Blanca and I fell in love with Portugal over the course of our travels. It was easy to fall in love, especially with Lisbon. Each of the neighborhoods in Lisbon has its own spirit, the Portuguese coffee is incredible, the cost of living in Portugal is low, and the people here are wonderful. We started coming here 6 years ago and it seemed every time that our 3-month tourist visa expired, we wanted to stay. On the last trip back to New York, I leaned over to Blanca and said:
So with that free movement, you do not have to leave Europe every 90-days. You also get to begin the process towards EU citizenship.
We had to wait 2 months for our appointment since the embassy was pretty booked (Portugal is quite popular now). Once you go in for your appointment they legally have 30-days to approve or reject you. We literally got it on day 30. So assume that it will be 3-months for the whole process. What you need to bring to the Portugal D7 Residency Visa appointment: – Completed Application for Schengen Visa – Application Fee: $96 Money order (payable to the Consulate General of Portugal) – Proof of Health Insurance – You must have a minimum of €30,000 coverage. – Proof of financial means: You can bring your 401k or bank account or investment account. To be eligible, you must make foreign income or pensions amounting to €6,684 for 1 adult, €3,342 Euros for the second adult, and €2,005 per kid. This changes so it’s probably higher now. You must provide 6-months of bank statements. 
– One (45mm x 35mm) Color headshots on white background – You have to have a normal face no smile. Mine looks like crap. – FBI Criminal Record Certificate with Apostille (To receive this you have to send the FBI a notarize fingerprints. You can go to your local police precinct they will do it for you for a small fee. We went to the US Embassy. If you google around there are companies that will do it also for you. Also, note this is only valid for 90-days. So best bet is to get your appointment with the consulate first then once you have a date get the fingerprints.) – A copy of your main passport page – The one with the photo and your numbers and stuff. I just copied all just in case. – A Copy of marriage certificate if going with a spouse – Your children’s birth certificate if you are going with a kid – If they are under 15 they don’t need an FBI background check. Lucky them! – A Notarized Personal Statement – This pretty much is a letter saying why you want to move to Portugal. Keep it short and to the point. Ours said that we loved the country, wanted to learn the language (taking classes twice a week now), that I run a startup and that one day I want to buy property in Portugal – Proof of housing while in Portugal – We booked a hotel, but this is no longer acceptable. The new requirement is that you have a 6-month lease that is registered at the AT (it’s the equivalent of the IRS). This will make things more challenging as most Portuguese people won’t do short-term leases. It’s doable but challenging. – Proof of flight to Portugal – This one was tricky we had to make an assumption when we would get approved. So we set our flight exactly 40 days after our interview at the consulate.
What Happens Once You Get Approved When day 30 hits you will receive an email with instructions for you to the consulate for them to give you a sticker which will go on your passport allowing you 3-months in Portugal. This sticker will give you a certain amount of exits from Schengen area. We only got two. So in the 3-months, you cannot leave Schengen area for more than what is allowed. Once we got the approval we flew to Portugal and began setting up our lives. One of the important things is you must call the SEF (Serviço De Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) in your city and make another appointment for the second extension. If you are in Lisbon you call +351 808 202 653. When you call, listen to the whole message, then press 2. They will have someone who will speak English. Expect to spend 60 minutes on the phone – minimum. When we got a live English speaking person, we told them we had the 3-month visa and that we wanted to get the full 1-year residency visa. The woman on the phone then gave us an appointment. Some of our friends who went to a lawyer to do this got an appointment in 3 weeks. We did it ourselves and the appointment was 6 months later. Crazy, I know. Just know you are allowed to stay in Schengen while you wait for your appointment. So don’t freak out. The person on the phone will ask for your email. You will get an email from the SEF with the time and date of your appointment. I would print it out and save a screenshot on your phone. In Portugal, print out and copy everything – this will make your life easier. They are paper obsessed. Even if you don’t think you need something, bring it anyways. What to Do While You Wait for Your Appointment You will need to get a NIF (Portuguese tax number), a bank account, and the NHR status (Non-Habitual Resident..aka not a tax resident so you don’t get double taxed). I will write the process to get both on another blog. All these are easy to do, but also quite easy to mess up.
“Let’s just make Lisbon our home and stop this leaving every 90 days.”She agreed and we decided to begin the process for a residency visa. It’s not a fun process but once it’s done and you pass your interview you are eligible to stay in Portugal for a year. So, it is totally worth it. I decided to put together a quick guide on how to get residency in Portugal. The Portugal Schengen Residence Visa is by far the easiest way to stay in Portugal. This is specifically for Americans who are looking to relocate to Portugal. I am not familiar with the process for those making the move from other countries but I am sure some of this process can help if you are not coming from the US. You can use this guide to see the experience we had during the process but know that the process changes from time to time. If it does I will attempt to update this blog post. You can always follow our Complete Guide to Living in Portugal to get other ideas on how to do basic stuff in the country. It is growing daily.
Why get the Portugal D7 Residency Visa
With the D7 visa, it allows you free movement in the Eurozone. So with that free movement, you do not have to leave Europe every 90-days. You also get to begin the process towards EU citizenship.How to get the Portugal D7 Residency Visa
Prerequisites -You must be in your home country to apply -Must have the financial means to support yourself -Pay the related fees (I will break those down later) -If applying for a work visa you must have a work contract Who can apply? – Retirees – Independent living – Startup owners or small business owners – Investors (If you invest €500,000 you can be eligible for the Golden Visa Program) – To establish themselves as independent professionals in their field How Much Does the Portugal D7 Residency Visa Cost? The total cost for the D7 Residency visa for both of us was about $256 ($128 each), plus $50 for an FBI background check and €158 each for the residency card We also paid $70 to Accurate Biometrics for an expediter service to speed up the background check and €60 to the US Embassy in Lisbon to get my fingerprints. Worth every penny. We have some logical stuff like printing, getting notaries (You can get stuff notarized online). In total each of us paid about $600 for everything. How Long Does the FBI Background Check Take? If you send the request to the FBI directly, it takes 4 months. If you pay the $70 to speed up the process it takes 3 days. So, it’s a no-brainer, expedite the background check so you don’t waste time. How to Apply Online for your Portugal D7 Residency Visa We applied online with the Portuguese Consulate in Newark which is our local consulate. This was our local one since we reside in NJ. You have to go to the embassy associated with your main mailing address. You can see the list here to identify which consulate would be best for you. We had to wait 2 months for our appointment since the embassy was pretty booked (Portugal is quite popular now). Once you go in for your appointment they legally have 30-days to approve or reject you. We literally got it on day 30. So assume that it will be 3-months for the whole process. What you need to bring to the Portugal D7 Residency Visa appointment: – Completed Application for Schengen Visa – Application Fee: $96 Money order (payable to the Consulate General of Portugal) – Proof of Health Insurance – You must have a minimum of €30,000 coverage. – Proof of financial means: You can bring your 401k or bank account or investment account. To be eligible, you must make foreign income or pensions amounting to €6,684 for 1 adult, €3,342 Euros for the second adult, and €2,005 per kid. This changes so it’s probably higher now. You must provide 6-months of bank statements. – One (45mm x 35mm) Color headshots on white background – You have to have a normal face no smile. Mine looks like crap. – FBI Criminal Record Certificate with Apostille (To receive this you have to send the FBI a notarize fingerprints. You can go to your local police precinct they will do it for you for a small fee. We went to the US Embassy. If you google around there are companies that will do it also for you. Also, note this is only valid for 90-days. So best bet is to get your appointment with the consulate first then once you have a date get the fingerprints.) – A copy of your main passport page – The one with the photo and your numbers and stuff. I just copied all just in case. – A Copy of marriage certificate if going with a spouse – Your children’s birth certificate if you are going with a kid – If they are under 15 they don’t need an FBI background check. Lucky them! – A Notarized Personal Statement – This pretty much is a letter saying why you want to move to Portugal. Keep it short and to the point. Ours said that we loved the country, wanted to learn the language (taking classes twice a week now), that I run a startup and that one day I want to buy property in Portugal – Proof of housing while in Portugal – We booked a hotel, but this is no longer acceptable. The new requirement is that you have a 6-month lease that is registered at the AT (it’s the equivalent of the IRS). This will make things more challenging as most Portuguese people won’t do short-term leases. It’s doable but challenging. – Proof of flight to Portugal – This one was tricky we had to make an assumption when we would get approved. So we set our flight exactly 40 days after our interview at the consulate.Complete Approval Form for Portugal Background checkOnce you have all this stuff together and go for your appointment, the Embassy will forward the package to the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) back in Portugal. Then you just wait for the 30-days to hear back.
