Expat Community > Portugal

PhotoGal28
Joined 2016
Posts: 9

Confused with Resident Visa Process

6 years ago

Hello!
My fiancé and I are in a bit of a pickle. We were recently told that our rent will be increasing June 1st at the time of the annual lease signing. Since we have traveled to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia and found the mosquitos, chiggers, and no-see-ums to be a horrible challenge, we decided to just move to Portugal instead of renewing our lease.
I wish we had discovered long ago that we would have to jump through all these hoops (including flights to San Francisco from Seattle), BEFORE we booked one-way airline tickets and hotels for 3 weeks in Spain and Portugal.
We are to land in Barcelona on May 31st and drive though Spain to Portugal, where we plan to rent a home. Where? We don't know. We want to escape Seattle's 9 month drizzle, purchase (down the road) a house with an acre or more of garden-able soil, and yet not roast during the summer months, Are we asking too much of Portugal? We don't need to be on the Ocean, but what I've seen inland in the less rain-soaked areas seem to be extremely dry. Opinions?
Our FBI background check has been ordered through a channeler, but I've read conflicting information about getting the FBI document apostilled. Does the background file from the FBI have to be sent to the State Dept. in WA DC for apostilling before it is then returned to us and we fly to San Francisco?
Now I'm reading that the Portuguese Consulate in San Francisco will review our Resident Visa Applications and send them on to Portugal for approval (or not). Do you have to have the letter from your doctor to take to the Consulate in SF? I read that it had to include a statement that you are not HIV positive (for you ID card in Portugal), have no communicable diseases, and list of your medicines.
I know about the letter we have to write as to why we want to move to Portugal, No Big Deal, From then on, it just gets crazy!
From what I understand, we have to have a residential lease, 3K each in a bank account in Portugal, prove that we have have set up monthly direct deposits to Portugal of at least $800.60 US, and medical insurance that covers at least $37,000 for 4 months. (This is weird…what do they mean by this dollar amount)? I read that we must go to the Portuguese consulate in Portugal once we are there, wait hours just to set up an appointment with the Consulate General, but that we don't have to leave the country until this meeting has taken place. Have I left anything out? Is all of this correct?
Do the lease, bank account, proof of income and medical insurance have to be set up BEFORE we leave May 30th? As stated above, we only have one-way tickets to Spain. I don't know if I have to buy return airline tickets or not! Will we have any problem in Spain at customs since we don’t have return tickets? Does anyone know how long the consulate in Portugal takes to review an application for residence? Any insight you can give me will be GREATLY appreciated!
Thank You!

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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.

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Moving to Portugal Guide

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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.

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Additional Information:

Visit our Portugal Index for a Full List

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Confused with Resident Visa Process

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