D7 Visa Portugal Help Sheet Suitable for Folk with Pension or Passive Income Thank you for downloading this free help sheet. We wanted to share our experiences since frankly it took far longer than we anticipated - if we had this sheet before commencing the application, we could have saved months in time and made considerable savings. We are creating a YouTube channel at https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCDA0p9Z3HxAYwP1pmy80xlg Live-Long-Prosper @how-to-retire-early so would be grateful if you subscribe and help our channel grow by Liking our videos and Ringing the bell ! If you find this advice useful, then please share the following address https:// www.live-long-prosper.com/p/d7-visa-help-sheet.html with other people who might find it useful, e.g. FaceBook groups. The internet is full of outdated and conflicting information, so this help sheet reflects our personal experience applying from the UK. Disclaimer: We do not accept any liability for any problems you incur, advice given here is provided as an example of our experiences, and everyone has different circumstances so we recommend that you take professional advice, particularly since the rules applying to emigration to Portugal are continually changing. Copyright: This advice sheet cannot be copied or published in any way without the permission of Michael Glanville mike.eurographic@gmail.com - but please share the download link with others who might benefit through on social media. Sequence It is important to note that you should follow a sequence to do things in order, for example, you will need a NIF number in order to open a bank account. The last thing to do is apply for a criminal check, since this needs to be very recent, no older than 6 weeks old before your visa application date. I wasted time and money when 4 criminal checks expired. In the UK, visit https://www.gov.uk/request-copy- criminal-record - they cost £18 each. You also need very recent bank account statements for your visa application meeting, up until the application date. Although it is best to do things in sequence, it also helps to do several things at once. We didn’t realise that each applicant needed an individual bank account in Portugal, assuming that a married couple would be treated as one entity, this assumption was incorrect, even though many references on the Internet referred to a family reunification or family reunion visa application. Our emigration consultants recommend separate applications for both myself and my wife. So we lost months in time, first by trying to open a Millennium bank account, then switching to Atlantico Bank, then starting again to open another Atlantico account for my wife. Covid Impact The covid pandemic restricted our travel, and this impacted on visiting banks to open accounts. You could open a bank account in Portugal, provided that you have a NIF number, but cannot make a D7 visa application while in Portugal, the application must be made in your own country, so we chose not to visit Portugal to open a bank account, and the pandemic restricted travel even to London in the UK where we live. In this digital age, I assumed that it would be easy to open bank accounts over the internet - the reality was disappointing, due to requirement for security checks. Be organised - get a folder for each applicant. We recommend that you purchase an A4 size folder with indexed dividers x 20 plus 500 insert sleeves, since we submitted 122 pages for each applicant. There are associated costs for visiting the VFS Global offices, an early morning interview time required us to make the journey the day before so we paid £130 in hotel costs, plus our train fee of £129, so you need to be prepared and get the interview right first time - mistakes cost money. Adopt a “Belt and Braces too” approach. VFS Global Ltd VFS Global are contracted by the Portuguese government to conduct D7 visa applications in some countries. Visa Application Centre UK centres can be found here https://visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/prt/attend-centre For other countries visit https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/index.html Time to process D7 Visa - our consultants organised the interview dates for my wife and I, 15 minutes apart on the same day, we attended the application interview at the VFS Global offices in London on August 4th 2022, and received back our passports with D7 stamps from VFS Global on September 15th 2022. I understand VFS Global have an obligation to contact you within 60 days from application interview date. The stamp within our passports directed us to an internet address which confirmed our SEF meetings in Portugal for 17th February 2023. The visa is good for three months which is a bit concerning, since the SEF meeting date is outside this period; many people have shown concern about this on the Internet. Although we plan to live in Portimao where are rental property is located, our SEF interview will take place in Portalegre which is 297 Km away - perhaps due to long waiting list in Portimao, at time of writing October 2022, first appointments available in June 2023. I will update this sheet next year after the SEF meeting. See photos below. Photos Top Left - me awaiting my interview time at VFS Global in London UK. Top Right shows