So, you’ve been inspired by the travel photography and Instagram reels of friends living their best lives in Portugal as digital nomads. You’ve heard the adventure stories, envied the historical finds, witnessed the essence of Portuguese royalty, and consumed the overall magic from friends and family unpacking their suitcases from a month in the Iberian Peninsula. You feel that you are at a stage in your life where you have adopted the digital nomad family mindset, and are ready to live Boundlessly in Portugal - or at least try it out!
Now that such a big decision has been made, what’s next? What should you keep in mind in order to make this journey come to fruition? Where do you even start?
Not to worry… we have you covered! Everything you need to prepare and pack in order to slow travel with Boundless Life in Portugal is about to appear before your eyes - just keep scrolling as in this article, we will cover the following aspects:
Paperwork
Let’s start with the boring formalities. We know it’s not oh-so-fun, but the sooner you get it over with, the better.
Passport - Hopefully you’ve heard of this one - just make sure it’s not expired, and won’t expire for at least 6-12 months as some countries may refuse you otherwise.
Proof of Vaccination - I’m sure you’ve also heard of the worldwide pandemic also known as Covid-19. In order to enter Portugal you must have the following:
- A valid vaccination EU Digital COVID Certificate (with a complete vaccination schedule or with a complete vaccination schedule and a vaccine booster)
- Or a valid test or recovery EU Digital COVID Certificate,
- Or a valid vaccination certificate (with a complete vaccination schedule or a vaccine booster) or recovery certificate issued by a third country, under reciprocal conditions
- Or a negative RT-PCR Test (or similar NAAT test) - 72h before boarding, or
- Or a negative Laboratorial Rapid Antigen Test- 24h before boarding (according to the European Commission list)
Please click here for more information.
Travel Insurance - Obviously this one is optional - but if you’re slow travelling abroad for a long period of time, I highly recommend it as you never know what can happen. Be sure to check out SafetyWing and/or Insured Nomads for all of your travel insurance needs, and note that many credit cards provide travel insurance for free or as a part of your annual fee, so you may already be covered!
Visa - Now this is definitely the long part, but the most important. So bare with me while I run you through the basics of entering Portugal from abroad.
Step 1 - Enter as a Tourist
Depending on what country you are from, you may either be able to enter as a tourist or you will require one additional step. You will know if this step is needed based on whether your country has an affiliated agreement with Portugal, if not, you will require a tourist visa (see list of countries with and without the agreement here). The best way to acquire this visa is to visit the Portuguese embassy within your country and apply. This should be done well in advance to avoid any inconvenience.
Step 2 - Proof of Financial Resources
You will need to prove that you have sufficient funds to spend while you’re in Portugal. You must have an average of 50 to 70 euros to spend per day - not necessarily in cash, a credit card with a specific limit to demonstrate an average standard of living for at least three months will suffice. And having travel insurance will definitely help here!
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Now imagine that you’ve been here for some time, completely fallen in love with Portugal (which in my experience is very easy to do). You want to stay, but don’t know how.
Not to worry! You have a few options.
Option 1 - Ask for a Tourist Visa Extension
As foreigners are only allowed to stay up to 90 days in Portugal, the first option would be to contact the Portugal immigration agency for a tourist visa extension for another 90 days. The maximum number of days one can stay in Portugal with a tourist visa is 180 days. For every 180 days of your stay in Portugal, you'd have to leave for another 180 days. For more information, click here.
Option 2 - Digital Nomad Visa (D2)
With this option, you would have to apply at the Portuguese embassy within your country of origin for a digital nomad visa, also known as D2. After receiving this you can then extend your visa every 2 years!
- you will have to prove that you have the financial means to live in Portugal for this long. Every single adult must be able to spend at least 1,000 euros per month, and any dependent individual such as a child would be an extra 600 euros per month. So for example, if it is a mother and her child wishing to live in Portugal - she would have to prove that she can spend 1,600 euros per month - which if you think about it, isn’t too shabby at all!
- You must prove that you either have a property or rental agreement. Boundless Life can support you on this - just book a chat with us for details!
- It is wise to open a Portuguese NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) which is a nine-digit tax number, and also register for a social security number in order to use the public health system.
- You will also have to accept any inquiries into your criminal record - that’s a given!
Option 3 - Become a Local Resident
Provided that you still love it here in Portugal after five years on your digital nomad visa, you will be eligible to become an actual Portuguese local resident which has many benefits! And after 5 years of being a resident, you can become a citizen and actually get a Portuguese passport!
