One thing you often hear regurgitated in expat forums online is to be wary of attorneys in Portugal. Many of these DIY groups downright belittle people into not getting the professional support they need when it comes to legal matters; often stating that they would be better off dealing with these matters themselves. If you have an abundance of time and love dealing with the headaches of a foreign legal system, this might be sound advice. But, here’s what the groups don’t tell you…
For the majority of people, lots of unforseen legal issues crop up once you’re here, and navigating the legal system in Portugal can be overwhelming and daunting; especially when you’re negotiating major legal issues in a foreign language.
While there are definitely some shady characters in the legal field (as there are in every country), we have found many great and honest attorneys in Portugal. In fact, one of the best things we ever did was hire a lawyer in Portugal before we moved here. Having a lawyer on hand from the moment we arrived in Portugal has been a huge help. There are so many more things one needs an attorney that go far beyond the immigration process that’s never discussed in the expat forums.
Here’s a list of ways attorneys can help you throughout the legal lifecycle of relocating to portugal:
- Visa & Immigration Help
- Lease Contracts
- Issues with Your Portuguese Bank
- Shipping/Customs Issues
- Setting up a Portuguese Corporation
- Property Purchase Contracts (CPCV)
- Deed Signing
- Landlord/Neighbor/Property Disputes
- Bureaucratic Issues with the Government
- Accompanying You as a Witness or Translator
- Wills & Estate Law
- Tax Law
- Family Law
- Contract Law
- Personal Injury Law
The Legal Lifecycle in Portugal looks a little bit like this:
Phase 1: Before You Move to Portugal
- Visa & Immigration Law
- Reviewing Rental or Property Purchase Agreements (attending Deed signing if buying property before moving)
- Setting up NIF and expediting Bank Account Set-up
- Dealing with any customs/shipping issues
Phase 2: First 1-2 Years in Portugal
- Setting up a Portuguese Corporation
- Reviewing Rental or Property Purchase Agreements
- Attending Deed Signing
- Dealing with any customs/shipping issues
- Dealing with Driver’s License Issues
- Landlord/Neighbor/Property Disputes
- Bureaucratic Issues with the Government
- Accompanying You as a Witness or Translator
- Wills & Estate Law
- Tax Law
Phase 3: Years 2+ Living in Portugal
- Family Law – divorce, custody, etc.
- Contract Law
- Personal Injury Law
- Wills & Estate Law
- Tax Law
- Help with Permanent Residency or Citizenship applications and/or issues
We were lucky to find a phenomenal law firm who over the past three years have helped us with immigration, countless bureaucratic hurdles, reviewing our initial lease contract, helping us with our driver’s license exchange when an issue cropped up, getting us emergency SEF (now AIMA) appointments, reviewing our property purchase contract, representing us at the deed signing, advising us on our wills and with tax law. Our friends have worked with the same firm and other firms on landlord disputes, property disputes, estate law, and more.
As you can see, there’s quite a legal lifecycle for a new expat or immigrant upon relocating to Portugal. If you need a trustworthy law firm to help you navigate your new life in Portugal, we highly recommend SBPS Legal (formerly Cruz Oliveira). Contact João Gonçalves joaogoncalves@cruzoliveira.pt +351 917 149 329 on WhatsApp or the main office at +351 217261165.
