What I help with
I offer practical, on-the-ground assistance during the process of immigrating to Portugal. This isn't advice from a distance — I accompany you through the process, make calls on your behalf, translate what needs translating and show up where it matters.
Here are some of the things I regularly help people with:
Guidance with collecting and arranging all the paperwork you need to sign a sale contract — what you need, in what order, and where to get it.
Help with registering as a resident, connecting to water and electricity, setting up a Portuguese bank account and other practical steps after you arrive.
Translating paperwork and letters from Portuguese into English or Dutch — official documents, contracts, letters from the câmara or other authorities.
Interpretation at meetings with real estate agents, lawyers, neighbours, local officials and others — being there in person so nothing gets lost.
Calling on your behalf to a Portuguese number — the one on a 'for sale' sign you found locally, or an official office that won't respond to email.
What I don't help with
Visa applications are a legal matter and must be handled by a qualified lawyer. I do not assist with visa applications or residency permits — not because I don't want to, but because it would be wrong to do so without the proper qualifications. If you need help finding a lawyer for this, I'm happy to point you in the right direction.
More broadly, I am not a lawyer, and anything that requires formal legal advice should go through one. What I can do is help you understand when that moment has arrived and connect you with the right person.
How it works in practice
Every situation is different. Some people contact me at the very beginning — before they've even found a property — and want to understand how the process works. Others are mid-way through and have hit a wall. Others have already moved and need help with something specific.
I work across central Portugal, with most of my clients in the Arganil, Tábua and Mortágua areas. I'm happy to have an initial conversation by phone or WhatsApp to talk through your situation before we decide on next steps together.
I work in Dutch, English and Portuguese.
A note on honesty
Portugal is a wonderful country to live in. It is also, at times, a genuinely difficult bureaucratic environment — particularly in rural areas. I won't oversell the process or promise easy answers. What I will do is give you an honest picture of what to expect, and be there to help when things get complicated.