Jobless certificate won't secure an account, not every post office sends to Russia, swap Ukrainian licences before the permit
Bank wants a job centre certificate saying you don't work. Chats say it's issued online, but the account may still be refused
On 9 November the same question came up in both the tax chat and the banking chat. When opening an account, a bank is asking for a certificate from the IEFP job centre stating that the person doesn't work in Portugal, and won't accept documents showing passive income from Russia. Does getting such a certificate have any consequences? Last week Caixa turned down one chat member with similar wording: it needs an employment contract, and passive income isn't good enough.
“Last week Caixa refused to open an account for me with roughly the same wording: they need a contract, passive income doesn't suit them.”
Translated from RussianBank Accounts in Portugal chat 🇵🇹09.11.2026
People who have already got the certificate say it's issued online and banks accept it, but still don't open the account. There are no consequences, they say: you are simply registered with the job centre. If a job offer comes in, you have to reply and explain why it doesn't suit you.
“I got the certificate, it's done online, banks take it, but they still don't open the account. I didn't get any benefits, no consequences — you're just registered at the job centre.”
Translated from RussianBank Accounts in Portugal chat 🇵🇹09.11.2026
The certificate doesn't guarantee an account: if your money comes from Russia, the bank may still refuse.
“Even after you get this certificate for the bank, they may not open the account. As far as compliance is concerned, it's still money from Russia.”
Translated from RussianBank Accounts in Portugal chat 🇵🇹09.11.2026
A woman in the tax chat has been receiving unemployment benefit for almost a year and writes that the certificate has had no other consequences. The benefit, she says, was paid from the day she lost her job, not from the date of the certificate. But the certificate itself doesn't entitle you to benefit: you need 360 days of work with social security contributions in the past two years. Details are in our guide Segurança Social benefits: unemployment, sickness, children.
“I've been getting unemployment benefit for almost a year now; so far that's the only consequence of that certificate.”
Translated from RussianPortax: taxes in Portugal chat09.11.2026
The certificate has an upside too: on the same IEFP portal where it is issued, one chat member signed up for free Portuguese courses and got an A2 certificate. How to get onto these courses is explained in the guide How to learn Portuguese for free.
One CTT post office refused a parcel to Russia. The chat says another branch will send both parcels and documents
On 9 November, in the Russians in Portugal chat, a woman said that CTT no longer accepts registered letters (registado) to Russia. But, she says, items can go by CTT's international service CTT Azul, booked online: up to 1 kg costs €18, up to 2 kg €22, and delivery can take a month or a month and a half because of checks in Russia. The same day another woman was turned away with a parcel: Russia is listed as “sem serviço” — no service. At first, she writes, they couldn't even find Russia in the system, and then they showed her a notice saying nothing is sent there.
“Went to the post office and they said CTT registado no longer goes to Russia. But! CTT Azul internacionais is possible. You book the item online with them, and up to 1 kg is €18, up to 2 kg €22.”
Translated from RussianRussians in Portugal original chat 🇷🇺🇵🇹09.11.2026
Others in the chat disagree: CTT does send parcels to Russia, and a refusal comes down to the particular branch. They advise going to another branch or asking for the complaints book (livro de reclamações) — then, they write, the parcel will be accepted. How to use it is explained in the guide Livro de Reclamações: how to complain in Portugal.
“If you'd asked for the livro reclamações, they'd have taken it. CTT sends parcels to Russia.”
Translated from RussianRussians in Portugal original chat 🇷🇺🇵🇹09.11.2026
“Just go to another post office. Practically the whole group is telling you that you can send both parcels and documents. If you don't want to send with CTT, send through shipping companies.”
Translated from RussianRussians in Portugal original chat 🇷🇺🇵🇹09.11.2026
In another chat someone asked how to send an original power of attorney to Russia and whether a registered letter would get there. Russian Post's service that prints out an electronic document and sends it as a registered letter won't do here: the original is needed. People suggested sending it from Spain or through the courier company CDEK (CDEK Express Document), which seems to have an office in Lisbon, they write: you leave a request and wait for a call.
“You can send from Spain. Or via CDEK, CDEK Express Document, I think there's one in Lisbon — you have to leave a request somehow and wait for a call.”
Translated from RussianPortugal 🇵🇹 TravelAsk chat09.11.2026
Swap Ukrainian licences under temporary protection, not after the permit: the permit route needs a consulate certificate
In the Ukrainians in Porto chat someone asked: their residence permit is about to be issued — should they wait for it before exchanging their Ukrainian driving licence for a Portuguese one, or apply now under temporary protection?