What Happens Once You Get Approved When day 30 hits you will receive an email with instructions for you to the consulate for them to give you a sticker which will go on your passport allowing you 3-months in Portugal. This sticker will give you a certain amount of exits from Schengen area. We only got two. So in the 3-months, you cannot leave Schengen area for more than what is allowed. Once we got the approval we flew to Portugal and began setting up our lives. One of the important things is you must call the SEF (Serviço De Estrangeiros e Fronteiras) in your city and make another appointment for the second extension. If you are in Lisbon you call +351 808 202 653. When you call, listen to the whole message, then press 2. They will have someone who will speak English. Expect to spend 60 minutes on the phone – minimum. When we got a live English speaking person, we told them we had the 3-month visa and that we wanted to get the full 1-year residency visa. The woman on the phone then gave us an appointment. Some of our friends who went to a lawyer to do this got an appointment in 3 weeks. We did it ourselves and the appointment was 6 months later. Crazy, I know. Just know you are allowed to stay in Schengen while you wait for your appointment. So don’t freak out. The person on the phone will ask for your email. You will get an email from the SEF with the time and date of your appointment. I would print it out and save a screenshot on your phone. In Portugal, print out and copy everything – this will make your life easier. They are paper obsessed. Even if you don’t think you need something, bring it anyways. What to Do While You Wait for Your Appointment You will need to get a NIF (Portuguese tax number), a bank account, and the NHR status (Non-Habitual Resident..aka not a tax resident so you don’t get double taxed). I will write the process to get both on another blog. All these are easy to do, but also quite easy to mess up.What to Expect at Your First Portuguese D7 Residency Visa AppointmentAt the Appointment When you go to your next appointment, bring all the paperwork you have. Not the fingerprints but everything else. Also, bring Euros with you to pay the €158 fee. Then they will mail you your residence card in a few weeks. That’s it, you’re a resident. Once you’re approved, you will have to renew after a year. The next renewal will give you 2-years. Then next one after that is for another 2-years. Once you are in Portugal as a resident of 5-years, you can begin the EU citizenship process or apply to be a Permanent resident. Just note you will probably have to speak Level 1 Portuguese to pass the citizenship exam. To reiterate the process:
- Get an appointment with your local consulate
- Get fingerprints
- Get FBI background check
- Get flight/hotel/health insurance
- Print out all documents (Application, Bank statement, Personal Letter)
- Get documents notarized as needed
- Go to appointment
- Hand in paperwork and pay fees
- Come back 30-day later to get the sticker on passport
- Fly to Portugal
- Within 4-months set up the next appointment with SEF
- Bask in the fun that is Portugal
Frequently Asked Questions
I had a few people ask some questions about the process so I decided to add this section. How long is the visa process from start to finish? For me it was about 10-months because I was traveling so I needed to get fingerprints, paperwork, travel back to the USA, go to the appointment, then come to Portugal, make section appointment, wait 6 months because it was only one they had then go into my final appointment. My FBI background check (valid for 3-months) had expired so I had to get it done again, so that slowed me down some. How long was the Portuguese visa process once I handed in my paperwork to the consulate? From what I understand by EU law it has to be processed in 30-days. So literally on day 30, I got an email saying to come to the consulate and receive my visa extension. Do I have to give them my passport during the process? No. You just need to make copies of the main pages of your passport during the process. We did leave the passport in Newark with them for 1-day so they could put the stamp on it. They were busy and we didn’t want to wait for 8-hours in the waiting area. We came in next day and a shiny new stamp was on the passport. How much money do I need to be eligible for the visa? Outside of the initial fees you need a certain amount of savings to sustain you for your 1-year visa, for Portugal it’s €75 for entry and exit the country and 40€ per day. So about €14,600. But you can have that in credit cards, bank accounts or retirement funds. How much health insurance coverage do I need for the Schengen visa? You need insurance for minimum coverage of €30,000 ($50,000). We got ours by Cigna. When you come to Portugal and get your NIF there are much cheaper Portuguese health insurance options. So that’s it. The process is pretty easy, but to get all the paperwork together and go through the “hoops” you have to have a lot of patience and remember to print everything. Dealing with the consulate in the US is great. Nice people and very helpful. I wish you good luck in your residency process. Enjoy Portugal.Portuguese D7 Visa Renewal Appointments
I will be updating these after going to them.- 1st D7 Visa Appointment (must be scheduled as soon as you arrive in Portugal, gives you 1 year to stay in Portugal)
- 2nd D7 Visa Appointment(must be scheduled about 3 months after you get your extension, gives you 2 more years to stay in Portugal)
Great Article!
I am currently applying for my residency Visa as well. I would like to know about once you had the appointment with SEF and submitted the documents, how long did you wait to get your residency card? Also, did SEF confirm that all the documents we’re satisfactory and that the residency card had been confirmed and issued via email correspondence?
Thanks.
It was 30-days after you apply for the first 4-months visa. They will email you with the needed for your final meeting.
Can you explain how the process works for couples? It is very confusing – for the four month visa, we have to go to two appointments but our income/financial resources are shared. And it’s unclear if we can go together in Portugal, and if we need both names on a bank account in Portugal.
Unless you are married you are considered two separate people. So have them print out your bank funds and you do the same. In our letter to Portugal I mentioned we both own businesses together and also joint accounts. But yes you will have to have 2 separate appointments. They usually are within 30 minutes of one another. Also if one of you speaks more Portuguese they can come with you to the appointment. It’s very little stress really…just the phone and bureaucratic wait is a bit rough.
Hey, Antonio super helpful! Only other thing I can think of is- is there a minimum time the passport must be valid until? For example, I know usually traveling beyeeen countries they say that your passport must be at least 6 months before the expiry date to be able to fly. Thank you again!
Your passport must be valid 3-months beyond the stay of a short term visa but for the long term it must be valid for the whole time. You can renew your passport online and/or get a second one if you need. They make exceptions for second passports when dealing with foreign visa requirements. So might be a good time to get a duplicate just in case.
Great website with very useful stuff here – thanks for doing this.
I’ve been in Lisbon for a few weeks now with a residence visa, and I’ve made my appointment with SEF on the phone. They didn’t ask for an e-mail address – they gave me an appointment date and time right there on the phone. The appointment is about four months out.
So my question – what’s the magic way to get an NIF without going through an expensive service? Portugal now requires a ‘fiscal representative’ for the process of getting the NIF – it’s no longer possible just to go to the Financas and ask for one by yourself. And the services I see online want about 500 €, which seems a bit much for something so simple. Is there some way around this?
Hi Tom. As far as I know, there’s no way around it. You can ask a Portuguese friend (or another Portuguese national) to go with you to the SEF, but that will not get you the Non-habitual NIF (which has great benefits to expats). That’s one place where I have not found an alternative. There is a service if you just want to get the NIF, but you’ll eventually have to pay a lawyer to get it changed to Non-habitual. W It’s http://mocoderecados.com/en – they’re great all around for helping with tedious tasks.
I already have work permit of Poland. Ican come to Portugal on that permit. Can I apply D7 visa in Portugal directly?
Not really sure how things work across borders with work permits, perhaps the SEF website can point you in the right direction there. For the D7 visa, you have to be in your home country to apply – at least the last I checked.
I am very much impressed by your article, I also want some information on my case,could you please? I am a non eu resident. Now I am in Lisbon, I was a student of a schengen country but now it’s expired. In this point how can I get a Portuguese residency permit? Please suggest. Thanks!
> FBI Criminal Record Certificate with Apostille
It would be clearer to say the State Dept, not the FBI, issues Apostilles. From the FBI site:
“Documents authenticated by the FBI may then be sent to the U.S. Department of State by the requestor to obtain an apostille if necessary. ”
https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks
Thanks Dan. I will update the article. I honestly didn’t know difference.
Do you know an immigration lawyer in Portugal (Lisbon) that help me for Visa D7? Thanks
Which country are you coming from?
Hi Antonio,
thanks for the info…
I just wondering do you know any immigration lawyer that we can refer to??? do you have any idea how much would be the roughly cost??
loiking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convinience.
Thank you for your anticipation.
The price ranges but I’ve seen 500 – 1200 Euros usually. The higher priced ones actually are quite better. Google around in your country for “advogados em lisboa para imigração”. The better ones will do a skype call with you. If they won’t they probably too old to understand how to support your needs. Good luck!
Dear Antonio,
Thanks for your prompt reply… I really appreciated ir.
Hi, thank you for an interesting blog, appreciate the time and energy that went to it. Quick question – the proof of income should have a form of monthly payments (dividents, interest etc.) or just showing the sum that will cover all the expected expences for the required 5 years until perm residency will suffice?
Did you hear anything about it?
They require trailing 6-months accounts. So print out your last 6 -month statement showing you meet the mean of subsistence for Portugal I believe is 40 euros a day but the rates change. I will try and look up and update the article.
Thank you, I have not found detailed information so far on this subject. If you come across something, please let us all know. Thank you!
For the D7 visa, are you applying for the Schengen visa or a specific Portugal visa? The San Fran consulate has two applications and I’m not sure which is correct.
Hey Tyler. D7 is the Schengen Visa. That’s the code for it.
I am applying for the D7 Visa and wonder about – Authorization of access to the Portuguese criminal record by the Aliens and Border Service (SEF – Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras); I can’t find anything anywhere and wonder if I can just write a letter and get notarized or there is a form for this?
When you go into ur interview they will ask you for a fee to do the background check. About $95. This is part of the process of the 30 day wait.
Hi Antonio. A wonderful article and thank you for taking the time to write it. A couple of questions if I may.
1. Can I assume that the initial visa application (in the country you are departing) kicks off the residency visa process which the SEF simply confirms and finalises the process once you have an interview? I ask as if appointments take months to organise I am confused about the timing.
2. Can D7 holders do work such as run a bed and breakfast
3. How long must you spend in Portugal each year to keep the visa alive. (Our plan is to spend six months and alternate with our home in Philippines)
4. While the SEF are processing the residency visa can you travel throughout the Shengen region?
Once again thanks for a wonderful article. I owe you a beer.
Cheers. David
Hey David,
To answer your questions:
1. Can I assume that the initial visa application (in the country you are departing) kicks off the residency visa process which the SEF simply confirms and finalises the process once you have an interview? I ask as if appointments take months to organise I am confused about the timing.
Yes once you are approved in your home country the next process is pretty much a formality. But you will need to do the proof of a lease/ownership, register for taxes, show proof of income again, and proof of health care. So most of paperwork you did before.
2. Can D7 holders do work such as run a bed and breakfast
It’s not a work permit. That is another application process. But yes it appears if you own a place or get a commercial lease you can run a business. You will have to do paperwork if you get employees and register the business with the City.
3. How long must you spend in Portugal each year to keep the visa alive. (Our plan is to spend six months and alternate with our home in Philippines).
We got warned at our meeting that they need a receipt for every month for the first year in portugal for the visa to stay valid. So proof of NIF used on purchases and proof of paying taxes.
4. While the SEF are processing the residency visa can you travel throughout the Shengen region?
Yep! That’s the best part. Free movement. YAH! Only thing is once you leve shengen you only have a certain number of entries out of Portugal. So look on the stamp they place on your passport stating the amount of entries.
We are getting ready to launch a private section for people wanting contact with local lawyers, realtors, language coaches, locals, and a few other tidbits. I will make sure to include you in the invite list.
Hi Antonio,
Really helpful blog. I have a question about taxes.
You mentioned “proof you paid taxes”.
Do you pay taxes in Portugal for the money you transfer to Portugal from the US every month? What is the tax rate?
As a tax resident, I also understand you pay taxes over all income abroad. is this correct?
Thank you.
Marcelo
I am not a tax attorney so I cannot really say to your specific income level. Portugal does have treaties with other countries to stop double taxation. Also there is the NHR regime if you are eligible. You can read about it here:
How to get the NHR in Portugal
This is fabulous – thank you!
What do you do about the account numbers on your bank statements? Is it OK to white them out for security purposes?
Hi,
Did you need to translate your documents for the Visa?
Thanks
Hi Antonio,
I’m moving to Lisbon to begin my 4 month period in which I will apply for the residency card. Does my first entry to Portugal with the 4 month visa count as one of the 2 entries?
Thank you for this blog, really helpful!
Hi Laura, We were given 2 exits out of the country during the first residency stay not counting the first entry into Portugal. Double check with your local Portuguese embassy/consulate. Laws are changing quickly here. Congrats on the move!
Nope. Did not need to get them translated.
Hi Antonio
Thanks for this informative guide. Could you provide me the source for the minimum income requirements? i.e. this line
> You can bring your 401k or bank account or investment account. To be eligible, you must make foreign income or pensions amounting to €6,684 for 1 adult, €3,342 Euros for the second adult, and €2,005 per kid.
