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Responsiveness in real time on our chat online, in English or French, our permanent follow-up and our assistance included in all our packages.
The Premium Pack* : pay in 1 or 2 instalments
Pay in 1 instalment 1990 € + VAT.
Pay in 2 instalments, deposit 1 125 € + VAT.
- When you place your order, you will automatically receive an e-mail with a Company incorporation form to fill in.
- Payment can also be made by bank transfer: you can place your order above: during payment, you will be offered the option of paying by bank transfer; click on the “Bank transfer” box: when we receive your order, we will send you our bank details for your transfer, with the option of paying in 1 or 2 instalments.
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New: contact one of our customer advisers. Would you like to be reassured about our company? We can put you in touch with one of our customer advisers on request.
The Premium Pack includes :
- Company formation in Portugal without travel, banking introduction* HSBC.
- Ultra-fast assistance with banking introduction*.
- Bonus (free): 3 exclusive business ideas not yet exploited.
- We guarantee complete, high-quality services, with complete transparency and in a climate of trust; we guarantee real-time availability 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, follow-up and assistance… Find out what our customers say about us.
- Company incorporation time: approximately 5 days from signature and filing of documents with the Portuguese Registry.
- Would you like to be reassured about our services? No problem, we can provide you with the telephone details of one or more customers.
- Boost your business with our network of contacts throughout Europe (manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, resellers, local agents, logistics and goods receiving, etc.).
Banking introduction* (online banking, CB,...) to Revolut Business, Wise,... : €0 (included in all Companies incorporation orders)
OR
Assistance in English (an independent account manager, employed by the bank, calls you and takes care of your request to open an account with Revolut Business or with one of our other partners) : €290 + VAT.
OR
Banking introduction* in a real bank in Europe (French language), network of banking agencies in a country bordering France, with travel : €392 + VAT.
OR
Banking introduction* in a real bank, with a network of branches, WITHOUT TRAVEL (which is rare for a real bank), with of course online access, remotely and with an independent account manager, working for the bank, english and french : without travel, €392 + VAT.
OR
HSBC banking introduction* in a European Union country: €890 + VAT.
You can, of course, opt for an online banking introduction* (neo-banking: Revolut Business or another of our partners), which is included free of charge in all our Company incorporation packages.
SETTING UP A COMPANY IN PORTUGAL
The Portuguese government encourages foreign investment in the country, having put in place a number of incentives and tax benefits designed for large-scale investment in Portugal.
Portugal also offers financial benefits, tax breaks and assistance to small and medium-sized foreign companies investing in the country.
There is no discrimination regarding foreign investment in Portugal, where foreign companies are free to invest in almost any economic sector.
The incorporation process for foreign entities is very similar to that for local companies, where initiatives have been implemented to speed up the incorporation process to less than an hour in most cases. Very fast incorporation in Portugal starts from the moment you sign the documents we send you and travel to Portugal: allow one day.
There are three main forms of incorporation available for foreign companies in Portugal. Each of these forms of company has distinct advantages and disadvantages, as well as different business activities, registration requirements and minimum capital requirements. In most cases, this will depend on the degree of a company’s commitment to Portugal and the intended business activity.
When setting up a company in Portugal, you have the following options:
- Limited liability company
- Partnership
- Branch/Representative office
Limited liability companies
The structure of a limited liability company may be private or public.
Limited liability (private) company – the most popular type of company
The Limited Liability Company (Sociedade por Quotas, “LDA”) is recommended for entities wishing to set up a small-scale business in Portugal, with a low initial investment. It is the most widely used type of incorporation in Portugal, due to its convenience for small businesses and its simplified administrative and supervisory structure.
The LDA must be established by at least two founders; since 2011, there has been no minimum share capital, and the partners themselves set the amount of share capital. The liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount of his or her contribution.
The LDA is managed by a single director appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders, who is the supreme authority of the Portuguese LDA.
In the Portuguese LDA, shareholders do not own shares, but “quotas”. Quotas represent the company’s capital and are described in the articles of association. The transfer of these quotas does not require a public deed, as a private document is sufficient.
Once incorporated, the LDA company is not subject to an annual audit if it meets two of the three requirements over the previous two years:
- Total assets under €1.5 million
- Total sales under €3 million
- Fewer than 50 employees
Limited liability company (public) – Obviously much less widely used than the Sociedade por Quotas, “LDA”.
The public limited company (Sociedade anónima, “S.A”) is better suited to those setting up a medium-sized or large company with high levels of investment capital and a more complex administrative and supervisory structure.
This is particularly appropriate for entities seeking to raise significant levels of financing. This form of incorporation also enables shares to be listed on the Portuguese Stock Exchange.
The S.A. must have at least five shareholders and a minimum share capital of €50,000. The liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount of his or her contribution.
The company is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders and supervised by the Supervisory Board.
There are two types of share: registered shares and bearer shares, which can take one of two forms of representation: held shares or scrip shares.
Once incorporated, the S.A. must undergo an annual audit.
Incorporation process
The incorporation process in Portugal is designed to be fast and efficient.
