First week
Time
20 min
Cost
€10 to 15
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
Passport
A Lisbon address (hotel is fine)
Not needed: NIF. Pay-as-you-go SIMs do not require one
Our pick
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Prices checked August 2026
Do it
- 1
Go to a MEO or NOS store
There’s usually one inside Colombo, Vasco da Gama, or on Av. da Liberdade. Skip Lycamobile kiosks. Mall branches keep normal hours right through August, while smaller high-street shops may be closed for férias.
- 2
Ask for a pay-as-you-go starter ("cartão pré-pago")
Show your passport. They’ll fill in the form. No NIF required for pre-paid.
- 3
Choose a plan or top up
€10 to 20/month gets you generous data. Tell the staff how you’ll use it; they’ll pick the right tariff.
- 4
Activate before you leave
Ask them to insert the SIM and confirm it works. Make a test call.
Words you'll hear
NIFneef
Your nine-digit tax number. Needed for leases, banks, contracts, and asked for at every till.
Fidelizaçãofee-deh-lee-za-SAWNG
The loyalty lock-in on phone/internet contracts. Usually 24 months. 'Sem fidelização' = contract-free.
Common questions
Do I need a NIF for a SIM card?
Not for prepaid, passport is enough. Contracts (pós-pago) do need a NIF and usually a Portuguese IBAN, which is why prepaid comes first.
My home eSIM still works, why bother?
Roaming covers the first days, but banks, deliveries, and MB Way all expect a Portuguese number. It's the dependency under half your other errands.
Can I keep my number if I switch operators later?
Yes. portability is free and takes a few working days. Pick whoever is convenient now and optimise later.
Read more
How to get your NIF in Lisbon
Full guide · 5 min read
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Ternli app for Lisbon.