Your company, registered in Portugal. One entity, your name, fast.
We register a Portuguese branch (sucursal) of your existing company. Register entry, tax number, VAT and beneficial ownership, handled end to end in English.
Your company’s permanent representation in Portugal
- Your company’s name, no new entity
- Own entry in the commercial register
- Own Portuguese tax number (NIPC)
- One contact, in English
- 1 entityYour existing company, now trading in Portugal
- Your nameCustomers and banks see the group they know
- In EnglishPermanent register certificate available in English
- 1 contactWe run every step, from documents to first invoice
A branch that is ready to trade
Six things in place, in the right order. You send documents; we hand you a working branch.
Branch on the register
Your permanent representation entered in the Portuguese commercial register and published online.
art. 10.º CRCRepresentative appointed
The person you choose, registered with the powers you set: sign, hire, open the bank account.
art. 40.º CRCPortuguese tax number
The branch gets its own NIPC, so it can contract, invoice and register staff.
NIPC · RNPCTax and VAT live
Start of activity filed, activity codes and VAT position set before the first invoice.
art. 31.º CIVABeneficial ownership filed
Your RCBE declaration lodged on time, so banks see a complete file.
art. 3.º RCBEYour year mapped
Every filing date for the branch and the parent in one calendar, with an accountant in place.
art. 121.º CIRCStandalone registration
A branch puts the parent’s own documents on the Portuguese register: board resolution, articles and certificate, each with an apostille or consular legalisation and a certified translation into Portuguese, plus the representative’s appointment. We prepare all of it. From €2,500. For the first year after registration, see the EU Landing Programme.
Two good routes. Pick the one that fits.
A branch is your company in Portugal. A subsidiary is a new Portuguese company that you own.
Going for a subsidiary? See subsidiary of a foreign company.
Eight steps. We drive every one.
The legal deadlines are marked. Everything else moves as fast as your documents.
- 1Your fixed price
Tell us about your company and the Portuguese activity. You get the plan and a fixed price in writing.
Within 1 business day - 2Documents from the parent
We draft the board resolution and the representative’s appointment. You sign at home; we handle apostille and translation.
- 3Name and NIPC
Your company’s name cleared with the RNPC and a Portuguese tax number issued for the branch.
- 4Commercial registration
The branch and its representatives go on the register (art. 15.º CRC). Permanent online certificate issued.
Within 2 months of the board resolution - 5Tax and VAT
Start of activity filed with the tax office; it also counts as the IRC registration (art. 118.º CIRC). VAT position set.
Before the first invoice - 6Beneficial ownership
Beneficial owners declared in the RCBE (art. 12.º RCBE).
Within 30 days - 7Bank account
A Portuguese bank account opened by your representative, with the file the KYC team asks for.
- 8Staff
Social Security registration before the first hire, and payroll set up.
Your checklist. Short and clear.
The register asks for these (art. 40.º CRC). We tell you exactly how each should look.
- Board resolutionYour company’s decision to open the Portuguese branch
- Articles of associationThe full, up-to-date text
- Company certificateProof that your company legally exists
- Representative’s appointmentWith the powers you give them, and their acceptance
- Representative’s IDPassport and home address
- Apostille and translationOn the documents issued abroad; we arrange the translation
Your year, on one page
The branch reports as a permanent establishment. We put every date in your calendar.
- All yearBranch accounts
Organised accounts kept in Portugal for the branch (art. 123.º CIRC).
- 31 MayModelo 22
The branch’s corporate tax return (art. 120.º CIRC).
- 15 JulyIES
Annual accounting and tax return of the branch.
- Every yearParent’s accounts
Deposited with the Portuguese register (art. 10.º CRC), with a declaration from the parent.
- Every yearRCBE confirmed
Beneficial ownership confirmed, easily done with the IES (art. 15.º RCBE).
- On any changeRegister kept current
New representative or new powers: registered so your file stays clean.
Every step, on the statute book
Read the exact articles in our law library, in English.
- Art. 4 CSC · Branch duty
- Art. 5 CSC · Legal personality
- Art. 10 CRC · Branch registration
- Art. 15 CRC · Two-month deadline
- Art. 32 CRC · Translations
- Art. 40 CRC · Documents
- Art. 42 CRC · Accounts
- Art. 58 CRC · English certificate
- Art. 3 RCBE · Scope
- Art. 12 RCBE · 30 days
- Art. 2 CIRC · Taxpayers
- Art. 3 CIRC · Tax base
- Art. 5 CIRC · Permanent establishment
- Art. 55 CIRC · Branch profit
- Art. 118 CIRC · Tax registration
- Art. 120 CIRC · Modelo 22
- Art. 121 CIRC · IES
- Art. 31 CIVA · Start of activity
Quick answers on branches
When does a foreign company register a branch in Portugal?
When it carries on business here for more than one year. The law asks it to set up a permanent representation and register it (art. 4.º(1) CSC). Companies only providing services here under the EU freedom to provide services are outside that rule (art. 4.º(4) CSC).
Is a branch a separate company?
No. It is your company, registered in Portugal. It keeps your name, your articles and your board, and gets its own entry in the Portuguese commercial register with the representatives you appoint (art. 10.º CRC).
How is a branch taxed?
As a permanent establishment: a branch is named as one in the law (art. 5.º(2) CIRC). Portugal taxes the profit attributable to the branch (art. 3.º(1)(c) CIRC), worked out on the same rules as a Portuguese company, with a fair share of head-office costs deductible (art. 55.º CIRC).
Does the branch need a separate tax representative?
No. That duty is for non-residents without a permanent establishment (art. 126.º CIRC) and, for VAT, without a fixed establishment (art. 30.º CIVA). Your branch registers with the tax office in its own right.
Do the parent documents have to be translated?
Documents in a foreign language go in with a translation (art. 32.º CRC). We arrange certified Portuguese translations as part of the job, so nothing waits on them.
What does the branch file every year?
Branch accounts kept in Portugal (art. 123.º CIRC), Modelo 22 by 31 May (art. 120.º CIRC) and the IES by 15 July (art. 121.º CIRC). Your parent’s annual accounts go on the Portuguese register too, with a short declaration from the parent in place of approval minutes (art. 42.º(6) CRC).
Send us your company details. Get your fixed price.
Reply within one business day. Fixed price in writing before we start. End to end in English. Most groups take it as part of the EU Landing Programme: one contract, one fixed fee, one report to head office.