Experience sharing about Visas to Portugal (D7 & others)

Good point JohnnyPT
There are good and bad stories, however "delays" seem to be the common thread in may.
VFS, while a good service, seem to be the stumbling block in many processes, (certainly mine in the UAE), largely through poor systems that seem to be down more than up. 
Covid seems to have caused serious delays, with the personal SEF appointment for biometrics in Lisbon in arrears for months. (Mine has been delayed a 12 months, and still waiting.

D7 / UK

London/Manchester

DBS criminal record, Accro Police Report, .... for D7 visa

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=953615

London

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 76#5469178

(Post #3)

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 60#5443127

From Southampton to Albufeira

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 02#5811954

(Post #10)

+

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 87#5836747

(Post #3)

D7 / South Africa

Durban

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=966688

D7 / USA

From San Francisco to Madeira:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 84#5816469

(Post #8)

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From San Francisco to Lagos:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=941967

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From Washington to Porto:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 39#5462112

(Post #4)

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https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 76#5471015

(Post #6)

+

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 29#5504821

(Post #11)

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https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 90#5561983

(Post #15)

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https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 76#5473496

(Post #11)

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From Washington to Funchal:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 25#5470051

(Posts #31&33)

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https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 60#5484042

(Post #17)

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Get a NIF, open a bank account, moving to Portugal

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 54#5461574

(Post #10)

https://barefoot-travel.online/

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Forbes&InternationalLiving reports about Retirement for US citizens

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=903613

Thank you for the info.

US residents should be aware that not all states fall under VFS jurisdiction. New Jersey residents, for example, must use the consulate in Newark, NJ, which does not contract with VFS. Here is the link to Areas of Jurisdiction on the VFS Global website:
https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/prt/n … strictions
VFS areas of jurisdiction

An "Overview" of Residency Visa can be found here on the VFS site:
VFS Residency visa overview
This Overview page states one should apply for Residency Visa no earlier than 3 months prior to departure. (Elsewhere on the site's FAQ page it states 6 months in advance.)

Documents Required:
VFS documents required for Residence Visa
Tap the dropdown box to navigate from Overview to Documents Required. On this page you can scroll down to a "Checklist" link, which will open a PDF checklist of documents.
I am preparing to go through this process and found the checklist helpful, though anecdotal feedback here and on similar forums is not consistent with this checklist.

I have reached out to VFS for confirmation of requirements and clarification of timing. As of today, I am still getting an auto-generated email response from VFS customer service stating the Helpline is closed. Calls to the posted customer service number during posted business hours get a recording stating the office is closed.
The pandemic is affecting everything, of course, so patience, perseverance, and a positive outlook are necessary.

Here is text copy of email reply I received today from VFS Global, despite earlier auto-reply that the Helpline was closed:

"Thank you for contacting VFS Global.

"You can apply 6 months prior your departure date for national visa as the processing time it takes 8 weeks so give enough time to the Consulate to process your application, however you can apply 3 months prior as well; it is up to the applicants when the application will be submitted.

"Please feel free to contact for any queries."

(FYI:  VFS web page on Residency Visa Overview states 3 months in advance.  VFS FAQ web page states 6 months.)

Olá Wcg2, Welcome

Thank you for your input. Very useful.

Kind Regards

Two specific queries re D7   Visa:

1]  Can one apply for this whilst IN Portugal eg on a normal tourism visa / permission ? 
If so to whom does one apply and what is the list of Documentation needed ?

2]  If one obtains a D7  Visa :  is the effect to simply PERMIT the holder to remain within Portugal for as long as s/he wishes  OR  does it REQUIRE the holder to remain over six months in the calendar year ?

The answer to [2] has an effect on being, or not being, liable to Portuguese taxation, I believe.

UPDATE:
My state is under the jurisdiction of the Washington DC consulate, which uses VFS Global. While the VFS checklist states documentation of a 6-month hotel reservation is acceptable, the consulate office this week replied with the following when I emailed them directly asking for confirmation of acceptable accommodation:

Dear Madam

For a residency visa the Portuguese Immigration Service (SEF) requests proof of non-refundable accommodations for at least 6 months and the lease should be register with the Portuguese Tax Authority.

Best,

Embassy of Portugal - Consular Section

2012 Massachusetts Ave., NW -  Washington, DC 20036

https://www.washingtondc.embaixadaportugal.mne.pt/en

Family reunification visa

@almirantereis Info on the PT Embassy website about visas will answer most of your questions

@kayml Awesome

D7 / New Zealand, Australia

D7 / Lebanon

@JohnnyPT Not sure if I'm allowed to post this link to my D7 Residency Visa Timeline and Expenses but here it is as it might be a  helpful reference point for others in the U.S. I received approval of my visa application from the Portugal Embassy in Washington, DC, only 24 business days from the date VFS received my application. I received my stamped passport back only 2 days after I FedExed it to the Embassy. Silver Coast here I come!

@wcg2
Good on you, and I really wish you the very best of luck - well done, you obviously have a very efficient efficient office in Washington.
Congratulations.

@JohnnyPT Muito obrigada!

@williamstony360 Thank you, William!

@ErnestoGuerrero86 Hi! I want to know if you can help me. We want o ask for a D7 visa and we want to know how you did with the one-year rental contract. We were thinking about getting an Airbnb for the first 4 months. And once we get the visa, get a rental contract before the SEF appointment. I hope you can share with us your experience. Thank you.

