walking access to parks, restaurants, etc. We are planning a March 2026, two month vacation to get a feel for the area.

We will be investigating the pros/cons to be aware of and appreciate insight any of you have.

@Julien

Hi

I am working for a Garments buying house, need your help to get visa and job in Potugul.

Thanks

Shamim

I am working for a Garments buying house, need your help to get visa and job in Portugal. - @shamimdhaka4152

https://www.expat.com/en/forum/europe/p … -this.html

@Julien

Leslie and Alex moving to Porto from Colorado. I will be retiring into becoming Portuguese. Alex will be looking to get in Michelin kitchens. We are bringing our dog. Looking forward to immersing myself into everything Portuguese. Would like to understand the property rental process in Portugal. Cannot wait to get there.

@picart035

Hello and welcome !

Feel free to post any specific questions you might have on the forum by opening a new topic : https://www.expat.com/en/forum/europe/portugal/

Members will be glad to share their experience with you.

All the best

Bhavna

@Julien

Hello All!

Wow, a first post is daunting! What to write ...!

My name is Jennifer Kirk and I moved to Portugal 8 years ago, where I made home in the Algarve. I originally moved to Quarteria as thought I wanted to be a stones-throw from the beach but after my first summer season, decided to go further in-land, and made Loulé home. The town of Loulé is just absolutely beautiful, bustling Saturday markets, cute independent shops, a lively nightlife (of mainly locals!), a large park with lush green grass all year, and still only 15 minutes to a choice of beaches.

That said, I'm now living in Almancil as we moved to have a larger house and garden for our four-legged babies, and now have set down roots in a Pine Forest, where we can walk our dogs off leash for 30+minutes and not see a soul, yet can walk to Quinta Shopping in just less than 15 minutes - so still in the thick of things.

My husband, Richard, has worked in and around real estate for over 20 years and after closing his Marbella business to be full-time in Portugal with me (Marbella is just a 4 hours drive but it's still a long commute to work!), he has now opened *** here.

I want to be a member of Expat.com to educate myself on topics our clients will inevitably ask us on, contribute on the topics I know inside out (life in the Algarve, currency exchange, all-things-dog related(!), weddings in the Algarve) ****

@Jen-TheBuyersAgentAlgarve.com

Hello and welcome ob board !

Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself !

That said, I’d like to kindly remind you that the forum is primarily intended for information-sharing and community support, rather than for advertising services. While it’s absolutely fine to share your experience and participate in discussions, promoting a business or service (even subtly) should be done via the appropriate sections, such as the Business Directory.

We’d love to have you contribute your insights on life in Portugal but just be sure to keep promotional content within the platform’s guidelines.

All the best

Bhavna

Hello All,

My name is Christina, i am from Togo and i live in lisbon more than 5 years.

Thank you

Hello Christina,

Welcome to Expat.com 😀

Could you please tell us how we can assist you? Are you looking for something specific here?

I believe you could be of great help, as you have been living in Lisbon long enough to have useful information to share.

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

Hello,

My name is Rusan, I’m from Turkey, and I will be moving to Portugal in 2 weeks. I haven’t decided which city I will stay in yet, so I’m open to anywhere. My English isn’t very strong, but I’m very eager to work.

I’m looking for support to find a suitable room and a job, especially in customer service, restaurant, or farming sectors. I would like to thank everyone in advance who can help or provide information.

Best regards,

Rusan

@Rusan, Welcome.

I think you have a work-search visa, right? You could find work in tourism, greenhouses (flower plantations, red fruit), farming, ...  All these jobs are seasonal, so I don't know if they qualify for a residence permit. There's also manufacturing and construction, where there's always a shortage of labour. The choice of the city is important because job offers depend on it. Manufacturing is more in the north, tourism more in the south, construction more on the coast, agriculture more in the centre and south, greenhouses in the southwest,...

There's also the employment and professional training institute (IEFP). They always have job offers:

IEFP - instituto de emprego e formação profissional

https://iefponline.iefp.pt/IEFP/pesquis … rtaEmprego

Job opportunities available in Portugal for english speakers

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=907675

Regards

@Lou N Davis

I went through the same thing when I moved to Portugal. I used Movingto to help with the process, and it made things much easier. They had simple guides for visas, opening a bank account, and even comparing investment funds. It gave me a clear path to follow and took away a lot of stress.

@Julien

Im new here, im a realtor in Cascais, Lisbon but I can work all Portugal and USA

how can I offer my services to all the expats?

@Julien
Im new here, im a realtor in Cascais, Lisbon but I can work all Portugal and USA
how can I offer my services to all the expats? - @edwardcrealtor

Hi,

You can advertise here:

https://www.expat.com/en/business/europe/portugal/

https://www.angloinfo.com/lisbon/direct … -estate-16

https://www.angloinfo.com/algarve/direc … -estate-16

Hi guys,

Ray here, currently living in the US in Florida.  55 and wife is 56, we're both remote workers and retirement is 5ish years away but we've been thinking about Portugal as a possibility.  I'd like to move in the next 1-2 years and work remotely for the remainder of my working life until retiring.  My wife is an avid equestrian enthusiast and wants to find a group of new like minded folks to hang out with, ride with and talk horse to.  I'm pretty introverted, woodworking, computer games, and disc golfing being a few of my hobbies.  I've no idea yet where to look but keep hearing of the Silver Coast as a good place to start.  We're thinking about a trip out to Lisbon and Porto in the next couple of months to get our bearings and look around a bit.  Any advice or pointers are welcomed.  I feel like we are just getting into the process of what it would look like to do an international move.