local shop doing a roaring trade for applicants needing to print out documents in emergencies - we had to update our travel insurance during each interview. Bottom Left shows VFS Global with monitor calling applicants to cubicles to meet representatives. Bottom Right - celebration drink in local pub - barman says many customers visit the pub after their stressful VFS Global meetings! Time Line 1/. Order NIF Number We chose NIF Online https://www.nifonline.pt/en/ You must have this to start a bank account in Portugal. The Portuguese NIF number is a tax identification number. The number is for tax purposes in Portugal; NIF numbers are necessary when paying taxes, making official purchases such as buying a property or carrying out other formal activities. Each applicant requires a NIF number. After 12 months, a renewal fee was requested by NIF Online, so be sure to ask if choosing them for on-going expenses, we assumed incorrectly that the charge was a one-off payment, it wasn’t clear from their website or emails to us. We paid € 73.68 per 12 month period. We have just renewed this at € 73.68 for next 12 months. We have witnessed companies on Internet charging double this cost. 2/. Open Bank account for each applicant. Originally we tried Millennium Bank but experienced long delays and considerable added costs for signature validation by special solicitors who has Haque Apostille credentials, not all solicitors can do this, it would cost hundreds of pounds to get validation on so many documents. The customer support from Millennium Bank was appalling - on one occasion, it took 14 days and three reminders, by email and text for the bank employee to respond, but we accept that this may have been due to the covid pandemic. We chose Atlantico Bank https://www.atlantico.eu/particulares You will be asked to deposit a starting deposit, of € 500 or € 1000. For the VFS Global meeting, we needed to show 3 months history of account activity. At time of writing, each account requires a balance of € 17,000 per applicant, subject to change with inflation. Our interviewers wanted to see three months of statements from our Portuguese bank account, so aim to transfer the full requirement, e.g. € 17,000 at least 3 months before the visa application meeting. Atlantico will issue validated statements if you request these through their help channel. It took a number of weeks / months to set up the bank accounts, don’t expect the fast response rate you might be used to. 3/. Seriously consider appointing an emigration consultant to assist you since I believe they can save you time, money and reduce stress. The D7 process is quite long and complicated, but by taking a belt and braces approach, you will reduce the times, stress, potential for visa rejection and money thus associated. We can only vouch for Ei Assessoria Migratoria who we recommend. If you visit Expats Portugal and become a premium member for € 97, you will get a 10% discount off Ei Assessoria Migratoria standard charges - make sure this discount is applied on all invoices, we had to remind them of this. See https://expatsportugal.com . EI Assessoria Migratoria arranged our visa application dates, will accompany us for our SEF meetings in Portugal, prepared our visa applications, advised us on travel and health insurance, they prepared the Exposition of Motives document in Portuguese, they checked our travel insurance, they advised on requirements and they checked all other documents we submitted, they advised which documents would need copies to be retained by VFS Global, checked that our rental agreement met the requirements, they booked our Flight Reservations to Portugal, they prepared the Appropriate Visa “Declaracao” in Portuguese, they prepared the Authorization for SEF “Requerimento” in Portuguese, they advised on transfer of driving licence. Had our visa application been rejected, we would have lost time and money in rail fares and hotel accommodation which cost £250. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. During the pandemic we experienced some delays in getting answers, especially during the month of August when most Portuguese go on vacation. Sometimes I copied their MD Gilda Pereira on email correspondence to ensure I got a quicker answer, gilda.pereira@eimigrante.pt but we were very happy with the support we got from Mariane Sato mariane.sato@eimigrante.pt 4/. Travel Insurance Our wording was rejected by VFS Global during our meeting (STRESS!) as it was valid for Portugal, it should be valid for all Schengen countries. However we recommend Winsurance https://www.winsurance.pt/ email iamsafe@winsurance.pt as they quickly responded to our call for help during the visa meeting period, to send amended copy of insurance policy. We had to get amended wording during our interview process, causing delay and stress. It helped to have Internet access via a smart phone or laptop to email whoever you need to contact to quickly put things right. When we called our insurers, we just got an answerphone message in Portuguese, so needed to have contact details for people to call them directly. We were supported on the day by our consultant Mariane Sato who contacted the insurance company on our behalf, to arrange amended policy. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 5/. Appointment Letter Supplied by our immigration consultant. