Real estate in Portugal for Russians in 2026: a legal purchase, payment, and compliance

Can a Russian even buy real estate in Portugal in 2026

Let's start with the main question surrounded by the most fears and rumors: does a Russian citizen have the right to buy an apartment or house in Portugal in 2026. The answer is direct - yes, they do. Neither the EU sanctions packages nor internal Portuguese legislation introduce a ban on real estate ownership for Russian citizens as such. A foreigner's ownership right in Portugal is protected by law, and the buyer's nationality by itself isn't grounds for refusing to register the deal.

It's important to separate right away two different concepts that often merge into one in people's heads. The first is personal sanctions: they concern specific people on the EU sanctions lists (officials, individual businessmen, persons linked to sanctioned entities). If a person is on the list, asset freezes and direct bans apply to them, and buying real estate is closed for them. The second is an ordinary Russian citizen on no lists at all. There's no ban on buying for them.

That is, the difficulty of 2026 isn't in the letter of the ownership law, but in the deal's practical infrastructure: how to move the money, how to pass the bank check, how to get the tax number. It's exactly these stages that became the bottleneck. So the whole further conversation isn't about "whether it's allowed", but about "how to do it cleanly and with no violations". We describe the basic purchase procedure for any foreigner in detail in our guidehow to buy real estate in Portugal- this article supplements it with specific nuances for Russian citizens.

EU sanctions and payments from Russia: what's really restricted

Maximum precision is needed here, because it's exactly around sanctions that the most myths are born. EU sanctions restrictions don't hit a Russian's right to own housing, but the channels for transferring money and banks' operations. Let's break down layer by layer exactly what's complicated.

• The disconnection of some Russian banks from SWIFT.Major Russian banks are disconnected from the international payment transfer system, so the usual direct transfer from Russia to Portugal doesn't technically go through in many cases.
• Restrictions on large deposits.EU restrictions apply on accepting funds tied to Russian residents above certain thresholds - banks are required to examine such receipts especially carefully.
• Enhanced sanctions screening.Any payment with a Russian trace in the chain undergoes a check for involvement in sanctions lists - of people, companies, and intermediary banks alike.

What sanctions do NOT ban for an ordinary Russian citizen outside the lists: owning real estate, entering into a notarial deal, paying for the purchase with legally confirmed funds. The fundamental position here is one and with no compromises: we work strictly within the legal field and don't help circumvent sanctions, split payments to avoid thresholds, or mask the source of money. Any "gray" scheme risks freezing funds, the deal falling through, and criminal liability. A clean deal is slower, but it reaches completion, while a scheme doesn't.

How to legally transfer money for the purchase

Transferring funds is the central and most labor-intensive stage for a buyer from Russia. A direct payment from an account at a sanctioned Russian bank to a Portuguese bank is most often technically impossible. So the money generally doesn't go directly, and every step of this road needs to be transparent and documented.

What's important to understand about the money route:

• The origin of funds comes first.The receiving bank looks first not at which country the payment came from, but at where this money originally came from and who it belongs to. A transparent history matters more than the account's geography.
• The chain should be short and explainable.The fewer intermediate accounts and jurisdictions, the easier it is for the bank to understand and accept the payment. A confusing chain through several countries is a red flag.
• The payment's purpose.A payment for a specific property under a specific contract looks incomparably clearer to the bank than an abstract transfer "for personal needs".

Separately on timelines: a payment with a Russian trace undergoes manual review (compliance), and this takes not days, but weeks. This needs to be built into the deal's schedule in advance, so as not to miss the preliminary contract's deadlines. If the purchase is partly on credit, it's worth studying the conditions in advance fora mortgage for foreigners in Portugal- but here too banks are more cautious toward a Russian non-resident, requiring a larger down payment and a fuller package.

Bank compliance and the source of funds (AML)

If transferring money is the mechanics, compliance is the soul of the whole deal for a Russian. Anti-money-laundering legislation (AML) obligates European banks and notaries to establish and document the origin of every euro underlying the purchase. For a Russian citizen, this check's bar has been raised especially high in 2026.

What generally needs to be confirmed and with which documents:

• Income from work or business- 2-NDFL certificates, tax returns, salary account statements, documents on company ownership and its profit.
• Selling assets- a sale contract for an apartment, a car, a business stake, shares; payment documents confirming the receipt of money.
• Dividends, interest, savings- dividend payout resolutions, bank statements over several years showing gradual accumulation, not a sudden appearance of the sum.
• Inheritance or a gift- certificates, notarial documents confirming the legal transfer of funds.

The key principle: the bank wants to see not one certificate, but a coherent money history over several years. The sum shouldn't arise from nowhere. All Russian documents are translated into Portuguese (a sworn translation), apostilled, and submitted as a package. The earlier you start gathering this dossier, the fewer nerves at the finish. This is the kind of work where saving time at the start turns into a bank refusal after two months of waiting.

