maxwmitchell1997
American looking for information about Portugal
Forum posts
59
Contacts
2
About me
American
Lives in Caldas da Rainha, Leiria
Registration: 06 May 2021
RENEWING US PASSPORT FROM PORTUGAL
Has anyone renewed their US passport while living in Portugal?? Read More
Private Health Insurance by maxwmitchell1997
Can anyone recommend a good Private Health Insurance company for someone over 70 years old??
@EstrellaGalicia Obrigado. Read More
Portuguese Autos
Has anyone had experience with obtaining Portuguese auto tags for an imported car? We have done everything requested of us. We spent over 1,200 euros to get our US car up to EU standards, hired an auto importer to assist us with all the paperwork, ... Read More
Bombarral retirement by fcdeltufo
My husband and i are looking to retire in Portugal. We are thinking about Bombarral as an option. Has anyone moved here from outside of Portugal and how receptive are residents to ex-pats? We are planning to learn portugese however will have ...
Bombarral is a small town with a population of approximately 13,000. I personally woulf recommend Caldas da Rainha with a population of approximately 55,000. Caldas (as the locals call it) has a hospital, a farmer's market that is open 7 days a ... Read More
Mailing Letters to Portugal from USA by maxwmitchell1997
Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best service to use to mail letters from the USA to Portugal. I recently renewed my wife's US drivers license and had my daughter mail it to us here in Portugal. My daughter used the USPS to send it first ...
$200 is what it cost for a single letter. Read More
Is It Really True? by JimJ
I keep reading glowing articles claiming that Portugal is "the cheapest country in Europe for retirees to live in". I've visited several times, and it didn't appear to me - as a tourist - to be particularly cheap. Ignoring the "whole of Europe" ...
@JimJHello Jim,My wife and I have been living in Caldas da Rainha for almost 2 years. First, I want to say everything is relative. Relative to where you were or are living in the US and also relative to what part of Portugal you are comparing ... Read More
Mailing Letters to Portugal from USA
Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best service to use to mail letters from the USA to Portugal. I recently renewed my wife's US drivers license and had my daughter mail it to us here in Portugal. My daughter used the USPS to send it first ... Read More
Permanent Residency in EU? by maxwmitchell1997
Is it possible for a Portuguese Permanent Resident to travel and live in other EU countries?
@JohnnyPTThank you Johnny!!! Read More
Permanent Residency in EU?
Is it possible for a Portuguese Permanent Resident to travel and live in other EU countries? Read More
Bringing my art collection to Portugal by lfdasalla
Hello. I am a recent resident to Portugal and want to set up my home here with some things from US like a few pieces of furnitre and my personal art collection. Does anyone know if I will be taxed to bring these items in? Thanks so much. Larry
@lfdasallaMy wife and I brought a 40 foot container full of our things (furniture, kitchen wares, garage items, clothes, artworks, and so much more) from Florida to Caldas da Rainha this past January. Everything went perfectly. And we paid NO tax ... Read More
SENDING LETTERS FROM THE US??
Does anyone know of an inexpensive way to send a letter from the US to Portugal?? Read More
Private Health Insurance by maxwmitchell1997
Can anyone recommend a good Private Health Insurance company for someone over 70 years old??
@TGCampoThank you!! Obrigado Read More
Private Health Insurance
Can anyone recommend a good Private Health Insurance company for someone over 70 years old?? Read More
Attorney In Lisbon?? by maxwmitchell1997
Can anyone recommend an English speaking attorney in Lisbon that can help me with the paperwork involved with the importation of a car from the USA to Portugal??
Thank you Cheryl Read More
Attorney In Lisbon??
Can anyone recommend an English speaking attorney in Lisbon that can help me with the paperwork involved with the importation of a car from the USA to Portugal?? Read More
Importing US Car to Portugal
Has anyone used a Car Broker or Layer in Lisbon to assist you with importing your US car to Portugal?? If so, please let me know your experience. Read More
Experiences, opinions, and tips from expats in Portugal by Lenlundh
My wife and I are ”retired” 75-y/o Americans — no formal day-jobs, but she does machine embroidery and sewing, while I’m a multi-disciplinary writer and fine arts/documentary photographer. We’re looking primarily at ...
