Immobilienkauf in Portugal als Indian Staatsbürger

Indian citizens buy Portuguese property with no restriction — you need a Portuguese NIF (tax number) first. Since the 2023 'Mais Habitação' reform, real estate no longer qualifies for the golden visa. The practical residency routes are the D7 (proof of stable passive income) and the digital-nomad (D8) visa for remote income, both leading to residency and eventually citizenship eligibility after 5 years.

The Non-Habitual Resident regime closed to new applicants at the end of 2023; the narrow successor IFICI covers only specific high-value tech/science roles. Most NRI retirees and remote workers will NOT qualify and should budget for standard Portuguese tax rates. Treat any 'NHR benefit' sales pitch as outdated.

Under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, a resident Indian can remit up to US$250,000 per financial year for permitted capital transactions including overseas property; a couple can pool two limits. Remittances above ₹700,000 in a year attract 20% TCS (creditable against Indian tax). Large Portuguese purchases often span two financial years or draw on existing offshore funds — plan the funding path with your AD bank early. (NRIs remitting from an NRE/NRO account follow separate rules.)

Buying costs are dominated by IMT (progressive transfer tax, marginal rates rising to ~7.5-8% on higher-value homes), plus 0.8% IS stamp duty and notary/registration — roughly 6-8% all-in on top of the price. Annual IMI (0.3-0.45% of rateable value) follows, plus the AIMI surcharge on Portuguese property value above €600k.

Portuguese rental income is taxed in Portugal. The India-Portugal double-tax treaty gives relief so the same income isn't taxed twice; an Indian resident also reports global income at home with treaty credit. Short-term lets need an Alojamento Local (AL) registration — restricted in containment zones.

Remit via your AD bank under LRS (A2 form, PAN) or a regulated FX broker for better rates than a bank telegraphic transfer. Time the remittance against the LRS year-end (31 March) and TCS thresholds; for a multi-hundred-thousand-euro purchase, fixing the INR→EUR rate with a forward once the price is agreed removes exchange risk before completion.