I’ve been told its just 1.5x the minimum wage. Minimum wage right now is €600/mo so it would be €900 per person.
I live now in Vienna with Student Visa. I have a fix income and I want to change my Visa and going to Portuguese. May I apply here in Vienna or I have to go my home land or I can go with my visa to Lisbon and then apply for the resident permit?
I look forward to hearing from you
Dear antonio
Very very nice guide.thanks a lot
My question is:
I have visa type c from france emmbassy andcan come to lisbon as well with it .if i come there directly can i start for visa type d7or d2.?
2-if yes and can give my document and deliver them should i saty until they reply me ?
3-if i have 10000 € in my acount in warsaw is it a prove for them that i am elgible to saty in portgual on my own fund and mony.?
Best wishes
Bom Dia! António e Buena,
I can’t thank you enough for your very informative blog!
I have be a couple of questions:
1) I am currently in Miami breach but will be going to DC by end of month, seems it would be easier since the consulate is there. I need clarification on the lease, if technically once approved &as you said it’s hard to get a 4 month lease, where do I go in the meantime while they are processing the residency? Can you recommend a valid leasing agency there or at least a link. Do I have to go back to USA or go to a non Schengen country while I wait?
2)I was married for 24 yrs to a Brazilian, so luckily I do speak Portuguese or at least communicate& read. Proof of income partly pays me alimony monthly stair step for 20 yrs+ I’m disabled ( but live independently) so I do get permanent income direct deposited by SSI to my account k3%increase@yr for std of living) on both and is sufficient for the requirements. I also have IRA portfolio that is in 6 figures (annuities that guarantee 6% even if market falls) only time US IRS requires me to get a minimum amount at age 62&1/2-I’m 57 in July. So my Q is where should I go after the 180 days? This one is the”Tricky”part bec I’m confused if I need to go back to US or nearer outside Schengen country, and getting a short term lease is almost impossible here in US plus if minimum contract lease is 6 months there that would mean I will be paying double rent& one of the reasons I want to move to Portugal is that I can stretch my money more.
When am I allowed to return&what other paperwork will I need?
3) You had adviced in the FBI clearance that it is worth it to get an agent to expedite for a fee you said approximately$70; I get it in 3 days instead of the 4 month normal time it takes them- can you actually give me a reliable agent that can do this for me or at least how to find one? I’ve been”scammed before” luckily in Florence the Instituto Italiano referred me&the location couldn’t have been better as my duplex was right in front of the Uffizi gallery, Piazza Senorina&on my right was the Ponte Vecchio! I almost knew all the locals!
4) In the personal notarized statement of why I want to move there; do you think it will make a difference that I speak the language, lived& had a prior residency in Brazil? Also only by sheer coincidence my cousin is now ambassador to Portugal from the Philippines( she can check the apt for me) should I include those details?
5) How long will it take me to actually get my residency?
A little tidbit about myself- I was born in Philippines, now a naturalized US citizen, lived in 4 continents(last being 4 months in Florence, Italy 2016 can converse in 8 languages esp the romance like Portuguese, Spanish&Italian.
While in Lisbon(I’m quite familiar with the bureaucracy as it’s the same in Brazil). While in Lisboa I will actually be able to check exactly which seaside will best suit my need for tranquility while I write my blog&memoirs.
Your prompt&informative response is heartily appreciated.
Julia
Hi Julia,
1) I am currently in Miami breach but will be going to DC by end of month, seems it would be easier since the consulate is there. I need clarification on the lease, if technically once approved &as you said it’s hard to get a 4 month lease, where do I go in the meantime while they are processing the residency? Can you recommend a valid leasing agency there or at least a link. Do I have to go back to USA or go to a non Schengen country while I wait?
When we did our application, we had to do the process in our state of residency. I don’t know if things have changed, so check that before you make your plans. There are some realtors that will work with you. A friend of our is working with Remax right now, Ariana. They seem to like her. I will try to get you the contact info for her. You will need to pick up your passport with the visa stamp once approved, so it will probably be more convenient that you stick around near your consulate city.
2)I was married for 24 yrs to a Brazilian, so luckily I do speak Portuguese or at least communicate& read. Proof of income partly pays me alimony monthly stair step for 20 yrs+ I’m disabled ( but live independently) so I do get permanent income direct deposited by SSI to my account k3%increase@yr for std of living) on both and is sufficient for the requirements. I also have IRA portfolio that is in 6 figures (annuities that guarantee 6% even if market falls) only time US IRS requires me to get a minimum amount at age 62&1/2-I’m 57 in July. So my Q is where should I go after the 180 days? This one is the”Tricky”part bec I’m confused if I need to go back to US or nearer outside Schengen country, and getting a short term lease is almost impossible here in US plus if minimum contract lease is 6 months there that would mean I will be paying double rent& one of the reasons I want to move to Portugal is that I can stretch my money more.
When am I allowed to return&what other paperwork will I need?
You may be able to do an Airnbn somewhere…or maybe check craigslist to see if someone needs a part-time roommate.
3) You had adviced in the FBI clearance that it is worth it to get an agent to expedite for a fee you said approximately$70; I get it in 3 days instead of the 4 month normal time it takes them- can you actually give me a reliable agent that can do this for me or at least how to find one? I’ve been”scammed before” luckily in Florence the Instituto Italiano referred me&the location couldn’t have been better as my duplex was right in front of the Uffizi gallery, Piazza Senorina&on my right was the Ponte Vecchio! I almost knew all the locals!
4) In the personal notarized statement of why I want to move there; do you think it will make a difference that I speak the language, lived& had a prior residency in Brazil? Also only by sheer coincidence my cousin is now ambassador to Portugal from the Philippines( she can check the apt for me) should I include those details?
Yup Accurate Biometrics was great. I’m not a huge fan of realtors, so I found my place on my own. Outlined most of the process here: https://blancavalbuena.com/rent-an-apartment-in-lisbon/
5) How long will it take me to actually get my residency?
Took us exactly 30 days from the day we applied. Mind you this was our experience, for you it may be more…may be less.
A little tidbit about myself- I was born in Philippines, now a naturalized US citizen, lived in 4 continents(last being 4 months in Florence, Italy 2016 can converse in 8 languages esp the romance like Portuguese, Spanish&Italian.
While in Lisbon(I’m quite familiar with the bureaucracy as it’s the same in Brazil). While in Lisboa I will actually be able to check exactly which seaside will best suit my need for tranquility while I write my blog&memoirs.
Your prompt&informative response is heartily appreciated.
Julia
Thank you so much Blanca¡
I will definitely go to your site re apto! I’ll be flying to DC since the jurisdictions of Flat is actually there. I still need some info on reliable channelersbthat can exoadute the FBI clearances, can you refer one?
On Q regarding the qip days visa or y months you think there would ba an apt around Sept that would give me a y month lease. Also, still confused regarding what happens after y months? Do O move back to US, wait another (not sure how long-if you can give me incites on this it would truly be a life saver; should I rent in an non Euro country? Truly zi would prefer to just stay in Lisboa forvy months; enough time for me to discover which coastal town will suit my needs ( I’m a writer/blogger, and of course it would he cheaper than the touristic Porto or A grave.
If your actually in miasmi beach !maybe we could actually meet so I will feel more secure. I
Honestly I have been protected all my life and first time to venture into this dream of mine ( bucket list). I know he pace, tranquility and gorgeousness of Portugal is so very ME!
You can email me directly.
Respectfully, Julia G. De Araujo
For the FBI Background check – try http://www.accuratebiometrics.com
Monthly leases are rare here. Rents tend to be long-term 2-5 years since owners need to pay a 23% fee to the realtor and I believe 25% in taxes to Portugal. Your best bet for short-term (anything under a year) is Airbnb. I have tons of info here on how to find an apartment in Lisbon: https://blancavalbuena.com/rent-an-apartment-in-lisbon/
When you arrive once you are approved, you need to go to the SEF and ask for an appointment. You can stay in Portugal until the date of your appointment and as long as everything goes well, your visa will be extended for a year as of that date. Check with the Consulate just in case there have been any changes in this over the past month.
***When you get your Portuguese Visa, the Portuguese government expects you to reside in Portugal. Once you get approved before arriving, you will be told how many times you are allowed to leave Portugal (usually 2) before your renewal date.
You’re going to love PT!
Hello! Thank you for all the great info. My wife and I are moving to Lisbon in 3 weeks. We are American, but have been living in Thailand for the past 4 months. We plan to enroll in a university language program to get a student visa- Are you familiar with this process? Will we need to return to the US to get our visas or can we apply while in Portugal?
Thanks again!
Your blog – especially this post – is incredibly inspirational. Thank you!
Will be aplying as American, with long-term residency in Schengen country already
Really confused because embasy over here hasn’t said anything about a personal statement being needed. Also, they haven’t said anything about the 6-month time for rentals, or even minimum $ amounts.
Tried asking repeatedly, but haven’t gotten an answer.
About ready to get an ulcer over this – so would love your advice
Do you have any idea too, on how applications work, when you’re already a resident in a Schegen country?
I have a friend who is applying now, US citizen living in South America and he was told that he must have a 6-month lease signed prior to submitting his application. The personal statement has been a requirement for a while, although being a resident of the EU, things may be different for you, so in your case, it may be a good idea to speak with an expeditor. This is a reputable company that offers this kind of service and could consult properly http://eimigrante.pt/pt/
Congrats on your choice to come to Lisbon. Unfortunately, no info on the student visa. Perhaps you can call the consulate and find out.
Sooo…what I found on Google – and I am not a lawyer – so I would still recommend getting info straight from the Portuguese govt: You must apply at your home country and the visa must be approved before you travel to Portugal.
Hello Antonio and Blanca. Thanks for this wonderful article about D7 Visa for Portugal.
Me and my wife want to go to Portugal for living, and I have a question, because I don’t understand this part.
Do we need to have €6,684.00 + €3,342.00 = € 10,026.00 in bank to get Visa approved for a year or we need to prove we receive a income (€6,684.00 + €3,342.00)/12 = €835.00 every month accessible in Portugal?
Thanks
We wrote this piece when we applied last year. I was recently told by a friend who applied that the requirements recently changed. Each household must have the following as a means of livelihood for the 12-month period €8,120 for the first adult, €4,060 for additional adults and €2,436 for kids under 18. Obviously, the more money you have to show the better, but if you can prove steady income you may still get approved. Good luck on the application.
Thank you Blanca.
Any time.
Thank you a lot for your great information.
I have few questions about this D7 programe.
1. Why doesn’t Portugal government public widely this program as Golden visa program? I can not find it from Government websites?
2. Comparing to Golden visa, this program is a lot better in term of money saving. What are the main advantage points if Portugal Government wants to call for investors to invest to their country to get Golden visa in return?
