{"id":1061,"date":"2026-10-03T10:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T10:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=sending-money-to-from-portugal-international-brazil-cheques-expats"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T10:38:15","slug":"sending-money-to-from-portugal-international-brazil-cheques-expats","status":"publish","type":"ba_guide","link":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=sending-money-to-from-portugal-international-brazil-cheques-expats","title":{"rendered":"Sending money to and from Portugal: international transfers, Brazil, cheques and expat money"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Moving money across borders is one of the first practical problems newcomers run into in Portugal.<\/strong> Your salary may arrive in euros while your savings remain abroad; you may need to support family in Brazil, receive a pension from the UK or US, transfer house-sale proceeds, deposit an old foreign cheque, or simply move your own money into Portugal without losing an unnecessary amount to exchange-rate spreads and bank fees.<\/p>\n<p>This guide is about those real-world routes. For opening a Portuguese account, see our separate banking guide; for Portuguese ATMs, MB WAY and reference payments, see the MULTIBANCO\/MB WAY guide.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First question: is the transfer SEPA or non-SEPA?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>SEPA<\/strong> is the common euro-payments area. It includes the EU\/EEA and a number of additional countries, including the United Kingdom and Switzerland. A euro transfer between eligible SEPA accounts is therefore very different from converting euros to Brazilian reais or US dollars.<\/p>\n<p>Banco de Portugal explains the current SEPA membership and transfer rules in its <a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/transferencias-o-que-sao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transfer guide<\/a>. Within the applicable European rules, a payer or payee generally cannot insist that the other person&#8217;s payment account be in one particular Member State merely because its IBAN starts with another country&#8217;s letters.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Portugal &#x2194; Brazil: the route many newcomers need<\/h2>\n<p>Brazil is <strong>not part of SEPA<\/strong>. Sending EUR from Portugal to Brazil normally involves both an international transfer\/remittance and a currency conversion into BRL. Sending BRL from Brazil to Portugal similarly requires a cross-border route rather than an ordinary Portuguese SEPA transfer.<\/p>\n<p>Common routes include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your Portuguese\/Brazilian banks:<\/strong> a traditional international\/SWIFT transfer can make sense, particularly when you already have banking relationships or need branch support. Ask about the transfer fee, correspondent\/intermediary charges and the actual EUR\/BRL exchange rate\u2014not only the headline fee.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wise.com\/pt\/send-money\/send-money-to-brazil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wise<\/a>:<\/strong> offers Portugal-to-Brazil EUR\/BRL transfers and displays the exchange rate and fee before sending. Wise also supports Brazilian-side payment routes such as Pix\/TED for relevant flows.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revolut.com\/pt-PT\/money-transfer\/send-money-to-brazil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Revolut<\/a>:<\/strong> another practical EUR\/BRL option; pricing depends on plan, amount, timing and applicable exchange allowance, so compare the final BRL received rather than assuming one provider is always cheaper.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brazil-focused banking\/remittance providers:<\/strong> for people with continuing Brazilian financial ties, a bank with Portugal\/Brazil operations can sometimes be useful for documentation or less-standard transactions. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bb.com.br\/site\/pra-voce\/atendimento\/bb-no-mundo\/portugal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco do Brasil<\/a> has a Portugal presence; always compare its current tariff and exchange result with specialist remittance services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Compare the amount received, not just the transfer fee.<\/strong> A service advertising a zero or low fee can still be more expensive if its exchange-rate spread is wider. For a meaningful comparison, enter the same send amount at roughly the same time and compare the final BRL or EUR that reaches the recipient.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sending money from Brazil to Portugal<\/h2>\n<p>If you are moving Brazilian savings, salary, property-sale proceeds or other larger sums to Portugal, expect the sending institution or receiving provider to ask what the payment is for and where the money came from. Keep the documentary trail: bank statements, sale contracts, payslips, inheritance documents, tax records or other evidence appropriate to the source.<\/p>\n<p>For a large transfer, contact the receiving Portuguese bank\/provider <strong>before<\/strong> sending. Ask what source-of-funds evidence it may request, what transfer references it wants and whether any incoming\/intermediary fee applies. Breaking a legitimate large transfer into many artificial smaller payments simply to avoid checks can create more compliance questions, not fewer.