Portugal Forum

ColoNative
Joined 2022
Posts: 8

2 years ago

My San Francisco D7 meeting

2 years ago

Yesterday I had my appointment in San Francisco for my D7 Visa. The VFS office is essentially a row of seven windows with clerks on the other side who take your Application and supporting documents. (Interesting aside: Three of the windows are for nine countries, including Portugal; four windows were for France! There were never more than three applicants and clerks in the room however, when I was in there.)

While I waited I saw a sign that said Portugal applicants needed to have a cashier’s check or money order made out to the Consulate of Portugal. I could have sworn I saw somewhere on my appointment memo they would take a debit card. I was allowed to leave to run to a USPS office a half block away to get a money order for around $42 before the Portugal clerk came out.

The Clerk, who said he was not Portuguese, shuffled through my papers and checked boxes on a sheet. I thought afterwards I should have asked for a blank copy of his check list. I had to sign an authorization for a criminal check in Portugal. Then the clerk said my money order only paid the VFS fee, so he let me run out again for the Consulate fee of about $105. I elected to let them take my passport with a SASE, but was required to sign a release of liability if they lose my passport. The clerk did take my debit card for $35 to pay to overnight my passport with the new visa to me, and confirmed my mailing label with me, so I guess I wasted my stamps. There was no interview. The clerk merely said “You gave me a good checklist.”

In the appointment memo I had received, there were details about taking my biometrics. However, the clerk said it wasn’t necessary since I had sent my fingerprints electronically to the FBI (I had presented the FBI criminal check in the unopened envelope)

At this point I will say thanks for the “Portugal Visa & Residency Guide” a/k/a “United States Citizens Moving to Portugal: Demystifying the Paper Trail”. It was my main source of information for my D7 process.

However the meeting ended on a deflating note when the clerk told me there is such a back-up of Applications, my passport probably won’t be returned for 10-12 weeks. This must be the slow bureaucracy I have read about. I was hoping to move in late March but might have to wait as late as May. That is waay too much time to procrastinate doing what I need to do before my move. :-)

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Living in Portugal Guide

Our Living in Portugal Guide is a primer on everything about living in Portugal: best places to live, cost of living, pros and cons, healthcare and insurance, obtaining a driver's license, how to bring your pet with you and more.

Portugal Forum
Join our Portugal forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Portugal.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Portugal.

Best Places to Live in Portugal

If you're thinking about living in Portugal, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Portugal in 2023.

Healthcare in Portugal

Expats in Portugal with a residency visa can participate in the national health care system. Here's what you need to know about the SNS and the combination of public and private services you'll need to manage your health in Portugal.

Cost of Living in Portugal

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Portugal.

Moving to Portugal Guide

Expats moving to Portugal are drawn by a variety of places to live, a rich history and so much more. Here are some tips on what it means to move there, and how to make it happen.

Real Estate in Portugal

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Portugal.

Pros & Cons of Living in Portugal

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Portugal.

Retiring in Portugal

Advice for people retiring in Portugal.

Portugal Visa & Residency Guide

Thanks to Susan Stults Korthase for this helpful overview of current requirements to begin the process of obtaining a Residency Visa when moving from the US to Portugal.

10 Tips for Living in Portugal

If you've recently arrived in Portugal, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Portugal.

Additional Information:

Visit our Portugal Index for a Full List

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Portugal by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Portugal.