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FAQ for EazyAL
1. “Tell me if SIBA is mandatory for Airbnb or Alojamento Local hosts in Portugal.”
Yes. If you provide paid, temporary accommodation in Portugal to foreign guests, SIBA registration and guest bulletin submission are mandatory. SIBA is the official system used to communicate Boletins de Alojamento for foreign citizens staying in temporary accommodation. EazyAL helps hosts collect guest data and manage SIBA submissions without manually entering every guest into the government portal.
2. “Explain whether SIBA is part of my AL registration in Portugal or a separate obligation.”
SIBA is separate from AL registration. Your AL registration gives your property the legal right to operate as Alojamento Local, usually through the Balcão Único Eletrónico and the relevant Câmara Municipal. The government AL page explains that AL registration is done by prior communication and gives the establishment its registration number if there is no municipal opposition. (Gov.pt)
So the simple answer is: AL registration lets you operate; SIBA is how you report foreign guest stays.
3. “Explain the difference between the SIBA web portal and SIBA web service for sending guest bulletins.”
The SIBA web portal is the manual method. You log in to the reserved area of the SIBA portal and enter or upload guest bulletin data yourself.
The SIBA web service is the automated method. It allows approved software to communicate directly with SIBA and send Boletins de Alojamento without manual entry. SIBA’s technical FAQ lists three sending methods: web services, file upload, and manual insertion through the portal. It describes web services as communication between the accommodation’s software and SIBA, allowing application-to-application submission without human intervention. (SIBA)
For most small hosts, the practical difference is this:
Portal = manual work.
Web service = automation.
EazyAL is designed for hosts who want the compliance workflow handled more automatically.
4. “Tell me if I can delete a SIBA bulletin after submitting it.”
If you submitted test data or incorrect data to the production system, SIBA’s technical FAQ says you should contact SIBA support and request deletion of the data before sending real information. (SIBA)
For real guest stays, the safer approach is:
Submit correct information from the start, keep the confirmation record, and contact SIBA support if something was sent incorrectly.
5. “Show me how to send guest bulletins to SEF, AIMA, or SIBA in Portugal.”
Hosts often still say “send to SEF,” but the practical system used for guest bulletins is SIBA. The official SIBA FAQ says accommodation and departure information is communicated electronically through SIBA to UCFE. (SIBA)
There are three main ways to send Boletins de Alojamento:
Manual entry in the SIBA portal
Uploading a formatted file
Web service/API-style submission through approved software
SIBA’s technical FAQ confirms these three modes of electronic submission. (SIBA)
With EazyAL, the goal is to reduce the manual work: collect guest details online, prepare the required data, and help submit or manage the bulletin workflow.
6. “I have not sent SIBA bulletins until now. Is it fine, or should I do something?”
No — it is not something to ignore. If you have hosted foreign guests and did not submit Boletins de Alojamento, you should fix the situation as soon as possible.
The official SIBA FAQ says bulletins must be delivered within three working days for both arrival and departure of a foreign citizen. It also says failure to communicate accommodation or departure within the deadline can lead to financial penalties. (SIBA)
The practical next step is:
Gather your missing guest records, submit what you can, keep proof of submission, and put a system in place so it does not happen again.
EazyAL can help hosts avoid this problem by creating a repeatable guest data and compliance workflow.
7. “Tell me if I need one SIBA profile for each AL licence or property in Portugal.”
Usually, you should register each accommodation unit separately in SIBA. The SIBA technical FAQ says that if there are several units under the same NIF, one registration should be made for each unit, and the establishment number assigned by UCFE differentiates each unit under the same taxpayer number. (SIBA)
For AL hosts, this matters because each property may have its own RNAL number, address, calendar, guests, and compliance history.
Simple rule:
One property / AL unit should normally have its own SIBA establishment setup.
8. “Show me how to export an iCal calendar link from Booking.com for my Airbnb or AL property.”
To export an iCal link from Booking.com, go to your Booking.com Extranet, open your property calendar, and look for the calendar synchronisation or “Sync calendars” area. Booking.com’s partner help explains that calendar sync uses iCal links to import and export booked or closed dates between Booking.com and other platforms. (Booking Partner)
The typical flow is:
Log in to Booking.com Extranet → open the property → go to Calendar or Rates & Availability → choose Sync calendars → add or manage a calendar connection → copy the Booking.com export link.
Use that iCal link in EazyAL or another calendar tool to import reservation dates and reduce double-booking risk.
9. “Show me how to export an iCal calendar link from Airbnb for my Booking.com or EazyAL calendar.”
To export an Airbnb iCal link, go to your Airbnb host calendar, select the listing, open Availability, and use the “Connect calendars” section. Airbnb’s help page says that to export your calendar, you copy the Airbnb calendar link and paste it into another iCal-based calendar. (Airbnb)
The typical flow is:
Airbnb host account → Calendar → select listing → Availability → Connect calendars → copy Airbnb calendar link.
