Table of contents
Moving to Portugal from the UK after Brexit starts with one question: did you already live there before 1 January 2021? If you did, your Withdrawal Agreement rights continue; if you’re moving now, you need a Portuguese residence visa before you go, usually the D7 for pensioners and people with passive income. After that, the British questions are about money and health: how your State Pension is paid and taxed, what replaces the NHS, and which UK paperwork the consulate wants.
This guide covers the visa routes in pounds, the UK documents including the ACRO certificate, your State Pension in Portugal, the S1 and GHIC, telling HMRC you’ve left, driving, banking and a UK-ordered timeline.
Moved before 2021, or moving now?
UK nationals who lived legally in Portugal before 1 January 2021, and have lived there since, keep their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement; newcomers enter on a residence visa and then apply for a residence card (GOV.UK, Living in Portugal). Everything below is for newcomers. As a British visitor you can still visit the Schengen area visa-free for a total of 90 days out of every 180 (European Commission), which is useful for a scouting trip but not for living there.
Moving to Portugal from the UK: which visa fits
Pensioners and people with rental or investment income usually apply for the D7 visa; remote workers use the digital nomad visa. Both thresholds are pegged to Portugal’s 2026 minimum wage of €920.
| Your income | Visa | 2026 threshold | In pounds, about |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension, private pension, rent, dividends | D7 visa | €920 monthly (single applicant); €1,380 (two adults) | £770 and £1,155 a month |
| Remote work for UK clients or an employer abroad | Digital nomad visa | €3,680 monthly from work | £3,081 a month |
Sterling amounts use the ECB reference rate of 23 October 2026 (the ECB feed shows the latest rate) (£0.83728 per euro). Sterling moves, so leave a margin above the threshold.
The UK paperwork for a D7 application
UK posts publish their own D7 checklist, and it’s stricter in places than the US one. For a D7, the checklist used by UK posts wants:
- three months of bank statements showing your pension or other income arriving;
- a Portuguese bank statement with at least €11,040 for one person, plus your Portuguese tax number (NIF);
- a year-long lease that has been registered with Finanças (the tax office), a property deed, or a notarised declaration from someone housing you;
- a passport valid for at least 90 days beyond the 120-day visa;
- travel insurance for the visa period, or an S1 if you qualify for one.
You apply through the Consulates General in London or Manchester, using VFS Global centres in London, Manchester or Edinburgh (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The ACRO certificate needs a paper apostille
If you’ve lived in the UK in the last year, the consulate wants an ACRO police certificate issued in the 90 days before you apply. ACRO charges £70 and takes up to 20 working days. The FCDO Legalisation Office then apostilles it for £45; an ACRO certificate can’t use the cheaper e-Apostille (GOV.UK). Book the consulate appointment first and work backwards, so the certificate is still in date.
Your State Pension in Portugal
Your UK State Pension keeps rising each year while you live in Portugal, because Portugal is on the government’s list of countries where the annual increase is paid (GOV.UK; benefits in the EEA). That’s the difference between Portugal and the countries where pensions are frozen at the rate when you left.
On tax, GOV.UK says people who aren’t UK resident don’t usually pay UK tax on the State Pension (tax on UK income if you live abroad). Article 17 of the 2025 UK–Portugal tax convention, which applies in Portugal from 1 January 2026, makes private pensions taxable only in the country where you live. The article doesn’t name the State Pension, and we found no official guidance applying it, so take advice on your own position before your first Portuguese tax return.
Government-service pensions follow a different rule: they’re generally taxable only in the UK, unless you’re a Portuguese national and not a British one, in which case both countries may tax. To claim treaty relief on UK income at source, HMRC’s route is the DT-Individual form; ask your adviser whether it fits your pension.
Healthcare: S1, GHIC and the Portuguese health service
If you receive a UK State Pension or certain other exportable benefits, you may be entitled to state healthcare in Portugal paid for by the UK, through an S1 (GOV.UK, Living in Portugal). The UK D7 checklist also accepts an S1 instead of travel insurance for the visa.
