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Portugal - An Expatriate Guide
Overview
Climate and Weather
Getting There
Speaking the Language
Visas, Residency, Immigration & Documentation
Currency and Cost of Living
Foreign Currency - how to secure a favourable exchange rate
Banking
Taxation
Insurance
Business Culture
Healthcare and Medical Treatment
Social Security
Employment
Renting Property in Portugal
Buying Property in Portugal
Education and Schools
Utilities (Electricity, Water, Gas)
Communications (Telephone, Post, Internet, TV)
Driving and Public Transport
Food and Drink
Leisure, Entertainment and Sports
Retiring to Portugal and Pension Issues
Taking Your Pets
Expat groups in Portugal
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Expat Experiences of Life in Portugal (submit yours here)
Want to learn Portuguese? Many schools in our area (Eastern Algarve) are running beginners and intermediate group lessons sponsored by the Portuguese Department of Education, usually starting in October or November depending on sufficient student demand and teacher availability.
We opened a new business last year in central Portugal, running it from a shop in Tomar. Finding and renting or buying a shop is easy enough, but you will need to form a company to be able to trade, this can be very easy too, lots of places that do ready made companies, they can sort everything out in one day. You will need to hire an accountant, get insurance etc. Easy if you speak Portuguese, harder if you dont.
Regarding electricity in Portugal, many older properties in Portugal do not have earthed wiring as often they just had light and perhaps one socket. There were no fridges in many houses 20 - 30 years ago. Even if you were not getting a washing machine, but have tv, satellite receiver, or desktop computer, you should make sure that all the sockets for these are earthed, as one lightning strike in an unearthed house and you will more than likely lose all this equipment and any data you have on the computer.
Read more experiences here or submit your own!
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Useful Links
Portugal discussion forum
Portugal property listings
Portugal videos and podcasts
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