@Lily Luciani

@RobLane Hello! Thank you so much for replying. Can you share with me how did you find it? It was difficult?

Evidence that the applicant has adequate accommodation

@ErnestoGuerrero86

GOOD MORNING ERNESTO,

I am searching for feedback on my quest to live in Portuga for over 6 months (fiscal resident) l if and only if the tax burden is less than in Spain (45%).  I pay taxes in US a s a citizen, but an retired with income from both social secrity and my own personal retirement funds.

Treaties prevent double taxation between US and Spain and likely the same in Portugal.  The Non Habitual Resident  status im Portugal sounds like a 10 year option for permanent residency AND reduced   additional taxes.; " 0-10%".  I do wish to hear from a. US citizen/resident  who has lived this experience and can confirm  the taxation reduction.   

Thanks for reading. this and I hope we can share information of interest.

Thanks

Michael

@ErnestoGuerrero86

Good morning;

If you are in Porto since july and D7 visa is your experience, do you have advice regarding retirees seeking tax information in Portugal?

Thanks,

Michael

@mpsmithobrien,

Please, respect the subject of this thread. This thread is about visa aplications from all over the world, not about NHR and taxes. You can search for other threads on the topic you are looking for.

Decontextualised posts may be deleted.

D7 visa application experience

After submitting my application last Friday in Manchester, I just wanted to let others know about the premium service sited on their site.

if you wish to use this service, you must pay for it beforehand. Don't assume you can pay for it on the day like it sites on their website.

The only benefit I could see for paying for this service is the fact that you have until 4pm to submit documents you have forgotten. Apart from that it's really not needed.

I had a half an hour wait. Followed all the documents the VFS website ask for had my biometrics taken and done in 10 minutes.

@wcg2 Hey, did they keep your passport the entire time? VFS website says I submit it with the application, but it would get returned to me in 5 business days, and then I submit it again when it's approved. However, NYC consulate still has my passport 3 weeks later and I have no way to contact anyone. I don't know what the deal is. Seems strange they'd keep my passport for so long since I can't travel without it...

Does anyone have any input on getting my passport back from the consulate/VFS? It was sent it to the NYC consulate nearly 3 weeks ago, but they seem to still have it for some reason. Their phone goes straight to voicemail and tells me to email them, but I've emailed them twice in the last week and I have no response. Google reviews seem to say it's impossible to talk to anyone there.

Per the VFS website, they didn't keep the passport the entire time, which makes sense since this would be unfeasible for 8 weeks. I would not be able to travel internationally without it.

I'm kind of at a loss here on what to do...

Only speaking from SF Consulate perspective. Our passports were kept the full processing time 14 March - 3 June 2022 and returned with the visas included.

Right, you'd really be stuck if you left your passport with them.  What we're going to do, and this seems to be widely reported as an option for VFS in San Francisco, CA, is bring but keep our passports, and give them a notary certified color copy of the first two pages of each passport.  And copies of the pages that have stamps, since there are reports that sometimes they may ask for that too.

(You can find online a story that some states forbid notaries to do that, certify a passport copy.  No idea why, and they never say which states.  State of Washington allows it.)

Then when the visa has been approved, we'll go through some process to get our passports stamped.  Courier, go there in person, haven't really thought about it much.  Meanwhile, I'm going to take my passport to Portugal on an EU tourist visa as long as it allows.

Residence card for a third country national who is a family member of an EU/EEA/SWITZERLAND CITIZEN:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=953593

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SEF:

> If you are a third country citizen and intend to accompany a family member who is an EU/EEA/Switzerland citizen, during his / her stay in Portugal for a period exceeding three months, please apply for your RESIDENCE CARD FOR A THIRD COUNTRY NATIONAL WHO IS A FAMILY MEMBER OF AN EU/EEA/SWITZERLAND CITIZEN

https://www.sef.pt/en/pages/faq-detalhe.aspx?nID=8

https://www.sef.pt/en/pages/conteudo-de … spx?nID=12

Can anyone shed light on current Wash. D.C Consulate processing time for D7? Materials were sent to Consulate on 9/1.  VFS tracking says still "in process."  Tomorrow it's been with Consulate 6-weeks so far....

Tx!

Susan

@sanders1406 Hey, did you even get your original passport back yet? If so, how long did that take VFS told me I would get it back in 5 days, yet I don't have it and no one can tell me anything about it. I specifically asked about this before I submitted my application because I knew I had to travel. They said I would get my passport back and then I would need to resubmit it when the visa is approved, but it's been nearly 3 weeks and I am without my passport.

My application via Newark New Jersey took almost 2.5months. They had the passport the entire time.

That is really concerning. I know Newark doesn't use VFS, but both the VFS website and checklist say:

"The original passport must be submitted for identity verification and will be returned within 5 business days. The original passport will need to be resubmitted once the visa is approved. (Please note the passport must have 2 blank pages consecutive front and back)"

This is really a problem if this isn't true anymore. I see above that @wcg2 "resubmitted" her passport after the visa was approved and it got back, so clearly they didn't need/take hers while they did it. If this information is outdated, I'm seriously upset.

It's so strange to me that I can't get any confirmation about this from the consulate either. They're sending me generic responses about using VFS etc.

Anyone applied for D7 Visa in London the past few months and can give feedback on processing times and the like? Thanks, Rich