Caixa opens a basic account with no proof of income, tax residence changes after the permit, orders from China cost more
Refused an ordinary account? Ask for a basic one: Caixa opened one with a residence permit, NIF and address, no income proof
In a chat about bank accounts, someone asked whether Portuguese banks are opening accounts these days for people with a residence permit and a service contract with a foreign client, as the chat is full of stories about refusals. The answer came from a man who had a basic account (conta de serviços mínimos bancários) opened at Caixa Geral de Depósitos a week ago. In August, Caixa had closed his account, which was more than three years old. When his residence permit card was finally printed, he went to a branch and asked specifically for a basic account. He brought his residence permit, proof that he had registered as self-employed, proof of address and his NIF. He says there is no need to prove income for this kind of account, and the hardest part was getting the staff to bring out the form.
“A week ago I opened a basic account at Caixa. For that you don’t have to prove income at all (it’s the law).”
Translated from Russianbanksdeportugal31.10.2026
“In August they closed my Caixa account, which was more than three years old. My residence permit was finally printed, so I went in with it. I said: I want a basic account. Gave them my residence permit, proof I’d registered as self-employed, proof of address and my NIF. That’s it. The hardest part was getting them to bring out the form.”
Translated from Russianbanksdeportugal31.10.2026
Under Banco de Portugal rules (what a basic account is), a bank can refuse such an account only if the person already has another current account or does not sign a statement saying they have none. The bank must give the refusal in writing, stating the reason and where to complain, including to Banco de Portugal. All the fees on a basic account together come to no more than €5.37 a year; it comes with a debit card and cannot go overdrawn.
A basic account is opened only if you have no other current account at any bank: when opening it, you sign a statement saying so.
If your bank is already closing your account, the step-by-step guide is What to do if your bank closes your account in Portugal.
Change tax residence after your first residence permit; residents pay tax on all income, even if it never reaches Portugal
In a tax chat, a man who came on a digital nomad visa described his situation: his visa has expired, AIMA could only give him an appointment in April to apply for a residence permit, and he has already signed an official long-term lease on a flat. He asked whether he can change the address on his NIF to a Portuguese one without a residence permit, and whether tax residence starts from that day. He was told there is no need to change tax residence before the first residence permit: the tax office explained back in 2022 that this is done afterwards. And tax residence does indeed count from the day the address on the NIF is changed.
“You don’t need to change your tax residence before you get your first residence permit. The tax office explained back in 2022 that it’s always done afterwards.”
Translated from Russianmyptaxes01.11.2026
Another tax resident of Portugal runs a company in the UAE and owns a share in it. He asked what he has to pay tax on in Portugal: only the salary and dividends he has actually received, or also income that has not been paid out. The answer: a resident pays tax on all their worldwide income from the moment it is accrued, whether salary, dividends or interest on deposits.
“As a tax resident of Portugal, you have to pay tax on all your worldwide income from the moment it’s accrued, whether it’s salary, dividends, interest on deposits and so on. And it doesn’t matter whether you brought that money into Portugal or not.”
Translated from Russianmyptaxes31.10.2026
Tax on income earned abroad is due even if the money is never transferred to Portugal.
How to declare such income is explained in the guide How to file your first IRS tax return in Portugal, and what happens if you don’t is covered in What happens if you don’t declare income in Portugal.
From 1 November, parcels from outside the EU carry a €2 fee. Reddit reckons it’s €6.15 per type of item with duty and IVA
From 1 November, every order from online shops outside the European Union — AliExpress, Temu, Shein or any other — carries a customs handling fee of €2 for each type of item. This comes on top of the €3 duty charged since July on parcels worth less than €150. The fee is counted by type, not by piece: five identical T-shirts are one type, a T-shirt and a watch are two. The details are in our article ‘From 1 November, orders from outside the European Union carry a €2 fee for each type of item’.
On Reddit, people worked out that altogether it comes to €6.15 for each type of item: the €3 duty and the €2 fee, plus 23% IVA (VAT). One wrote that an item costing €2 on AliExpress ended up costing €12. The unhappiest are those who order small parts from China for electronics, models and school projects: such purchases, they write, no longer make sense. Others think the fee benefits people who resell the same goods on Amazon.
