Many government and municipal public administration organisations have information relevant to foreigners in English aimed at EU immigrants and residents from EU and other countries. The most important of these are listed below.

• The Portal do Cidadão is an online citizens advice portal with information on housing, taxes, education, health, family issues and more (in Portuguese).
• Information line (in Portuguese) Tel: 808 241 107
  Website

The Grande Área Metropolitana do Algarve (Great Algarve Metropolitan Area, AMAL) is an association formed by the 16 municipal councils in the Algarve region. Its objective is to promote projects of common interest to all the councils.

• AMAL
  At: Rua General Humberto Delgado 20, 8000-355 Faro
  Tel: 289 880 800
  Fax: 289 880 809
  e-mail
  Website (in Portuguese)

Municipal Councils in the Algarve

The website for each municipal council (Câmara Municipal) contains information on local services, emergency numbers, sports and recreation facilities, public transport and tourism, some of which is in English.

DGRN Offices in the Algarve

The DGRN - the Directorate General of Registry and Notary (Direcção-Geral dos Registos e do Notariado) - provides a single place for citizens to take care of many administrative matters, including vehicle registration, registering births, marriages and deaths and registering new companies.

Social Security

The Portuguese Social Security system (Segurança Social) website is mainly available in Portuguese. However, relevant information on several aspects of the system can be found in English, particularly those related to Social Security affiliation, contributions, benefits, the elderly, the infirm, and disabled. Information on other aspects is gradually being made available in English.

• Social Security website

Taxes

There are several websites covering taxation and finances (Finanças) but they are principally in Portuguese. However, tax offices usually have some members of staff who speak Spanish, French or English.

• Online Income Tax Returns (Declarações Electrónicas)
• Director-General of Taxes (Direcção-Geral dos Impostos)
• Inspector-General of Taxes (Inspecção-Geral das Finanças - IGF)
• Ministry of Finances & Public Administration (Ministério das Finanças e da Administração Pública)

Immigration Office

The website of the Portuguese Immigration Office (Serviço de Estangeiros e Fronteiras - SEF) provides information in English on work permits, obtaining Residency Cards and other issues concerning foreigners in Portugal.

• SEF Website

Health Service

The various portals related to the Portuguese National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) are in Portuguese only.

• National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde)
• Portuguese Health Portal (Portal da Saúde)
• Ministry of Health (Ministério da Saúde)

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