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The D7 visa is a residence visa for:
- Retired foreign citizens who wish to live in Portugal
- Holders of income who wish to live in Portugal. Income from movable property, real estate, intellectual property or financial applications.

One of the necessary requirements is a proof that you have the minimum income provided for by law to enable you to reside in Portugal for a period of not less than 12 months.

The procedure consists of two stages: the first with the Portuguese Consulate or Embassy of the country where the applicant resides and the second with the Foreign and Border Services (SEF) in Portugal.

First stage (VFS Global Portal):

The first stage is near the visa application center of Portugal (VFS Global Portal) where the applicant resides (in your case USA)



You will need to attach all necessary documentation to the D7 Visa application, as well as fill out the forms, declarations and authorizations indicated for that purpose, to be submitted together with the application at the visa application center nearest to your residence.

After analysis, you will be notified to attend the place for a personal interview and, if the application is approved, the Consulate of Portugal will issue the Visa that will be affixed to your Passport, allowing you to travel to Portugal.

It is worth mentioning that the Visa is a temporary document, valid for 4 months from its issuance. It is a kind of "pre-approval" of the residence application, but its conclusion is conditioned to the subsequent issuance of the Residence Permit by SEF in Portugal.


Second stage (SEF):

When the Visa is approved by the Consulate, a date and time will be generated to attend SEF, in Portugal, for delivery of complementary documentation and personal interview. Thus, once the documentation is complete and the interview has been successful, SEF will approve the residence application based on the D7 Visa, and a Residence Card will then be made for you.

_______

Answering to your question, the first interview will be made in USA, at the Portuguese Consulate and the second one at SEF, in Portugal. I think documents you have mentioned above that seems confusing to you are related to the second stage, not with the first one... Maybe you will have to find out more about them with the portuguese consulate. I remember that due to the Covid19, new procedures have to be followed. I suggest you to send an email with your questions to the consulate. Please check this link:



1. Choose the portuguese consulate you want/near you
2. Obtain here the website, email, phone number,...

dennislg wrote:

- Transport document (return ticket)
- Valid travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including emergency assistance and repatriation

Having a Transport document (return ticket): mandatory for temporary stay
Having a valid travel insurance: mandatory

Documentation required:

Portuguese Visa for Residency:


Portuguese Visa for Temporary Stay:


Portuguese Schengen Visa:


SEF

The D7 is a residence visa that is valid for 120 days. It is not a guarantee that it will convert to a residence permit. A visa is to enter, a permit is to stay.

The visa application is scanned and sent to SEF in Portugal, which means SEF relies on the consular posts in the USA to verify the legitimacy of your documents (because SEF only sees the scans, not the original documents). SEF is analyzing the CONTENT of your documents to decide whether to provisionally approve you on the basis that the documents and identity can be verified in person.

When you are approved, SEF signals the consular post in the USA, the consular post notifies you to send in your passport, and the visa sticker affixed to your passport has a URL with the pre-scheduled SEF appointment.

You will request 2 entries on the visa application, even if you don't need it, because if you have an emergency back in the States you won't have the ability to re-enter the Schengen zone for a second time on the D7, otherwise.

You are strongly recommended to buy either a return ticket or make a reservation for the return (refundable or whatever suits your situation best), because some airlines in the USA won't even let you check-in with a one-way ticket. I've seen passengers be denied boarding in the States for this reason.

Your insurance should also cover this same 120-day period. It should have minimum €30K coverage in Portugal with zero deductible.

When you see SEF in person, everything you submitted for the visa is on the screen in front of the clerk. The clerk is not the functionary who decides whether you are approved or not, you will be issued a 'comprovativo' (proof) that your ID and docs were submitted and these go to the SEF Legal Department. If all is copacetic, you will receive your residence card under Article 77 (General Regime) in 2-3 weeks from the appointment.

Thanks Johnny and Gail for the information you provided.  This is most helpful. 

