Europe

Portugal

Still current at: 04 December 2008

Updated: 25 November 2008

Terrorism
 
There is an underlying threat from terrorism.  Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
 

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Crime remains comparatively low in Portugal but pickpocketing, handbag snatching and theft from cars are increasingly common in major tourist areas. The number 28 and 16 tram routes to/from St George's Castle and Belem in Lisbon, and the Guincho beach on the outskirts of Lisbon, are particularly targettinged by thieves. Take care of your belongings at all times.  Do not leave your bag on the chair beside you while eating or having a drink in a café or restaurant.  Do not hang it on the back of your chair or leave it unattended under the table.  Thieves often work in groups and create distractions with the aim of stealing.

Since the beginning of 2008 there has been an increase in the number of reported passport thefts.  Remember your passport is a valuable document.  It is expensive to replace and can lead to serious complications if your identity is later used fraudulently.  You should report the loss or theft of your passport immediately to the local police and obtain a police report.  You will need the report for insurance purposes and to obtain a replacement travel document from us. For further information on replacing a lost or stolen passport, see the Passport page of the FCO website.

Passports, credit cards, travel tickets and money should not be carried together in handbags or pockets.  Leave spare cash and valuables in a safe place.  Do not leave any valuables in an unattended car.  Remember that foreign-registered and hire cars are often targeted by thieves.

Portuguese police recommend car windows and doors are closed and locked while driving at night in urban centres. Pedestrians are advised not to wear valuable jewellery or watches in public areas.

There have been reports over the summer of an increase in violent attacks and muggings in the Vilamoura area of the Algarve, which has led to the death of at least one British national.  You are advised to be extra vigilant, especially in the early hours of the morning.  There has also been an increase in the number of villa break ins in the Algarve.  Please make sure that your villa has adequate secruity measures in place and extra care to make sure that all doors and windows are locked at night or when you are not in the villa.  It is also advisable to keep all your personal belongings, money and passports locked in the security safe, if your villa has one.  If you are worried about security at your villa you should speak to your tour operator or the villa owner.  You should familiarise yourself with the contact details of the local emergency services and the location of the nearest police station.

In 2007 our Consular staff were aware of a number of British nationals who were the victim of a serious sexual offence in Portugal.  For more general information see Rape and Sexual Assault Abroad.

Be aware that alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment.  If you are going to drink, know your limit.  Remember that drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Portugal Country Profile

Local Travel

Road Travel

If hiring a car, you should ensure that the vehicle insurance is fully comprehensive and covers you and your passengers for all eventualities.

As a holidaymaker, you can bring your own vehicle to Portugal for a maximum of 183 days in any 12-month period.  You must not use your vehicle for any other purpose or loan it to anyone else during that time.  If you intend to stay longer, you must apply to the Portuguese Customs authority to have the car legally imported.  You will be fined if you leave the country without your car.

The minimum age for driving is 18.  You must possess a UK driving licence or an International Driving Permit.  UK-issued provisional licences are not valid for driving in Portugal. In addition to your licence, you must also carry your vehicle logbook or rental contract, proof of insurance and MOT certificate (if appropriate) together with all other relevant documentation.  There are heavy on-the-spot fines for those who fail to do so.

You must carry a red warning triangle to place behind the vehicle in case of accident or breakdown and a reflective vest for use if you have to get out of your car.  The wearing of seatbelts is compulsory in the front and rear of vehicles.  Children under 12 must not travel in the front passenger seat.  You must not carry spare (full) petrol cans in the vehicle.

Fines for traffic offences are substantial in Portugal.  Such infringements as speeding, driving under the influence of drink or drugs, the use of mobile phones whilst driving and illegal parking are heavily penalised.  The use of appropriate child safety seats and seat belts in the rear of the vehicle is compulsory.  The police have the authority to fine on-the-spot and most of their vehicles are equipped with portable ATM machines to facilitate immediate payment.  The Portuguese Highway Code can be found (in Portuguese) at: http://www.dgv.pt

As in many other European countries, there is a toll system in operation on Portuguese motorways.  Heavy fines are imposed on those who do not or cannot pay toll fees.  You should take care not to use the green lanes reserved for motorists who subscribe to the automatic pay system.