My wife and I discovered Portugal about 4 years and fell in love with it. We explored the country form the South to the North and decided upon the town of Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast about one hour North of Lisbon. The weather ... Read More
SEF INTERVIEW (Now AIMA)
Does anyone have a valid phone number for the SEF (AIMA)?? I having been calling the number ending in 3700 for several days all hours of the day beginning at 7:55am and always get the same recording stating the number in not available at this time. Read More
SEF INTERVIEW by maxwmitchell1997
My wife and I have received our D7 VISAs. I went on the SEF's website and found that I have an appointment scheduled however, my wife does not have one scheduled. My wife has no income. I have a pension. Even through a person doesn't have ...
@Perpetual_travelerThank you for the suggestions. It is now Monday and I have been calling since 7:55am, and every time I get a recording stating the number I am calling is not available at this time. I have now made the call 32 times. I will ... Read More
SEF Interview by Jim Garrison
I haven't seen this problem before. My wife and I both just received our passports back and we both have SEF appointments booked in April.The problem is both our appointments are on the same date and time but in two different cities! I'm retired ...
Jim, What part of Portugal do you live in? Read More
SEF Interview by Jim Garrison
I haven't seen this problem before. My wife and I both just received our passports back and we both have SEF appointments booked in April.The problem is both our appointments are on the same date and time but in two different cities! I'm retired ...
Jim,I suggest you do find an attorney in Lisbon to go with your wife. She will not feel alone then. Attorney fees here are much lower than in the States. Read More
SEF INTERVIEW by maxwmitchell1997
My wife and I have received our D7 VISAs. I went on the SEF's website and found that I have an appointment scheduled however, my wife does not have one scheduled. My wife has no income. I have a pension. Even through a person doesn't have ...
@maxwmitchell1997My wife and I went to my scheduled interview on the 18th. The agent would not talk with my wife and told us that she needed to schedule her own interview time. I tried to explain that my wife and I went through the original D7 ... Read More
Moving household goods to Portugal by psyteacher
I am interested in hearing from people who have moved to Portugal who had their household goods/furniture shipped. Is it cheaper to sell everything here in the U.S. and start over in Portugal or ship selective items to Portugal? Fern
After a lot of research, we decided on Caldas da Rainha which is one hour North of Lisbon. No you do not need to learn Portuguese however the locals do appreciate it. Read More
Moving household goods to Portugal by psyteacher
I am interested in hearing from people who have moved to Portugal who had their household goods/furniture shipped. Is it cheaper to sell everything here in the U.S. and start over in Portugal or ship selective items to Portugal? Fern
Good luck!! We definitely feel differently. Portugal is my final home!! Read More
Moving household goods to Portugal by psyteacher
I am interested in hearing from people who have moved to Portugal who had their household goods/furniture shipped. Is it cheaper to sell everything here in the U.S. and start over in Portugal or ship selective items to Portugal? Fern
Hello Fern,My wife and I went through this exact situation. Think about your things. What do you truly think you could sell your things for? 10%, maybe 15% of the purchase price of your things? Then in Portugal, how much are you going to spend ... Read More
SEF INTERVIEW by maxwmitchell1997
My wife and I have received our D7 VISAs. I went on the SEF's website and found that I have an appointment scheduled however, my wife does not have one scheduled. My wife has no income. I have a pension. Even through a person doesn't have ...
Thank you Johnny!! Yes my wife and I each received our D& VISA's. So we are going together. We are scheduled for an SEF appointment on January 18th. Read More
D7 Visa and historic criminal record by handholding247
Hi guys, first post so thanks for any help in advance!Looking to move to Portugal on a D7 visa after spending lots of time there over the past several years. The issue I have is a historic (12 year old) crime on my criminal record, which was a 1 ...
Excellent attorney: Carlos Tome in Caldas da Rainha. Read More
Retired couple considering moving to Portugal by vincefandel
Hi, my wife and I are both retired and considering relocating to and retiring in Portugal. We're hoping to find some folks to communicate with who are also retired and have lived in Portugal for some time. We know only some of the basics and have ...
@vincefandelVince, My wife and I would like to talk with you about Portugal. We have spent a lot of time researching and exploring the country. Several years ago we fell in love with Portugal and that was after we had visited many EU countries ... Read More
SEF INTERVIEW
My wife and I have received our D7 VISAs. I went on the SEF's website and found that I have an appointment scheduled however, my wife does not have one scheduled. My wife has no income. I have a pension. Even through a person doesn't have ... Read More
English Speaking Accountant in Caldas da Rainha?