3. Is there any commitment from Government for the visa extension times with our proof of finance and proof of taxes? Each time you need to get interview and they will decide Yes or No? If they say No for some reason, we have to return our country?
4. In order to prove our income in our home country, do they require tax evidence or just 6 month bank statements?
Thank you so much for your information.
Hi Paolo,
Not sure. Can’t speak for the Portuguese government, but there is information on it on the Portuguese Consulate website.
I’d say it’s an influx of people with wealth to spend when it comes to D7. As for the Golden Visa, there are plenty of benefits for Portugal – for example, the city is looking a lot prettier. However, it is driving rental and property prices up which is an issue for locals.
Things can always change and there is always a chance you will be declined. I would assume if someone is declined they need to leave Portugal. That can mean going back to their home country or doing some travel.
We submitted tax statements, bank statements, and other financial docs.
Hi Antonia and Blanca,
Awesome article! This has more information about the residency visa in one spot that I have seen anywhere else!
I had questions about your timeline since from your post it seems like you started the application process from within Portugal (getting fingerprinted in Lisbon). My husband and I will be moving to Lisbon for 3-6 months in a couple weeks and are going just on the Schengen tourist visa (maybe with an extension) to start, but have begun looking into how to upgrade to a residency visa.
-Have you heard if there’s any way to apply for the residency visa from within Portugal? Maybe with a lawyer?
-What parts of the process (from your 12 step process 🙂 ) did you start from Portugal?
-If you were in Portugal to start, did that help you find a short-term lease quicker? If you are looking for a lease to satisfy the visa requirements, how did you know when your start date should be?
-At what point in the process did you go back to the states and how long did you stay? I know it took you 30 days to get your visa, were you in New Jersey the whole time? Did you make your initial consulate appointment with the New Jersey consulate from within Portugal?
-Any suggestions for keeping time in US to a minimum to complete all of this?
Thank you in advance for any pointers!
Kate
Hi Kate,
Thanks for checking out our article 🙂
-Have you heard if there’s any way to apply for the residency visa from within Portugal? Maybe with a lawyer? – As far as I know, you need to apply in your home country. We just had the fingerprinting done at the Embassy to speed up the process since we were here.
-What parts of the process (from your 12 step process ) did you start from Portugal? – Just the Fingerprints and some of the paperwork.
-If you were in Portugal to start, did that help you find a short-term lease quicker? If you are looking for a lease to satisfy the visa requirements, how did you know when your start date should be? – When we applied, you could use a short-term rental (we had 45 days). That has since changed to a 6 month lease that is registered with the city. We had friends just complete the process and they had a realtor find them a place. They winged it. The approval process takes between 30-45 days, so they started their lease 30 days from the date they submitted the application. If you’re looking for an apartment, this is a good piece to get you started: https://blancavalbuena.com/rent-an-apartment-in-lisbon/
-At what point in the process did you go back to the states and how long did you stay? I know it took you 30 days to get your visa, were you in New Jersey the whole time? Did you make your initial consulate appointment with the New Jersey consulate from within Portugal? We did constant travel, so we gave ourselves 2 months at home to apply. We had to time the application date, enough time to get approved/rejected and enough time to get our passport back. Don’t remember when we made the appointment, but we made it online.
-Any suggestions for keeping time in US to a minimum to complete all of this?
Make yourself a timeline that helps you estimate how long things will take. Then give yourself a little wiggle room. As Lisbon becomes more popular, times may be a bit longer…so wiggle room is important.
Good luck. Update me when you’re done with the process 🙂
Hi..
Great article!
I was wondering if you know if it is an issue if you own a business in a different country to live there?
i.e would they want that business to get a business registration in Portugal as well and run any funds thru there?
Thanks!
Hi,
Thank you for this great article.
I am 42, I work remotely for a company in software.
I earn around 8,000$ per month. Its a fixed income from that company.
Am I eligible to get D7 visa?
Do I need to give embassy the letter from my company for the income or I can only show only 6 months bank statement with enough savings like around 50,000$?
Looking forward to your reply.
You need to check with the Portuguese embassy of your country of citizenship. I have Indian, Chilean and Colombian friends who have all done the process and it is a little different for everyone. You probably would be eligible, but it it is always good to get the most updated info direct from the source. We had to show bank statements to prove our income. Good luck on the app 🙂
Always check with your tax attorney, but you should be able to run a business elsewhere. I would recommend that you consult a tax attorney in your country as well as a Portuguese tax attorney to review your tax liability for the business. You may be eligible for NHR, which makes certain kinds of income not taxable in Portugal (example – real estate & retirement funds). I have more detailed information on that here: https://blancavalbuena.com/portuguese-non-habitual-tax-residency/
Dear Blanca,
First of all, thank you very much for all this information and for being dedicated enouh to answer peoples’ questions. I have a question that is really casuing me worry. It has been asked a few times above, but not really answered. It is this…
I am self-employed and retired. I have no retirement income or other income, but I DO have close to 1,300,000 saved up in a bank account.
I plan on immigrating with my wife, so we need to show at least 12,000 euros for the first year.
But how is income judged in these cases? Do they look for income only? Is a million dollars stacked in a savings account enough for them for the five year period? Or do we have to have some sort of financial instrument showing we receive at least 12,000 euros a year?
In other words, how do they calculate minimum income?
A second question: the Golden Visa charges a huge amount to renew the visa. What are the renewal costs for the D7? 2500 euros per person like the Golden Visa? Or less?
Thanks for being so dedicated to keeping this blog going!
Hi Steve,
As you know, I am not a lawyer, but it seems your resources are fine. I would highly recommend that you speak to a tax attorney in the US and in Lisbon to plan your finances properly. If you haven’t lived in Portugal before as a tax resident for the 5 previous years you may be eligible so that you don’t get double taxed on certain types of income.
The first renewal of the D7 was about 100 euros (I’m working off of memory – I think it was 96 for each of us).
Thanks so much for the kind words. It’s a labor of love, so I appreciate it.
Hey Blanca & Antonio,
So I have my appt coming up with the Portuguese consulate, but I’m as confused as ever on a few points.
First of all, do I really need to show proof of lease for 6 months? I find it crazy to seek out and pay for a place online before even knowing if I’m approved for a visa or not. What did you do? I’m pretty particular about places, so I want to go to Portugal visa in hand and then find a place that way.
I do have friends in Lisbon, could they simply write something stating that it’s ok for me to stay with them?
How did you handle this part of the application? I’m applying in SF which I think is pretty strict.
Hi Andres,
When we did our application a simple Airbnb reservation was fine. However, things have changed and you do need proof of a 6-month lease. Our friends that recently went through the process worked with a realtor to find an apartment. They signed a year lease (most landlords won’t do a 6-month lease because it is they who pay the realtor fee which is quite hefty).
I have heard that SF is pretty strict, so I would ask them directly about your idea if I were you. Last I heard the lease has to be registered at the AT (Portugal’s Tax Authority).
Keep me posted on your progress.
Blanca
Thanks Blanca, I really appreciate your reply. I contacted an immigration lawyer, so I’ll keep you posted.
Awesome & good luck. If you have any other q’s, please don’t hesitate to ask. Things are changing so quickly here because so many people want to move to Lisbon. It’s incredible how quickly the popularity of the Lisbon has grown since I started coming.
Still waiting to hear back from this lawyer, hah!
And I also e-mailed the SF consulate, but no reply back from them either. I am welcome to stay indefinitely with a good friend of mine who is a European resident of Portugal, so I hope that will be sufficient.
Is there a better-suited visa I should be looking into than the D7? I’m a freelancer, all of my clients are in the US — but during searches, I didn’t find anything similar to the German or Czech freelancer visas.
In Spain there is the non-lucrative visa as well as autonomo, don’t suppose Portugal has something similar?
You have two other options that I know of:
The “Golden Visa”. It requires a purchase of a property of 500k euros, employ 10 Portuguese people, purchase of property that is over 30 years old or located in areas of urban renovation worth more than €350,000, €250,000 investment in artistic production or national natural inheritance and others (this is copy pasta from wikipedia).
or
Portugal’s Startup Visa
This one is catered to entrepreneurs who want to start a business here, or has launched a biz and is willing to transfer it to Portugal. However, I would check the laws here because they are quite restrictive to employees (example – very hard to fire someone) and taxes are very high. There are also other requirements. I think the D7 is the way to go 🙂
I cannot thank you enough for all of the information and details! Have you heard any updates on if the embassy will grant the visa through another means than a 6-month lease? I’ve got an appointment in Newark early February, but, like others, I am nervous about signing a lease for so long without knowing if the visa will actually be approved. 🙁
Thank you again for such a great and helpful article!
Wow thanks so much. Great over view and direction. I plan on moving Jan of 2020. And have been doing my home work. I go again for two weeks next
Friday. Already have my tax number and will open a bank account and meet with attorney. My biggest scare is private health insurance as I have pre existing medical issues and expensive drugs and can’t get s real definition. On who can carry me. I just joined afpop. So hoping they can help. Cigna would not accept me. Love to meet you all
Some time. Are you in Lisbon. ? I arrive on the 22. [email protected]. Best Ed.
Hello Blanca
Thanks for creating this blog. It is very informative and I am finding it very useful. I am a retired teacher teaching internationally and I would like to start my D7 for next year. I was wondering if their is a minimum stay requirement in Portugal if you have a D7 visa. I found some ambiguity where some websites say that the stay requirement is individuals cannot leave the country for six consequitive months. Some lawyers have told me that you must be in the country for 6 months, others have said 4 months, others have said as as long as you are not out for 6 consecutive you will be fine.
Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words. Just trying to make it easier for those who also want to move to Portugal. As of right now, no. The requirements are getting stricter all the time. Our friends just made the move and they too had to get the 6-month lease, same with my mom.
So happy that the article helped. Things are changing all the time, so I try to update this post as often as possible. Congrats on getting things set up. I’m not 100% on how pre-existing conditions will work for insurance in Portugal, but I do have an article that outlines the process for getting set up here >> https://blancavalbuena.com/portuguese-medical-insurance/
And yup. We’re in Lisbon. Definitely ping us when you arrive 🙂
Hi Stephen,
When we first arrived, we were told by the Portuguese Consulate in the US that once we received our first Visa, we would only get 4 trips out of Portugal. Things are changing fast, so make sure you ask when you apply. When you apply for the D7, the idea is that you reside in Portugal. This is where your NIF comes in. We were told at our first Portuguese visa renewal appointment that we were to use our NIF so that we could prove we were truly residing in Portugal. I’d say your best bet for accurate information here is to ask the consulate directly.
