Getting a long term Residence permit D2 business visa & VFS Global

@tompeachspam

Hi you need to book 2 separate appointments . Try it please.

Hi Tom, Welcome.

1. Visa Bots & Getting a Slot

https://manchester.consuladoportugal.mn … gendamento

"As vagas no Portal da VFS são abertas quinzenalmente, no início de cada quinzena"

= There are new slots on the VFS Portal every fortnight, at the start of each fortnight.

Regarding visa boots, If you google "Portugal Visa Slots alerts or browser extensions like Distill.io ", you will find some tips.

2. Waiting Times (Submission to Visa)

Once you finally sit down at VFS Manchester and hand over your documents, the legal processing time for a D2 national visa is up to 60 days.

3. Business Plan

Yes, a business plan is perfectly acceptable. The D2 visa explicitly allows for either an existing business branch/relocation OR a thoroughly detailed plan to open a new company in Portugal.

However, you must show you are ready to execute it. Before your interview, you should ideally have:

1. A Portuguese NIF (Tax Number).

1. A Portuguese bank account with your start-up capital deposited.

1. A highly detailed, realistic 3-to-5-year business plan. A vague plan is the number one cause of D2 rejections.

4. Funds in a Portuguese Account

Portugal's immigration authorities strictly look for liquidity and local integration. For the D2 visa, you must show you have sufficient living funds readily accessible.

You need at least 100% of the Annualized Portuguese minimum wage for yourself, plus 50% for your wife.

(2026 values)

Annualized Minimum Wage: €920 × 14 months = €12,880 per year

Your requirement (100%): €12,880

Your wife's requirement (50%): €6,440

Total combined savings needed: €19,320

Proof of means of subsistence is mandatory for the D2 visa (and for most residence visas in Portugal). However, there is a crucial nuance that distinguishes it from a passive visa like the D7.

The funds requirement in D2 is not just for "personal survival," but must be directly linked to the viability of your business project.

Eg. If your plan predicts an investment of €50,000 to start the company, you must show that you have that €50,000, and this will automatically cover the requirement for personal subsistence.

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+ info about D2: Visto de Residência para o exercício de atividade empreendedora

https://crncontabilidade.pt/blog/visto- … o-a-passo/

https://lamarescapela.pt/artigos/vistos … l-d2-visa/

....

Regards

The Manchester VFS situation is notoriously difficult right now - you're not alone in that 4-week grind. Most people in the same position report that slots genuinely do release in blocks, often mid-week and early in the fortnight. Some people have had luck with browser auto-refresh extensions, and a few mention setting up slot alert services, though those vary in reliability. The general consensus is persistence pays off, but it can genuinely take longer than expected. The separate appointment point someone mentioned is important - each applicant needs their own slot.

@JohnnyPT

Thank you so much for the detailed reply