How do EU citizens register residence in Portugal in 2026?

The CRUE (Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia) formalises your right of residence after free-movement entry. Under Lei n.º 37/2006 and AIMA's EU guidance, you request it when you remain more than three months, within 30 days after those three months have passed. The certificate is generally valid for five years from issue, or for a shorter planned stay if that period is shorter.

You apply at the Câmara Municipal (municipal council) of your Portuguese address. Some cities also route the service through a Loja do Cidadão. Bring a valid identity card or passport and a declaration that you meet an Article 7 condition such as work, study, or sufficient resources. Family members who are themselves EU citizens follow the same registration idea with relationship proof. Non-EU family members of EU citizens use a different residence-card track and should not assume the CRUE desk covers them.

Municipal practice varies. Some desks want proof you have already completed 90 days; others accept earlier bookings. Fees on gov.pt guidance are modest (around €15 for adults, lower for young children). Appointments or walk-in tickets labelled for European citizens are common in Lisbon, Porto, and smaller councils.

Ordinary CRUE registration is not an AIMA Loja appointment for third-country residence titles. Third-country routes are summarised in apply for a residence permit. Do not book AIMA biometrics for a standard EU registration unless an official notice tells you a different family or permanent-residence process applies.

After the CRUE, keep building the Portugal number stack described in paperwork after moving: obtain a NIF, then NISS if you work or contribute, and an SNS user number once lawful stay and address evidence are in place. Housing proof for the municipal file should match your lease path in how to rent a home.