Can anyone recommend a good English-speaking Accountant in Caldas da Rainha? Read More
D7 Approval to time I have to send in Passport by philipbarnes1962
Our D7 appointment is Sept 22, 2023 in SFO.We will keep our passports as we are headed to Portugal Oct 17 - Nov 21.If our D7 applications are approved before Oct 17, or laterHow much time do we have to mail in our passports?
7 months? Where did you apply? Where did you go for your D7 interview? Read More
D7 Approval to time I have to send in Passport by philipbarnes1962
Our D7 appointment is Sept 22, 2023 in SFO.We will keep our passports as we are headed to Portugal Oct 17 - Nov 21.If our D7 applications are approved before Oct 17, or laterHow much time do we have to mail in our passports?
I spoke with the Portuguese Embassy in New York City yesterday and was told they are now taking a minimum of 60 "business Days" to process a D7 VISA. I agree with the above person that it most likely will be January before you hear. Good luck!! Read More
English Speaking Doctor in Caldas da Rainha?
Can anyone recommend an English-Speaking Medical Doctor in the Caldas da Rainha area? We are relocating to Caldas in the next couple of months and we would like to find a good family Doctor. Also need to find a good English-speaking ... Read More
Portuguese Consulate Washington DC - D7 VISA
Question: Has anyone had recent experiences with the Consulate in Washington DC with regard to receiving their D7 VISA? How long after your interview did you receive your VISA? At the interview, did they keep your passports or tell you to keep ... Read More
Not so Newbie by Mr Wayne
Hi my name is Wayne,My wife and I have lived in Portugal for a year now. We are residents and Love it.We are writing a blog about what it takes to take the leap, the leap that is To Be an Expat.We would love to hear about How and why you chose to be ...
Hello Wayne,My wife and I have travelled throughout Europe. My wife is originally from Ukraine and she lived in Italy for 9 years. I was born and raised in the USA. During our travels in Europe, I truly fell in love with the life ... Read More
Seeking a reputable lawyer by Naz7
Hi,I'm seeking to move to Portugal and I am seeking a reputable and competent lawyer who can speak English. Does anyone know of one please?
I know of an excellent lawyer in Caldas da Rainha on the Sunshine Coast, Contact me if interested. Read More
Reasons for leaving Portugal by nz7521137
At the moment there is a huge hype about moving to Portugal and many people from around the world are making a more permanent move towards Portugal. Stories about these people are making the headlines or are published on YouTube and the like. ...
@roz66 Hello Roz,My wife and I live in Tampa, Florida and we are planning on relocating to Caldas da Rainha in August. We purchased an apartment there this past January. We have spent a lot of time exploring Europe looking for a place to retire. ... Read More
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL? by maxwmitchell1997
My wife has 2 very nice sewing machines and would like to take them with us when we relocate to Portugal. Will they work in Portugal with an electrical adaptor?? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks,Max & Lana
@boutdechou39 Thank you. We bought a nice apartment in Caldas this past January and are now working to pack the things we want to ship and sell those items we do not want to ship. Also getting our documents ready for our visa interview in ... Read More
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL? by maxwmitchell1997
My wife has 2 very nice sewing machines and would like to take them with us when we relocate to Portugal. Will they work in Portugal with an electrical adaptor?? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks,Max & Lana
@Strontium Thank you very much.Max & Lana, soon to be Caldas da Rainha residents Read More
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL? by maxwmitchell1997
My wife has 2 very nice sewing machines and would like to take them with us when we relocate to Portugal. Will they work in Portugal with an electrical adaptor?? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks,Max & Lana
@Rob Evans We are coming from the USA Read More
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL?
My wife has 2 very nice sewing machines and would like to take them with us when we relocate to Portugal. Will they work in Portugal with an electrical adaptor?? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks,Max & Lana Read More
Moving to Lourinha by Kayalaoui
I would like to know if they are expats in Lourinha. I am coming on vacation in April 2019 then moving in 2020 I choose Lourinha. I speak french and English. Can you get in touch with me and let me know about the area. I would appreciate it. Thank ...
