EN
EnglishEspañolDeutschFrançaisItalianoPortuguêsРусский

Arrival Checklist for Portugal: NIF, NISS, Health Number and Residence

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Portugal's paperwork runs on three numbers: the tax number (NIF), the social security number (NISS) and the health service user number. Each unlocks different things, and they depend on each other, so the order matters. This checklist uses the official gov.pt guides and AIMA's page on the student residence permit, consulted in October 2026. The visa stage is covered in the student visa guide for Portugal.

1. The residence permit at AIMA

During the validity of your visa you ask AIMA for the residence permit for higher education students (article 91 of Law 23/2007). AIMA's page says the request is made by appointment, or through an electronic platform that was being implemented for holders of a residence visa, and delivered in person at any AIMA office. Documents include:

The permit is valid for three years and renewable, or for the length of your programme if shorter. Keep every appointment receipt with your passport.

2. The NIF: your tax number

The government guide says the NIF request is free. Foreign residents ask with their identity document or passport and their residence title. A non-resident needs an identity document and a fiscal representative resident in Portugal. If you show a passport you must also show the entry visa. You can go in person to the tax offices, booking through the call centre on 217 206 707 (working days, 9:00 to 19:00), or a representative can submit it through the Tax Authority's online counter if you live outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

3. The NISS: your social security number

The NISS request is also free and can be made online by foreign nationals through the form "Pedido de NISS - Cidadão Estrangeiro" on the Social Security portal, attaching valid identity documents. For third-country nationals the guide lists a passport and, depending on your case, your visa and residence authorisation, or proof that you applied for one. Social Security sends a registered letter with collection instructions, and you book through the SIGA platform or by phone. The NISS is one of the documents AIMA asks for if you later apply for the one-year search or work route, described in working in Portugal after graduation.

4. The health service user number

According to the government guide, any foreign person with legal residence in Portugal can obtain the SNS user number, which is given the first time you go to a public health unit. You can register at the health centre of your area of residence, and if you have no number you can obtain it when you register.

One warning from the same page: having the number alone does not guarantee that the SNS covers your costs. For that, your record must contain your identity document, your Portuguese NIF, your full address in Portugal and a valid residence permit. This is why the NIF comes first.

5. Ask for all three at once

Foreign people with an address in Portugal can request the NIF, the NISS and the SNS user number at the same time through a dedicated service, which the government page links. Check the page for the list of counters offering it and for the documents it needs.

A sensible order

  1. Before you travel, check the documents AIMA will ask for, especially the housing declaration and the criminal record certificate.
  2. On arrival, ask for the NIF, NISS and SNS number, jointly if the service is available at your counter.
  3. Book your AIMA appointment and keep the receipts.
  4. Register at the health centre of your area of residence.
  5. Use the NIF for your lease and your bank account, as noted in the visa guide.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.