Portugal

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FAST FACTS: PORTUGAL FAST FACTS, TOLL-FREE NUMBERS & WEBSITES
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LEGAL AID Contact your local consulate
for a list of English-speaking lawyers if you
run into trouble with the law. After that,
you’re at the mercy of the local courts.
LIQUOR LAWS You must be 18 to drink
in Portugal. In Lisbon, bars are open until
dawn.
MAIL While in Portugal, you can have
your mail directed to your hotel (or
hotels), to the American Express representative,
or to Poste Restante (General Delivery)
in Lisbon. You must present your
passport to pick up mail. The general post
office in Lisbon is on Praça do Comércio,
1100 Lisbon (& 21/346-32-31); it’s open
daily from 8am to 10pm.
PASSPORTS For residents of the United
States: Whether you’re applying in person
or by mail, you can download passport
applications from the U.S. Department of
State website at http://travel.state.gov.
For general information, call the National
Passport Agency (& 877/487-2778). To
find your regional passport office, check the
U.S. Department of State website or call.
For residents of Canada: Passport
applications are available at travel agencies
throughout Canada and from the central
Passport Office, Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa,
ON K1A 0G3 (& 800/567-6868; www.
ppt.gc.ca).
For residents of the United Kingdom:
To pick up an application for a standard
10-year passport (5-year passport for children
under 16), visit your nearest passport
office, major post office, or travel agency,
or contact the United Kingdom Identity
& Passport Service (& 0870/521-0410;
www.ips.gov.uk).
For residents of Ireland: You can apply
for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office,
Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin
2 (& 01/671-1633; www.foreignaffairs.gov.
ie). Those under age 18 and over 65 must
apply for a 3-year passport. You can also
apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (& 021/272-
525) and at most main post offices.
For residents of Australia: You can pick
up an application from your local post
office or any branch of Passports Australia,
but you must schedule an interview at the
passport office to present your application
materials. Contact the Australian Passport
Information Service (& 131-232; www.
passports.gov.au).
For residents of New Zealand: You can
pick up a passport application at any New
Zealand Passports Office or download it
from the website. Contact the Passports
Office (& 0800/225-050 in New Zealand,
or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).
PETS Pets brought into Portugal must
have the approval of the local veterinarian
and a health certificate from your home
country.
SMOKING The government of Portugal
imposes a ban on smoking in enclosed
public places and in commercial establishments.
Owners of large spaces—that is,
more than 100 meters (328 ft.)—can
allow smoking or not. However, they have
to display a sign to that effect and provide
designated smoking areas.
TAXES Because Portugal and neighboring
Spain simultaneously joined the Common
Market (now the European Union) on
January 1, 1986, Portugal has imposed a
value-added tax (VAT) on most purchases
made within its borders. It ranges from 8%
to 30%. Known in Portugal as the IVA, the
amount is almost always written into the
bottom line of the bill for any purchase a
foreign visitor makes. Hotel and restaurant
bills are taxed at 18%. Car rentals are subject
to an additional 18% tax (less than in
some other European countries).
Such deluxe goods as jewelry, furs, and
expensive imported liquors include a 30%
built-in tax. Because a scotch and soda in
a Portuguese bar carries this high tax,
many people have changed their choice of
alcohol from scotch to Portuguese brandy
and soda or, more prosaically, beer.
To get a VAT refund on purchases that
qualify (ask the shopkeeper), present your