@rogerpart Hello Roger,MY wife and I have done a lot of research on where to relocate to in Portugal. What part of the country would be best for us. After several trips, we choise Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast. It is 15 minutes from ... Read More
New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Portugal forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
@zubeala My wife and I live in Tampa, Florida, but are in the process of reloacting to Portugal for many of the same reasons you stated. We have purchased a new apartment in Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast. We will be in Portugal in January ... Read More
New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Portugal forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
@sequenom Be sure to check out the Silver Coast which is about 1 hour North of Lisbon. In particular, look at Caldas da Rainha. Read More
How did you ship all your stuff? by Steven Hoffman
I’m going to do a huge purge before I make the move. I don’t have much stuff. Maybe a couple of large boxes or travel trunk.thanks for helping me outsteven
@wcg2 What part of the Silver Coast did you decide upon?? We chose Caldas do Rainha. Read More
How much does it cost to live a modest life in Portugal? by Guest8967
Hi everybody,How much money would I need to live with my wife a modest life in Portugal (rent and food). I get 2200 euro pension salary with full health care insurance, is that enough to live in Lisbon for example?Many thanks
Try Caldas da Rainha about 1 hour North of Lisbon. And 15 minutes from several beautiful beaches. Much lower cost of living than Lisbon. Read More
New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Portugal forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
My wife and I have spent a lot of time exploring Portugal and finally decided to relocate to Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast. About 1 hour drive to Lisbon. About a 15 minute drive to several beautiful beaches. We are from Tampa, Florida, ... Read More
Visa lawyer recommendation by handholding247
Hi there. looking for a lawyer to process our d7 visas for my wife and I. I’ve been in contact with the lawyer below, was wandering if anyone had used him and can recommend. Jorge FerrazAdvogadodefesa . legalthanks
@Dan Plute Thank You Read More
SHIPPING A DOG TO PORTUGAL
We are in the process of planning our relocating to Portugal. Any suggestions on transporting pets there? We have a Scottish Terrier of about 12 lbs. Max & Lana Read More
SHIPPING A CAR TO PORTUGAL??
Can anyone suggest the best way to ship an SUV from the US to Portugal? We live in Tampa and are relocaing to Caldas da Rainha and plan on shipping our car instead of buying one there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thank you,Max & Lana Read More
HOME INSPECTOR IN CALDAS DA RAINHA?
Can anyone recommend a good English speaking Home Inspector in the Caldas da Rainha area. We have bought a new apartment in Caldas and plan on closing in early January. We would like to find a Home Inspector to review the property before our ... Read More
ENGLISH SPEAKING ACCOUNTANT IN CALDAS DA RAINHA?
My wife and I are in the process of relocating from Tampa to Caldas da Rainha. Can anyone recommend a good English Speaking Accountant in the Caldas Area??Thank you in advance.Max & Lana Read More
SHIPPING BOXES TO PORTUGAL??
My wife and I are in the process of relocating to Caldas da Rainha. We have purchased a new apartment there and plan to move next March. We would like to ship 1 or 2 boxes of items in advance of our move. My wife is originally from Ukraine and we ... Read More
REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY IN CALDAS DA RAINHA
My wife and I are in the process of relocating from Tampa to Caldas da Rainha. We have already purchased an apartment in Caldas but are looking for additional properties.Can anyone recommend an English speaking Real Estate Attorney in the Caldas ... Read More
How did you ship all your stuff? by Steven Hoffman
I’m going to do a huge purge before I make the move. I don’t have much stuff. Maybe a couple of large boxes or travel trunk.thanks for helping me outsteven
@nz7521137 How was Galamas Movers to deal with? Did they properly handle your move? We are planning on a relocation from Tampa to Caldas da Rainha in Portugal next March. Any help would be appreciated.Max Mitchell Read More
Shipping furniture from California by ggriffin
Hello! We have just purchased an apartment in Lisbon. We’re very excited to embark on this new adventure. Does anyone have advice on shipping furniture from the US? Is it better and more cost effective just to purchase new furniture in ...
@Edwinholder Where on the Silver Coast are you going to be living? My wife and I have purchased an apartment in Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast. We will actually be moving nextd March after we have sold our home in Tampa. Read More
New Member
Hello everyone. My wife and I are planning on relocating to Portugal late this Summer or Fall of course depending upon the virus restraints. We live in Tampa, Florida, USA. I am originally from the state of Ohio and my wife from the Ukraine. ... Read More