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 6/. Application Process Overview Supplied by our immigration consultant. It formed the index for our file folders, e.g. step 1 NIF, step 2 etc. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 7/. Visa Form This was prepared for us by Ei Assessoria Migratoria. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 8/. Exposition of Motives In Portuguese, with English translation. This is an explanation of reasons for establishing residence in Portugal. We submitted a draft to our emigration consultant who embellished and translated this into Portuguese. This was prepared for us by Ei Assessoria Migratoria. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 9/. Passport and certificated copy We copied the passport details page in colour and had this validated by the post office in the UK. VFS Global should retain the passports to be able to add visa, so make sure you don’t need your passport during the 60 day period they take to process the application. 10/. Marriage Certificate We took original and made two copies which were retained by VFS Global. For couples that are married, according to your own circumstances. 11/. Private Pension Statement Ensure that copies are available for latest three months prior to interview date. Or other sources of passive income, according to your own circumstances. 12/. State Government Pension Statement https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension For UK only, check for your country. 13/. My partner’s Private Pension Forecast / statements Ensure that copies are available for latest three months prior to interview date. According to your personal situation. Note: Each applicant has to mirror information about their spouse in their own application, so you need to print out many copies, so ensure that you have a printer. 14/. My wife’s projected state government pension amount https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension According to your personal situation. Note: Each applicant has to mirror information about their spouse in their own application, so you need to print out many copies, so ensure that you have a printer. 15/. UK Property Details We decided to place our UK property on market for sale, in order to purchase house in Portugal, so required a letter from the estate agent handling the sale with valuation of property. We also printed out the deeds of the property to prove ownership. Also details of any mortgage balance if mortgage is outstanding on the property. According to your personal situation. 16/. UK Rental Potential We had a rental agency valuate our property for rental income, in case we were unable to sell the property, or decided to rent in Portugal. We requested the letting agent to create a letter to be addressed to The Consulate-General of Portugal, 3 Portland Place, London, W1B 1HR confirming the rental valuation. According to your personal situation. 17/. UK Rental Property Potential We own an additional rental property which generates passive income. Need to show the deeds, a letter from the rental agency confirming the rental income per month, and a copy of the tenancy agreement. According to your personal situation. Note: VFS Global want to know about all your income, and all your partner’s income. 18/. My UK bank account Latest 3 months statements right up to the application date. VFS Global have been known to require very latest dates. Statements are like milk - they “go off” so make sure they are fresh, and up to date. 19/. My partner's UK bank account Latest 3 months statements right up to the application date. VFS Global have been known to require very latest dates. Note: Each applicant has to mirror information about their spouse in their own application, so you need to print out many copies, so ensure that you have a printer. 20/. NIF Number Certificate Evidence of your NIF number. We chose NIF Online https://www.nifonline.pt/en/ 21/. Portuguese Bank Statement Latest statement from your Portuguese bank account. In our case, we both needed Portuguese bank accounts with € 17000 balance showing. For VFS Global, latest money requirement according to advice from your consultant. The balance reflects the minimum wage for Portugal per annum. The requirement is to demonstrate that applicants has sufficient means to support themselves. We requested a validated copy of our bank statements from Atlantico. 22/. Rental agreement in Portuguese You will need a rental agreement of a property for 12 months, or evidence from a sponsor confirming that you have 12 months accommodation in Portugal. Must submit Portuguese rental agreement in Portuguese, signed on each page by the landlord, and each tenant. We found the process of finding suitable accommodation in the Algarve very difficult, because most landlords want to offer their properties to tourists during the season from May until September. We heard that long term rental landlords pay a higher rate of tax than those who just let properties during the summer season, from May until September. We were gazumped on our first choice property in Lagos, adding to delays and stress. We recommend that you are flexible - we wanted a 2 bed T2 property to invite family over, but had to settle for a one bedroom