Cross-border payments and remote closing in Portugal

A buyer who lives abroad can complete a Portuguese purchase without travelling, if the power of attorney, the tax number and the money are arranged in the right order. This briefing follows the process as law firms and agencies describe it and flags the places where remote deals go wrong.

The stages in order

A typical purchase runs as follows.

• Agree terms.
• The buyer's lawyer checks the property: the registry extract, charges and mortgages, the tax record of the property (caderneta predial), the habitation licence and planning compliance.
• The parties sign a promissory contract (CPCV) and the buyer pays a deposit. Guides describe a deposit between 10 and 30 percent of the price.
• Financing and last checks.
• The deed (escritura pública de compra e venda) is signed in front of a notary, or at a Casa Pronta registry office, and the balance is paid. This is the moment ownership transfers.
• The purchase is registered.

Taxes are paid around the deed: the transfer tax (IMT) and stamp duty, reported at 0.8 percent of the price. The lawyer should issue a written estimate of every cost before the CPCV is signed.

Before the CPCV: the tax number and the lawyer

Without a Portuguese tax number (NIF) the buyer cannot sign or register. Reports say a non-EU resident needs a fiscal representative to obtain it and that EU residents do not. Confirm this with the lawyer and begin at once. Appoint a lawyer who speaks the buyer's language and who will hold the power of attorney.

Power of attorney (procuração)

If the buyer will not attend, a power of attorney lets the lawyer sign the CPCV and the deed. Guides say it can be arranged at the Portuguese embassy or consulate in the buyer's country, or before a local notary with an apostille, and that a certified translation may be required. To avoid delays:

• List the property, the powers to sign the CPCV and the deed, to pay taxes and fees, to receive documents and to register.
• Keep the buyer's name identical in the passport, the NIF record, the bank records and the document. Differences caused by transliteration are a common reason for refusals.
• Confirm the form with the lawyer and the notary before the buyer pays for it.
• Agree how the original travels.

Money from abroad

Funds for a purchase move by traceable means. Portuguese cash rules are strict: as reported, the general limit is EUR 3,000, and a higher limit of EUR 10,000 applies to individuals who are not resident and not acting as traders. Treat the property price as a bank-transfer item.

Guides describe two common routes. Completion money can pass through the lawyer's client account, and the notary is used to receiving a bank transfer or a banker's draft from abroad for the balance. Many buyers also open a Portuguese account for the deposit, the NIF-linked tax payments and the later bills. Whichever route is used:

• Start the transfer early. A bank may ask for the source of funds on a large international transfer.
• Check the exchange rate and fees at both banks.
• Send money only to the account given by the lawyer or notary, and check the details by a call to a number you already know.
• Keep every proof of payment.

The deposit and the CPCV

The CPCV is binding. Explain to a remote buyer what happens to the deposit if the buyer or the seller withdraws, and make sure the contract states it. Do not collect a deposit on your own account unless your licence and the contract permit it. Prefer the lawyer's client account or the agreed escrow route.

On the deed day

The notary or registry office will ask for identification, the NIF and proof of payment of the taxes, and will read the deed. If the lawyer signs for the buyer, the notary will check the power of attorney. If the buyer attends, have an interpreter who is independent of the seller. After the deed, check that the registration is requested and that the buyer receives the registry document.

What to say to the remote buyer

• The timetable depends on the NIF, the power of attorney, the bank transfer and the notary's diary. Do not give a completion date before these are in hand.
• The purchase price is not the full cost. The estimate must include taxes, the lawyer, the notary and registration fees.
• Do not buy or pay on the strength of photos and a video alone. The checks by the lawyer come first.
• Cash is not an option for the price.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English, Polish) overseas-property platform. We introduce buyers, including expats living in Poland, the EU and elsewhere, to properties abroad, and we support the process on the buyer's side. Agencies and developers in Portugal that handle the deal locally and would like to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page.

This briefing is informational only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change and apply case by case, so confirm every point with a qualified local lawyer before acting. Last checked on 11 October 2026.