THE TAXPAYER NUMBER
The idea of allocating a specific number to each taxpayer (individuals and companies) first arose in Portugal in 1973, and since then the system has gone through many iterations and become much more sophisticated and centralized.
Natural Persons
So much so that in Portugal, nowadays, there is not much you can do without first obtaining a taxpayer number (usually referred to in Portuguese as NIF, Número de Identificação Fiscal or Número de Contribuinte).
In order to do simple things such as opening a bank account or study in Portugal, or to buy or sell a real estate asset or a car, you will need to obtain a NIF.
And if you are non-resident in Portugal (regardless if you are a foreigner or a Portuguese), besides obtaining a Portuguese fiscal number you will also need to appoint a fiscal representative.
Legal Persons
These obligations, dule adapted, also apply if you wish to set-up a branch of your company in Portugal, or to use a foreign company as a vehicle to acquire property or other relevant assets in Portugal.
In this case, the legal entity in question will need to request its fiscal number (known in Portuguese as Número de Identificação de Pessoa Coletiva or by its acronym NIPC) from the National Registry of Companies (Registo Nacional de Pessoas Colectivas).
This number will be used for all tax purposes, conveyance tax (IMT) and annual property tax (IMI), VAT and corporate income tax.
FISCAL REPRESENTATION
But if you are a non-resident in Portugal (and unless you are resident in an EU member-State, and in Iceland or Norway), besides obtaining a fiscal number you shall also be required to appoint a fiscal representative.
Your appointed Fiscal Representative in Portugal will be the reference point for the tax authorities in all matters related to your fiscal affairs in this country.
Notifications and bills from the tax authorities that are address to you shall be received by your fiscal representative, who undertakes to assist and represent you before those public authorities.
The tax office acts under strict procedural rules and, as a consequence, their notifications usually require a response by the taxpayer within relatively short deadlines (sometimes as short as 8 days). Failure to comply (or to meet any payments) within the set deadlines can result in penalties, fines, interest and other totally unnecessary legal charges.
Having a reputable and reliable Fiscal Representative is therefore not only mandatory for many non-residents (see above), but also very helpful if you wish to avoid unnecessary problems with the tax authorities.
Fiscal Representation Services
Our fiscal representation services thus comprise:
- Receipt of all fiscal correspondence
- Assistance in timely compliance with fiscal obligations in terms of reporting and payments (e.g. payment of bills within the legal deadlines, etc.)
- Representation before the tax authorities, requesting clarification, and, if necessary, appealing decisions
- Invoke and implement before the tax authorities the relevant provisions of any applicable double taxation agreements
- Provide updates about relevant legal and fiscal obligations.
Our Mission
Our fiscal representation services are rendered with the goal of ensuring that our non-resident Clients will timely, and as effortlessly as possible, comply with all their fiscal obligations.
We aim to provide simple, comprehensive and accurate information about our Clients’ fiscal affairs.
And, as always, our Office shall stand by its Clients and assist them every step of the way.