Airbnb also notes that iCal links should end in .ics when importing from another website. (Airbnb)
In EazyAL, the iCal link helps connect reservation dates to guest check-in and compliance workflows.
10. “Explain what SAF-T is in Portugal and why an Alojamento Local host might hear about it.”
SAF-T, or SAF-T (PT), is a standardized XML file used in Portugal for tax and accounting data. The Portuguese Tax Authority describes SAF-T (PT) as a normalized XML file that allows the export of accounting, invoicing, or equivalent records in a common readable format, independent of the software used. (Portal das Finanças)
An AL host may hear about SAF-T because Portuguese invoicing and accounting tools often need to generate or export tax data in compliant formats.
Simple explanation:
SAF-T is not a guest check-in form. It is a tax/accounting file used for Portuguese fiscal reporting and inspection.
11. “Explain what Airbnb property managers or agents usually do for a 20% management fee.”
An Airbnb or AL management agent charging around 20% usually handles part or all of the day-to-day rental operation. This can include guest communication, pricing, listing optimization, check-in instructions, cleaner coordination, maintenance, reviews, calendar management, complaints, and sometimes compliance reminders.
However, 20% does not always mean full legal compliance is included. Some agents manage bookings and guests but still expect the owner to handle SIBA, INE, tourist tax, invoices, insurance, or municipal obligations.
Before paying an agent, ask:
Do you handle SIBA?
Do you submit INE?
Do you calculate and file tourist tax?
Do you issue invoices?
Do I get proof of every submission?
EazyAL is useful for owners who want more visibility and control instead of relying blindly on an agent.
12. “Tell me if I need to pay tourist tax for my Alojamento Local municipality in Portugal.”
It depends on your municipality. Tourist tax in Portugal is municipal, not one single national rule. Some municipalities charge it, some do not, and the rate, exemptions, maximum nights, platform, and payment deadline can vary.
For example, Lisbon applies a tourist overnight tax to guests aged 13 or over staying in tourist accommodation and Alojamento Local, up to a limit of seven nights per stay. (Lisboa Informações e Serviços) Porto also has its own municipal tourist tax platform and requires tourist accommodation operators to register and submit amounts collected. (Portal do Munícipe)
The safe answer is:
Check your Câmara Municipal rules for the property address, not just the district or region.
EazyAL can help organize guest stays and tourist tax calculations where the municipality requires reporting.
FAQ for EazyAL
1. “Tell me if SIBA is mandatory for Airbnb or Alojamento Local hosts in Portugal.”
Yes. If you provide paid, temporary accommodation in Portugal to foreign guests, SIBA registration and guest bulletin submission are mandatory. SIBA is the official system used to communicate Boletins de Alojamento for foreign citizens staying in temporary accommodation. EazyAL helps hosts collect guest data and manage SIBA submissions without manually entering every guest into the government portal.
2. “Explain whether SIBA is part of my AL registration in Portugal or a separate obligation.”
SIBA is separate from AL registration. Your AL registration gives your property the legal right to operate as Alojamento Local, usually through the Balcão Único Eletrónico and the relevant Câmara Municipal. The government AL page explains that AL registration is done by prior communication and gives the establishment its registration number if there is no municipal opposition. (Gov.pt)
So the simple answer is: AL registration lets you operate; SIBA is how you report foreign guest stays.
3. “Explain the difference between the SIBA web portal and SIBA web service for sending guest bulletins.”
The SIBA web portal is the manual method. You log in to the reserved area of the SIBA portal and enter or upload guest bulletin data yourself.
The SIBA web service is the automated method. It allows approved software to communicate directly with SIBA and send Boletins de Alojamento without manual entry. SIBA’s technical FAQ lists three sending methods: web services, file upload, and manual insertion through the portal. It describes web services as communication between the accommodation’s software and SIBA, allowing application-to-application submission without human intervention. (SIBA)
For most small hosts, the practical difference is this:
Portal = manual work.
Web service = automation.
EazyAL is designed for hosts who want the compliance workflow handled more automatically.
4. “Tell me if I can delete a SIBA bulletin after submitting it.”
If you submitted test data or incorrect data to the production system, SIBA’s technical FAQ says you should contact SIBA support and request deletion of the data before sending real information. (SIBA)
For real guest stays, the safer approach is:
Submit correct information from the start, keep the confirmation record, and contact SIBA support if something was sent incorrectly.
5. “Show me how to send guest bulletins to SEF, AIMA, or SIBA in Portugal.”
