We spoke with Marsha to understand the main challenges and the happiest moments on their journey to Portuguese residency.

How did you decide to move to Madeira?

Marsha: This had been a journey we had started to plan for several years before 2020. And then, as with most people, once COVID came, it slowed our progress down.

But I continued to do my research. In that research, I discovered NEWCO and saw that they could answer many of my questions and also be helpful to our process, which we knew can be complicated on your own or less complicated if you have people who can direct you on your needs and get you the information that would make it a much smoother process. And it is very important to have trust when coming to a new country.

I understand that Madeira was not your first choice.

Well, we knew we didn’t really want to live in a city as large as Lisbon. And we were also seeking good weather or rather, more year-round good weather.

Also, we weren’t interested in moving into a community that was mostly expats.

We looked forward to integrating into the local culture, meeting people who could broaden our horizons, and really absorbing the culture rather than always living there as just an outsider visiting. So, once we did more research, we realized the Algarve area would not really suit our needs. Instead, we turned our attention to Madeira and the Azores.

So, we booked a holiday to the Azores for one week and then to Madeira for another week in Madeira.

When we arrived in the Azores, we were absolutely impressed by the natural beauty and the kindness and welcoming attitude of the people. But then we arrived in Funchal.

As soon as we got off the plane, and got into the rental car, I said, “This will be where I live.” He said, “You know that already in 10 minutes?” I said, “I do.”

I knew that already because I immediately felt some connection to the island.

I was raised in Guam, a very small mountainous island whose culture is very similar to Madeiran culture. So, growing up there, it felt very much like Madeira.

Also, as beautiful as the Azores are, I thought that maybe it would be too isolated for us.

I found Funchal to be the most perfect city because it was culturally progressive. I felt that the lack of big buildings and the chaotic crowds of Lisbon were very refreshing. It’s also such a walkable city. From the city centre, in five minutes you can walk into the historic section and see the culture that is hundreds of years old, and yet you can go in and find every modern amenity that is required.

After we met with NEWCO, we felt that they could offer a personalized real estate experience for us, for our needs.

What was the property search like in Madeira? Did you find many differences between buying a property here and buying a property in, say, Canada or the U.S.?

If I had to sum up, I’d say that it’s a different way to buy. Well, I will bring up the parts that I found the most humorous: how many people had to be at the showing of the property? It was like a party!

In Canada or the U.S., if you’re going to look at a property, it’s only you and your property agent. If there are people still living and occupying the property, they leave the premises and are never on the premises while you’re in the property.

Here, I went to see some properties, where the owners and their realtors were present. It felt so different from what I was used to.

So do you think it’s important to have a real estate agent?

Here in Portugal, yes, definitely. I felt much more secure with the help of Ângela [Figueira] and Dr. Paulo [Silva]. They helped me get all the documentation and the paperwork to make sure I had recourse if anything wasn’t really as it was being presented to me.

This gave me much more peace of mind.

How did you adjust to everyday life in there?

That’s an interesting question, because sometimes when you visit a place, whether it’s Portugal or some other country that you’ve not lived in before, you have this idyllic idea about it - like it’s always going to feel like you’re on holiday while you’re there. Once you’re living there, you’re not on vacation. No one’s making your bed in the morning when you go out and putting fresh towels in the bathroom…

Does that mean you found the transition to be difficult?

Not at all. Actually, I have found the transition very easy here overall. It’s been as easy as I had dreamed it could be.

There are language barriers, which are complicated, but you manage to find a way to understand each other. Many people do speak English, and if they don’t, they are kind enough to try to understand you or get someone who does. We’re trying to learn Portuguese, instead of just trying to get by using our tortured pronunciations. But all in all, it’s been pretty easy.

Grocery shopping has been an interesting phenomenon because the products are very different. They’re also only labelled in Portuguese. This is actually more of a problem than you would think because you’re looking for certain products that might be packaged differently, and sometimes if it doesn’t have a picture on it, you have no idea what it is!

Nevertheless, I find the food to be much cleaner and healthier here.

Also, if you’re coming from the U.S., you really need to be more fluent in the metric system. This wasn’t as much of a problem to me because having lived in Canada and being married to a pilot, I’ve always been familiar with the metric system.

What advice would you give to other Americans considering retirement in Madeira or Portugal in general? Is there anything that you wish you had done differently?

You know, I am really happy with the process that we’ve gone through, but I marvel at the expats who have done it all on their own or are still trying to work the process on their own.

First of all, I think it’s important not to assume that you know the entire process or understand all the ins and outs.

Also, make sure to respect island time because this is not Manhattan or London. Things take a bit more time to do. If you are impatient, maybe Portugal is not for you. If you want to live in Portugal, you need to adapt to the Portuguese ways. If you want it to be just like home, you should probably just stay where you come from because it is a different lifestyle here.

Before coming here, I did a lot of research. I wanted to live somewhere different.

I think too many people come and then all they do—and I’ve met several people like this already— is complain and compare. You will be very disappointed if you move to a country, whichever one it is, Italy, Portugal, or Germany, and then expect to be able to pick and choose how you want things. ‘Well, I love this part of the culture, but I don’t like that part’. It’s not like that at all, and you’ll end up disappointed.

It was a very simple process once we reached out to NEWCO. We always felt that if we ran into problems that we could come back to Claudia [Vasconcelos], and she would assist us.

So we’ve been very happy, but it has definitely been a learning process for us!

Wish to follow Marsha’s steps?

When immigrating to Portugal, having a knowledgeable and reliable local partner is invaluable.

NEWCO is your local partner in Portugal. We have 30+ years of experience and a versatile and multidisciplinary team that accommodates all your demands:

  • Obtaining a NIF, bank account and residence permit
  • Real estate
  • Personal and business accounting and tax compliance
  • Tax consulting and tax advice
  • Business setup and management

Contact us today!