In order to become a resident, we recommend you book an appointment with our legal partner Eduardo Tepedino for his expertise, as having this conversation with a lawyer is recommended to identify the best option for each individual case. It is a fairly simple process that can be done in multiple ways, so if this is something you’d like to pursue, contact us to get in touch with him!
NOTE: This article is based on the most common cases adapted for North American passports. We encourage you to check out your country’s guidelines specifically as each of these cases is different from one another. One thing to keep in mind is when coming from abroad, Portugal in particular has certain rules that are not always linear. It is completely up to the immigration agency at the border to ask things that they feel they should ask which is sometimes completely spur of the moment. We highly emphasise this to our members to keep in mind that things in Portugal are not as structured around immigration as they are in North America.
But on the bright side, the Portuguese government understands the value of digital nomads for their economy and society and is very receptive to host them! And once you are in, the locals of Portugal are some of the friendliest people on the planet, and we guarantee that your time here will be a dream come true.
Now that we got all the dreary paperwork out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff. What to pack!
Technology
International Plug Adapter
Not all outlets are created equal. Depending on where in the world you are coming from, your electronics may have a different plug connection from the ones in Europe. Be sure to purchase a travel adapter for this reason.
Phone/Laptop + Chargers
We highly doubt that you as professional digital nomads would forget either of these, but hey, I had to throw it in here.
Camera
Portugal is stunning. You’ll want to remember it. Enough said.
Roaming Charges
In order to avoid the “WTF” face when you see your phone bill, make sure that you contact your network provider. The best place to start would be their website to see if you have coverage offered in Portugal. If not, have a chat with them and see what kind of roaming deals are available! Nowadays you also have the option of international SIM cards as well as local SIM cards. I actually recommend buying a local Portuguese SIM card since in many cases it will be a lot more affordable than roaming. You can buy one of these at the airport upon your arrival. See what works best for you, but don’t forget to check this off your list!
NOTE: The supply voltage in Portugal (230V) is higher than in North America (120V) so keep this in mind when packing small electronic devices such as razors and hair dryers.
Clothing
Although the clothing style in Portugal is no runway in Milan - people dress casually and practically!
It also depends on the time that you will be living in Portugal as the weather here will determine what to pack. Travelling in the summer in Europe is very different from travelling in winter. Therefore, I’d recommend you’d bring the following to check off all the boxes.
Spring:
As springtime in Portugal is essentially a combination of all seasons in one, it’s worth bringing the following:
- Waterproof jacket, trench coat
- Long sleeves, sweaters, cardigans, hoodies
- Jeans, fabric pants, leggings, skirts
- Pashminas, scarves, hats
- Thick socks
- Umbrella
Summer:
If you plan on staying during the summer, I’’d recommend packing light and comfortable.
- Dresses, kaftans
- Shirts, blouses
- Jeans, fabric pants
- Shorts, skirts
- Beachwear, surfing gear, hats
- Jackets
Autumn/Winter
During this time of season, the frequency of rainfall in Portugal is very high with a topping of gusty winds. On other days, it can be a lot dryer and warmer! I’d recommend packing a mix of items.
- Waterproof jacket, trench coat, winter coat, umbrella
- Long sleeves, sweaters, cardigans, hoodies
- Jeans, fabric pants, leggings
- Scarves, hats. gloves, thick socks
What about Shoes?
The most important thing about packing these essential items that are intended to protect the human foot is comfort. In Portugal, one ends up doing a lot of walking - especially in Sintra when many places including the Boundless Life residences, co-working hub, and education centre, are all walking distance. As the landscape in Sintra is quite “hilly”, you will also end up getting quite a bit of cardio in! Another thing to keep in mind is most of the streets are paved with beautiful Portuguese cobblestone. Therefore we highly recommend packing comfortable shoes (according to season). In the spring and summer, pack sneakers, running shoes, flats, and sandals, and in the colder seasons pack a pair of boots - and if you are a hiker, hiking boots! But no matter what, be sure to pack water-resistant shoes for those rainy days. Women should generally avoid wearing heels, unless of course you want to change into them once inside! But due to the cobbled streets, you’ll thank me for warning you!
NOTE: Also keep in mind the type of luggage you will be carrying and pack accordingly. But our final say on clothing is to choose comfort over everything else. Although it is important to bring the essentials, try not to bring more than you need! And speaking of things not to bring - please keep in mind that our residences are fully furnished and stocked! Kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, towels, linen, and even hair dryers and more are all included!
Well, I believe that about sums up our slow travelling checklist. If you have any questions or recommendations, please don’t hesitate to chat with us!
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