T1 - relatives can sofa crash or stay in AirB&B. Note - AirB&B properties are not suitable for D7 visa applications. I have seen dubious claims from people on Internet suggesting that shorter rental periods are acceptable - don’t be taken in by claims, consult with an emigration specialist before parting with any money. Currently there are 10 times as many applicants as available properties in the Algarve, it is a real problem. HELP finding rental properties For the D7 Visa Application, you will need a 12 month rental agreement. Suitable accommodation in the Algarve area is hard to find - most landlords prefer to rent their properties via AirB&B during the busy tourist season which runs from June until September. Even if you could afford 12 months accommodation in an AirB&B, this is not acceptable for the D7 application. We created a separate Help Sheet to help you find suitable properties in the Algarve. See https://www.live-long-prosper.com/p/d7-visa-help-sheet.html The best way to find suitable accommodation is 1/. Visit the area you think you’ll like, and stay off season in an apartment for a month or two - far cheaper than hotels and AirB&B. We have a few contacts in the Algarve area, so email us if you need contact names mike.eurographic@gmail.com 2/. Make friends with local rental agents. 3/. Be prepared to make a quick decision to reserve a rental property. 4/. Accept that the property will remain empty while you finalise your visa application. Agents are currently expecting clients to make decisions within 48 hours since there is such demand. Apparently the Russian War against Ukraine has worsened the problem, with many people leaving both those countries. NOTE: Consider to request a get-out clause to enable you to terminate the property after 8 months should you wish to purchase your own property, provided you give the landlord sufficient notice of 3 months. WARNING: Please be careful when dealing with private landlords, since it has been known for scammers to offer properties they don’t own for a holding deposit - ensure that the agent is bonafide. We accept no liability. 23/. Criminal Record check This should be the last thing you do before the application date at VFS Global, allow 3 weeks for the check to be conducted in the UK. We submitted a basic check, which shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions, which in the UK cost £18 at https://www.gov.uk/criminal- record-checks-apply-role Note: If criminal check is older than 2 months, it may be rejected by VFS Global. 24/. Authorization for SEF “Requerimento” Statement in Portuguese agreeing to allow SEF to conduct a local criminal check. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 25/. Appropriate Visa “Declaracao” Statement in Portuguese. We chose https://eimigrante.pt/pt/ and were pleased with their support. 26/. Flight Reservations to Portugal This was arranged for a date 6 weeks after the VFS Global application date - just a reservation, tickets were not paid for, so reservation expired. VFS Global tried to give us back our passports to enable us to travel on these dates, ENSURE that VFS Global retain your passports, and elect to have them send your passports to you securely. 27/. 2 Passport Photos 2 suitable passport photos retained by VFS Global. 28/. Annual Health insurance Please note that this is not required at time of visa application, but is required when you move to Portugal, to run preferably 3 months before your SEF appointment date, to allow time for the policy to become valid. We choose Winsurance https://www.winsurance.pt/ 29/. Shipping of Goods Avoid nasty import duties and tax when shipping goods to Portugal, See Video https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3u5_ogsGM8 We have a shipping declaration form available upon request. Other points and tips to mention Car Hire When visiting Portugal for scouting purposes, if you hire a car at Faro airport, you can get cheaper rates if you buy separate car hire excess insurance in the UK from carhireexcess.co.uk - the Portuguese tend to discount the car hire to load their expensive insurance afterwards. Short term Accommodation It is far cheaper from October until May to stay in short term rental apartments, we paid between € 600 to 800 per month, whereas hotels charge silly money, and AirB&B charge typically € 65 per night. AirB&B rates are often discounted if you stay 30 days or more if you ask. Driving Licence and Car We have decided against owning a car in Portugal since public transport is good. You can get a prepaid card for local buses. In the winter months, the Uber taxis are cheap, charging only € 6 to 10 per trip, we even got them to meet us at Supermarkets with our weekly shop. Coach travel is cheap, check out this Frugal Travellers YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YJ-C8LlUuAQ&t=571s Learning Portuguese Check out the Duolingo App https://www.duolingo.com/ Your experience We welcome any feedback from other applicants, so if you see any errors, links that don’t work, changes in policy, have any tips or experiences to share, please contact me at mike.eurographic@gmail.com YouTube We hope that you’ll follow our channel on YouTube - Live-Long-Prosper @how-to-retire-early https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDA0p9Z3HxAYwP1pmy80xlg