NIF: the tax number and the fiscal representative

Without the Portuguese NIF (Numero de Identificacao Fiscal) tax number, you can't buy real estate, open an account, or set up utilities. This is the basic identifier for any financial action in the country, and it's arranged before the deal.

For a Russian citizen who isn't an EU tax resident, there's an important nuance: when getting the NIF, the tax office generally requires appointing a fiscal (tax) representative - a person or company with an address in Portugal who will be the point of contact between you and the tax authorities.

• Who this is.The fiscal representative is a Portugal resident (a lawyer, accountant, specialized company) officially tied to your NIF.
• Why it's needed.Notifications from the tax authority go through them, and they ensure you don't miss official requirements and deadlines on real estate and taxes.
• How to arrange it.The NIF can be obtained in person at the tax office (Financas) or remotely - by power of attorney through a representative, which is often more convenient for a buyer from Russia.

Technically the NIF by itself isn't status or a residence right, just a fiscal identifier. But the deal is impossible without it, so this is the first practical step all preparation starts with. Appointing a reliable fiscal representative removes the lion's share of administrative headache for the buyer in a remote purchase.

Opening an account at a Portuguese bank

A local bank account is needed for deal settlements, paying taxes and utility bills, and for servicing the loan with a mortgage. And it's exactly here that a buyer from Russia encounters one of the main practical barriers: not every Portuguese bank is ready to open an account for a Russian citizen under current conditions.

What determines the outcome:

• A specific bank's policy.Banks assess their own risks (risk appetite) independently. Some have tightened accepting clients from Russia almost to a refusal, others work but with an expanded document package.
• The completeness of the source-of-funds dossier.A well-prepared, transparent dossier on the origin of the money sharply raises the chances. The bank doesn't refuse "a Russian", but an opaque client.
• Personal presence.Some banks require a Russian non-resident's personal visit and meeting, remote opening isn't always available.

The practical conclusion is simple: selecting a bank for a specific client profile is a separate task, better solved in advance, not at the moment when the money already needs to go somewhere. Opening an account and source-of-funds compliance are, in essence, a single process: the bank opens an account for someone whose money it understands and accepts.

Deal stages: a "stage - nuance for a Russian" table

Let's gather the whole path into one table so it's visible where the usual purchase procedure applies, and where exactly a specific nuance arises for a Russian citizen. This is the deal's framework from the first step to the keys.

The main conclusion from the table: "Russian" complications concentrate in the first half of the path - before the money arrives and is accepted. The notarial part and registration themselves don't differ at all for a Russian citizen from the procedure for any foreigner. A detailed breakdown of the tax part is in our article onreal estate taxes in Portugal.

Why buying doesn't give the Golden Visa or a residence permit

This is the most common and costliest misconception buyers arrive with. Many are still sure that buying an apartment in Portugal is enough to automatically get a residence permit or the "golden visa". In 2026 this isn't so, and it's important to understand why.

The Golden Visa route (the ARI programme) through buying real estate and through a simple capital transferabolished since October 2023by the Mais Habitacao law. That is, you can no longer buy square meters and get an investor residence permit on this basis - this path physically no longer exists. The Golden Visa survives as a programme, but only via other routes: investment funds (approximately from €500,000), supporting scientific research, cultural heritage, job creation. Real estate is excluded from the list of qualifying investments.

Separately: ownership of housing by itself isn't a migration status. Owning an apartment, you remain a foreigner who can visit only within the Schengen visa-free limit (if available) or on a visa. Real estate gives a place to live, but not the right to live in the country permanently.

If the goal is specifically relocating and a residence permit, the logic is reversed: a legal basis for status is chosen first, and buying housing becomes part of settling in. On the real paths to getting status - in our article onA Portugal residence permit for Russians.

What residence permit paths remain if you want to relocate

Since buying square meters doesn't give status, a natural question: how then to legally relocate to Portugal? There are paths, and they're not directly tied to owning real estate - though housing in the country is generally needed for them as a residence condition.

• D7 (the passive income visa).For those with stable passive income - a pension, rent, dividends. The income benchmark is approximately from €870 a month (around €10,440 a year). Suits rentiers and financially independent people. Details are in our guide onthe D7 visa to Portugal.
• D8 (the digital nomad visa).For those working remotely for a foreign employer or running their own business. The income requirement is higher - approximately around €3,480 a month.
• The Golden Visa via the remaining routes.Through investment funds or other qualifying investments (approximately from €250,000-500,000 depending on the option), but not through real estate.

