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- Immigration, Live in Portugal
Moving Your Belongings to Portugal From Outside the EU: Duty- and VAT-Free Import
📦 What Is the Exemption?
EU rules allow people who transfer their normal residence from a country outside the EU to bring their personal property without paying:
- Customs duties
- VAT (IVA)
This exemption is known in Portugal as franquia de bens pessoais por transferência de residência, and is handled by the Tax and Customs Authority (Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, AT).
✅ Who Qualifies?
You can generally benefit from the exemption if:
- You’ve lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months before the move.
- You’re moving your normal residence to Portugal.
- The goods are personal belongings that you’ve owned and used for at least 6 months before the move (in your former home).
- The goods are intended for the same use in your new home in Portugal.
🛋️ What's Included — and What Isn't
Usually included:
- Furniture and household goods
- Clothing, books, artwork and personal items
- Household appliances and electronics for personal use
- Bicycles and personal-use vehicles (see the note below)
- Portable instruments you use for your profession
Excluded:
- Alcoholic drinks and tobacco
- Commercial vehicles
- Professional equipment (other than portable instruments) and goods for business use
- New goods or goods for resale
🚗 What about your car? The same regime can apply to a car you’ve owned and used abroad, but a car also involves ISV (vehicle tax) and legalisation in Portugal — a separate process with its own rules.
⏳ Important Deadlines and Conditions
- Import within 12 months: goods should generally be imported within 12 months of establishing your residence in Portugal. You can ship in several instalments within that period.
- Before you arrive: goods can also be imported before you establish residence, but customs may ask for a guarantee and a commitment that you’ll move within a set period.
- Don’t sell them: for 12 months after import, the goods can’t be sold, lent, rented out or given away. If they are, the duties and VAT become due.
📋 Documents You'll Usually Need
- Passport or ID card
- Proof of residence in Portugal — for example, your residence permit, CRUE or an atestado de residência, showing when your residence started
- Proof of residence abroad for at least 12 months — such as a declaration from the consulate, tax records, utility bills or a rental contract
- Proof that your residence abroad has ended — for example, cancellation of utilities or your lease
- A detailed inventory of the goods, ideally with estimated values, signed by you
- A sworn declaration that the goods meet the conditions (owned and used for 6+ months, not for resale)
- Transport documents — bill of lading, air waybill or the moving company’s documents
🇵🇹 Portuguese citizens returning home can request a Baggage Certificate (Certificado de Bagagem) at the Portuguese consulate in the country where they live, which supports the exemption request. In some consulates, foreign citizens with a Portuguese residence permit can also request it.
📝 The Process, Step by Step
- Plan ahead: prepare your inventory and documents before the goods are shipped.
- Get your consular documents (if applicable) before leaving the country where you live.
- Choose an international moving company with experience in Portugal — most work with a customs broker (despachante oficial) who handles the declaration.
- Submit the customs declaration with the exemption request when the goods arrive, at the customs office of the port or airport of entry.
- Customs checks the documents and may inspect the shipment.
- Release of the goods: once approved, your belongings are cleared without paying duties or VAT — you’ll only pay the moving company’s and broker’s fees and any storage costs.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing new items with your personal belongings — new goods may be taxed.
- Incomplete inventories — vague lists like “household items” can cause delays.
- Missing proof of residence abroad — this is one of the key conditions.
- Shipping too late — after the 12-month window, the exemption may no longer apply.
- Selling goods too soon after they arrive.
🚀 Final Considerations
Moving your life to Portugal shouldn’t mean paying taxes on the things you already own. With good planning, a clear inventory and the right documents, your personal belongings can arrive free of duties and VAT.
📢 Expert Advice: Start preparing your documents before you leave your current country — some proofs, like consular declarations or utility cancellations, are much harder to get once you’ve moved.
Planning your move to Portugal? Step Inside Portugal can help you with your NIF, bank account and first steps in the country — discover our services here. ✨
This article is for general information and reflects the rules as of October 2026. Customs requirements can vary by case, so confirm the details with your moving company, customs broker or the Tax and Customs Authority.
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