I found 1 company called Visa Reservations (i'm sure there are many others), and they do provide a way to reserve flights (instead of purchasing them immediately) and purchase travel insurance.  They charge a small fee (about $65) to reserve the flights but these are cancellable or changed at no additional cost.  As for the travel insurance, you have to purchase them but the dates can be changed at no additional fee.  This helps in satisfying the application requirements without getting stuck to firm dates so early in the process.

Great Info!, I'd like to ask a few more questions.

                       For purposes of getting your residency card (2nd stage) in Portugal:

1. it is possible to rent a Mailbox or Postal box at a post office and have the cards received at that address instead of a residential address? I ask this because, from what I have seen, Portuguese immigration forms always asks for a residential address instead of a mailing address. I see getting a rental in my own name is difficult and and as such have found friends who are willing to rent out a room in their house, but I still prefer receiving mail at a mailbox as opposed to residential address. Is this even possible?

2.  For the 1st residency card or subsequent renewals, can proof of accommodation be in any form or has to be a lease? Just curious.

3 .whether it your first D7 residency card or second D7(renewal) residency card, it it possible to get the citizen card? Do you even get the residence cards, now that the citizen card is mandatory? How long do each take to arrive in mail approximately

Many thanks and appreciation :-)

1. SEF sends the card only to the address that you provide proof of residence for, OR you may pick it up in person at the SEF office but this is less of an option due to COVID. What we're seeing is that if the registered mail is not signed for at the address, it automatically gets returned to SEF after some months. Then you don't have a choice but to go there and pick it up. If you attended your SEF appointment on the other side of the country, that's where you'll have to pick it up.

2. The renewals online due to COVID aren't backed up with proof of address unless SEF requests it. If SEF returns to appointment renewals then yes, they will ask for the proof of address in person.

3. This question doesn't make sense.

There is no citizen card without application for citizenship, which takes a minimum of 5 years of Temporary Residency to apply. A D7 is only the first 4-month visa to enter, once it's converted to a permit it is not longer a D7. The terms of your residence permit are on the front of your card in the form of a law reference, Art. 76 if first permit or Art. 78 if renewal or Art. 80 if Permanent Resident.

I truly value the help you've given me.  Just a few more questions.

As VFS lets you apply D7 visa based on a hotel booking.

1. In the event of being unable to find a registered lease in my own name, and I continue staying at this hotel/Hostel/backpacker until the first appointment with SEF (I understand this will be expensive), would proof of stay or continued stay at this hotel/hostels/backpacker residences count as proof of accommodation (with credit/debit card payments, of course) or would a letter from a friend/landlord help, saying I live at his house/address with proof of rent paid from my bank account although the lease is not registered with AT. 

2. The link is here. The citizenship like card is being offered to foreigners as part of  Simplex
   
    I might be wrong. Feel free to correct me. :-)

3. You mentioned, it's possible to pick up the residency card from SEF. Do you get an email/phone call or letter from SEF or we have to check up on them?

Always learning new things. Greatly appreciate the time and effort you would have spent writing a reply.

Note that VFS Global is merely a document collector, they are not authorized to indicate whether you qualify or not. Most of their dealings are with Schengen visa applicants (who DO use tourist accommodation for their visa applications), while residence visas are treated differently.

If your jurisdiction is covered by the Embassy in DC, you should know that the Embassy and SEF have been rejecting tourist accommodation for the D7, which is a residence visa. This happens from time to time, and therefore tourist accommodation is always a risk. The more tentative and cancellable the elements of your application, the more you risk being denied.

2. You may one day find out how useless those two publications are viewed in Portugal. If you want to know if something exists for foreigners, consult the SEF website as they are the only authority, not two content providers who subsist from advertising.

3. Depends on how things are going at SEF. If they're understaffed, you'll hear nothing and it's up to you to find out where your card is.

geo33$L wrote:

2. The link is here. The citizenship like card is being offered to foreigners as part of  Simplex
   
    I might be wrong. Feel free to correct me. :-)

About the "Citizenship like card" this is NOT a Citizenship Card, and I think (but not have sure) this is only available for European Union Citizens who have resided in Portugal for more than five years (at least this was the case when it was created in January 2019)



"The Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) started at the beginning of 2019 to issue the new model Permanent Residence Certificate of the European Union Citizen, identical in format, substrate and content to the National Citizen's Card, which contains the internationally recommended physical securities for this document format.