Good luck on your move,
Blanca
Hi Blanca
Thank you very much for your article. It answers alot of my questions. I’m right at the beginning of my application, but I’m doing it through an agent in Dubai. I’m South African, living in the middle east. My agent said that once the initial application is submitted, I would need to stay in Portugal for at least 4 months in order to wait for my first appointment. Is this true or could I be out of the country and just fly in when the initial appointment is made?
Thanks in advance
If your lawyer is advising you, he must be right. I was told I could leave 4 times without restriction. That being said, citizens of different countries may have different rules to follow.
Hi Blanca and Antonio. Thanks for the awesome info on your blog!!! Not sure yet what residence visa I am applying for since I just started communicating with the SF consulate. I am retired and will be applying to include my wife and daughter. Questions:
1) On the health insurance, SF keeps saying to purchase a policy specifically for Portugal, not the Schengen region at large. I am not sure if they mean a policy from a Portugal insurance company or any insurer that specifies coverage in Portugal. Any thoughts?
2) SF is asking for a reference/guarantor letter from a citizen/resident of Portugal. I didn’t see this requirement on your list. Is this new or is SF selecting a specific visa type for me that is not D7?
3) I need a minimum of 6-month lease contract. We are going to be settling in the Algarve area. Any recommendations about how to come up with a contract for this area?
Thanks!!!!
Camilo.
Hi Camilo,
Pleased to meet you. I’ve heard the SF consulate is tough. On health insurance, when we processed our application, all we needed was travel insurance. I’ve heard from others applying through SF that their requirements are tougher. I would not be able to advise you directly on this, but I will ask around. I don’t think you’d be able to get Portuguese health insurance since you need a NIF (your taxpayer number) and while you can get one as a foreigner, I think that would be difficult from the states.
We did not require a guarantor letter when we applied for the D7. Be sure to ask the consulate exactly what type of visa they are processing for you.
You can reach out to a realtor. Many realtors are working with expats in this manner. It will cost you more, but this is really the easiest way unless you know someone in the area. This article outlines renting in Lisbon, but has a ton of info on websites where you can find apartments – which will help you to at least get an idea of prices in the Algarve https://blancavalbuena.com/rent-an-apartment-in-lisbon/
Keep me posted on your progress. I’ll see what I can dig up for you.
Blanca
Blanca, thanks so much for your prompt reply!
Yes, the health/accidental insurance is still a mystery to me. After reading you were using Medis, I contacted them and they have been sending me quotes and such but they have not addressed my questions about my situation, not having tax id, local address/phone, or local bank account. I’m not counting on this one just yet…
After much research, it appears that the visa I am applying for is the passive or fixed type 1 residency, also known as the D7! Funny that you didn’t have to submit a letter of reference with your application. My purpose is as a retiree. Not sure if that has to do anything with it. I am compiling other questions for the consulate so I’ll make sure I ask that one question this coming week. SF typically responds my emails on the same day!
On your recommendation from the renting in Lisbon article, I used Idealista and got in contact with a realtor. We are communicating right now and things look positive so far.
I’d appreciate anything else you can find on my behalf 🙂
Warm Regards,
Camilo.
Hi again! Do you have any recommendations for a service that can expedite the apostille (and/or will do the FBI report and apostille? Currently, it looks like it’s taking around 2 weeks to get just the apostille sorted. 🙁
Finally, do you remember how to book the visa appointment? My consulate is Newark and I clicked the link mentioned above (http://www.consuladogeralportugalnewark.org/marcacao-booking/) but don’t see an option for visas .. just passports or citizen cards. Do you remember what to select on Category and then Service?
Thank you again for your website! You’ve literally been a life-saver! I’ll let you know what happens once I go to my appointment next month! 🙂
Hey Rhiannon,
Try https://www.apostille.net/#/
Looks like they changed the site. I just clicked on the visa tab on top and that had the link to the appointments : https://www.vistos.mne.pt/en/
And thanks. We just started a section for those who need more personalized help. If you’re interested, you can join that private forum here, we sometimes get busy, so this is a good way to get answers on a speedy basis: https://blancavalbuena.com/grow/
Hi Blanca and Antonio,
I just wanted to say thanks for the informative and helpful articles you both write on living in Portugal. My wife, our toddler, and I will be coming to Lisbon on Feb 1st and staying for ~7 months (temp res visa) and would love to meet you both for a drink or coffee if you are both around in Feb or March. Also, if you’d like to have an immigration attorney in your back pocket who can be your “expert” please let me know. We have been using one to help us navigate our visa situation and she has been extremely responsive, helpful, and competent 🙂
Warmly,
Kevin
So nice to meet you, Kevin,
Congrats on deciding to make the move to Portugal. It is wonderful living here. Ping us when you arrive.
We’re putting together a list of approved vendors on our private forum, these will be professionals that we have used and vetted…I will message you with the link for that once it is ready.
Blanca
Hello there,
As many have said, thanks so much for such a detailed break down! I am currently applying for a family reunification visa as my husband has his residency permit here (I’m an American citizen). I know this process is different, but I’m hoping you may have some info regarding the “authenticated marriage certificate” since it’s a requirement for both visas. What exactly does ‘authenticated” mean? I have a certified copy of our marriage certificate from the US that I could have mailed to me, but I also have a digital copy on hand. Do you have any idea if this needs to be certified by someone else? I read somewhere that the Portuguese Embassy in the US (in our case, Boston) has to stamp it or something but haven’t been able to confirm this anywhere and it seems slightly ridiculous that you would have to go back to the original place of marriage…? Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I’m going to take a guess here, but they probably want it apostilled. I think the process depends on the state that you’re from. For example, in NYC, you need to get a paper version of your marriage license, get it certified by the borough clerk, and once that is done have it apostilled. If they are asking for a stamp, this may be it…but call the embassy to make sure. And yes, ridiculous, but Portugal has a paperwork and stamp fetish. I just had to jump through a ridiculous amount of hoops to get something done…patience is key when moving to Portugal. When you do find out if they meant an apostille, update me…you may help someone else that is in your same boat.
Thanks for creating this blog guys.
It is very informative. I am not sure if you know the answer to this one since you guys aren’t there yet. I read online that in order to get a permanent residency in Portugal you need to be a legal resident for 6 years and proof of uninterrupted stay. What could this be referring to. When I move with a d7 visa the plan is for me to live there for 6 months out of the year (not consecutive). Would me not being in Portugal for the full time disqualify me from getting permanent residency. Also, what document would serve as proof that my stay was uninterrupted for 5 years. Any insight to this will be greatly appreciated
Thanks.
Hi Roger,
From what I understand, Portugal wants you to reside in Portugal. I don’t have the exact duration that you need to be here, but we were told at our first SEF meeting for visa renewal that they expected to see our NIF being used throughout the year (that’s your Tax ID number). I have a feeling that living here for that amount of time may disqualify you from permanent residency.
Blanca
Thanks a lot, Blanca. I went ahead and got it apostilled even though I couldn’t confirm with anyone or anywhere that this is what they want when they say authenticated. I have my residency appointment (in Pico Island since the wait time was 3 weeks as opposed to 8 months!!) this week and will post any updates that could be helpful for others.
Hi! Great post. My wife and I have one question. We are currently in Portugal as 3-month tourists and want to apply for the D7. My question is: is there ANY way to complete application and receive visa from outside of the USA? I know you say in the article you must be in your home country for initial consulate appointment, but one email we got from the DC consulate said it could be done by mail. She even said “you would mail in your passport to get the stamp” I can’t find anywhere else that says this and the woman is not responding to further emails. We would love to avoid making the trip back to the USA. Thanks for any info!
Soo… You can try but we wouldn’t advise it. Follow the law because if a border agent approaches you and you’ve violated the law, you’re going to get into trouble. Leave EU do paperwork in your home country with expediter if you can afford it and then come back in. It’s only 1 month out of EU.
Hi Bianca and Antonio. I’m just revisiting your blog with an update of our situation from last year. This may be helpful to other readers. We were rejected last year (D7) because we didn’t have a lease. We had a letter from our friend offering us to house sit but this was rejected. So it seems this is a non negotiable item now. We travelled back to Portugal late last year, got our NIF and bank account and arranged a lease. We even ended up buying an apartment in Porto! But it won’t be ready in time to use as our registered accommodation. We resubmitted our application in January and we are waiting now for a response with all fingers crossed. Re reading your blog it is without question the most informative and accurate blog out there. Thank you both again for contributing.
Hi David,
Congrats on the house! I’m glad that we were able to help. Yeah, they require a lease that is registered at the AT now (I updated that info as soon as I found out). I think what happened is that a lot of home owners here were not registering their lease and paying taxes on income from all the expats moving in. I think that since you purchased a place, there should be no issue. That’s a pretty solid sign that you’re coming to stay 🙂
Keep us posted on your progress!
Blanca
Hello
I am a resident of Dubai, UAE , indian citizen. I ma self employed in Dubai having rental icome from property apart from business income. What should i do to get a D7 visa? I have income more than Euros 10,000 /month, will i be eligible.
Please advise
Hi Mansoor,
I think you definitely fit the income part of the equation. I am not sure how the process works for someone from UAE since what I have outlined is from the USA side of things, but I can’t imagine that it would be so much different. I know it was a touch different for friends from Chile and Colombia. Why don’t you start by setting an appointment to ask the Portuguese Embassy in your area? That way you can get the exact information needed for the D7 visa.
Hi again. We just got approved. Thanks again for all your help.
Congratulations David. When you arrive?
Just booking our tickets now. Early May : )
Awesome. So excited for you. I still love living here as much as I did day 1. I think it will be the same for you.
Heyyy guys!
First of all, I cannot thank you enough for writing this post. I had nearly given up on moving to Portugal when I found your post in December. I am happy to say that I was just approved for my D7 a couple of days ago – yay!!! I thought I’d add in the list of requirements and exactly what I submitted (through Newark) in case it may help someone.
Finally, the apostille is -not- required as of this moment in time in Newark. Though it is a requirement in San Fran and DC, along with even more stringent requirements, possibly because they’re so back-logged.