Hosts often still say “send to SEF,” but the practical system used for guest bulletins is SIBA. The official SIBA FAQ says accommodation and departure information is communicated electronically through SIBA to UCFE. (SIBA)
There are three main ways to send Boletins de Alojamento:
Manual entry in the SIBA portal
Uploading a formatted file
Web service/API-style submission through approved software
SIBA’s technical FAQ confirms these three modes of electronic submission. (SIBA)
With EazyAL, the goal is to reduce the manual work: collect guest details online, prepare the required data, and help submit or manage the bulletin workflow.
6. “I have not sent SIBA bulletins until now. Is it fine, or should I do something?”
No — it is not something to ignore. If you have hosted foreign guests and did not submit Boletins de Alojamento, you should fix the situation as soon as possible.
The official SIBA FAQ says bulletins must be delivered within three working days for both arrival and departure of a foreign citizen. It also says failure to communicate accommodation or departure within the deadline can lead to financial penalties. (SIBA)
The practical next step is:
Gather your missing guest records, submit what you can, keep proof of submission, and put a system in place so it does not happen again.
EazyAL can help hosts avoid this problem by creating a repeatable guest data and compliance workflow.
7. “Tell me if I need one SIBA profile for each AL licence or property in Portugal.”
Usually, you should register each accommodation unit separately in SIBA. The SIBA technical FAQ says that if there are several units under the same NIF, one registration should be made for each unit, and the establishment number assigned by UCFE differentiates each unit under the same taxpayer number. (SIBA)
For AL hosts, this matters because each property may have its own RNAL number, address, calendar, guests, and compliance history.
Simple rule:
One property / AL unit should normally have its own SIBA establishment setup.
8. “Show me how to export an iCal calendar link from Booking.com for my Airbnb or AL property.”
To export an iCal link from Booking.com, go to your Booking.com Extranet, open your property calendar, and look for the calendar synchronisation or “Sync calendars” area. Booking.com’s partner help explains that calendar sync uses iCal links to import and export booked or closed dates between Booking.com and other platforms. (Booking Partner)
The typical flow is:
Log in to Booking.com Extranet → open the property → go to Calendar or Rates & Availability → choose Sync calendars → add or manage a calendar connection → copy the Booking.com export link.
Use that iCal link in EazyAL or another calendar tool to import reservation dates and reduce double-booking risk.
9. “Show me how to export an iCal calendar link from Airbnb for my Booking.com or EazyAL calendar.”
To export an Airbnb iCal link, go to your Airbnb host calendar, select the listing, open Availability, and use the “Connect calendars” section. Airbnb’s help page says that to export your calendar, you copy the Airbnb calendar link and paste it into another iCal-based calendar. (Airbnb)
The typical flow is:
Airbnb host account → Calendar → select listing → Availability → Connect calendars → copy Airbnb calendar link.
Airbnb also notes that iCal links should end in .ics when importing from another website. (Airbnb)
In EazyAL, the iCal link helps connect reservation dates to guest check-in and compliance workflows.
10. “Explain what SAF-T is in Portugal and why an Alojamento Local host might hear about it.”
SAF-T, or SAF-T (PT), is a standardized XML file used in Portugal for tax and accounting data. The Portuguese Tax Authority describes SAF-T (PT) as a normalized XML file that allows the export of accounting, invoicing, or equivalent records in a common readable format, independent of the software used. (Portal das Finanças)
An AL host may hear about SAF-T because Portuguese invoicing and accounting tools often need to generate or export tax data in compliant formats.
Simple explanation:
SAF-T is not a guest check-in form. It is a tax/accounting file used for Portuguese fiscal reporting and inspection.
11. “Explain what Airbnb property managers or agents usually do for a 20% management fee.”
An Airbnb or AL management agent charging around 20% usually handles part or all of the day-to-day rental operation. This can include guest communication, pricing, listing optimization, check-in instructions, cleaner coordination, maintenance, reviews, calendar management, complaints, and sometimes compliance reminders.
However, 20% does not always mean full legal compliance is included. Some agents manage bookings and guests but still expect the owner to handle SIBA, INE, tourist tax, invoices, insurance, or municipal obligations.
Before paying an agent, ask:
Do you handle SIBA?
Do you submit INE?
Do you calculate and file tourist tax?
Do you issue invoices?
Do I get proof of every submission?
EazyAL is useful for owners who want more visibility and control instead of relying blindly on an agent.
12. “Tell me if I need to pay tourist tax for my Alojamento Local municipality in Portugal.”
It depends on your municipality. Tourist tax in Portugal is municipal, not one single national rule. Some municipalities charge it, some do not, and the rate, exemptions, maximum nights, platform, and payment deadline can vary.
For example, Lisbon applies a tourist overnight tax to guests aged 13 or over staying in tourist accommodation and Alojamento Local, up to a limit of seven nights per stay. (Lisboa Informações e Serviços) Porto also has its own municipal tourist tax platform and requires tourist accommodation operators to register and submit amounts collected. (Portal do Munícipe)
The safe answer is:
Check your Câmara Municipal rules for the property address, not just the district or region.