Portuguese Bank Account

How it works

1. 1
   Eligibility assessmentAfter payment you're added to the client portal. We review your nationality, residency status, income, and NIF situation to assess which bank is the right fit and what track (remote vs. in-person) is available to you.
2. 2
   Tailored document checklistWe send you a personalised checklist — different for EU/EEA citizens versus non-EU nationals. We tell you exactly what the bank needs and in what format (no surprises).
3. 3
   Document reviewWe check every document before it goes to the bank — catching translation issues, format errors, and gaps that typically trigger rejection or delays.
4. 4
   Application submittedWe coordinate the submission with the bank on your behalf. For remote accounts, we manage all bank communication in Portuguese. For in-person, we brief you on exactly what to bring and say.
5. 5
   Compliance reviewThe bank runs its internal KYC/compliance check — standard for all non-resident applicants. We stay in contact and respond to any bank queries promptly on your behalf.
6. 6
   Account activatedYou receive your Portuguese IBAN (PT50 format), debit card, and online banking access. Cards are delivered by mail worldwide for remote accounts.

Eligibility requirements

Portuguese banks apply minimum financial thresholds for non-resident account opening. Here's what you'll generally need:

Not sure if you qualify? We assess your situation during the intake. Many clients who thought they didn't qualify found a path through the right bank and documentation strategy.

Required documents

• 🛂Valid passport — Scanned copies only; no photos. Must be valid for at least 6 months.
• 🏠Proof of home address — Utility bill or bank statement from your current country of residence, dated within the last 3 months.
• 💼Proof of income — Pay slips, employment contract, freelance invoices, pension documentation, or investment/rental income evidence. Last 3 months minimum.
• 🏦Bank statements — From your existing bank account, last 3 months.
• 📋Prior-year tax return — From your home country.
• 🪪Portuguese NIF — Your NIF tax number is mandatory. If you don't have one yet, we can bundle it with this service.
• 🌍Home country tax ID — Your tax identification number from your country of residence.

All documents must be in English or Portuguese. We advise on certified translations when needed.

What's included

• 🎯Bank selection — Not all banks accept non-residents, and not all offer remote opening. We match your profile (nationality, income, NIF status, residency intent) to the right bank — avoiding wasted applications.
• 📋Document checklist & review — We send a tailored checklist and review everything before submission. The most common reason accounts are rejected is missing or incorrectly formatted documents — we eliminate that risk.
• 🇵🇹Portuguese-language liaison — We communicate with the bank in Portuguese on your behalf. Banks are more responsive when communication is in their language, and compliance teams move faster when they don't have to translate requests.
• 🔒Compliance guidance — We prepare you for the bank's KYC process, which is standard but can feel opaque. We know what triggers a compliance hold and how to address it before it happens.
• ⚡Remote or in-person — Remote opening is available for most profiles via Novobanco and selected partners. In-person is available at Millennium BCP, Santander, and Caixa Geral de Depósitos branches. We advise which is faster for your situation.
• 🔐Client portal — Track progress, upload documents, and message us directly throughout the process.

Frequently asked questions