SEF INTERVIEW

As far as I know, if you applied for D7 with your wife (considered the "second adult"), the interview is together. If you applied separately, you will have separate interviews.

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https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#5775987

(Post #56)

@maxwmitchell1997

You will have separate appointments as your wife came through family reunification.

This appointments are hard to book but you must call AIMA to book one for her. This is usually after your appointment.

Do you know phone number for AIMA? I am callimg them and the phone number is not working.

@AA AA55

808 257 257

as your wife came through family reunification. -@Nia Queiroz

There is no mention above of whether or not it is family reunification.

On the contrary, Max says that they both received the D7.

https://aima.gov.pt/pt/contactos

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.

Hi Max,

did you get your AIMA/SEF appointment with your D7?

when my d7 was issued in July it did not come with an appointment.

i have been trying to get an appointment since but with no luck.

The phonelines are either engaged or there are no appointments.

Does anyone have any advice?

thanks!

Are you sure you didn't get an appointment with your D7?  We thought that as well until we asked a friend who was about one month ahead of us in the process.  The appointment date is not actually on the visa itself but there is a website printed lightly where you go to and log into your account.  Then they send you a password code that you use to log in.  From there it takes you to your date that they have scheduled for you.

Yes, 100% sure, I triple checked!

When my passport was returned to me with my visa sticker inside it, it also came with a note saying no appointment was scheduled for me and I would have to ring the SEF, for which they provided 2 phone numbers which are either engaged every time you ring, or, when you do get through, there are no appointments!

I have tried the new AIMA number, they were helpful, but also told me there were no appointments and to keep trying.

When did you get your D7 granted @bill85lisa ? Mine was in July.

We were approved in San Francisco on Oct 4th.  We went online to the website and saw our appointments were scheduled in February

It's so sad that the Visa system has collapsed under the weight of applications not helped by a defunct IT system and now they are issuing D7 Visa's encouraging people to continue with their life changing plans only to find there are no 'SEF' appointments so what happens when the Visa expires after 4 months!!!

One day someone brave enough with pots of money will take Portugal to the EC human rights.

@bill85lisaHi  which website link did you use to check your Visa appointment?I used agd.sef.pt/? then added the visa number but got nothing  thanks, Victoria

@bill85lisa  hi, question about your accommodation.  if you were approved for the D7 in October...does this mean you got a rental lease starting BEFORE October?  Were you staying in Portugal before October OR were you in your home country still waiting for your D7 approval?  I'm still trying to wrap my head around proof of accommodation, when to apply for D7, and when the approval is made.  Thanks

Why would the SEF do things logically.. No it is not the nine digit visa number from the top right of the document. Below the right hand part of your name in a smaller font are the words Agendamento / Appointment and a web address http://agd.sef.pt? followed by a ten digit number. Use that.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@sfaznpinoy

They are referring to the in-country (Portugal) interview at which residency is granted, or not.

The accommodation proof is required before you can start the process of applying for your D7 in your home country. Once you have submitted all the documents there, including proof of accommodation, you will have an entry visa interview in your home country, at the consulate. This is not the same as the residency authorization interview. If you succeed in getting the entry visa, you are granted time to come to Portugal and then have the formal residency authorization interview at an AIM(SEF) office. It is two separate interviews. In the past, the residency authorization interview date (for Portugal) was always stamped into the passport when you were successful in your entry visa process and your passport was handed back to you so you could make the journey to Portugal. Based on some posts I have seen recently, that system might not be working right now, and passports are handed back with an entry visa without the residency authorization interview date stamped inside them. It seems like those people need to make the residency authorization interview date only when they arrive in Portugal, on the entry visa.

Only once you have had that in-Portugal residency authorization interview, will you receive your Titulo de Residencia card, whose validity is from the date of that residency interview at the AIM(SEF) office. The delays might mean you could be living in Portugal (after arriving on your entry visa), for many months before the residency interview and the granting of temporary residence (2 years) based on that interview. Unfortunately also, the clock for qualifying for Permanent Residence OR Citizenship, only starts ticking from the date of that successful residency interview with AIM(SEF).

@maxwmitchell1997

My 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 interview at the Portuguese Consulate together and we were told we would be processed here at SEF together.  The agent said she needed to scheduled her own interview.  I just do not understand this.  My wife and received our D7 VISAs at the same time,  My VISA had the info on the bottom of the VISA to find my appointment time.  My wife's VISA did not have this info.  I called the Consulate and ask why she did not receive this appointment info.  I was told "not to worry" that we would be processed together at SEF.  SEF told me that their office doesn't communicate with the Consulate's offices!!

We are now trying to schedule an appointment but with NO LUCK.  The SEF website states that appointments can ONLY be made via phone calls.  The site list 2 phone numbers but both have messages that state they are unavailable and then end the call.  Does anyone have a suggestion as to how to make an appointment??  My wife is becoming very upset and depressed over this situation.

I am sure that this is very stressful for you both. Here is what i would do...

You need to make the appointment by telephone. There is a number to call; either Off a landline (+351) 217 115 000 or off a cell phone (+351) 965 903 700. Start calling the number at about 7.55am in the morning (it technically opens at 8am). Keep dialing. You should get connected, and put on hold. After about 15 or 20 minutes, you should get through to a live person. Explain you need your wife's interview. They will often ask you which office will be most convenient for you. The first available might be months at huge busy offices. If you are prepared to travel to a small office, tell the agent that you are prepared to travel and ask for a sooner appointment at a smaller district office. You will probably only have weeks to wait then. Don't stress, it will work out fine.

@Perpetual_traveler

Thank 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 continue throughout the day.

@maxwmitchell1997

Perseverance is the only solution. Remember thousands of others are in the same position needing appointments. I read that they can only take a couple of thousand calls a day total. If it doesn't go through today, try tomorrow etc. Start phoning earlier maybe 15 minutes. I was in the same situation needing an appointment and that is what worked for me. Hope it works for you.

    @perpetual_traveler
Thank 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 continue throughout the day.   

    -@maxwmitchell1997

Maybe keep your phone records if it doesn't work. If you don't get through and don't get a timely appointment then at least you have proof you tried.

Other than that I would say "Welcome to Portugal". Large parts of the public administration are disfunctional and many procedures designed by "The Department for the Complication of Simple Affairs". I still think that Portugal isn't such a good destination for non-EU citizens, but this is only an opinion.

@TGCampo,

Don't generalise, okay? As usual, your opinions will always lead to the same thing...

There is a problem with the SEF, the result of a badly and rushed reformulation, with the fall of a government in the middle, and with a caretaker/management government until March.