Moving to Madeira requires documents in a specific order: NIF first, then a Portuguese bank account, then health insurance and accommodation, then the visa application, then AIMA, then the local registrations once you arrive. Get the order wrong and each step blocks the next. This checklist lists every document, the order, and who issues it.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU. The single most common relocation delay is doing steps out of sequence — trying to open a bank account before the NIF, or booking the AIMA appointment before the address is registered in Madeira. This checklist prevents that.
PHASE 1 — BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
1. NIF (Portuguese tax number). The first document. Required for the bank account, the lease, utilities, and the visa. Non-EU citizens obtain it via a fiscal representative — remotely, before arriving (a service we run in days). EU citizens can obtain it in person at Finanças. Issued by: Finanças (AT). Timeline: 1–2 weeks.