Driving regulations and customs are different from those in the UK and the accident rate is higher.  In 2007 there were 854 road deaths in Portugal (source: Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária – http://www.ansr.pt).  This equates to  8 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 4.8 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007 (DfT).  You are advised to take extra care when crossing busy roads, especially late at night.  This includes crossing at zebra crossings which are often badly lit and poorly marked.  UK organisations such as the AA or RAC should be able to provide detailed advice.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Beaches & Swimming

Death by drowning occurs every year on Portuguese beaches and in swimming pools. The Maritime Police have the authority to fine bathers who disobey the lifeguard's warning flags.

Warning flags on beaches should be taken seriously.  The red flag indicates danger.  Never enter the water when the red flag is flying.  If there is a yellow flag, you may paddle at the water's edge, but you may not swim.  The green flag indicates that it is safe to swim, and the chequered flag means that the beach is temporarily unmanned.

Do not swim at fluvial beaches or beaches without lifeguards.  Do not dive into unknown bodies of water, because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death.  

Always exercise caution when using swimming pools. Check the depth of the pool before diving in. Make sure you know which is the shallow and the deep end as this may not always be marked.  Watch your children at all times, especially if you are staying in a rented villa or apartment with no lifeguard.

For more general information see River and Sea Safety.

Mountain Walks in Madeira

Walking the “levadas” (the ancient irrigation channels) is a popular activity in Madeira, but the walks can be challenging if you are inexperienced.  It is therefore essential that you choose only the ones that are suited to your own standard of fitness and experience.  You should be prepared for narrow, uneven paths and have a head for heights.  Remember to wear suitable clothing and walking boots.  Leave details of where you are going with your hotel reception and don’t forget to take your mobile telephone with you.  Better still, join a group of walkers and go with a guide.  For more information, see the Madeira Island Tourism website at http://www.madeiraislands.travel

Holiday Clubs

The Embassy has received complaints from British tourists about the activities of companies trying to sell memberships of holiday Clubs.  Visitors to the Algarve and Madeira are advised to be very careful when dealing with representatives of these companies.  A fuller report on this is contained in the Embassy website's 'Useful Information' section of the Consular Services page.

Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Portugal.  For more details about this see Airline Security.

Under Portuguese drug legislation, if you are caught consuming or in possession of drugs for personal use you may be subject to a fine or other sanction (including the seizure of personal belongings).  Selling or trafficking of drugs is a criminal offence and subject to severe penalties.

 

There is a legal requirement for foreign nationals to be able to show some form of identification if requested by the police or judicial authorities.  For UK nationals this means a passport.  This requirement is rigorously enforced in the case of those driving cars in Portugal.  In other cases, it should be sufficient to carry a photocopy of the data page of your passport, but you should be prepared to produce the original document, if necessary.  This may mean being accompanied by the police to collect it from your hotel.  All UK visitors are in any case advised to keep a photocopy of the data page separate from the original.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Visas

 

As an EU national, you may remain in Portugal as a tourist for a period not exceeding three months.  If you intend to settle, you must apply for a Registration Certificate from the local Camara Municipal (Town Hall) or from the nearest office of the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (Portuguese immigration authority).

 

Passport validity

 

A valid British passport must be held for entry to and exit from Portugal.  There is no minimum passport validity requirement but you should ensure that your passport is valid for the proposed period of your stay.

 

Travelling with children

 

A minor under the age of 18 travelling to Portugal must either:

A minor who is living in Portugal may be prevented from leaving the country if he/she is travelling unaccompanied and is not carrying a notarised letter of authority from a parent or guardian.  This is particularly important for children returning to school in the UK.

Similarly, a resident minor travelling with just one of his/her parents, must have a notarised letter of authority to leave the country from the parent who is staying behind.  A standard form of words (in Portuguese) covering both of these cases, may be downloaded from the Portuguese immigration service website in Portuguese.

If you are visiting Portugal, you should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK.  The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Portuguese nationals.  It does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. For more general information see EHIC.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 34,000 adults aged 15 or over in Portugal were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.5% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS.  For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Portugal and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the  NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

Insurance

 

You are strongly advised to take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

 

Money

 

You are reminded that the currency of Portugal is the Euro.

 

Since 15 June 2007 new legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU apply in all Member States.  Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers’ cheques, money orders, etc.  This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.

 

In Portugal, such declarations should be made to the Customs authorities on entry or departure.