“In short: it now comes to €6.15 (€5 plus IVA) for each type of item. That completely kills hobbies that depended on buying parts made in China.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal30.10.2026
“Bought something for €2 on AliExpress and ended up paying €12 with all these fees and charges.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal31.10.2026
Coimbra’s Critical Software cuts 200 jobs, citing AI; outsourcing staff are advised to check how their firm is doing
Coimbra-based Critical Software, which writes software for aircraft, trains and space missions, will cut about 200 jobs by the end of 2026: it had about 1,500 staff at the start of the year, and about 1,300 will remain, ECO reports. The company blames artificial intelligence, in which it is investing about €8 million, and this same week it opened a new office.
On r/portugal and in the Portuguese programmers’ community r/DevPT, not everyone believes AI is the reason: people write that it has become a convenient excuse for layoffs, while the real causes are the economy and management decisions. The company provides services to outside clients, and one commenter argues that if AI really had freed up 200 capable engineers, they would have been put on new projects.
“AI has broad shoulders. Critical Software provides services to outside clients; it isn’t a company with its own products. If AI freed up 200 people, any company would be thrilled: now you can take on new projects for those people and grow.”
Translated from Portugueser/DevPT30.10.2026
The same day, someone on r/portugal wrote that a major client plans to drop one of the Portuguese outsourcing firms and that some client contracts end on 1 January. People working through such firms are advised to find out in advance how their company is doing, so as not to hear the news over Christmas dinner. One man on the client side said his company is cutting the number of outside consultants, expects two or three times more from those who remain, and is growing its own teams.
“I work at a company that consulting firms work for. Overall we want to cut the number of ‘consultants’ and demand two or three times more than under pre-AI contracts. And at the same time we’re gradually growing our own teams.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal30.10.2026
State hospitals let you give birth in other positions too: Reddit praises Cascais and Santa Maria and suggests a doula
In a Portuguese mums’ community on Reddit, a pregnant woman from Lisbon asked which obstetrician at the private Lusíadas, Luz or CUF hospitals would deliver her baby in a position other than the standard gynaecological one, lying on her back. She has a hip joint problem, and the doctor she is seeing only delivers that way.
She was told there is no need to look for a private doctor for this. At the hospital in Cascais, two mums said, women are free to choose: one of them said her cousin had one child standing up and another squatting. Another wrote that at Santa Maria in Lisbon she herself was encouraged to choose a comfortable position, and recommended getting a doula, a birth companion. One more mum said that the doctor the woman had been recommended does deliver in different positions if the mother’s condition allows: the doctor told her so herself when they were going through her birth plan.
“I know that at the hospital in Cascais you can give birth in other positions. My cousin had one standing up and another squatting. I don’t see why you’d look for a separate doctor for the birth when hospitals have good teams.”
Translated from Portugueser/MaternidadePT30.10.2026
“At Santa Maria they really encouraged me to choose whatever position was most comfortable. I recommend a doula! They’re amazing at helping with this.”
Translated from Portugueser/MaternidadePT31.10.2026
Documents from Ukraine take 2–3 weeks by Ukrposhta; carriers bring them from Chernivtsi to Porto in a week and a half
In a chat for Ukrainians in Porto, someone asked about the fastest way to send documents from Ukraine to Portugal. One woman said that sending important documents insured for €1,700 through CTT, the Portuguese post office, cost her €155, but she doesn’t remember how long they took. In another man’s experience, an ordinary letter by Ukrposhta takes two to three weeks on average.
“I sent important documents through CTT insured for €1,700, delivery cost €155. As for speed, honestly, I don’t remember.”
Translated from Ukrainianukrporto30.10.2026
When he needs something faster or the parcel is large, he uses minibus carriers that leave Chernivtsi once a week. On Tuesday he sends the documents to their depot by Nova Poshta (a private delivery service within Ukraine), and on Thursday or Friday of the following week they reach him in Porto; deliveries to Lisbon arrive on the Wednesday. The person who asked is keeping this as a backup option: the day the document is ready, delivery to the carrier’s depot and the departure day all have to line up.
“I sent it by ordinary Ukrposhta — two to three weeks on average. When I need it faster or it’s big, I send it through carriers (minibuses): there are some that go once a week from Chernivtsi. On Tuesday I send it to them by Nova Poshta, and on Thursday or Friday the following week it’s with me in Porto; if it’s Lisbon, then on Wednesday.”
Translated from Ukrainianukrporto30.10.2026
