DR. RATHENAU & COLLEAGUES
Law Office
Portugal

Your English speaking Law Office in Portugal

Lagos (Algarve), Lisbon, Azores and Madeira

Conveyancing and Property Lawyers

These pages will guide you through the main aspects of Portuguese property law. Our office operates throughout Portugal, the Azores and Madeira and is based in Lagos, Lisbon and Porto.

We offer comprehensive legal service, particularly with regard to Portuguese real estate law and tax law. We are concerned with these issues on a daily basis and our main objective is to assist our clients on the ground with our experience to guarantee of a secure and successful property transaction

We would like to point out that, unlike in Great Britain and Ireland, where the legal professional to appeal usually is a solicitor, solicitors (or solicitadores) in Portugal have a very different function and level of education and are not necessarily trained lawyers; therefore, when in Great Britain or Ireland a solicitor would typically be consulted regarding any legal issue or question, in Portugal this should usually be handled by a lawyer (advogado).

We take care of the entire sale/ purchase process; including a legal review of the documents, the drafting or translating of contracts in Portuguese, German and English and communication with the authorities. We pay special attention to particular tax regulation and provide the relevant advice.

Are you a non-EU national considering to invest in the European Union, or have you heard of the "Golden Visa" introduced by several European countries that will grant you a right of residence within the EU in exchange for an investment? Portugal has quite a competitive and attractive Golden Visa program, and we would be happy to present its advantages and a comprehensive offer of legal advice regarding the program. If you are interested, please consult our page on the Golden visa program.

Our office also assists you with arrangements of Portuguese bank financing.

Our team has worked on many property projects and is experienced in all types of property transactions.

We also provide legal advice and assistance in regard to law of successions. Especially for real estate owners from abroad, there are various legal questions arising in the field of Portuguese inheritance and tax law. Particularly, we would like to draw your attention to new European legislation that will take effect from summer of 2015. According to this legislation, in absence of a will expressly stipulating contrary, the applicable inheritance law is no longer determined by the deceased's nationality, but by his residence. Thus, as a foreign national living in Portugal, all your assets will be distributed in accordance Portuguese law! For further information, consult the page on inheritances, or feel free to contact us.

We provide legal service to German, Portuguese, English and French speaking clients from all over the world.

Place your trust in our experience and expertise!