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving your own savings to Portugal<\/h2>\n<p>Sending money between two accounts that both belong to you is still a real bank transfer. The payment provider may need identification and information about the origin of funds. The transfer itself also does not, by itself, tell you whether there is a Portuguese tax consequence: that depends on <strong>what the money represents<\/strong>\u2014for example savings, salary, pension, investment income, a gift, inheritance or property-sale proceeds\u2014and your tax circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>For substantial or unusual amounts, retain records showing the original source and get tax advice where necessary. Do not describe taxable income as \u201csavings\u201d merely because you transfer it between your own accounts.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">UK, US and other countries<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>UK participates in SEPA<\/strong>, so EUR payments can use SEPA where the accounts\/payment providers support the relevant route. GBP conversion is a separate question. The United States and Brazil are outside SEPA, so USD\/BRL transfers generally use international\/SWIFT or specialist remittance infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>For non-SEPA transfers, compare:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the provider&#8217;s explicit transfer fee;<\/li>\n<li>the exchange-rate spread;<\/li>\n<li>possible correspondent\/intermediary-bank deductions;<\/li>\n<li>recipient-bank charges;<\/li>\n<li>delivery time and whether the quote guarantees the amount received;<\/li>\n<li>limits and source-of-funds requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you cash a foreign cheque in Portugal?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Possibly\u2014but do not assume a Portuguese bank must accept it.<\/strong> Banco de Portugal states that cheques drawn on foreign banks are not obligatorily paid by Portuguese banks and cannot be processed through ordinary Portuguese cheque clearing. A Portuguese bank may accept one for deposit\/collection, with the funds becoming available only after successful collection (<em>boa cobran\u00e7a<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>This can be slow and expensive. The bank&#8217;s public tariff should show the collection charge, and currency conversion or correspondent costs may also matter. Before accepting a foreign cheque as payment, ask your Portuguese bank whether it will collect a cheque from that country\/bank, what documents it needs, the minimum\/percentage fee and the expected timetable. If the payer can instead make a bank transfer, that is often simpler.<\/p>\n<p>If you already hold a cheque, take the original and identification to your bank branch rather than assuming an ATM will accept it. For a concrete example of why checking tariffs matters, Banco de Portugal publishes institutions&#8217; official <a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/precarios\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bank price lists<\/a>, including foreign-cheque collection entries where offered.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Portuguese cheques and bank cheques<\/h2>\n<p>Cheques still exist in Portugal, although electronic transfers are usually easier. A cheque is not the same as guaranteed cash: ordinary cheques can fail for lack of funds or other reasons. For a high-value transaction where a cheque is proposed, ask the bank or professional handling the transaction whether a bank-issued\/guaranteed instrument or an immediate verified transfer is more appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>Do not release expensive goods merely because somebody shows you a deposit slip or screenshot. Confirm cleared funds through your own bank.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SPIN: send using a phone number or NIF instead of typing an IBAN<\/h2>\n<p>Portugal&#8217;s <strong>SPIN<\/strong> functionality allows participating payment-account users to initiate traditional or instant transfers using the beneficiary&#8217;s mobile number, NIF or\u2014for companies\u2014NIPC instead of manually entering the IBAN. Banco de Portugal states that using SPIN cannot add an extra charge: the underlying transfer must cost the same as if initiated with the IBAN.<\/p>\n<p>SPIN is not the same thing as MB WAY. It operates through participating payment providers&#8217; own transfer channels. See Banco de Portugal&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/como-ordenar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official instructions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instant transfers and beneficiary verification<\/h2>\n<p>Before confirming a transfer, check the displayed beneficiary information carefully. Portuguese payment providers now provide beneficiary-verification functionality for relevant transfers. Banco de Portugal specifically advises customers to verify the data before execution. A fast transfer is useful only if it goes to the correct person.<\/p>\n<p>If a transfer is induced by fraud, contact your bank immediately. Do not rely on a recipient&#8217;s promise that a mistaken or fraudulent transfer can simply be reversed later.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Direct debits and recurring payments<\/h2>\n<p>SEPA direct debit is widely used for electricity, telecoms, insurance, gyms and other recurring Portuguese bills. It can operate across SEPA rather than requiring every debtor to have a Portuguese account, although individual merchants&#8217; onboarding systems are not always equally flexible. Banco de Portugal explains <a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/debitos-diretos-o-que-sao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEPA direct debits and their rules<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Review active mandates in online banking and cancel unwanted mandates correctly rather than merely emptying the account.