The new model of card aims at empowering European Union citizens, who have resided in Portugal for more than five years, with an identification document that complies with the minimum security standards and makes it possible to guarantee its holders the rights and associated advantages, identifying them clearly and accurately before national, international authorities and other entities with which they will have to interact."

This new card will incorporate social security, personal tax (NIF) and current health card (Cartâo de Utente) numbers. The scheme will bring foreign nationals living in Portugal in line with Portuguese citizens, who already have a similar ID card.

gailatlarge wrote:

Note that VFS Global is merely a document collector, they are not authorized to indicate whether you qualify or not. Most of their dealings are with Schengen visa applicants (who DO use tourist accommodation for their visa applications), while residence visas are treated differently.

If your jurisdiction is covered by the Embassy in DC, you should know that the Embassy and SEF have been rejecting tourist accommodation for the D7, which is a residence visa. This happens from time to time, and therefore tourist accommodation is always a risk. The more tentative and cancellable the elements of your application, the more you risk being denied.

2. You may one day find out how useless those two publications are viewed in Portugal. If you want to know if something exists for foreigners, consult the SEF website as they are the only authority, not two content providers who subsist from advertising.

3. Depends on how things are going at SEF. If they're understaffed, you'll hear nothing and it's up to you to find out where your card is.

Thank you once again for your answers.

1.  As I understand, in order to rent a long term place - such as one registered with AT, I would need to provide pay stubs or last year tax return or a fiador/gurantor. How do D7 applicants find long term rentals  before moving to Portugal as they would not have a last year tax return/ pay stubs or fiador?

2. Assuming, I do have a fiador, I see a lot of rooms(not T0/1/2/..etc) on idealista.pt, but the question that comes to my mind is, can there be a contrato de arrendemento ( such that it is registered with AT) on these rooms, or are they just renting out privately without a lease? If yes, is it the same contrato de arrendemento applicable to T0/1/2....   or there is a different contrato... for this?

3. In relation to  your 1st appointment with SEF after receiving D7 visa, is it possible see a list of appointments available? (Covid as well as non Covid situation)

4. Just to avoid con artists, is it possible to verify the details of the lease, such a name of tenant/landlord, validity period, caution/bond etc online once the lease is signed and sent off to AT?

dennislg wrote:

Thanks Johnny and Gail for the information you provided.  This is most helpful. 

I found 1 company called Visa Reservations (i'm sure there are many others), and they do provide a way to reserve flights (instead of purchasing them immediately) and purchase travel insurance.  They charge a small fee (about $65) to reserve the flights but these are cancellable or changed at no additional cost.  As for the travel insurance, you have to purchase them but the dates can be changed at no additional fee.  This helps in satisfying the application requirements without getting stuck to firm dates so early in the process.

By the way, VFS Global just copy/pastes their website from one country to another. You aren't actually required to show a ticket for the D7 out of the USA. As you can see, it's not on their checklist at all:

geo33$L wrote:

Thank you once again for your answers.

1.  As I understand, in order to rent a long term place - such as one registered with AT, I would need to provide pay stubs or last year tax return or a fiador/gurantor. How do D7 applicants find long term rentals  before moving to Portugal as they would not have a last year tax return/ pay stubs or fiador?

2. Assuming, I do have a fiador, I see a lot of rooms(not T0/1/2/..etc) on idealista.pt, but the question that comes to my mind is, can there be a contrato de arrendemento ( such that it is registered with AT) on these rooms, or are they just renting out privately without a lease? If yes, is it the same contrato de arrendemento applicable to T0/1/2....   or there is a different contrato... for this?

3. In relation to  your 1st appointment with SEF after receiving D7 visa, is it possible see a list of appointments available? (Covid as well as non Covid situation)

4. Just to avoid con artists, is it possible to verify the details of the lease, such a name of tenant/landlord, validity period, caution/bond etc online once the lease is signed and sent off to AT?

