News from afpop

As always, if English or German are not your first language and you need clarification on any of the information included in this mailing, please contact the afpop office to ask for assistance. Si un Membre français souhaite discuter de ces informations en français, veuillez contacter Marisa au bureau de l'afpop pour obtenir de l'aide.

Extension of the Green Rail Pass (PFV)
The extension of the Green Rail Pass (Passe Ferroviário Verde - PFV) to the urban train networks in the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas is expected to take effect from the 3^rd week of September 2026.

This means that passengers who use only the urban train services covered by the Navegante and Andante systems will be able to travel using just the €20-per-month Green Rail Pass, without needing to buy an additional Navegante or Andante pass. The existing Navegante and Andante intermodal passes will continue to be available unchanged for passengers who also use other modes of transport.

Free Public Transport for Residents in Viseu
From today, public transport within the municipality of Viseu is free for all residents aged 24 and over. The measure applies to MUV, STUV and MOBI Viseu Dão Lafões services, allowing unlimited travel within the municipality with a Viseu Resident Pass.

Young people aged 4 to 23 continue to benefit from the national free public transport scheme.

To benefit from this measure, residents must apply for or update their pass and provide proof of residence in the municipality of Viseu. The pass costs €5 to issue.

The free travel scheme is exclusively for residents of the municipality of Viseu. Further information is available from the local transport services or Viseu City Council HERE (in Portuguese).

Point of sales HERE

Portugal introduces “Once Only” principle to cut bureaucracy
The Portuguese Government has approved new legislation aimed at reducing bureaucracy by ensuring that citizens and businesses no longer have to provide public authorities with documents that the State already possesses. The measure enshrines the “Once Only (Uma Só Vez)” principle, meaning information should be supplied to public services just once and then shared securely between government bodies when needed.

Under the new law, public entities will be required to use the Public Administration Interoperability Platform (iAP), allowing different government services to exchange information directly. This will eliminate the need for people to repeatedly obtain and submit documents such as tax clearance certificates or social security records when dealing with administrative procedures. The proposal will now be submitted to Parliament for approval.

Face coverings in public places
The President of the Republic has promulgated the Decree of the Assembly of the Republic that establishes the safety and prevention rules relating to citizen identification to be adopted in public spaces. It effectively prohibits the complete covering of the face in public places. The President justified promulgation on grounds of public security, social integration, gender equality and consistency with European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence.

Once promulgated and published, the full text becomes legally official.

New TVDE law
New rules for TVDE services in Portugal will come into force on 1 September, bringing the sector closer to the taxi industry. 

One of the main changes is that taxis will also be allowed to operate through TVDE apps (such as Uber or Bolt), provided they meet the requirements set out in the new legislation and are registered with a licensed platform.

In practice, passengers may soon start seeing taxis available on TVDE apps alongside the vehicles that traditionally provide these services. This is one of the most controversial changes introduced by the new law. Taxi industry associations have already challenged the measure, arguing that it could create unfair conditions of competition. The issue could eventually be taken to Portugal's Constitutional Court.

Another new requirement will be the permanent identification of TVDE vehicles. They will have to display a badge issued by the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT), featuring security elements designed to make counterfeiting more difficult and to help identify vehicles that are legally authorised to operate.

Regulatory checks on the sector are also expected to increase. The IMT will create an electronic platform to share information about operators, drivers, vehicles, insurance, inspections and licences. Several public authorities will have access to this information, including the IMT, the Tax and Customs Authority and the security forces.

The aim is to make monitoring the sector more effective and to make it easier to detect irregularities.

The new legislation will also allow video-recording systems to be installed inside TVDE vehicles, but only with the express consent of both the driver and the passenger. Audio recording will not be allowed.

At the same time, the general ban on advertising in TVDE vehicles will be lifted. Advertising will be allowed under rules similar to those already applied to taxis.

For passengers, the most noticeable change will probably be the growing presence of taxis on TVDE platforms. At the same time, the new rules aim to strengthen driver training, make it easier to identify authorised vehicles and increase oversight of the sector.

Water cuts in the coming days
Portugal faces several planned water cuts in the coming days, see the affected areas below.

Water supply interruptions are scheduled in several municipalities across Portugal until 6 September. Members can find out where the cuts are expected, how long they may last and when residents should prepare.

The scheduled works will take place until 6 September, although some interventions may continue beyond that date. Depending on the location, residents could face water cuts lasting several hours or repeated interruptions over a number of days.

Most of the works are linked to repairs to burst pipes, network maintenance, new connections and projects designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of the water supply system.

Vendas Novas faces one of the longest interruptions
One of the longest interventions is scheduled for Vendas Novas, in the district of Évora.

Between 31 August and 4 September, residents on Rua Luís António Firmino, between Rua Marechal Costa Gomes and the junction leading to Bairro Joaquim Domingos, may experience intermittent interruptions to the water supply. The cuts are expected to occur between 8h00 and 16h00.

A further intervention has already been scheduled for 7 to 11 September, meaning the area could face additional disruption next week.

Aveiro and Famalicão affected on 3 September
On 3 September, residents in parts of Aveiro should be prepared for an interruption or disruption to the water supply between 9h00 and 13h00.

The affected locations include Cais de São Roque, between numbers 87 and 105 and Lot 12, as well as Rua Madre Inês Champalimaud Duff, in the União das Freguesias da Glória e Vera Cruz.

Further north, Vila Nova de Famalicão will also have a planned interruption on the same day.

In the parish of Calendário, water supply is expected to be interrupted between 14h00 and 17h00 on Rua Duque de Loulé and Rua Manuel Monteiro.

