From Tunisia · The formalities
Set up your company in Portugalfrom Tunisia
You are a Tunisian resident considering a company in Portugal? The NIF is obtained remotely, but signing the articles and opening the bank account are done in person, during a trip to Lisbon. All in French. And the decisive issue is not Portuguese tax: it is Tunisia's exchange controls (transferring currency and investing abroad remain regulated) and, if you want to live and run it on site, the residence visa. Here are the markers, dated mid-2026 and to be validated without fail with a professional.
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The real obstacle is Tunisia's exchange controls
For a Tunisian resident, the main difficulty is neither Portuguese IRC nor a controlled-foreign-company tax regime (there is no classic CFC here): it is exchange controls. In Tunisia, holding assets abroad and transferring currency are regulated by the exchange code, and investment abroad by a resident remains, as of mid-2026, largely subject to authorisation from the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT).
The exchange code is being overhauled and liberalised, but at the time of writing (mid-2026) the principle remains one of regulation and prior authorisation. This is an evolving situation: the applicable rules must be dated and verified without fail before any operation, and validated with a professional.
The distinction between resident and non-resident in the exchange-control sense is decisive: a Tunisian living abroad (in the sense of exchange regulations) is not subject to the same constraints as a resident in Tunisia. Your status therefore determines what you may transfer and hold outside Tunisia.
- Investing abroad or holding a stake in a Portuguese company from Tunisia may require prior authorisation from the BCT: the principle is regulation, not free movement of capital.
- Currency transfers (capital contribution, funding an account in Portugal) follow this same framework: to be checked before committing funds.
- Exchange-control status: resident in Tunisia vs non-resident (Tunisian established abroad) — the obligations differ greatly, this point must be clarified first.
- As the exchange code is being liberalised, the rules may have changed: do not rely on undated information, have the applicable version validated by a professional.
The Tunisian markers
Residence, visa and exchange, in brief
Tunisian tax residence
Your tax residence is assessed under Tunisian law (permanent home, main stay in Tunisia). As long as you are a resident there, your Tunisian obligations remain: setting up a Portuguese company does not erase them.
D2 visa if you settle in
The company is set up with a trip to Lisbon (articles signed and account opened in person), but living and running it from Portugal as a non-EU national requires a residence permit: the D2 visa (entrepreneur/independent). Indicative 2026 conditions, to be confirmed.
Specificity: exchange controls
This is the decisive point. Holding assets abroad and transferring currency are regulated by the exchange code; investment abroad remains, mid-2026, largely subject to BCT authorisation. Evolving situation, to be dated and verified.
Resident vs non-resident (exchange-control sense)
Exchange regulations distinguish the resident in Tunisia from the non-resident (Tunisian established abroad). Transfer and holding constraints differ by status: this is the first thing to clarify.
Your process
Setting up from Tunisia: NIF remotely, the rest in Lisbon
As a non-EU national, your process combines Portuguese formalities (NIF remotely, then signing the articles and opening the account in person in Lisbon) and, upfront, the framing of Tunisian exchange controls and, where relevant, the visa. We coordinate the Portuguese side from Portugal and point you to the right contacts for the rest.
Obtain a non-resident NIF (remotely)
The NIF (individual Portuguese tax number) is the only fully remote formality: it is obtained without travelling, via a tax representative in Portugal since you reside outside the EU. Not to be confused with the NIPC, the future company's tax number.
Sign the articles in Lisbon (in person)
Signing the articles of association is done in person in Portugal, during a trip to Lisbon. The RCBE (beneficial-ownership register) is then declared by the partner lawyer just after the Certidão Permanente is issued, 24 to 48 h after incorporation.
Frame the exchange controls
Before any transfer of funds, have it checked what Tunisian regulations allow depending on your status (resident or non-resident): capital contribution, funding an account, possible BCT authorisation. Evolving situation, to be dated and validated with a professional.
D2 visa if you want to live and run it on site
If the goal is to settle in Portugal and run the company there, the D2 visa (non-EU entrepreneur/independent) is the residence permit to target. Indicative 2026 conditions: means of subsistence of the order of the Portuguese minimum wage, proof of savings/deposit, a credible business plan — to be confirmed.
Open the bank account at a branch (in person)
Opening the business account is done in person, at a branch, during the same trip to Lisbon — not remotely. Its terms depend on the bank and your non-resident profile. Accounting is then handled by a partner Contabilista Certificado.
To go further
Useful pages before you decide
Frequently asked questions
Tunisian national: what people ask me
- Can I own a company in Portugal while remaining a Tunisian resident?
- Yes, the company can be owned from Tunisia (setting it up does, however, require a trip to Lisbon to sign the articles and open the account). But by remaining a resident in Tunisia, your Tunisian obligations remain and, above all, holding assets abroad and investing outside Tunisia are regulated by exchange controls: as of mid-2026, this remains largely subject to BCT authorisation. This evolving point must be dated and validated with a professional before committing anything.
- Do I need a visa to set up my company in Portugal?
- To set up the company, no: the trip to Lisbon to sign the articles and open the account is made on a simple short-stay visa, not a residence permit. However, if you want to live in Portugal and run the company there, you need a residence permit, the D2 visa (non-EU entrepreneur/independent). Its 2026 conditions (means of subsistence of the order of the Portuguese minimum wage, savings, business plan) are indicative and to be confirmed.
- Can I transfer funds and currency to Portugal?
- This is the most sensitive point. Currency transfers and holding assets abroad are regulated by the Tunisian exchange code; as of mid-2026, investment abroad by a resident remains largely subject to BCT authorisation. The code is being liberalised, so the situation is evolving: have the applicable rule checked, depending on your resident or non-resident status, with a professional before any transfer.
- Which formalities can I do remotely, and which require my presence?
- Remotely: the non-resident NIF, obtained via a tax representative — that is the only fully remote formality. In person, during a trip to Lisbon: signing the articles, then opening the bank account at a branch. The RCBE is then declared by the partner lawyer just after the Certidão Permanente (24 to 48 h after incorporation). Living and running it on site is a separate step that does require the residence visa. We coordinate the Portuguese side and point you in the right direction for exchange controls and the visa.
Disclaimer
This page is for general information only; it does not constitute personalised legal, accounting, tax or exchange-control advice. The treaty date and the exchange-control rules are given as an indication and must be validated: the Tunisian exchange code is being liberalised, the situation is evolving (at the time of writing, mid-2026). The D2 visa conditions and associated thresholds are indicative 2026 figures, to be confirmed. All of these elements are to be validated with a professional (tax adviser, exchange-control adviser) before any decision. Business Portugal is a consultant in company formation and setup, not an accounting, tax or law firm: we guide you and connect you with the right partner. Book a meeting to frame your project.
Let's talk about your project, from Tunisia
A first free conversation, with no commitment, by video and in French, to frame your Portuguese incorporation and, above all, exchange controls and the visa. If a tax adviser or an exchange-control adviser is needed, we connect you with the right partner.
No commitment · By video · Service in French · Lisbon, Portugal