I posted this in under another topic, but I'm hoping more people will see it here if I post as a new topic. This didn't to say people who offer information with a disclaimer don't have things to offer.
I've recently received my residency card. (Yay!!) As for the following, I apologize for the length as well as for bringing it up in a public forum:
In my experience, craigandmikki's info is spot on, and Demystifying the Papertrail was a lifesaver. (And now I'm about to embarrass myself, but I feel strongly that it is necessary and for a good cause....)
In my humble opinion, beware of info from Old Pro. I feel like I've been quiet long enough as it takes a LOT for me to get upset, but the forum was so nice before and made things seem much more possible (because they are).
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Old Pro, MANY of us have lived in numerous foreign countries and yes, there are similarities. But I've found your answers to be egotistical (sorry!) windy, inaccurate at times and they always seem to boil down to the same thing - "it depends on what you want" or "everything's uncertain." Yes, we get that. For example: people who have less money know that they will live like people with less money vs those who have more (duh) so they know their lifestyle will be different. When they ask how much it costs to live, they aren't asking that. They want prices, comparisons, and information from people who are living here. I could tell them that historic Cascais may be out of the question at €1050-4000/month for an apt/utilities, but that I have a friend who lives in and older part of Lisbon and only pays €300. I spend €300 on organic food but she only spends €80-100/month. These are real facts.
And per one of my earlier questions, credit cards and banking depend on the bank, but there ARE people who have had good experiences with certain banks/bankers or certain credit card companies vs others. We are often asking general questions, and want advice from people who live here or are going through the process currently and have direct, accurate information or who can relay their best guesses based on their experience here.
But I feel like u make things unnecessarily complicated and difficult, and I've seen over and over again that once u answer, those of us who actually have good information don't offer it like they/we used to because it's just too exhausting to deal with your come-backs and often inaccurate invalidation of our responses.
In regard to paperwork and the minimum amount of money needed to be accepted for residency here, there are many of us who are here have had the experience of doing the paperwork/being accepted or not, so we can actually relay that information more accurately. OF COURSE some bureaucrat may have had burnt toast that morning and be grumpy and difficult or refuse to help, but that happens in life and I think we are all savy enough to understand that. Sometimes the same person will be incredibly helpful on the second go-around. And for the most part, the Portuguese people are extremely helpful and always try to give you information you need to complete whatever you're trying to do.
One thing I can tell all of you is that you will be returning to most places more than once no matter what you present. They often seem to want one more document or one more stamp or something - even if it's not needed, and even if you insist gently, kindly and firmly and have all of the required paperwork with you and show them the law. (One woman told me simply that it just wasn't how they did things there where I was).
For example, I brought a print out of my current bank statement from Portugal along with the ones from home. Even though I have many times more than they require in my US bank and a substantial amount here, they wanted me to go back to the bank here and get a stamp from them. Not required, but they required it. But rather than fighting it, I just stepped out and had some lunch in a beautiful town square where they were playing music and I could sit and look at amazing historic buildings...and then walked to the bank and took 5 minutes in line, got the stamp and took it back. She was happy. Mission accomplished.
So acknowledging others may have had different experiences, my experience/advice is:
1. Don't be in a hurry. This country doesn't rush anything.
2. Be kind and polite.
3. Ask for help. You will get the information you need, and then you will need to provide what they want, ridiculous or not....
4. Try to get information from government sources and from people on this forum who have actually lived here and/or have gone through/are going through the process. It will be more current and accurate. I was asked for slightly different paperwork in Cascais and Coimbra, and the San Francisco people require things you don't need to provide in other places (from my own experience and what I've read over the past year).
My experience is that I have met a few new residents now who say €50k was enough to get them in here, and it seems to be what is required by law (per craigandmikki's post and Demystifying the Paper Trail ). Show your paperwork and be prepared to return and show more when they ask. If you bring 3 months of bank statements, they may want 6. It can be vague, ambiguous and arbitrary, so over-prepare everything. I took 6 months of bank statements and they only asked for three.
I'm sorry to have done this publicly and for pointing Old Pro out specifically like this, but he answers so often that I don't want people to assume he's had an experience he hasn't. I'm sure that occasionally he and others who have lived overseas or in Europe have good general advice. But I also want people to realize that living here IS possible and information from those who have gone through the process is invaluable. There are definite answers for then most part - and anecdotal information, which is way more valuable than even those answers. So yes, you may still be asked for more documentation no matter what you bring, or it may be super easy, depending on which government official you get that day. Ask here and look for answers from the people who know.
Obrigada for listening, and I apologize for my windy explanation...
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