In this case, the disruption is linked to works to connect properties to the public water network.

Other planned interruptions to be confirmed
There are also references to planned interventions in Bairro do Cerco do Porto, as well as in Cumeada and São Marcos do Campo, in the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz.

However, the information currently available does not provide sufficiently clear details about the exact times or all the affected areas. These locations have therefore not been included among the confirmed water supply interruptions.

Unexpected cuts may also occur
Planned works are not the only reason residents may suddenly find themselves without water.

Burst pipes, network failures and other unforeseen incidents can also cause unexpected interruptions, which are often reported only on the day of the incident.

Residents in the affected areas are therefore advised to keep an eye on updates from their local council or water supply provider, particularly on the day works are scheduled to take place.

If a water cut is expected in your area, it may also be worth storing enough water in advance for essential needs during the interruption.

U.S. Embassy consular services in Porto this September
The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon has announced an upcoming in-person consular session in Porto on September 18. The event will offer northern Portugal residents access to essential administrative services without requiring travel to Lisbon. 

Staff will process U.S. passport applications, notary requests, and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Additionally, representatives from the Federal Benefits Unit will hold dedicated hours from 12h00 to 13h00 to handle Social Security inquiries. Click HERE for details.

AIMA Renewals Portal (non-EU): until November and December 2026 - reminder
The Renewals Portal is now also available for Residency Permit renewals expiring in November and December 2026. The Portal is only available for non-EU residencies that have expired or are due to expire between July 2025 and December 2026. If your authorisation expires at a later date, you will need to wait for the Portal to open for that specific month.

The renewal of Residence Permits for Investment (ARI) that expired between 22 February 2020 and 31 December 2026, is now available on the Renewals Portal.

Residency renewal for EU citizens and family members – now on the Renewals Portal –reminder
From 1 July, the Residency renewal application for European Union (EU) nationals and their family members has been available on the Renewals Portal. 

Eligible holders should be able to carry out the following on the Renewals Portal:

• submit their application

• pay the fees

• submit the required documents

After entering the Portal, you will need to log in with a password.

If you have not registered before, change the language to English if you prefer and go to the bottom of the page to click on CREATE ACCOUNT. You will come to the next page, where you fill in your e-mail address, Residência certificate or card number, NIF (Portuguese Fiscal Number) and Date of Birth – then click on CREATE ACCOUNT again.

There have been issues with creating passwords for EU citizens and their family members, at present we are not completely sure why, but we will keep members informed. 

New info from AIMA:

Are you applying to renew a paper Residency card (carton version, not the paper certificate)?

If you are a European Union (EU) national, or a family member of an EU national who is a third-country national, and you wish to apply to renew a Residency card that is in paper/carton form, please ignore the first zero (0) on the left when entering the card number on the Renewals Portal.

Example: 011641 corresponds to 11641 on the Renewals Portal.

If you are still unable to submit your application, please send an email to geral@aima.gov.pt , stating the following in the subject line: Portal de Renovações, Agendamento CR papel, impossibilidade submeter pedido (Renewals Portal, Paper Residence Card appointment, unable to submit application).

In the email, please include your personal details (see below) and attach a copy of your carton Residency card. To avoid delays, include the following:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• Nationality

• Passport or ID card number

• NIF (Portuguese tax number)

• A brief explanation that you are unable to submit the renewal request through the portal despite entering the card number without the leading zero

If you do succeed, then after starting the application on the Renewals Portal, it will be necessary for most applicants to provide biometric data in person. AIMA will arrange an appointment and notify the applicant of the date, time and location of the appointment.

Applications submitted via the AIMA contact form up to 30 June 2026 and appointments already booked will remain valid.

Living in the Algarve seminar - reminder
We will be joining the Open Media group once again at their ‘Living in the Algarve’ seminar on 30 September at Conrad Algarve Hotel in Almancil. There is a morning and afternoon session, where you can hear the presentations and speak with experts in person if you have any questions. There will be coffee breaks to chat with our event partners. 

Save your FREE seats here: https://www.livinginthealgarve.pt 

Do you know someone thinking about moving to Portugal? – reminder
Do you have friends or family in the UK who are thinking about moving to Portugal, buying a property, retiring, working remotely or investing here?

The Moving to Portugal Show, organised by the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in the UK, takes place in London on 15 October 2026 and is a great opportunity to find out more about the practicalities of making Portugal your home.

The event brings together professionals covering property, taxation, legal matters, banking, pensions, healthcare and relocation, among other areas.

London – 15 October 2026, Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa

afpop will be there! Come and meet us, find out more about what we do and discover how we support foreign residents living in Portugal. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.

Register for the Moving to Portugal Show – London HERE

New benefits for members
We’re pleased to highlight a growing number of companies featured in the afpop ADvantage Directory. They offer exclusive benefits and services for afpop members.

This week we have the following newcomers:

• Elsa Arnedo Translator – English, German and French into Portuguese translation based in Vilamoura – 10% Discount on translation services

Satellite offices
If you need advice or assistance, wish to introduce a new Member to the Association, need to renew your subscription, or just have a general query, please come and see us. We ask you to make an appointment and to inform us about your enquiry, so staff can come prepared to assist you. Please contact the afpop office to make an appointment on 282 458 509 or info@afpop.com.   

The next dates of the Satellites are: 

• Lagos – Wednesday, 23 September between 10h00 and 12h30 (premises of MediLagos on R. José Ferreira Canelas, which is behind the Câmara building) 

• Almancil – Tuesday, 29 September between 10h00 and 12h30 (premises of MEDAL Seguros)