To exchange a licence on the basis of a residence permit, the chat replied, you will need a certificate from the Ukrainian consulate confirming that the licence is genuine. The certificate is described on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in Portugal; when booking on the consulate's portal, you choose a service along the lines of “requesting information from the competent authorities”. The certificate can also be obtained through intermediaries in Ukraine, but then it has to be in Ukrainian, with an apostille and a notarised translation into Portuguese.
“With a residence permit you'll need a certificate from the consulate that the licence is genuine.”
Translated from Ukrainian
“For now you can also get this certificate through intermediaries in Ukraine, but it has to be apostilled, in Ukrainian, with a translation into Portuguese and the translation notarised.”
Translated from Ukrainian
One woman in the chat first exchanged her licence under temporary protection and then renewed it on the basis of her residence permit — she wasn't asked for the consulate certificate at renewal. That was two or three years ago; under temporary protection, she writes, Portuguese licences are issued for one year.
How to exchange a licence and then renew it is explained in our guide How to exchange and later renew your driving licence in Portugal, and the status itself in Temporary protection for Ukrainians.
No nursery places mid-year. Reddit advises applying to every nursery around and asking about social security childminders
On Reddit, the father of a two-month-old baby writes that there are no places in any nursery near his home or in the surrounding area. Only one place has come up — in a nursery attached to a care home, 20 km from work and with bad reviews. Both parents work from 8:30 to 18:00, and there is no one to leave the baby with. He asked the social security service, Segurança Social, whether accepting this place would mean losing his right to others, and has been waiting a month for a reply.
Commenters told him that once the school year starts in September, it is almost impossible to find a place: most go to those who applied in advance, and places only free up when older children move up to the next group. One couple applied to 18 nurseries within a 25 km radius at once, in person and by email, and their child was accepted at 15 of them.
“It's well known that once the school year starts in September it's practically impossible to find a place.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal08.11.2026
“We applied to 18 and got into 15. What we did: we applied to all, ALL the nurseries within a 25 km radius — in person or by email.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal08.11.2026
Until a place comes up, people suggest social security childminders (amas da Segurança Social): Segurança Social hires and vets them itself, and you sign up through Segurança Social or the council's social services. Another tip is to extend parental leave: additional leave, if both parents take it, is paid at 40% of salary, and together with regular parental leave it lets the baby stay at home until they are one.
“You could try Segurança Social childminders. They're hired directly by Segurança Social, and it vets them too.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal08.11.2026
“Take the additional parental leave together (it pays 40%), and with all the leave combined the baby can stay at home until they're one.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal08.11.2026
The rumour that immigrants get nursery places first was dismissed in the replies: the queue for free nurseries under the Creche Feliz programme depends on family income, not nationality; the criteria are on the programme's page on the social security website. How to choose a nursery and enrol your child is explained in our guide How to enrol your child in a nursery or kindergarten in Portugal.
“Priority is set by income, not nationality.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal08.11.2026
A €930 salary isn't enough: Reddit says change jobs, and for extra cash try Saturday catering at €120–130 a shift
In the personal finance community r/literaciafinanceira on Reddit, a man wrote that he has worked shifts at the same company for six years and takes home about €930. Rent, petrol, his car loan and child maintenance eat up everything, and there is nothing left to put aside for emergencies. He asked where he could quickly earn some extra money.
The first piece of advice in the replies was not a side job but a new job. People write that €930 is what almost any job pays, and finding a full-time job paying 20–30% more is quite realistic. They suggest starting by talking to management: say honestly that the money isn't enough and that you are thinking of leaving.
“Talking to the company isn't an option? You get €930 at any job... Be honest and explain that you're at your limit, that you'll have to find a way out, and that the way out may be changing jobs.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira08.11.2026
“I'd say: put all your effort into changing jobs. If you find a full-time job that pays you 20–30% more take-home (and that's realistic on your current salary), you can use your free time to plan your studies and work towards your next goal.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira08.11.2026
Among side jobs, people mention weekend catering: a 12-hour Saturday shift pays €120–130. Delivering pizza in the evenings, from 19:00 to 22:00, brought one commenter €250–400 a month. Others suggest selling unwanted things on Vinted, or selling the car bought on credit and getting a cheaper one, keeping the difference for a rainy day.
“Weekend catering! It's hard, but even if it's only Saturdays, you get €120–130 for 12 hours' work.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira08.11.2026
“One possible way out is to sell the car and buy a cheaper used one: the difference might give you a temporary cushion.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira08.11.2026
If you take on extra work not on an employment contract but by issuing your own invoices, you need to open an atividade with the tax office and work on recibos verdes — how to do it is explained in our guide How to open an atividade and work on recibos verdes.
