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Opening a bank account in Portugal
is generally a good idea if you are going to be purchasing a
property. Opening your own bank account is relatively simple, however the following documentation is
required from an EU citizen:
-
Passport or Identity Card
(Passaporte/Bilhete de Identidade)
- Tax Number and card (Numero
Fiscal de Contribuinte)
- Proof of Address. Any document which has proof
of name and address such as utility bills, driving licence.
There
are a number of high street banks in Portugal though be
sure to choose one which has a good number of branches
across the country to ensure if you are away you can
still access your money via cash machines.
Bank accounts are
very similar to those in the United Kingdom though in Portugal,
banks do charge to have accounts and services. Be sure to check with
the bank what these charges are for and for how much. Some banks in
Portugal do have a minimum amount to be deposited to avoid these
charges and remember to ask what this is, as each bank varies.
Having a bank
account in Portugal is useful if you own your own property as you
will then be able to set up direct debits for your public utilities
such as water, electricity and telephone. Banks in Portugal do
operate internet banking and some of the banks already provide their
'intranet' pages in English for ease of use of foreign clients. |