Your GHIC is a different card. GOV.UK says a UK-issued GHIC can’t be used by people living in Portugal unless they meet specific criteria, and the NHS explains that a registered S1 is one way to qualify. Treat the GHIC as built for trips, and don’t plan to live on it. To get your Portuguese health service user number, GOV.UK advises taking your residence certificate, passport and NIF to your local health centre.
Telling HMRC you’ve left
Tell HMRC when you leave or intend to leave the UK. The P85 form is for getting your UK employment tax right when you go, and you don’t need it if you file Self Assessment (HMRC). Keep any UK income, such as rent, in view: GOV.UK sets out how non-residents report it (tax on UK income if you live abroad).
Driving on a UK licence
GOV.UK says registered residents can drive in Portugal on a valid UK licence and exchange it, normally without a driving test (Living in Portugal). Portugal’s licensing authority, IMT, sets a tighter timetable for licences from listed countries: request the exchange within 90 days of your residence permit being issued (IMT). Follow IMT’s timetable and exchange early; it avoids any argument at a roadside check.
Banking and money
Keep at least one UK current account for your pension and UK bills, and ask your bank before you move whether it serves customers living abroad. Then get your Portuguese NIF and open a Portuguese account for the €11,040 the UK checklist asks to see. Moving money in stages, rather than all at once, also limits the effect of a bad exchange rate on your D7 balance.
A timeline for British movers
| Timing | Step |
|---|---|
| Six to nine months ahead | Check you’re a newcomer, not a Withdrawal Agreement resident; choose the visa |
| Four to six months ahead | Get your NIF, open the Portuguese account, secure a 12-month registered lease |
| Three months ahead | Ask NHS Overseas Healthcare Services about an S1; book the consulate or VFS appointment |
| About ten weeks ahead | Order the ACRO certificate (up to 20 working days), then the paper apostille (up to 25 working days) |
| Appointment | Submit at London, Manchester or Edinburgh with 3 months of income statements |
| Once you land | Ask AIMA for your permit appointment early in the visa’s four-month window; tell HMRC you’ve left |
| After the permit | Register the S1 and get your health service number; start the licence exchange within 90 days |
For the wider picture of life in Portugal, our Portugal moving guide covers costs, regions and healthcare, and moving abroad from the UK compares Portugal with the other countries Brits choose.
Frequently asked questions
The questions British movers ask most.
Can Brits still move to Portugal after Brexit?
Yes, with a residence visa. Newcomers usually apply for the D7 or the digital nomad visa from the UK before moving.
Do UK citizens need a visa to live in Portugal?
Yes, unless they already lived there legally before 1 January 2021. Visits of up to 90 days in any 180 don’t need one.
Will my State Pension go up while I live in Portugal?
Yes. Portugal is on the government’s list of countries where the State Pension’s annual increase is paid.
Is my UK State Pension taxed in Portugal?
The UK doesn’t usually tax non-residents on it, and the 2025 treaty points pension taxation to the country where you live. No official guidance spells out the State Pension specifically yet, so take advice.
Can I use my GHIC if I live in Portugal?
Not on its own. A registered S1 is one way residents can qualify; otherwise use Portuguese public or private cover.
Can I drive in Portugal on my UK licence?
Yes, as a resident, but exchange it early. IMT asks for the exchange within 90 days of your residence permit being issued.
Moving to Portugal from the UK is still very possible after Brexit, but the order matters: confirm you’re a newcomer, line up the D7 income and Portuguese bank balance, time the ACRO certificate, and sort out your S1 and State Pension tax before your first year as a resident. If you’re also weighing Spain, our guide to moving to Spain from the UK covers the same questions there.
Sources
- Living in Portugal
- Countries where we pay an annual increase in the State Pension
- Benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EEA or Switzerland
- Tax on your UK income if you live abroad
- 2025 UK–Portugal double taxation convention
- Double Taxation Treaty Relief form (DT-Individual)
- Get your Income Tax right if you're leaving the UK (P85)
- Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
- D7 residence visa checklist (UK applicants, 06.03.2026)
- Residence visa: necessary documentation
- External service providers
- Police certificates
- Get a document legalised
- Exchanging licences: deadlines and other situations
- Short-stay visas and visa-free travel (EU visa policy)
- Non-habitual resident regime: registration leaflet
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.