In all these scenarios, buying housing is already a consequence, not the cause of status. First the basis for the residence permit, then settling in. And here the logic naturally builds for a buyer from Russia: if you're planning D7 or D8 anyway, it's sensible to fit the real estate purchase into the overall relocation plan, not make it a separate isolated step.

Taxes at purchase and ownership: the main points briefly

The tax side for a Russian citizen at the purchase itself doesn't differ in any special way - all buyers pay taxes under the same rules, regardless of citizenship. But understanding the expense structure matters to budget for it in advance on top of the property price.

• IMT (the real estate transfer tax)- the main one-off purchase tax, the rate is progressive and depends on the price and property type.
• Stamp duty (Imposto do Selo)- a one-off fee, calculated from the deal's value.
• Notary and registration- expenses for processing and registering ownership.
• IMI (the annual municipal tax)- an ownership tax, paid every year based on the cadastral value.

A separate important point is the short-term rental regime. If you're planning to rent housing to tourists (Airbnb-style), keep in mind this requires a license, and such activity is restricted in a number of popular zones. Long-term rental is regulated more simply. And a separate caveat about tax benefits: the former NHR regime is closed to new applicants, replaced by the narrower IFICI regime with strict conditions (qualified professions, science, innovation) - it doesn't automatically apply to an ordinary real estate buyer. A detailed breakdown is in our article onreal estate taxes in Portugal.

The main risks and how to avoid them

The deal for a buyer from Russia is a field where mistakes are costly: both time and money can be lost. Let's list the main risks plainly, so you enter the process with your eyes open.

• A payment stuck in compliance.The most common risk. If the source of funds isn't sufficiently confirmed, the bank pauses the transfer or returns the money. The fix is an impeccable dossier assembled in advance.
• A bank's refusal to open an account.You can negotiate with a bank for weeks that in the end won't take a client from Russia. The fix is to select the bank for the profile in advance, not by chance.
• Missing deadlines under the preliminary contract.If the deposit is paid but the money for the main payment doesn't get through the check in time, the deposit can be lost. The fix is to build realistic timelines with a buffer into the CPCV.
• The temptation of a gray scheme.Trying to split a payment, quietly move money through third parties, or hide the source is a direct path to freezing funds and accusations. The fix is only the legal path, no compromises.
• The illusion about a residence permit.Buying for "a residence permit thrown in" is a false goal. The fix is to first determine whether status is needed, and if so, choose a separate basis for it.

The common denominator of all the risks is one: they're removed by preparation and transparency. A clean, pre-built deal goes through, albeit more slowly. Improvisation and attempts to cut corners don't.

Can you buy remotely, with no need to travel

A real question for many buyers from Russia: is it realistic to conduct the deal without coming to Portugal, or is personal presence mandatory. The answer - largely it can be done remotely, but there are stages where it's harder.

• NIF- obtained remotely through the fiscal representative by power of attorney.
• The deal itself- the notarial purchase can be conducted by power of attorney to a trusted person or a lawyer in Portugal, the buyer's physical presence at signing isn't always mandatory.
• Opening an account- it's exactly here that a personal visit is most often needed: a number of banks require an in-person meeting specifically with the Russian citizen for verification.

So a common scenario looks like this: the main preparation (NIF, finding the property, gathering the dossier) is done remotely, and a short trip is made to open the account and/or sign. A power of attorney to a local representative is the key tool for a remote purchase, and it needs to be arranged correctly, with the right translation and apostille, otherwise it won't work with Portuguese authorities.

Important: remote doesn't mean "blind". A remote purchase requires especially thorough legal due diligence on the property (no debts, encumbrances, title document problems), because you can't check everything in person on the ground.

Bottom line: what a buyer from Russia needs to remember

Let's put the picture together with no illusions and no panic. Buying real estate in Portugal by a Russian citizen in 2026 is an absolutely legal operation, held back not by a ban, but by complicated infrastructure: money and banks.

What to fix in your mind:

• The right exists.A Russian citizen outside the sanctions lists can own Portuguese real estate - this isn't prohibited.
• The difficulty is in the money.The main barriers are legally transferring funds under sanctions restrictions and bank compliance on the source of money.
• NIF and an account - the first steps.A tax number through the fiscal representative and an account at a bank ready to work with Russians.
• Square meters don't give status.Neither the Golden Visa (the real estate route abolished) nor an automatic residence permit does the purchase give. For status - separately, through D7, D8, or the remaining routes.
• Only the legal path.No gray schemes and no circumventing sanctions - this risks losing both the money and the deal.

A realistic strategy for a buyer from Russia is to build the financial and compliance part in advance, before even choosing the property: prepare the source-of-funds dossier, select the bank, work out the payment route. Then the purchase itself will go smoothly. Current official requirements and forms should always be checked on the government portal ofPortugal's authorities (gov.pt).