Useful Information

CURRENCY & EXCHANGE

Portugal is one of 17 European Union countries whose common official currency is the Euro.

You can exchange money at banks, which are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week; at bureaux de change; and at automatic currency exchange machines (these are for currency sale transactions only).

In Portugal, the most commonly used credit cards are: Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Europay / MasterCard, JCB and Maestro.

TIME DIFFERENCE

Standard Time in Portugal is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+0).

BANKING & ATM

Banks are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week.

Portugal has a national network of cash machines (ATMs) identified by the symbol MB (Multibanco), from which you can withdraw cash 24 hours a day.

TIPPING

Service is included in the bill in restaurants, though it is customary to leave an additional tip of about 5-10% of the total.

It is also normal to tip taxi drivers 5-10 % or rounding up the amount paid to the nearest euro.

BUSINESS HOURS

Government office hours are usually from 9:00 to 16:30 on weekdays and are closed on weekends. Most stores in Évora are open every day from 10:30 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00, on week days, some of them are also open on Saturdays morning and only few on Saturdays afternoon and Sundays.

TAX & VAT

Visitors to Portugal who are not resident in any of the European Union member states can be reimbursed for the VAT (Value Added Tax) paid on purchases that they have made in Portugal and are being transported in their personal luggage. Only private individuals can benefit from this reimbursement.

Detailed information can be seen in the following websites:

- Premier Tax Free - www.premiertaxfree.com - info@pt.premiertaxfree.com
- Global Refund - www.globalrefund.com - taxfree@globalrefund.com
- Innova Taxfree Portugal - http://www.innovataxfree.com/portugal - info@innovataxfree.com

VISA

Citizens of the European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Romania and Switzerland need only an identity card to enter in Portugal.

In addition to their identity card, minors must also present authorisation from their parents to travel.

For visits of less than 90 days, a passport valid for at least three months after the end of their stay is necessary for visitors from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China in Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan territorial Authority.

Citizens from countries not mentioned above need a visa to enter Portugal, which may be requested at the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate of their country.

Under the terms of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, flights between Schengen states are considered to be internal flights and passengers do not need to obtain another visa.

You will find all the detailed information in the following websites:

http://www.secomunidades.pt/vistos/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=171&Itemid=14&lang=pt
http://www.secomunidades.pt/web/guest/PostosConsulares
www.sef.pt

ELECTRICITY

The electric current in Portugal is 230/400 volts at a frequency of 50 hertz and sockets comply with European standards.

You will need a 230 volt transformer and an adaptor to use American-style flat-prong plugs.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS

National Emergency Number: 112

Évora phone numbers