Included in my completed application were:
-Statement of purpose
-Application forms
>>For Newark, you’ll need both the Schengen visa and also the Pedido de Visto de longa duração forms filled out (the latter can be found here: https://www.vistos.mne.pt/images/schengen/formularios/pedido_de_visto_de_longa_duracao_pt.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1F1_mR1LjJWKx1Xd_dfSDc59OJmlCqF3za0b40o1r36_Zg0jS5FOWj99g)
-Passport copies
-Passport photo
-Statement authorising Portugal to do a background check there (in both English and Portuguese – she took the one in Portuguese)
-Original and copy of FBI Criminal Background check (no apostle required as of right now; she took the original and gave me back the copy)
-Proof of accommodation (I have a 6-month rental contract and also a term of responsibility)
-Proof of income
>>I used passive income of rental property (with a copy of the rental lease with my tenants)
>>I used income from my company from the past 3 months. As this has very very very different amounts each month and I have heard of some who are self-employed who had issues, I also included:
>>>A copy of my 2018 tax return
>>>A copy of my EIN number (which has the IRS Department of Treasury seal on it)
>>>Articles of formation
>>>A copy of my registered agent information
-Economic means of support
>>This included screenshots of my retirement account and bank statements showing my savings account, together totaling just over $15k
-Reference letter and copy of my references ID
-Health insurance (I used Fidelidade multi-care and was able to get a policy issued just 4 days before they stopped issuing insurance to non-residents. If you need health insurance from the States, you may need to look into something like Cigna.)
-A copy of my NIF
-A copy of my flight details into Lisbon on April 1
From submission to approval, everything took 14 days.
Thanks again for this amazing guide. I could never have made it to Lisbon without you guys!!!
Congrats & thanks so much for this update, Rhiannon. We also applied from Newark, but it looks like they have changed things a bit to make it easier. That’s awesome that you got approved in 14 days! When do you arrive?
Thank you so much!! 🙂 I’ll be there April 2! I’d love to grab a coffee or meet up with you guys if you’re available! I seriously could not have made it to Portugal without you!
Message me when you get to town 🙂
Hi Blanca!
First of all, thank you so much for answering all my questions last time I commented! I can’t believe it’s been seven months since then. To update you, my husband and I did end up applying for our d7 visa through the DC embassy in January, we received it in February, and we got approved for our residency permits in Madeira at the beginning of March. It’s been a whirlwind! I have a couple of process updates for you that might be helpful to other people too:
-We applied in-person in DC. They really wanted us to apply by mail, but we figured we could speed up the process by applying in person. Not sure if this helped or not, but at least we could ask questions to someone and she was able to help us make sure all our papers were in order.
-I was informed by DC Embassy that they now have **60 days** to approve or deny a visa rather than the original limit of 30 days. This was extremely surprising to me as I had read 30 days everywhere and had booked my flight for 35 days after my appointment. After freaking out a bit the embassy workers said they couldn’t promise anything and it would maybe take 60 days, but also maybe SEF would see my flight dates and approve it early. I left it in their hands and they ended up approving our visas 19 days after application. It was so fast! But so nerve-wracking since it could have been 60 days.
-Rather than applying with a lease, I had a Portuguese friend fill out a “Termo De Responsibilidade” for my husband and I saying that we could live with him for the 6 months that the visa application requires (we also had a lease starting as well, but it wasn’t approved by the tax office and we didn’t get the lease until right before we went back to the US so for us the Termo was a safer bet) . We had that paperwork and a copy of our friend’s portuguese ID notarized by a Portuguese lawyer.
-When we were approved for our Visas we mailed our passports back to DC with a first-class 1-Day USPS return envelope and that worked really well. Not counting mailing time, the embassy only held our passports for 2 days to apply visa stamp.
-We made our follow up appointment with SEF for the residency permit in Madeira (we live in Lisbon). The Lisbon office was backed up for months and months (as you mentioned) and basically everywhere on mainland Portugal was backed-up for about 6 months. We decided to just make a vacation out of it and do the appointment in Madeira, because we were able to get an appointment with about a month’s notice.
Hopefully those notes are helpful to anyone attempting this process in 2019! It’s been so much logistics and paperwork but totally worth it. I could not have done this without your blog post so thanks again!!
Kate
Congratulations, Kate!!! And thank you so much for the update. So many people are looking to move here and things seem to change constantly. I find that most people I talk to tell me that their experience is a touch different according to what state they apply in…this will be a huge help for those who are applying for the Portugal D7 visa through the DC embassy. And I loved your idea about making a vacation out of the SEF appointment. My mom just did hers in Setubal because the Lisbon office didn’t have any slots open when she first moved here for over a year, and we want to complete all our paperwork as soon as possible…I may follow your steps in 2 years when I have to go in for my 3rd renewal. Make sure to ping me, I’d love to grab a coffee.
Hello
Thank you so much for this informative blog. I have a couple of questions regarding the rental of property and health insurance. I understand from your reading that one cannot use a hotel as a residency requirement for the D7-Visa?
if so, how does one get around or shall I say fulfill this requirement when they have not applied yet and or not in the country?
Also, with the health insurance how can one determine when to activate the health insurance when all dates are so tentative?
Additional Follow up questions
How do they notify your results after interview, email, text or letter?
Thank You
Sorry for the late reply, Rex. Had a crazy week.
Correct, hotels cannot be used as a residency requirement. Airbnb was ok in 2017, but that has now changed. You will have to rent an apartment before you move to Lisbon. It is complicated (and not an ideal situation), but you can work with realtors or a Portuguese relocation company to help you with that.
To get Portuguese insurance you need to have a NIF (a taxpayer number), for us, they accepted traveler’s insurance that was good I think 6 months after our arrival in Portugal. I have been hearing that with Brexit, it is taking a bit longer to process requests for visas since a lot of pepole from the UK who were unofficially living in Lisbon are working to get in before Brexit. For dates, you kinda have to wing it and take an educated guess.
Update me with your progress, it is tedious but so worth it 🙂
Blanca
Hey Rex,
Honestly, I don’t remember how I got my notification (it was in 2017)…but my mom recently applied and got an email to let her know she had been approved.
Hope that helps
Blanca
i am also interested in portugal PR.
i have done 3 yrs mba from london and now working in saudi- hotels.
i want to move to portugal . i am from india
planning to come on visit visa and then the steps leading PR plz
is there any way like d7 visa plz help guide me any leads or any company or person who can help us to speed it up .
whats app +966565083691., +919552737668
[email protected]
Where in India are you from. If you are from a former Portuguese colony, the process will be easier for you.
Hey Blanca
Used your link for migration services http://eimigrante.pt/pt/ working specifically with Cristina. She is great and so helpful, holds your hand and walks you through the entire CRAZY process!
I applied on 14/05/2019 for residency visa at the SF consulate. The consulate now works directly with VFS. Global and they process everything with no contact with the consulate for applicants. Also, I now have my NIF. VFS stated there is a 30 to 60 day waiting period. They had just started the Residency Visa process and I was the first one. It was a bit disorganized and confusing for both me and the VFS person. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Your informational has been priceless and the insight I received encouraged me to take the big leap forward in pursuing the visa process.
Thank you
Rex
Hi Rex,
I’m thrilled to hear things are moving for you. It’s a pretty cumbersome process, but totally worth it. You made a good choice in getting someone to hold your hand…it’s totally possible to do it on your own, but so much easier to have someone help you.
Keep me posted on your progress for moving to Portugal 🙂
Blanca
My husband gets Social Security and I get retirement income from my ex’s retirement – there is no retirement account per se, just regular monthly retirement income. Will that suffice
Hi Suzanne, That should suffice 🙂
You have posted good article with lot of details on D7 visa,I am from india i have about Euros 25000 in my savings bank account,deposited from monthly salary from current and previous job,will that be good enough to qualify me for D7 visa,i understand other requirements like lease for house on rent ,health insurance ,police report etc
but for financial requirements will Euros 25000 in my savings bank account fullfill visa /residency conditions
and if so,if i maintain same ,will also qualify for visa extensions in future
Also if i get D7 visa and open small business in portugal like shop etc will i be allowed legally to do , and income generated from it also can i use for extention of D7 visa
Please clarify,it will help me to check if i am eligible for D7 visa else i will waste lot of time and efforts trying for this
Thanks
Lucky
Hi Lucky,
I think that should be enough for the Visa. That being said, every country has different requirements so it would be good to check with your local Portuguese consulate before applying. Depending on where in India you are from, you may also have an easier time getting the visa. Portugal has special agreements with former Portuguese territories – for example – Goa. Before you think of starting a business here (which is definitely doable), you should speak with a Portuguese tax attorney so that they can better explain the NHR status as well as the tax liabilities of running a business here. That way you can plan properly before making your move.
Hope this sets you on the right path.
🙂
Blanca
Hi Blanca,
Thank you so much for this great blog. I just have a particular question. If one moves to Portugal on D7 visa and then secures the resident permit for 1 year and the 2 year extensions, does one have the right to work during this period? Are only professional activities such as activities that require higher education and qualification permitted on this D7 visa or it could be any casual work such as working at a gas station or as a waiter? Can someone do self employment such as opening a shop(Assuming no special skills are required to run a shop apart from registering the company and find a commercial lease) – just like the lady from India in the previous post plans to do?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Rodney,
Thanks for checking out the article. Glad it helped. So…the idea behind the D7 is that you are an individual with means to take care of yourself. You are not prohibited from having employment activities (say be a contracted worker or working as a freelancer), but…the jobs here in PT pay very little and are heavily taxed. If you apply for Portuguese NHR tax status, some forms of income are tax-free here in Portugal (example, if you own a property in the US and have a renter in there). Others are not. I am not a lawyer, and this article is a guide to get you started…so in this case, I would recommend that you contact an English-Speaking tax lawyer in Lisbon so that you can plan ahead and be ready for the potential tax liabilities. You want to be sure that you do everything right when it comes to taxes here and that you have no nasty surprises. Personal income tax here is progressive, meaning that it can reach up to 48% depending on your income. So be sure to ask about that. Hope this put you in the right path.
Blanca
Hi Blanca,
I came across your blog and have a question. You mention that under EU law, there is a 30 day deadline to process the visa request. Is it not 60 days to process it instead of 30? Am I mixing things up?
The second question is why apply for the NHR tax status? I know it means you do not need to pay taxes on incomes earned abroad IN Portugal but lets say if my country of citizenship has a tax agreement with Portugal to avoid double taxation, can’t I just go for the option.
Thank you.
Jonathan
You know. I did this all in 2017, and I have heard things have changed. There is a lot of back up due to Brexit etc…so they may have changed it to 60 days.
If your country of citizenship has a special deal…then I guess you don’t have to. I’m from the US so double taxation is not fun. You may want to check with a Portuguese tax lawyer to be sure as to how you will be affected by taxes coming from your particular homeland.
🙂
Blanca
Hi Blanca!!
I never saw your response to my comment until now – sorry!! I would love to grab coffee or something. I’m still going strong in Lisbon, just signed a 1 year lease in Campo de Ourique. You should have my email address through your commenting system, I’m assuming? I’ll try to hit you up through your contact form too. Cheers!
Thank you for the quick reply.