1. You don't need a fiador to a) rent a place, or b) register it with Finanças. Almost no foreigner is able to get a fiador, they rent an apartment by offering more months upfront (real estate agents will ask for 6 rents, either 5 upfront and 1 month deposit or some combination thereof). Show your face to the owner, make a good impression, and get the standard Portuguese offer: 2 rents upfront, 1 month deposit. All contracts minimum one year should be registered, regardless of the renter. If the owner balks, move on to the next place.

2. Idealista has every scenario, including scams, owners who won't register, obsolete listings, and then regular contracts. You will find plenty of examples of rental contracts online.



3. When you get the visa, there's a URL in it that is a link to your appointment prescheduled. It's generated by a computer, so if you don't like the location or date, you have to wait until you're in Portugal to call the SEF call centre to reschedule. Be aware that the SEF numbers can only be accessed within Portugal, and it takes at least 300 attempts to reach the call centre spread out over a week if you're lucky. Just take what you get.

4. Portuguese lawyers can verify a lease because they know the law. But unless you are very familiar with contract law, you won't know what your rights are. Once you sign a contract in Portugal, you are bound to the terms, so you will want to ask for a draft before signing and ask someone to review it. Or, just use a real estate agent. Agents are paid by the owner, the renter doesn't pay, but they are bound to contract law so the contract will be legal but may be less fair to you than the owner.

1. You don't need a fiador to a) rent a place, or b) register it with Finanças. Almost no foreigner is able to get a fiador, they rent an apartment by offering more months upfront (real estate agents will ask for 6 rents, either 5 upfront and 1 month deposit or some combination thereof). Show your face to the owner, make a good impression, and get the standard Portuguese offer: 2 rents upfront, 1 month deposit. All contracts minimum one year should be registered, regardless of the renter. If the owner balks, move on to the next place.

I am happy to pay upfront six months rent , but is it possible to do that from my home country bank account- that is without opening a Portuguese bank account before I get my residence card. Will run into some issues with rent/landlord?


2. Idealista has every scenario, including scams, owners who won't register, obsolete listings, and then regular contracts. You will find plenty of examples of rental contracts online.



That is what I wanting to know in 4 of my previous post. Once you sign the contract, it definitely would not be registered with AT unless the landlord sends the paperwork.  You say the ideal option is to pay upfront 6 months, which I will, but I would just want to know that my lease is registered with AT before paying 6 months rent.



3. When you get the visa, there's a URL in it that is a link to your appointment prescheduled. It's generated by a computer, so if you don't like the location or date, you have to wait until you're in Portugal to call the SEF call centre to reschedule. Be aware that the SEF numbers can only be accessed within Portugal, and it takes at least 300 attempts to reach the call centre spread out over a week if you're lucky. Just take what you get.

You say the appointment is scheduled in advance. How long does one wait typically before getting that computer assigned appointment  ? Is it quicker in smaller cities like Coimbra/ Braga  compared to Lisbon?


4. Portuguese lawyers can verify a lease because they know the law. But unless you are very familiar with contract law, you won't know what your rights are. Once you sign a contract in Portugal, you are bound to the terms, so you will want to ask for a draft before signing and ask someone to review it. Or, just use a real estate agent. Agents are paid by the owner, the renter doesn't pay, but they are bound to contract law so the contract will be legal but may be less fair to you than the owner.


Speaking of real estate agents, when you establish your identity, do they only sight your passport/residence card or do they also need a copy of it. Have been a victim of identity theft previously and am  very cautious.

Dear Gailatlarge, Thank you for your time though!   You might want to combine my previous post and this one, while answering,

5. when you say "All contracts minimum one year should be registered, regardless of the renter. If the owner balks, move on to the next place"

Contracts less than 12 months do not need to be registered?

Answering to your (many    ) questions:

1. The income tax return to apply is always the last one submitted.
For instance, in Portugal, the personal income tax (IRS) is filed between 1 April and 30 June of each year.

If I make a rental agreement on:
a) September 2020, I apply the tax return I filed in April 2020 for the year 2019.
b) May 2020: if I have not already made a declaration in 2020, I will apply the tax return in April 2019 for 2018. If I have already delivered it in 2020, this is the same as a).


