Moving to Portugal with children – creches, schools and child benefit

According to DECO (May 2026), all children up to three who attend participating creches have the right to a free place: creches of the social and solidarity network, of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Social Security childminders (amas), and public and private creches that joined the free-place scheme. Free places are limited to each creche's authorised capacity, and admission takes into account the family's social and economic situation.

Since April 2026 applications for places in the network are made only online in Segurança Social Direta (log in with your NISS or the Chave Móvel Digital), where you can search vacancies by area. Children who turn three between 16 September and 31 December should apply for pre-school.

Pre-school (jardim de infância) is optional and attended from age three.

Children start year 1 in the year they turn six (cut-off date 15 September). You can enrol:

• online on the Portal das Matrículas, or
• in person at the secretariat of the school serving the child's area of residence.

Enrolment renews automatically each year unless the child changes school. If you arrive during the school year, contact the school serving your address about a place.

If your child studied abroad, request equivalence at the school where they will enrol. Enrolment is completed only after equivalence is granted. You usually need:

• the school's equivalence request form;
• official certificates authenticated by an embassy or consulate, or with a Hague Apostille;
• for secondary studies, the subjects taken, final grades and the grading scale;
• official Portuguese translations.

If documents are missing, for example for refugee families, a sworn statement about the schooling completed plus a declaration from a competent body can be accepted.

Recently arrived pupils whose first language is not Portuguese can take Portuguese as a Non-Native Language (PLNM) instead of the standard Portuguese subject, after a placement test, at beginner (A1/A2), intermediate (B1) or advanced (B2/C1) level. A telephone interpreting service for migrants is available on 808 257 257 (landline) or 218 106 191 (mobile).

Child benefit (abono de família para crianças e jovens) is a monthly cash payment from Social Security to support children's upkeep and education. If you apply within six months of the birth, the right starts the month after the birth; otherwise it starts the month after you apply. For children with a foreign nationality, it ends when their residence permit expires, so renew it on time and update Social Security. It also ends if the child stops living in Portugal, and for young people if they are not in education matching their age.

Apply through Social Security (see the gov.pt service page); you will need NISS numbers for the family.