Setting Up a Company in Portugal
Learn how to set up a company in Portugal, the types of company and how online incorporation works for Brazilians. Talk to our team.
If you plan to expand your business, invest or even become an entrepreneur outside Brazil, know that Portugal has increasingly become the “darling” and the most attractive country for this journey.
Portugal has a simplified company formation process and is a gateway to Europe.
A private limited company (sociedade por quotas), a single-member private limited company (sociedade unipessoal por quotas) or a public limited company (sociedade anónima) can be incorporated entirely online, through the Empresa Online service on the Justice portal (justica.gov.pt), or in person, on the same day, through the Empresa na Hora (On-the-Spot Company) service. Online incorporation requires authentication with a Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão), the Digital Mobile Key (Chave Móvel Digital), including the one linked to a passport, or eIDAS authentication, and it can also be done by a lawyer or solicitador (a Portuguese legal professional) with a professional digital certificate. After incorporation, the company must still comply with obligations such as filing a declaration with the Central Register of Beneficial Owners (Registo Central do Beneficiário Efetivo, RCBE).
And if at any time you need to change your company's registered office, change its business activity or amend its articles of association, these services are available online.
We at Sene & Araújo Advogados can help you open this door!
Other services in this area
Wills
Forms, forced share, and applicable law in both countries.
Learn more →
Declaration of heirs
Notary's office or Inheritance Desk, documents, and Stamp Duty.
Learn more →
Assets in Brazil
Selling, inheriting, and managing assets in Brazil while living in Portugal.
Learn more →
Marriage and property regime
Applicable law, prenuptial agreement, and effects on inheritance.
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Child custody
Relocation to another country, travel authorization, and the Hague Convention.
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International child and spousal support
Setting, collecting, and modifying support between Brazil and Portugal.
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STJ recognition
Portuguese judgments given effect in Brazil.
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Tax residence
Definitive departure from Brazil, the 183-day rule, and double taxation.
Learn more →
INSS retirees
Brazilian pension received in Portugal: the agreement and taxation.
Learn more →Common questions
Didn't find your question? Talk to our team on WhatsApp.
Is it possible to set up a company in Portugal entirely online?
Yes. A private limited company (sociedade por quotas), a single-member private limited company or a public limited company (sociedade anónima) can be incorporated entirely online, through the Empresa Online service on the Justice portal (justica.gov.pt). There is also the in-person alternative of the Empresa na Hora service, which allows the company to be incorporated on the same day. Later, changes such as moving the registered office, changing the business activity or amending the articles of association can also be made online.
What is needed to incorporate the company through the online service?
Online incorporation requires authentication by one of these means:
- Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão);
- Digital Mobile Key (Chave Móvel Digital), including the one linked to a passport;
- eIDAS authentication.
The procedure can also be carried out by a lawyer or solicitador with a professional digital certificate. Those who prefer to go in person can use the Empresa na Hora service, which allows the company to be incorporated on the same day.
What obligations apply after the company is incorporated?
Incorporation does not end the process. Once incorporated, the company must still comply with obligations such as filing a declaration with the Central Register of Beneficial Owners (Registo Central do Beneficiário Efetivo, RCBE). Throughout the life of the company, requests such as changing the registered office, changing the business activity or amending the articles of association are available through online services, which makes managing the company easier over time.
Talk to our team
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