183 days in Portugal and ferry crossing probs

[SJ & RE]

H one and all

Happy New Year to one and all

I am here in sunny Portugal in Cabanas de Tavira with my cat Ollie.

Booked a 6 month apt stay from mid Dec til mid June.
Sorted out a ferry crossing and brought the cat out with us mid December.

Husband went back to UK last week to work ,leaving us alone, fine we love it.

He tried to organise a ferry trip to collect us for our return in mid June, so I am here under the magic 183 days.
OMG
Cannot get a ferry til end of 1st week of August.

Trying to get an extension on the apt, not sure if this will happen, well that is another story.

Now found out that I shall be in deep shit for overstaying my tourist visa.

How strict are they on this
I f we kept quiet and then got to the ferry in Bilbao will my 6 week overstay cause a big problem, will they stick me in prison will I be stopped from ever coming back to Portugal, god what will happen.
I have gone into overdrive and panic.
(This trip was meant to be a calming and health related trip, now a nightmare)

Anyone out there can calm me down and help with advice on how strict they are likely to be.

I cannot legally get an extension as the apt I am in is not a tourist apt and am just there as a friend paying my way.

HELP HELP PLEASE

[roy4eyes]

What is wrong with Brittany Ferries Bilbao to Portsmouth 7th or 14 June at £ 218.50 including car and cat but plus cabin /reclining seat cost? There are no kennels available but if you phone to explain that your pet is a cat in its own basket they may be sympathetic - or Caen to Portsmouth 15th June day crossing at £148 but with overnight en route hotel required.

[SJ & RE]

Hiya

Great to hear from you, trust all is well with you and yours

There are no cabins left for pets or any kennels on those ferries.
There are no Brittany ferries from Bilbao/Santander to Portsmouth from mid April to August 9th that have any free spaces for pets.
Richard was trying online and then phoned them yesterday.
Pets cannot go on board unless in a cabin or in the kennels.
He explained our naivety in not booking the ferry when we came over with them, and even said why did they not tell him then he needed to book the return so quickly.

He has tried loads of different things and apart from a long journey across Europe it is a no go area.

Someone has mentioned TAP airlines and I shall get him to phone them during the week.

[logicbob]

If you are a UK citizen then as far as know you do not need a Visa and it does not matter how long you stay.

[logicbob]

Here is a bit of information for you.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-portugal

[SJ & RE]

Mega thanks

As usual the GOV.web site is as helful as ever and me being so dumb I could not work it out at all.

I think not having a fiscal number and informing the local govt here may be a prolem too
Trying to do it all under the radar so to speak in order to see if I actually would/ could live out here.
Until this hic cup all seemed to be going well.

If someone could decipher my predicament re whether or not there is a time limit along with whether or not I must inform anyone I am here, I would be truly grateful.
xxx

[e-richard]

I don't understand the problem.
We are still full members of the EU with FULL freedom of movement and unfettered rights to stay anywhere in Europe. No need for Visas. No maximum stay, no checks.

OK if you're working and have to pay taxes then things may be different from a tax point of view, but as I understand your predicament, there is nothing to be concerned about for at least the next 2 1/4 years.

After that when we Brexit, then you'll probably be sent to prison for a long time

[pickwick]

As usual and sadly on this Forum the wrong information is given in answers. See below the legislation and law in Portugal:- Bruce Wallis has posted on the Owners Forum (Buying and Selling a Car) that he stays over six months every year thus he is also tax resident in Portugal so maybe PM him as he will be abreast of all the implications of being resident/staying over 90 days/six months.

EU citizens who remain in Portugal for longer than 3 months have to formalise their right of residence by registering.

After 3 months in Portugal, EU citizens have 30 days to register, after which they receive a registration certificate.

They must apply at their local town hall (Câmara Municipal) and provide the following documents:

Workers
a valid identity document
a declaration on oath that they are employed or self-employed in Portugal

or
a declaration on oath that they have sufficient financial resources for themselves and their family members, and a health insurance policy, if the country of which they are citizens has the same requirement for Portuguese citizens.

Pensionioners
a valid identity document
a declaration on oath that they have sufficient financial resources for themselves and their family members, and a health insurance policy, if the country of which they are citizens has the same requirement for Portuguese citizens.

Students
a valid identity document
a declaration on oath that they are registered with an officially accredited public or private educational establishment
a declaration or other means of proof that they have sufficient financial resources and a health insurance policy, if the country of which they are citizens has the same requirement for Portuguese citizens.

Failure to register is an offence punishable by a fine of between EUR 400 and 1500.

Registering or remaining registered without meeting the necessary conditions is an offence punishable by a fine of between EUR 500 and 2500.

[SJ & RE]

oh hec.