2. Often, the landlord does not declare the room rental to AT, and if he does, he increases the rent to support the tax payable. If there is no contract, nothing is signed. If there is a contract for renting a room, it has nothing to do with a house rental contract.

I suggest you to rent a house, even if it is for a shorter term rental period.

- There are hyper-inflated rooms in the centre of Lisbon, they even have the same price of a house rental somewhere else. Room rentals are more frequent for high students when they are moving to a new city to study. Most of them pay rent without receiving a receipt.

- If you want a short term rental, try the Algarve, there are plenty of options, especially outside the summer months.



3, When the Visa is approved by the Consulate, a date and time will be generated to schedule with SEF, in Portugal, for delivery of complementary documentation and personal interview.

If you are unable to attend SEF on the pre-scheduled date and time, or wish to advance your appointment, you can request a new date by phone (due to Covid, it is best to inquire about this possibility with the Consulate...).

It is very likely that outside Lisbon it takes less time.




4. If you do enlist the help of a rental agent, make sure they do their work to your satisfaction. A good agent will tell you about the market, city, price, and quality of housing. They’ll also note the restrictions that apply to expats, arrange visits, negotiate with landlords, and even provide a contract in English for you signed by both parts. Make sure they have a good choice of properties on their books.

Expatica.com has a helpful article: Guide to Renting in Portugal and Your Tenant Rights:




Usually, an expat has a migration specialist/rental agent to avoid any problems. He previews the apartment, negotiates the rent, and reviews your rental agreement, but you shall do the online searching, by using several online platforms to conduct your search.

In Portugal not all properties are searchable in one website. Portugal is represented by all the major international real estate firms such as Remax, Keller-Williams, etc. Please take a look at the following link:

/forum/viewtopic.php?id=904388


5. All house rental contracts must be registered in the AT website by the landlord.
All rent receipts have to be passed through the AT website "Portal das Finanças" ( unless the landlord is over 65 years old and is info excluded...)

Do your own research or hire an assistant. If you want a Lawyer to assist you, please search on Google " D7 Visa Portugal lawyer", and choose one who is a Portuguese Certified Lawyer and specialized in procedures regarding the residence permit and legal assistance in investments in Portugal.

------------------------

This may interest to you:

a) Digital Nomad Turned Expat in Portugal and her own experience  with a D7 visa at SEF:



It's written in a kind of romance novel, but to get an idea, it's okay...

I'm sorry but it was only after I had answered the questions that I saw that they had already been answered by another member of the forum...

First of all a very big Thank you.   I might be repeating but please bear with me as I am   of few things and the newer questions are interrelated.

Summarizing,( Please correct me if I have understood it incorrectly)
1. House rental contract is always registered with AT
2. Room are not, but can if they want. Rent will increase.
3. House contract - mandatory to be registered regardless of lease duration?
4. what about a T0? is it also mandatory to be registered(regardless of duration)?
5. Now, for registering a house contract or T0(if it the case) with AT, I will need a NIF.
6. I understand, that to get a NIF as a non resident, I will need a local to be my fiscal representative. The question is, if I fly in today as U.S citizens, do not need a visa, can I register as a resident. Any idea where can I get a proof of address? Will temporary accommodation address help just to skip the fiscal representative requirement ?
7. The last question, 

he income tax return to apply is always the last one submitted.
For instance, in Portugal, the personal income tax (IRS) is filed between 1 April and 30 June of each year.
If I make a rental agreement on:
a) September 2020, I apply the tax return I filed in April 2020 for the year 2019.
b) May 2020: if I have not already made a declaration in 2020, I will apply the tax return in April 2019 for 2018. If I have already delivered it in 2020, this is the same as a).

This is for me or for the landlord to worry about. I am reading it as being applicable to my own tax return should I be a tax resident in Portugal.

Answering your questions: 

1. Since November 2015, all landlords with annual property income of more than 871,52 euros have to pass on the electronic rental receipt via the AT Finance Portal.

Anyone who does not issue the respective electronic rental receipt risks to pay a fine. Fines for landlords who do not issue the appropriate electronic rental receipt range from 150 to 3,750 euros, according to AT.



