Portugal Forum

ksntoportugal
Joined 2022
Posts: 22

1 year ago

D7 Visa Application Experience

1 year ago

All,

This message is to address all the questions regarding the D7 visa application process.

My spouse and I began the process in January 2022. Our first step was reading (and rereading many times) "Demystifying the Paper Trail for United States Citizens Moving to Portugal," by Susan Stults Korthase. This article is available on this site. In our process of applying, we followed it religiously. You will need to do the same. The article is thorough. You do not need a lawyer or service to complete the visa application process.

I also used this document: https://www.vfsglobal.com/Portugal/USA/pdf/Portugal-Residency-Checklist-for-Long-Stay.pdf a checklist for Long Stay (Type D). This was the checklist that was used by the VFS officer in reviewing our submitted documents. I made sure to follow the checklist as I was applying for the D7 and matched it to the article. At one time it was posted at VFS, but the page does not seem to be available anymore so use the link I typed above.

Some specific details:
1. We applied in person in DC. We had ALL of the required paperwork with us.
2.To give you an idea of the time frame, you can only set the appointment so far in advance using the VFS system. This is explained in the article. You will need to have all of your documentation with you at the appointment. Timing is essential as you will need to get your FBI background check completed and returned so that you have it with you, as well as having the NIFs and Portuguese bank account with the required amounts (these amounts have been adjusted since the writing of the article). You will need to Google them.
3. We booked an AirBnB for 6 months.
4. We purchased global international health insurance and made sure it covered what the article said it should. The insurance is needed as part of the documentation. Realize you may be paying for the insurance for a month while still in the states, as some company can only give quotes out so far in advance of the actual start date of coverage and you will need the proof of coverage for your VFS meeting.
5. DC did not keep our passports while at the VFS meeting. We received an email form the consulate notifying us that we were approved and to send our passports so they could be stamped and returned ASAP. We paid for the return postage while at VFS.
6. We used Bordr, https://www.bordr.io/, in order to get our Portuguese NIFs and our joint bank account. The process with Bordr was easy and they guided us through the process. They were very professional. We used Wise to transfer money to our Portuguese bank account.
7. The process has to be completed from the USA, or your home country.

We turned in our documentation April 22, 2022 in DC. Our passports were requested May 25, 2022. We sent them in overnight thru FedEx May 26. The consulate received them May 27. We received our stamped passports June 2, 2022. The visas contain our appointment number and the link for scheduling our Residence permit appointments with SEF. We arrive in Portugal July 1.

We were not able to schedule a trip to hunt for a place to stay, so we used AirBnB and booked a 6 month stay. We will look for a rental property when we get there. We had been to Portugal in 2011 and again in 2019, right before COVID. It had been our first choice for retirement.

I will not lie, the process was filled with anxiety. But now, all we have to do is finish divesting ourselves of belongings, empty our apartment, and pack our four bags (2 carry ons and 2 checked bags). We are ready to begin our new adventure.

Good luck with yours.

Caoimhín

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