Service · Subsidiary of a foreign company

Your group’s company in Portugal. Set up end to end.

A Portuguese Lda owned by your parent company, from India, Singapore, Canada, the Gulf, the US or the UK. One contact, in English, from the board resolution to the bank account.

See the EU Landing Programme Ask a question in writing, from €500
Reply within one business day Fixed price before we start In English, end to end
Your parent companyAny jurisdiction
IndiaSingaporeCanadaGulfUSUK
Owns 100%
Your Lda in PortugalSociedade unipessoal por quotas
  • Registered, with its own NIPC
  • Beneficial owners filed in the RCBE
  • Activity open with the tax authority
  • Ready for payroll and a bank account
The rules work for you

Portuguese company law makes this simple

What you get

Six things done. One company ready to trade.

The right structure

Unipessoal Lda, Lda or SA, chosen for your group.

  • Articles drafted for a corporate owner
  • Signing powers set for your managers
  • Business name cleared

Parent documents, ready

You know exactly what to sign, legalise and translate.

  • Board resolution drafted for you
  • Power of attorney in the right form
  • Certified translations arranged

Tax numbers for all

A Portuguese NIF for the parent and for every manager.

  • Fiscal representative for non-EU residents
  • Real address abroad on file
  • In place before incorporation

A registered company

Incorporated and entered in the commercial register.

  • Own NIPC
  • Permanent certificate online
  • Managers’ appointment registered

RCBE and tax start

Beneficial owners declared, activity opened with the tax authority.

  • Ownership chain up to the people at the top
  • CAE codes that match your invoices
  • VAT position set before the first invoice

Bank and payroll ready

Everything the bank and Social Security ask for.

  • Bank file built for the KYC team
  • Employer registration for the first hire
  • Certified accountant from day one
Get a quote What the bank will ask for →
Pricefrom €2,500

Standalone registration

A company for a foreign parent comes with a fuller file than a founder’s company, and we handle all of it: the parent’s corporate documents prepared to Portuguese requirements, apostilles or consular legalisation, certified translations into Portuguese, and a NIF for the parent and for each manager. From €2,500. For the first year after registration, see the EU Landing Programme.

Get a standalone quoteSee the programme
Pick the shape

Three ways to own a company in Portugal

100% parent-owned

Unipessoal Lda

One shareholder: your parent. It takes the general meeting’s decisions alone, in signed minutes (art. 270.º-E CSC).

  • Name ends in “Unipessoal, Lda”
  • Capital from €1
  • Intra-group contracts in writing (art. 270.º-F CSC)
Two or more shareholders

Lda

Your parent plus a second group company or a local partner. At least two parties sign the articles (art. 7.º(2) CSC).

For scale

SA

A company with shares. Your parent can be its sole shareholder from day one (art. 488.º(1) CSC), also from abroad (art. 481.º(2)(d) CSC).

  • Minimum capital €50,000
  • One director allowed up to €200,000 capital (art. 390.º(2) CSC)
  • Directors need not be shareholders
Get a quote How profits travel up to a parent →
How it runs

Eight steps. We run every one.

  1. 1
    Send us your group chart

    The parent, its country and what the Portuguese company will do.

    Fixed price within one business day
  2. 2
    Parent documents

    Certificate, articles, board resolution and power of attorney. Apostille or consular legalisation, then certified translation.

    We draft the resolution and the power of attorney
  3. 3
    Portuguese tax numbers

    A NIF for the parent and for each non-resident manager. Non-EU residents go through a fiscal representative.

    Before incorporation
  4. 4
    Articles and registration

    Articles signed, capital subscribed, company entered in the commercial register (art. 3.º(1)(a) CRC). It gets its NIPC.

    Filed well inside the two-month limit (art. 15.º(2) CRC)
  5. 5
    Start of activity

    The registration return goes to the tax authority within 15 days of filing for registration (art. 118.º(1) CIRC).

    Within 15 days
  6. 6
    Beneficial owners in the RCBE

    The ownership chain up to the people at the top, declared after registration (art. 12.º RCBE regime).

    Within 30 days
  7. 7
    Bank account

    Bank file submitted for the KYC team. Capital paid in once the account is open.

    Accountant in place from day one
  8. 8
    Payroll

    Social Security registration as employer before the first hire, and payroll set up.