Register the name with the National Registry of Collective Entities (Registro Nacional de Pessoas Colectivas, RNPC)
A newly-created company must have its name checked with the RNPC to ensure that it is not being used in the register. If the name is available, it can be reserved for a period of 48 hours for a fee. Selection from the RNPC list of pre-approved names in the database is also an option. Once the name has been successfully processed, the company receives the name approval certificate.Open a bank account
A bank account must be opened by the founders, with a deposit for the minimum share capital required for each member.Obtain certificate of registration
The founders must apply for a Portuguese tax identification number from the National Register of Collective Entities (NIF: we take care of this).Registering employees
The entity must register all employees with the Centros de Formalidades das Empresas (CFE) or Commercial Registry offices 24 hours before the start of their activities, or no later than 10 days after the declaration of company creation (you can commission us to do this).Employers must also register employees with the local Portuguese social security authorities within 24 hours of the employment contract coming into effect (we can arrange this for you).
Notification to the labor inspectorate
The employer must provide the name of the company, the tax number, a copy of the company’s incorporation notice, a description of the company’s activity and the address of the registered office to the Labor Inspectorate (Inspecção-Geral do Trabalho) (we can arrange this for you).Insurance registration
The final step is to take out workers’ compensation insurance with a private insurer for all employees and managers who receive a regular salary. The insurance is underwritten by a private insurer and can be taken out after the company has started operations (we can arrange this for you).
Other, less frequently used company types
Partnerships
In Portugal, a partnership-type company is possible when there are at least two partners who will form the business entity. Partnership-type companies are common for professionals, such as lawyers and the liberal professions in general.
They are not often used as a method of incorporation in Portugal for most types of business, as the partners are subject to unlimited liability. A partnership-type company requires a deed signed by the partners, which describes the contribution of each partner, how profits will be distributed and the process for admitting new partners.
There are three types of partnership:
Limited partnership (Sociedade em Comandita Simples, “SC”)
A limited partnership is made up of at least two partners, at least one of whom is a general partner with unlimited liability for the company’s obligations, while the others have limited liability. The General Partner is responsible for all decisions within the partnership, and also has a monopoly on profits; he or she may share profits with the limited partner(s) as he or she sees fit. The limited partner(s) have no decision-making powers or rights over profits; in the event of their investment in the company (current account contribution, which cannot be considered as shares), the limited partner(s) can of course recover their investment. Limited partners are liable only to the extent of their financial contribution to the company. Limited partnerships have no minimum share capital requirements.
General partnership (sociedadeem nome colectivo, hereinafter “SNC”)
A general partnership is formed by at least two partners who have full responsibility for the company. Both partners are responsible for decisions and share profits.
General partnerships have no minimum share capital requirements.
Limited partnership with share capital (Sociedade em Comandita por Acções)
This is a third form of partnership, similar to the limited partnership, where there are both general and limited partners. The key difference is that the capital contributed by the limited partner must be divided into shares, making the limited partners shareholders. The minimum share capital is €50,000, with a minimum payment of 30% on incorporation; the Company’s name must include the name of at least one general partner.
Branch/Representative office
A branch (sucursal) or representative office (escritório de representação) can be set up by the foreign company operating under the company’s name while carrying out regular business activities. Foreign companies may find this option attractive, as it allows greater control: functions such as accounting, human resources and taxation are controlled by the foreign company, while the commercial function is carried out by the branch.
This type of legal entity is designed for those who do not intend to incorporate a fixed corporate structure.
Branches in Portugal are relatively easier to set up, as there are no minimum share capital requirements and financial involvement is ensured by the parent companies; branches are not considered autonomous legal entities and are rather extensions of foreign companies, so the responsibility for the branches lies with the parent companies.
The procedure for incorporating a branch is similar to that for a conventional Portuguese company. The name of the branch must be registered with the National Register of Legal Persons (RNPC), and the company must be entered in the Commercial Register. The following documents are required for this process:
- Parent company’s incorporating documents
- Documents from the parent company’s board of directors confirming the establishment of the branch office
- Power of attorney
- Certificate of registration
- Articles of association
- List of boards of directors and supervisory boards
- All documents must be written in or translated into Portuguese (we can of course take care of this for you).
A Portuguese branch is subject to the same treatment as a local company. It must be registered with social security, the labor inspectorate and a private insurer, similar to any normal incorporation process.
*Avec nous, pas de frais cachés : notre tarif ne comprend pas l’obtention du NIF (environ 220 €), l’attestation d’éligibilité (75 €), les frais(360 €, 75 €, 495 € et fiducie 990€ ht), la boîte postale (72 €), la domiciliation (490 € ht) et le dépôt du capital social (1000 €). Un déplacement est requis.
As an option, on request and subject to quotation, we can help you create the economic substance of your company (location, materialization, recruitment, organization, development).
*The registration of a bank account* by a third party is illegal, even with a power of attorney; we invite you to be wary of sites offering to open a bank account* for you. An independent manager from our company, an account manager working for the bank, will call you to handle your request to open a bank account*. Our service is to put you in touch with the bank, not to open a bank account*. The bank has the sole right to decide whether or not to open a bank account* (art. L. 312-1, II CMF). The bank’s decision is based on the applicant’s profile and eligibility to open a bank account*. We do not open a bank account ourselves and do not guarantee the opening of a bank account*. Banking introduction* is a service obligation, not a performance obligation or a results requirement. See our other special conditions and our Terms of use, sales and privacy policy.