I have a strange question. I came across the Portuguese embassy in Vancouver
https://www.consulategeneralportugalvancouver.org/civil-registry.html
where they say
“Marriages celebrated in Canada WILL NOT have legal effects in Portugal unless they are registered in the national civil registry. If you are married, we highly recommend that you proceed with the registration of marriage in a timely manner to avoid discrepancies in civil status in the 2 countries.”
when you fill your visa application, including residency permit /renewals in Portugal, are
we suppose to mark our marital status as single? Just curious.
Once again, really appreciate the great work and the pain taken to reply.
Hey Jonathan,
So I am not a lawyer, but I probably would not mark single. For example, Antonio and I are not married, have never been married (to each other or anyone else), and we went through hell to prove that we were both in fact single, but in what we call “common law marriage”. For this question about marital status when applying for the Portuguese Schengen Residence Visa, I would advise you to contact one of the lawyers on this list of English Speaking Portuguese Lawyers. With something like this, it is better to be safe than sorry, particularly because it may affect your tax-payer status in Portugal.
Would love it if you updated here, you may help someone who is on the same boat.
Good luck with your move,
Blanca
Hi Antonio,
Wow, this is such an amazing post!
I’ve been considering and preparing for a move to the Czech Republic (business visa with trade license), but maybe Portugal is an option!
I’m an Indian citizen, but earn my income through a company I set up in the U.S. when I lived there. I do have some passive income through family investments in India, but the bulk of it is through my business. It’s not the same each month, but always well over 1000 euros (or whatever the minimum requirement is).
I know some of the others have touched, but I’m still a bit confused about this:
Does the income HAVE to be from investments (like real estate, pension, etc), or can it also be income from a foreign source?
Again, thanks so much for writing the post, and I hope you and Biance are having a blast in Portugal!
Oops! Apologies for the typo in my last comment – I meant to say:
“I hope you and Blanca are having a blast in Portugal!”
Hey Agnit,
The income can be from a foreign source of any type. If you are talking on getting an NHR then you are tax-free on dividend income from your business or investments, along with retirement income and/or rental income. The NHR is good for 10-years.
Hey Antonio,
Thanks for your response. That’s very helpful.
Cheers!
Agnit
Hi, fellow NYC-er here. I just came across site a few days ago and is probably the most helpful one I’ve come across while planning my move to Portugal. I’m not sure how I didn’t come across it sooner as I’ve been scouring Portugal expat sites for the past year but I’m glad I finally did.
I recently received my Residency Visa (after a 45 day wait) and have an appointment in Lisbon for the Residency Permit in November. The visa process was handled by VFS Global, as you don’t deal directly with the consulate if you are in NY.
There are a few things that were different for me than described in the article:
“Proof of housing while in Portugal – We booked a hotel, but this is no longer acceptable. The new requirement is that you have a 6-month lease that is registered at the AT (it’s the equivalent of the IRS)” –
I didn’t have a lease, only a 1-week reservation thru AirBnb, with a note in my personal statement that I will be looking for permanent residency while I am in Portugal. In retrospect I’m surprised that wasn’t an issue.
Also, I did not have my personal statement notarized, or anything else for that matter except for the apostille for the FBI background check.
In addition to all the forms and paperwork you listed, I also had to supply “Form authorizing access to Portuguese criminal record by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF)” (wording is from VFS Global’s checklist). This was a very simple form stating that you allow the Department of Borders and Customs to check your criminal background in Portugal. As far as I can tell this form is impossible to find online but I received one after e-mailing the Embassy in DC.
Those differences aside, this is still the most helpful article I’ve come across regarding obtaining the D7 Visa.
Pleased to meet you Brian,
Welcome to Portugal! Amazing how much has changed. The Airbnb-hotel as lodging requirement changed a few months after the move, I thought I had updated that, but I guess I need to triple check.
Thanks so much for the update, I’ll sneak in the updates in a day or two 🙂
Blanca
Hello! You have a very informative and helpful site. I have started the process through VFS Global in San Francisco (yes, I’ve heard the horror stories). I go for the interview in late October. Anyway, I think I understand most of the requirements involved, except one: the letter of Reference or the letter of Financial Guarantor. Are these the same thing? I can see getting a reference living in Portugal as I will probably be working with someone there to facilitate things, but it’s another matter for someone to “guarantee” your finances for a whole year. Do you have any idea of the format of this letter or letters? I thought all I would need is a general statement from someone who I know there of my purpose of the move and so forth. The last thing I want is to not have the proper documents submitted and be rejected. PS: I have read anecdotal comments from people who have gone through the process in SF that they will accept travel insurance if it have a cover letter that specifically states that is is good in Portugal, not just the general Schengen region. thanks.
Hi Jay,
Thank you for your kind words. I wanted to make it easier for those looking to become expats in Portugal to make the move. So, as far as I understand it, you only need the letter of Financial Guarantor if you don’t have enough funds to maintain you here in Portugal. It’s a pretty difficult thing to get because the guarantor puts him or herself at risk. You will end up needing an accountant and lawyer in Portugal, so you can probably get your Portuguese tax attorney to represent you.
And thanks for that update on the Portuguese travel insurance requirement for those who are requesting Portuguese residence visas. I think that the most difficult part of the process is that each embassy/consul has different processes.
Keep me updated on how things go,
Blanca
Hi Blanca, nice to meet you as well.
Anecdotally, I thought I had been applying for a D7 Visa, but was given a D2 Visa instead. I had only submitted forms needed for the D7, not additional work-related ones that seem to be required for a D2.
I stated in my Personal Statement that I work freelance as a film/video editor in NYC and plan on continuing to do so remotely (with US companies) in Portugal, which apparently put me in a category of self-employed that required a D2 Visa.
Others who are in a similar work situation and are applying for a D7 should be aware of this and should possibly word their intentions differently in order to get the D7, and not a D2, as the D2 seems to require a bit more nonsense paperwork as well as becoming a tax resident of Portugal. I am not in Portugal yet as I’m finishing up a project here in the states. I plan on meeting with an accountant/lawyer upon arrival to understand the implications of this (tax obligations, whether or not I can get a NHR or not, whether I can somehow transmute my D2 into a D7 if not) and can post the upshot of that once I do.
From all I’ve read, I find it surprising that anyone who is receiving an income and isn’t living solely on savings can get a D7. If you have any insight on how that works I’d appreciate hearing it.
Hi Brian,
Very good notes here. Definitely consult a Tax attorney. Even with the NHR if you are an independent contractor type of worker, you will still have to pay taxes on that type of income here in Portugal, so definitely something to discuss with your tax attorney. The NHR only makes certain types of income tax-free here in Portugal (and only for 10 years). So, if your income comes from a pension, dividends, interest, you do not get double taxed by Portugal. Rental income (example, you own a house in the USA and have it rented out) or capital gains on sale of a property, those are also part of the no double taxation on the NHR. But if you work, either as a freelancer or for someone…you will be taxed on that type of income. I would absolutely advise that you speak to your Portuguese tax lawyer, so that you can look into the particulars for your situation.
Keep us updated!
Blanca
Hello Blanca,
My question is; once you were approved and received the visa in your passport, how long did you have to make the journey to Portugal?
I’m a US passport holder but live in Hong Kong and have been advised by my Portuguese attorney it would be better to go through VSF in SF to avoid the delays occurring in Macau right now. I’m trying to pre plan for all of the travel logistics needed to attend the appointments in SF then prepare for the move to Portugal.
Really do appreciate the info and time you’ve put into documenting your experience with the application process.
Cheers
Hey Brad,
I had timed things so my flight was the week after I got my D7 Visa.
I would get here as soon as you can since your visa will be valid for only 4 months. Once you arrive, you need to make an appointment with the SEF (right now the appointments are delayed – FYI). Once your appointment is set (could be way after your initial visa is expired) your visa is unofficially extended, so you want to make sure you arrive in Portugal and make your SEF appointment so you get that unofficial extension (you will need to call since you don’t have a NIF yet, once the first official extension is done and you get your NIF, then you can register on the SEF website and make the appointments online).
Hope this helps,
Blanca
Thanks for the quick reply. I had a feeling the clock might start ticking when the visa was issued. I’ll plan accordingly.
It’s all worth it. At least for me it was. My only regret is not having moved to Lisbon sooner.
Hi Bianca / Antonio,
I’m wondering: how did you know which documents to bring to your appointment?
When looking at the official site: https://www.vistos.mne.pt/en/national-visas/necessary-documentation/residency
There is no mention of lease or proof of flight, for example. There are also additional document requirements like “Proof of subsistence”.
Is there some other site I should be looking at for a full, up-to-date list?
Thanks.
Hi Alberto,
You should contact your local Portuguese Consulate or Embassy to get the info on what you need directly from them. I always recommend this since things change so quickly.
Here’s info from the SEF website:
Two recent, identical photographs, in color with a blank background, and easily identifiable.
Passport or any other valid travel document
Whenever the applicant is a minor or legally disabled person, the application should be submitted and signed by his/her legal representative
Evidence of sufficient means of subsistence, as per the provisions of Order number 1563/2007, of 11/12
Evidence that the applicant has adequate accommodation
Permission for checking criminal records, where the stay is intended to exceed 90 days (except people under 16 years old)
Documentary evidence of having submitted an application for a Residence Permit
Evidence of permanence in the national territory or, in case of unpostponable need of being in the home country, documentary evidence to that fact.
Good luck with the process. I hope this resource (the SEF website) puts you in the right direction.
Blanca
Hi,
Thank you for answering questions 🙂 Once the D7 is approved, is there an obligation to remain in Portugal for a specific amount of time for both the one year and two year initial residencies?
Hi Jason,
I don’t have a direct source since I was not able to find this on the SEF website, but from what I have heard if granted a Schengen Visa to come to live in Portugal, you are expected to live here a minimum of 6 consecutive months or 8 interim months.
We were told at our last renewal appointment to be sure to use our Contribuinte number when we make purchases so that if there is ever an issue with this, we are able to prove that we had been here – using the AT’s log of our purchases.
Hope this helps with your move to Portugal.
Blanca
Thanks Blanca. Are your referring to: https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/solicitar/residir/art77-1/ ?
Isn’t that for the residence permit application after you arrive in Portugal, not for the D7 visa application? Or are these things the same?
The only visa application information I can find is at the ministry of foreign affairs site here: https://www.vistos.mne.pt/en/national-visas/necessary-documentation/residency
I’ve tried contacting my consulate but have gotten no answer yet. I’ve also tried eimigrante.pt as suggested but they are not responsive. I will update here if/when I get a clear answer.
Hi Blanca, Hi Antonio,
Thanks a lot for your website and for all other informations you kindly gave in your answers.
One very valuable benefit of the D7 VISA is to allow people to travel free in Schengen Area.
So no 90 days limit in other Schengen counrties.