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Receiving salary, pension or regular income from abroad<\/h2>\n<p>Give the payer the account details appropriate to the route: usually IBAN\/BIC for euro\/SEPA payments and the provider&#8217;s specified international details for other currencies. If a foreign employer, pension administrator or company says it can only pay a Portuguese IBAN, check whether that restriction is actually permissible for the relevant SEPA payment before opening another account solely for that reason.<\/p>\n<p>For regular foreign-currency income, compare converting every payment automatically at your Portuguese bank with receiving\/holding the currency through a multi-currency provider and converting deliberately. Fees and exchange rates change, so avoid hard-coding one provider as permanently cheapest.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What about cash?<\/h2>\n<p>Cash can be deposited subject to your bank&#8217;s services and controls, but it is a poor substitute for a documented cross-border transfer when moving significant savings. Banks can ask about the origin of unusual cash deposits. If you physically enter or leave the EU carrying large amounts of cash, separate customs cash-declaration rules may apply. Check the current Portuguese Customs\/AT and EU rules before travelling rather than relying on an old threshold remembered from a previous trip.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A practical expat transfer checklist<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Identify the sending currency, receiving currency and whether the payment is SEPA.<\/li>\n<li>Compare the <strong>final amount received<\/strong> across your bank, Wise\/Revolut and any reputable route relevant to your home country.<\/li>\n<li>For Brazil, compare EUR&#x2194;BRL conversion and the Brazilian payment\/receipt method, not only the advertised fee.<\/li>\n<li>For a large transfer, ask the receiving institution about source-of-funds documents first.<\/li>\n<li>Keep statements\/contracts proving where the money came from.<\/li>\n<li>Use a clear transfer description\/reference.<\/li>\n<li>For a new recipient or large amount, consider a small test transfer before sending the balance.<\/li>\n<li>Never send money solely from instructions received in a changed email or WhatsApp message\u2014independently verify changed bank details.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Useful links<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/transferencias-o-que-sao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco de Portugal \u2014 SEPA and other transfers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/como-ordenar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco de Portugal \u2014 ordering transfers, IBAN and SPIN<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/direitos-e-deveres-na-utilizacao-de-transferencias\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco de Portugal \u2014 transfer rights, duties and beneficiary checks<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/perguntas-frequentes?x=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco de Portugal \u2014 banking FAQs, including foreign cheques<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clientebancario.bportugal.pt\/pt-pt\/precarios\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco de Portugal \u2014 official bank tariffs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/wise.com\/pt\/send-money\/send-money-to-brazil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wise \u2014 Portugal to Brazil<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revolut.com\/pt-PT\/money-transfer\/send-money-to-brazil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Revolut \u2014 Portugal to Brazil<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bb.com.br\/site\/pra-voce\/atendimento\/bb-no-mundo\/portugal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Banco do Brasil \u2014 Portugal<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Last verified: 2 October 2026. Transfer prices and exchange rates change continuously; compare a live quote for the same amount immediately before sending. BorderlessAdvice does not rank a provider as universally cheapest. No Amazon product is naturally relevant to this guide, so no affiliate product link is included.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Practical cross-border money guide for Portugal: SEPA, Brazil\/EUR-BRL routes, Wise\/Revolut, large transfers, foreign cheques, SPIN, cash and source-of-funds documents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","ba_country":[3],"ba_topic":[919,921,256,708,920,892,215,922,891],"ba_audience":[638,261,17],"ba_section":[912],"ba_stage":[923],"ba_location":[],"class_list":["post-1061","ba_guide","type-ba_guide","status-publish","hentry","ba_country-portugal","ba_topic-brazil","ba_topic-cheques","ba_topic-international-transfers","ba_topic-money","ba_topic-remittances","ba_topic-revolut","ba_topic-sepa","ba_topic-spin","ba_topic-wise","ba_audience-expats","ba_audience-newcomers","ba_audience-residents","ba_section-money-tax-insurance","ba_stage-international-money-portugal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/ba_guide"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1062,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1061\/revisions\/1062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ba_country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_country&post=1061"},{"taxonomy":"ba_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_topic&post=1061"},{"taxonomy":"ba_audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_audience&post=1061"},{"taxonomy":"ba_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_section&post=1061"},{"taxonomy":"ba_stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_stage&post=1061"},{"taxonomy":"ba_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_location&post=1061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}