The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid for nationals of EU and EFTA countries. The EHIC regulates care and reimbursement of costs in the event of illness for EU and EFTA citizens. EHIC holders should contact the nearest health center (Centro de Saúde). The EHIC does not include repatriation after a serious illness or an accident abroad. Statutory health insurance companies are not allowed to offer this service. Only private travel insurance companies pay for return transport. It is therefore recommended that you take out health insurance abroad for the duration of your stay, which covers risks that are not covered by statutory health insurance companies. Check ebizdir for more information.
Notes vaccinations
[1] For entry to Madeira or the Azores only, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travelers arriving within six days of staying in WHO designated yellow fever endemic areas and who are over one year old. Excluded are travelers who have not left the transit area in the infected areas and transit passengers who do not leave the transit area in Madeira or on the Azores and do not stay longer than four days.
Food and drink
Due to the risk of possible intestinal infections, careful drinking water and food hygiene must be ensured. Bottled or sterilized tap water is available in most hotels. If this is not the case, water should be boiled or otherwise sterilized before it is used for drinking, brushing teeth and making ice cubes. Only prepare dry and canned milk with sterile water. Meat or fish dishes should only be eaten well cooked and served hot.
Other risks
The standard vaccinations for children and adults recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (including against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, measles, rubella, pneumococci, poliomyelitis and influenza) should be refreshed before the trip if necessary. Nationwide, from April to October, there is a risk of transmission of Lyme disease from ticks, especially in grass, shrubs and undergrowth. Protection is offered by skin-covering clothes and insect repellents. Dengue fever, transmitted by mosquitoes, occurs in Madeira. An effective insect repellent is recommended. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B occur nationwide. A hepatitis A vaccination is generally recommended. Vaccination against hepatitis B should be given during longer stays and close contact with the local population, as well as for children and young people in general. Leishmaniasis, transmitted by whiteflies, and Kala Azar, a disease also transmitted by mosquitoes, occur nationwide. Protection is offered by skin-covering clothes and insect repellents. Epidemic outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis C do occur. The vaccination is recommended for long-term stays for certain groups of people (young people or schoolchildren, students). Travelers should clarify the need for vaccination with their doctor, taking into account the recommendations in the country of travel.
Health certificate
A health certificate in English is required for work stays (form available on request from the embassy). In Portugal and in all other EU countries, in addition to the digital COVID-19 vaccination card (EU Digital COVID Certificate), proof of the COVID vaccination status with the vaccination card in paper form is also valid. Portugal accepts the Swiss COVID certificate.
Money
Currency
1 euro = 100 cents. Currency code: €, EUR (ISO code). Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in denominations of 1 and 2 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
Credit cards
Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Maestro, Europay/Mastercard, JCB and other major credit cards are accepted. Details from the issuer of the relevant credit card.
ATMs
Girocard With the Girocard (formerly EC card) such as the Maestro card, V Pay or Sparcard and PIN number, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in the national currency throughout Europe. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with a debit card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus, V-Pay or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe. Further information from banks and credit institutes. Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money should find out from their bank about the possibility of using their card before starting their journey.
Travelers cheques
Traveller’s checks are no longer available in Germany and Switzerland and are hardly available in Austria. Travelers checks are accepted in Portugal only in a few banks and exchange offices in larger cities.
Bank opening hours
Mon-Fri 08.30-15.00. Some banks in Lisbon are open until 6pm Monday to Friday. Algarve: The bank in the Vilamoura Marina shopping center is open daily from 09:00 – 21:00.
Foreign exchange regulations
For travelers within and from outside the EU, there are no restrictions on the import or export of national and foreign currencies, but there is an obligation to declare funds from an equivalent value of €10,000 (in addition to cash, cash also includes travelers cheques, savings accounts, other currencies, to third parties checks drawn, the true value of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum (gold coins containing at least 90 percent gold grade, uncoined gold in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets containing at least 99.5 percent gold grade), precious stones (but not jewelry). )).
Currency Exchange
Money can be exchanged in banks, savings banks, exchange offices (cámbios) or at money changing machines. It is recommended not to carry large sums of money with you.