Thanks all!

-Ray

@RoamerRay

The Silver Coast is a great place to start looking, towns like Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha, or Óbidos are quieter, more affordable, and still close enough to Lisbon. For your wife, areas like Évora and Sintra have strong equestrian communities, so she’ll likely find her circle there. Since you’re remote, you’ll find internet pretty reliable in most places. If you want to dig deeper, I also saw Movingto has some guides on different regions, which gave me a clearer idea before visiting.

Hello Everyone,

My name is Matthew and I'm a single male over 67 planning on moving to Portugal (actually learning the language, but I'm old and it's slow) sometime within the next 18+ months. I've been doing a lot of research but there is nothing like visiting to get a feel for the country, and would like to visit sometime after October to give me time to plan. If what I understand about the cost of living there, I should be able to afford it.

However, just showing up alone and figuring it out for myself sounds rather daunting. If possible, I'd really like to connect with someone who has already been through it, and can help me navigate exploring the country as a possible future resident, not a tourist. One thing I'd like to do is to get there during the worst season to be there so I see what I'm in for.

Looking forward to hearing from . . . well, someone?

Matthew

However, just showing up alone and figuring it out for myself sounds rather daunting.

Matthew - @MateoT7

Hey Matthew,

Dont worry too much, just treat it as an adventure. I've moved to a few countries on my own and still around to tell the tale. Have a look at the forum, as there are a few posts from people who are doing the same thing as you. Getting visas, which places are best to settle down etc.... It's good that you are coming to visit first to get the feel of the place. Do you have an area in mind?

If you have any specific questions, please open up a new topic on the forum.

SimCityAT

Expat Team

@SimCityAT

Thank you for the encouragement! I have no problem traveling alone, and exploring new places too. Loved Lisbon when I was there in the Navy (1978) but really prefer being in smaller towns within easy reach of the larger cities. Right now I'm looking for a place where I can live on just a little over $3,000/mth but that may change as I have an invention I'm trying to sell. I've done some research and it looks like there are places all over that fit but mostly in the Northern regions.

I noticed after posting my original post that there are several expat meetup group suggestions in other posts. Those sound like just what I'm looking for.

Thanks, again!

@MateoT7,

1978? Well, a lot has changed... you're a bit out of date....  The amount you're talking about is very reasonable for you to live well.

@JohnnyPT

Cool. Thanks.

@Julien

@Julien

@Julien

Hola Julien

Somos un matrimonio jubilado que esta pensando en mudarse a Portugal y conseguir la residencia fiscal en este país (creemos que la fiscalidad para jubilados es mejor que en España). Pensamos alquilar un piso en Braga o Oporto, Necesitamos consejos y comentarios sobre los primeros pasos a realizar. También el nombre de alguna asesoría i/o abogado (no muy caros) que nos pueda ayudar en todo el proceso.

Saludos

@JulienHola JulienSomos un matrimonio jubilado que esta pensando en mudarse a Portugal y conseguir la residencia fiscal en este país (creemos que la fiscalidad para jubilados es mejor que en España). Pensamos alquilar un piso en Braga o Oporto, Necesitamos consejos y comentarios sobre los primeros pasos a realizar. También el nombre de alguna asesoría i/o abogado (no muy caros) que nos pueda ayudar en todo el proceso.Saludos - @jcorbella

Hi

Please write in English here. You don't need a lawyer. The steps to take are:

1. Get a tax identification number (NIF) from the portuguese tax authorities (AT Finanças)

2. Open a bank account in Portugal

3. Find a house to rent

4. After living in Portugal for 3 months, go to your local city hall with proof of address in Portugal (e.g., an electricity bill) and request a European Union citizen registration certificate (CRUE).

Thank you

@JohnnyPT

Thanks a lot

@JohnnyPT
Thanks a lot - @jcorbella

You're welcome. If you want, there is a forum in Spanish here on Expat.com.

You can post your questions here:

https://www.expat.com/es/forum/europa/portugal/

@Julien

Hi Julien. Thanks for the warm welcome. My husband and I are planning to relocate to Cascais Portugal after we retire early next year. We hope to be living there by the end of May if all goes as planned with the VISA etc.  We have a relocation company assisting us. We’re eager to make new acquaintances, learn a new language, and enjoy a new culture in a relatively smaller city, but we wanted to be near a big city (Lisbon) too just as we are currently living near San Francisco CA.  We are very excited about the prospect of living in another country. Our names are Nola and Manuel. Thank you for your offer to assist us. I’ve already learned quite a bit from expat exchange and will keep returning to the site often.

@Julien

Dear Julien I'm Hajan Khan from Pakistan I have done MA Sociology bachelor in commerce and bachelor of law from University of Sindh Jamshoro Province Sindh and experience of management,admin, marketing, assistant manager, 7 year to above.

@Julien Dear Julien I'm Hajan Khan from Pakistan I have done MA Sociology bachelor in commerce and bachelor of law from University of Sindh Jamshoro Province Sindh and experience of management,admin, marketing, assistant manager, 7 year to above. - @khanhajanjamali

Do you have a question in order for members to help you?

@SimCityAT

Yes

Yes - @khanhajanjamali

https://www.expat.com/en/forum/europe/p … -this.html