    Before the first employee starts
Start with a quote
What we need from you

A short list. We tell you the exact form.

From the parent company

  • Certificate of incorporation or a recent certificate of good standing
  • Current articles or constitution
  • Group chart up to the individuals at the top
  • Board resolution approving the Portuguese company and naming its managers
  • Power of attorney for the person who signs

From each manager

  • Valid passport, clear colour scan
  • Recent proof of home address
  • Tax number in the country of residence
  • Signed acceptance of the appointment
  • Power of attorney, if they will not sign electronically
Apostille or consular legalisationCertified translation into Portuguese
Your managers

Your gerente can live anywhere. We set them up.

The manager runs and represents the company.

Who

Any individual you trust

A natural person with full legal capacity. Shareholder or not.

Get a quote
Tax number

A NIF for each manager

Non-EU residents get it through a fiscal representative. If the company pays them, it stays in place (art. 130.º CIRS).

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Registration

Appointed and registered

Named in the articles or by the parent, with a signed acceptance filed at the registry (art. 252.º(3) CSC).

Get a quote
After launch

One calendar a year. We keep it.

The same core filings, every year.

  • Deadline3 monthsAnnual accountsApproved within three months of year-end (art. 65.º(5) CSC).
  • Deadline31 MayModelo 22Corporate income tax return for the previous year (art. 120.º(1) CIRC).
  • Deadline15 JulyIESThe annual accounting and tax information return (art. 121.º(2) CIRC).
  • Deadline31 DecemberRCBE confirmationBeneficial owners confirmed each year, or together with the IES (art. 15.º RCBE regime).
Annual accounts in PortugalWhat to approve, file and pay The business bank accountWhat the bank asks a foreign owner Permanent establishmentRemote team and contracts, set up right Portugal holding companyDividends inside a group
The law behind it

Every step, on the statute book

Read each article in English in our law library.

Art. 270.º-A CSC Single-member Lda Art. 270.º-B CSC Company name Art. 270.º-E CSC Sole member Art. 270.º-F CSC Parent contracts Art. 7.º CSC Founders Art. 201.º CSC Capital set freely Art. 202.º CSC Paying in capital Art. 219.º CSC Quotas from €1 Art. 252.º CSC Managers Art. 261.º CSC Several managers Art. 276.º CSC SA capital Art. 390.º CSC SA board Art. 481.º CSC Foreign parent Art. 488.º CSC Sole-shareholder SA Art. 65.º CSC Annual accounts Art. 3.º CRC Acts to register Art. 15.º CRC Deadlines Art. 3.º RCBE Who declares Art. 12.º RCBE First declaration Art. 15.º RCBE Annual confirmation Art. 118.º CIRC Tax registration Art. 120.º CIRC Modelo 22 Art. 121.º CIRC IES Art. 126.º CIRC Representative Art. 130.º CIRS Representative Art. 31.º CIVA Start of activity
Questions

Quick answers before you send yours

Can a foreign company own 100% of a Portuguese Lda?

Yes. A single-member Lda is formed by one shareholder, a natural or a legal person, holding the entire capital (art. 270.º-A CSC).

How much share capital does the subsidiary need?

You choose. Each quota is at least €1 (art. 219.º(3) CSC), and contributions can be paid in by the end of the first financial year (art. 202.º(4) CSC).

Does the manager have to live in Portugal?

No. Any individual with full legal capacity can be gerente, shareholder or not (art. 252.º(1) CSC). Non-EU residents get their NIF through a fiscal representative, which we arrange.

Which parent documents need an apostille?

Every corporate document issued abroad: certificate, articles, board resolution and power of attorney. Countries outside the Apostille Convention use consular legalisation. Then a certified translation into Portuguese.

Subsidiary or branch?

A subsidiary is a separate Portuguese company with its own limited liability. A branch is a permanent representation of your parent itself (art. 4.º(1) CSC). Unsure? A structuring memo answers it, from €500.

What does the subsidiary file every year?

Accounts approved within three months of year-end, Modelo 22 by 31 May, IES by 15 July, RCBE confirmation by 31 December. We keep the calendar.

Subsidiary in Portugal · fixed price

Send us your group chart. Get a fixed price.

Fixed price in writing within one business day. We handle it 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.

See the EU Landing Programme Get a standalone quote Or write to [email protected]
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