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Paid Holiday and the 13th and 14th Months in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Annual Leave, the Subsídio de Férias (Holiday Pay) and the Subsídio de Natal (Christmas Pay)

Portuguese employees are paid 14 times a year — 12 salaries plus a holiday subsidy and a Christmas subsidy. Our 2026 guide covers your 22 days of paid leave, first-year accrual, the Subsídio de Férias and Subsídio de Natal, the duodécimos option, how they're taxed, and what you're owed when you leav
The Portugal Brief
A traditional Lisbon apartment building with an azulejo-tiled facade and small balconies

The IMT and Stamp Duty Exemption for Young Home Buyers (Under 35) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the €330,539 Full-Exemption Threshold, the €660,982 Partial Band, Who Qualifies and How to Claim It

Buyers aged 35 or under pay no IMT or stamp duty on a first home worth up to €330,539 in 2026 — about €13,000 saved on a €300,000 purchase. Our guide covers who qualifies, the partial band to €660,982, how to claim it, the 100% mortgage guarantee, and the catch for non-resident buyers.
The Portugal Brief
A modern curved glass office complex in Alcantara, Lisbon bearing the Cloudflare and EY signs, with cars parked outside

The StartUP Visa in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the IAPMEI Programme, the Certified Incubators, the €325,000 Growth Threshold and How Foreign Founders Get a Residence Permit

Portugal's StartUP Visa lets non-EU founders base an innovative company here through an IAPMEI-certified incubator. This 2026 guide covers eligibility, the €325,000 growth threshold, the 12x IAS means test, the incubator process, and how the residence visa and AIMA permit work.
The Portugal Brief
A wheelchair accessibility symbol laid in white and grey stones in traditional Portuguese calçada cobblestone pavement, beside a cast-iron drain cover

The Prestação Social para a Inclusão (Social Inclusion Benefit) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the 60% Disability Threshold, the €333.64 Base Component, the €670 Means-Tested Complemento and How to Claim It

Portugal's main cash benefit for people with disabilities is non-contributory and built around a medical certificate. This 2026 guide covers who qualifies at a 60% incapacity degree, the €333.64 base component, the €670 means-tested top-up, and how to apply with the Atestado Multiusos.
The Portugal Brief
The Rendimento Social de Inserção (RSI) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Who Qualifies, the €247.56 Reference Amount and the 100/70/50 Household Scale, the Contrato de Inserção, and the Single Social Benefit That Will Absorb It

The Rendimento Social de Inserção (RSI) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Who Qualifies, the €247.56 Reference Amount and the 100/70/50 Household Scale, the Contrato de Inserção, and the Single Social Benefit That Will Absorb It

The Rendimento Social de Inserção (RSI, Social Integration Income) is Portugal’s minimum-income safety net — a monthly cash benefit for households in extreme poverty, paired with a personalised plan to help them back towards independence. It...
The Portugal Brief
The green-glass tower of the Ministerio do Trabalho e Seguranca Social at Praca de Londres in Lisbon, seen from below against a blue sky

The Seguro Social Voluntário (Voluntary Social Insurance) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Who Can Join, the IAS Contribution Brackets, the 26.9% Rate, Form RV 1007 and the Pension It Actually Builds

If you live in Portugal but no job or self-employment is paying into social security for you, the Seguro Social Voluntário lets you contribute on your own. Our 2026 guide covers who can join, the IAS brackets, the 26.9% rate, enrolling with form RV 1007, and the pension it builds.
The Portugal Brief
The modern Loja do Cidadao de Mafra, one of Portugal's one-stop public-service centres where residents obtain official certificates

Getting a Certidão de Não Dívida in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Proving You Owe Nothing to the Tax Authority and Social Security, the Free Instant Online Certificates and the Access-Code Shortcut

Plenty of everyday procedures in Portugal — public subsidies, contracts, some residence and nationality steps — require proof you owe nothing to Finanças and Segurança Social. Our 2026 guide covers the free instant certificates on both portals, their validity and the access-code shortcut.
The Portugal Brief