One might sometimes be late to be back in Portugal as there’s so many beautiful places to visit…
Antiono stated monthes ago about the required period of living in Portugal for visa/residence card renewal :
We got warned at our meeting that they need a receipt for every month for the first year in portugal for the visa to stay valid. So proof of NIF used on purchases and proof of paying taxes.
Can you please tell me what was required as proof of living in Portugal for the 1st year (to justify the 4 or 6 months period) for your visa renewal (rent receipts, proof of valid NIF, other bills..)?
Thanks a lot your answer.
Vlad
Hi Vlad,
Pleased to meet you. Here’s the skinny – If you are granted a residence permit with the D7 visa, you cannot remain outside Portugal for 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months.
When you go to your renewal appointments, there are a few items you need to bring. One of them includes a legal lease that is registered at the AT (tax authority – it has to be registered by your landlord-landlady).
You can get more info on the first Portuguese D7 visa renewal appointment here.
Blanca
Hi Blanca,
Thanks a lot again for your answer.
I will check your article and the blog.
Enjoy your day.
Vlad
I was wondering how you were able to rent an apartment without a NIF? Can you get the NIF while visiting Portugal ahead of time?
We rented straight from the owner. As soon as we got out NIF, he went to the AT to make sure everything was properly documented. Yes, you can get a NIF before moving here, but as soon as you do, you become liable for taxes in Portugal. If you are a part of the NHR regime, you need to look into this. I would recommend that you speak with a Portuguese tax attorney since each case is a bit different according to the situation. I have a list of English speaking lawyers in Lisbon here.
sorry guys – completely different question the residence requirement inside Portugal is it 6 consequtive/8 non consequtive months in each 12 month period, kindly clarify
Hi Blanca and Antonio!
First, thank you very much for this site! It was incredibly helpful for me and my wife as we went through the process of applying for residency. There seemed to be some grey area on other articles we had read and there wasn’t much help from an ‘official standpoint’, so this blog was pure gold!
I submitted my application back in December and received an e-mail that my visa had cleared and is ready to be picked up last week. I only waited about 4.5 weeks for the visa, which was a nice surprise since the staff at VFS had originally said I should be prepared to wait several months. 🙂
I have a couple of questions that I was hoping you could possibly shed some light on! Some reports say that the wait time for an appointment with SEF is months whereas others say its a matter of weeks. If we are planning on living in Lisbon, are we able to book an appointment with a SEF office somewhere else-like Faro? (I’ve heard that if you apply at a smaller city, you most likely have a much smaller wait period.) Or are you only allowed to apply in the city you plan to reside in?
My second question is concerning the entry/exit policies. My wife and I plan to arrive in Portugal by the end of February to move and begin setting up our life there. I know it’s impossible to say exactly how long it will take to get our residency cards (despite where we apply), but are there any restrictions once you have your appointment scheduled? To clarify, we have some dear friends getting married in March in Colombia. If I have my appointment before we leave, are there any restrictions to leave Portugal while waiting for your residency card?
Again, thank you so much for all the information on your blog as well as your commitment to keeping it up to date! I’m incredibly grateful for your help!
Hi Mike & Welcome to Portugal.
I’m so happy you liked our how to move to Portugal guide. Ok…to your questions:
1. The SEF appointments are ridiculously backed up. Yes, you can go to any SEF in the country. Some friends have made a small vacation out of it. My mom had her first SEF appointment in Setubal. It went pretty much the same process as in Lisbon. The wait may be smaller in cities other than Lisbon.
Just as an FYI, if you get to Lisbon and there are no appointments for say 8 months, you can go to the SEF, explain that you were not able to get an appointment in the 4 months, and they will give you a piece of paper you can carry with you that says you are allowed to stay. It is only valid for a few months, so you may have to make a few visits, but this was very easy to do.
2. Yes, there are restrictions. We ran through the process of moving into Portugal in 2017, so it was a while back. At that time, I believe we were allowed 4 exits. I only used one (I visit my goddaughter in the US every year for her birthday). I would check with the consulate. We asked them directly and they told us what was allowed. Since things may have changed, I would ask them. You may also be able to ask at the SEF office. You are also required to be in Portugal for a certain amount of time. For us, with the card, we are allowed to be out for no more than 6 consecutive months, or 8 months on and off. Again, since things change often, just ask the consulate or the SEF 🙂
Welcome to Portugal and have a wonderful time in Colombia. Keep us updated on your process.
Blanca
Dear Blanca,
Thank you for all the helpful information. I have been troubled by a problem which I hope you or any of the reader can give me some hints.
We were applying for Portugal’s residency-by-investment visa and were asked to provide the marriage certificate that is still valid for 6 months. I was married in the US long time ago and my marriage certificate was considered “outdated,” even though marriage certificate in the US has no expiration date. If I request a copy of the marriage certificate from the city where I was married, will the new copy carry an updated date? Will this new copy solve my problem?
Thank you in advance for your time!
It should. I had a similar issue with a birth certificate and I requested a new one from my place of birth.
Hi Antonio. Wonderful article. I have met all the requirements for getting the D7 visa (financial obligations, health insurance, home ownership, etc., and my husband and I will get our fingerprints when needed). However, the Consulate in New York City has stopped taking D7 application appointments because of COVID. I really want to return to Portugal ASAP (I already spend 90 of my 180 days there during each 180-day window). COVID has put a huge wrench in that. Do you know how I can find out when the Consulate will start accepting D7 applications again? Nobody at the Consulate or even the Embassy in DC are answering phones or emails. At all. Total silence. Thank you!
Hi! This has been super helpful so thank you. I’m no where close to retiring but have a significant amount in savings. Could I get my D7 on liquid cash alone or do I need to be receiving payments for something? Thank you!!
Hi Blanca, I have been following your blog since a long time.I really appreciate your efforts. Many thanks. I have decided to go for the D7 visa option. However a few doubts.
1) if the conditions for the D7 visa change after your d7 is approved(ie if the min. Wage increases) during renewal of TRC will the old or new conditions apply
2) as family with wife and 2 kids can we all apply at the consulate at the same time or only after the principal applicant’s TRC is approved in Portugal, the family gets to apply in the family reunification programme?
3) I am planning to apply in India. However the VFS checklist in India does not mention a Portuguese bank a/c, house rent agreement
Or tickets. So is it ok to apply without these.
Thank you
Dear Blanca,
Thanks so much for a great site with detail and amusing anecdotes of foreign living as well.
I just want to clarify from reading ( since I have read so much and so many sites) some details. I am doing the paperwork for the Visa/Residency for my elderly Father ( age 80) and myself both. However, I wish to be self employed ( as I am here in the US). Am I correct that the D7 is the process for Dad since he is retired but the D2 is for those self employed. I see you are self employed obviously…did it come about a different method or?
VFS has links to the Portugal National statutes but it doesn’t seem to discuss much of what independent/self employed must bring or do for the process, I have read much about once you are there…just want to make sure we get there…
I may be making it more complicated than necessary. I just don’t want to be short of paperwork and documents for my part of the process.
Thanks a million!
Brian and Norman
Hi George,
Thank you, that is very kind. The conditions haven’t really changed since I moved here. I can’t give a straight answer on this, since the government could change the amount as they see fit.
You should be able to apply together as a family.
One note, India may have totally different rules than the US. I applied via the US and my mom applied via Colombia and our processes were totally different.
🙂
Blanca
Liquid may be ok if it is a large enough amount, but the regulations change all the time. Each time you go into the SEF to renew your residency, you need to show that you have enough income to take care of yourself. So just keep that in mind for the future.
Hi David,
Honestly, no idea. The SEF here was closed for a long time, so I assume for that reason the consulate was not accepting applications. Have you tried recently?
Blanca
Hi Brian & Norman,
You’re going to love Portugal.
Yup. D7 would be for your dad. D2 visa is for entrepreneurs who will invest in Portugal, so something like you’re starting a business. If you’re self-employed, then you need a different process, so definitely chat with a lawyer. If you want my recommendation, lmk, I’ll send it privately.
If you’re coming in as self-employed, make sure you get a great tax lawyer. It will save you tons of headaches and look into applying into the NHR status.
It helps with certain types of income so you don’t get double tax. There is a lot of misinformation out there on it, so I definitely suggest you chat with your lawyer on that.
Blanca
Sorry for the late reply and I hope you found your answer elsewhere. I’ve had friends get there D7 from the consulate in Newark over the summer. It’s all based on your zoning. Also maybe consider some of the other visa options. Right now they are extending tourist visas pretty easily so you can get around the 90 days (i believe giving people every 3-6 months on top of the 90). Good Luck!
Hi Blanca, this is the most comprehensive and ultimate guide to D7 visa that I have come across. Hats off to you in bringing so much info together and taking time out to help others.
My case is a bit different but just thought to check with you as shat your thoughts are.I am not a retiree but work remotely in IT for a company.My work now is permanently remote and get regular monthly income,so would I be eligible to apply for D7?
Thanks
Rishi
Thanks for the kind words Rishi. The article is a bit old since I’ve been here a while now. I feel like you should be able to. As long as you meet the requirements this should be fine. So just make sure you have enough to show in the bank so you can prove you can sustain yourself.
I would also recommend you speak to a lawyer. You may be liable for taxes earned through your job. Taxation is quite high here (but heck, the perks like health care are great), but I just think this is something you need to consider.
Keep me posted on your decision and progress. I always like hearing from people who go through these processes and if things have changed.
Blanca
I’m wondering if you could help me with a question. I have been approved for a D7 visa, and have my SEF appointment in August. I originally had a 6 month lease contract (which was part of my D7 visa application), but now have been offered by a friend a place to stay for free long term. What does the SEF require to show proof of accommodation when living with a friend?
One of these two documents and a letter from the friend or something else?
https://www.sef.pt/pt/Documents/TR_Fronteiras.pdf
https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/images/termoderesponsabilidade.pdf
Thanks so much!
Hi Andrew,
I believe that an invitation letter from your friend confirming that you will stay with them should serve as proof of accommodation. You can always call or write the consulate and ask them if this is sufficient for them.
Hope you’re having a great weekend,
Blanca
In 2019 my wife and I got permanent residency in Portugal but after the UK left the EU we went on the sef website to obtain the paper documents to supercede our original residency card and we’re advised that we would be contacted after 1st January 2021 with an appointment at the local Camera Municipal and this has never happened.have they forgotten us or is the SEF in total turmoil.
The SEF is in total turmoil after covid. I would recommend that you call the SEF and see what you can find out directly from them. The SEF is open now, but by appointment only.
Try calling 808 202 653 or emailing [email protected]. They take calls from 8 am to 8 pm, but you may be on hold for a bit.
Let me know how it goes. I’m sure it will help a bunch of other people here too.
Boa Sorte,
Blanca