This means even UK GOV.ORG are issuing the wrong info, yet again. They say under a tourist guide one has up to 183 days
They have said I can be here up to 183 days then if really wanted to be here longer or to be correct do a fiscal and registration.

All this info is usefull when it is all correct to help one and all.

With a bit of luck we have managed to get a crossing from Cherbourg back to the UK with 2 night stopovers en route to Cherbourg and then little boy will only have 3 hours in the box left in the car. Better than other ways it seems and cost wise much better.
We hopefully will be going back to the UK mid June as that was how I had sorted it in the first place.

If we do come back again for a similar time span,I shall get his trip sorted both ways to start with and hopefully rent an apt that will let me be somewhat with my head over the parapet.

Thank you one and all for all your invaluable info, please keep it coming in.

[williew]

Is the problem not the car, six months maximum stay in Portugal

[steve]

The stated legal position is one thing. The practical reality is quite another. Many people live here full time without taking out legal residence and run UK registered cars on a permanent basis. In practice no one is going to be very bothered if you overstay the 183 days by a modest amount and in any event who is going to check? If the GNR stop you in the car and there is also a Customs presence then the question of how long the car has been in the country could arise but you could always say that you spent a couple of weeks in Spain. I would not worry.

[maccasa]

The car is no problem as per above post - as long as you spent a couple of days outside portugal in spain then there is no problem. anyway how far is Tavira to the spanish border - you will be there in a few minutes from Tavira. There is no border crossing there anyway - you just go straight over the bridge and through on the A22

[LICY]

I was looking at the situation with a UK car as we may leave ours there, albeit well under 6 months. I read a comment from March 2011 that if someone in a given year left the country (Portugal) and returned the total days (183) did not need to be consecutive, I.e. Visit one 2016 180 days visit two in 2016 100 days would therefore be seen as 280 days, thus over the 6 month allowance before registration. Don't know if anyone else has comments on this. The information below is more recent.
Car registration and taxes
Car registration documents and formalities
Updated : 21/09/2016

Car registration and taxes

Temporary stays
If you keep your normal residence in your member state but you stay in another EU country for less than 6 months, you don't have to register your car or pay any registration taxes there - it will remain registered in your country of residence. You may however be asked to pay other taxes related to the use of your car in that country (circulation taxes).

If you're staying in another EU country for less than 6 months and haven't registered your car there, you may not legally lend or rent your car to a resident of that country, who may only drive your car if you are in the car with him/her.

You may, however, lend your car to visiting friends or family - provided they are not resident in your new country.

If you're planning to stay in another country for more than 6 months, you should normally change your residence to this country and you must register your car there without delay.

Moving abroad
If you move to another EU country (you intend to stay there over 6 months) and take your car with you, you will need to register it and pay any relevant fees and taxes in the new country.

You must register your car as soon as possible and in any case not later than 6 months from your date of arrival. You should also check what documents and formalities will be required as evidence to register your car.

In some countries you may be eligible for a tax exemption on your vehicle registration when you move from another EU country, if you meet the relevant conditions and deadlines. Before moving to your new country check the national rules applicable there.

Sample story

Save money by knowing the rules in advance!

Cristina from Spain found a job in Portugal and moved there. Unaware of the 6‑month deadline, she went to register her car after 8 months in Portugal.

She was then informed that, had she registered the car earlier, she wouldn't have had to pay any registration taxes. Also, in Portugal the 6‑month deadline is counted from the moment you leave your home country, not from the moment you arrive.

[SJ & RE]

I cannot comment on a car, as Richard brought me over in the car and then went back by ferry with the car on the 1 st Jan.

I am here with no car as I do not drive.

Richard will be returning by air 4 times over the next 6 months to me here and hiring a car each time, needs it for golf !!!!! He is still part of the Mungoes team, albeit being down here in Cabanas.

He will be returning by car/ ferry on the 11th June and we return to the UK via car/ ferry on the 16th June.
Loads of driving for him.

On our return to the UK with Ollie the monster cat, we shall stop off at Salamanca staying at the Hospes Palacio San Esteban and in Bordeaux at the Hotel de Seze, both 4 star hotels in the centre of each city that will accept our pusscat. Not cheap but safe with good accommodation and close to all the action and lovely dining spots be it in the hotels or outside.

Hopefully we shall be able to do the same from Nov 2016 to June 2017.

Sally-Jane
xxx

[bookbabe]

When we moved here we did the trip from Portsmouth to Cherbourg with our cat. We had a cabin and Sasha stayed in the car. She wasn't restricted to being kept in a box or cat basket, she slept on the front passenger seat and was fine.
With regard to the 183 days, this relates to the length of time a car not Portuguese registration, can legally stay in the country. I would also point out that it is 183 days in any 12 month period. You cannot stay for 182 days, nip across the border into Spain and start your 183 days again. It is 183 days a calendar year.