There are two cases where there is an exemption from issuing electronic rent receipts:

- Landlords aged 65 or over. In this case, they can submit a rent statement to AT by the end of January of the following year;
- Landlords who receive less than 877.62 euros per year of rent,

In such cases, the landlord should send the receipt on paper and by post to the tenant's address.

Note: if your landlord applies this exemption, you may require a clause to be written in the lease agreement to require your landlord to send to your email address the electronic receipt on a monthly basis. This is a PDF document generated by AT's Financial Portal, when the landlord issues the receipt, and is certified by AT. This guarantees the tenant that everything is legal.



2. That's the case. They're supposed to give a receipt, but it's hard to control because the tenant wants always to pay less monthly and, simultaneously, the landlord does not increase his income by avoiding to pay more IRS...


3. Rent contracts have a minimum term of one year and, at the first renewal, they have to be maintained for another three years, unless the landlord needs the house for himself or his sons. However, the renewal of the contract may be established on other terms, provided that the two parties agree on another period of time.


4. Any house rental contract (T0, T1, T2, T3, ...) has to be registered in the AT


5. The NIF is always mandatory in Portugal for any contract/transaction.


6. If your address is outside the (European Union + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), you will need someone to act as your tax representive—basically a person the tax authorities can contact if they need to reach you. You could hire a lawyer, or just ask a friend or acquaintance.

Take a look at this link, I think is quite understandable:





7. The landlord usually asks for documents to analyse the risk of the tenant's breach of the lease. In order to evaluate and/or reduce the risk, the landlord may, if he wishes, consider some of the following options:

- copy of the employment contract (to find out the professional situation of the potential tenant and whether he is at risk of becoming unemployed);

- copy of the card with the tax identification number (NIF);

- copy of the last IRS declaration (to know the effort rate between what you receive and what you pay for rent);

- copy of the last two pay slips (to know you are working);

- the landlord can ask for as many months as possible of rent advance. It is usual for the tenant to pay at least 3 months when he starts the contract, but the landlord can ask for more months.

The minimum of 3 months has to do with the following: if the contract starts on 1st May, he must pay the month of May, the month of June (always the following month) and 1 month of security deposit ("mês de caução" in portuguese).

This "caução" serves as guarantee the good conservation of the property, and will be returned at the end of the contract by the landlord, or in most cases, it is converted into a month of rent. This means that if the tenant leaves the house/ ended the contract at the end of September, the last rent he pays is in July (which is to pay August, always the following month, remember?), and September is the month of deposit ("caução"), paid at the beginning of the contract.

- In the case of renting to foreigners, as your case, it is difficult to ask for a guarantor / "fiador" (which is usual in contracts with portuguese tenants, in order to guarantee that someone pays the rent when default happens). To avoid this default, landlord usually asks for more months of rent in advance.

"Link under review" above at #16 is:

geo33$L wrote:

This is for me or for the landlord to worry about. I am reading it as being applicable to my own tax return should I be a tax resident in Portugal.

As soon as you convert your NIF from foreign to resident with a Portuguese address, you are automatically a tax resident of Portugal from that day. You don't have a choice.

Only residence permits under Golden Visa which have extremely short stay requirements (a week in Year 1, and two weeks after that) are the exception.

If you enter as a D7 you'll be under the General Regime, Art. 77, for the permit which means to maintain your residency status you must remain in Portugal as a tax resident.

geo33$L wrote:

1. You don't need a fiador to a) rent a place, or b) register it with Finanças. Almost no foreigner is able to get a fiador, they rent an apartment by offering more months upfront (real estate agents will ask for 6 rents, either 5 upfront and 1 month deposit or some combination thereof). Show your face to the owner, make a good impression, and get the standard Portuguese offer: 2 rents upfront, 1 month deposit. All contracts minimum one year should be registered, regardless of the renter. If the owner balks, move on to the next place.

I am happy to pay upfront six months rent , but is it possible to do that from my home country bank account- that is without opening a Portuguese bank account before I get my residence card. Will run into some issues with rent/landlord?


If you do a bank-to-bank transfer from one network to another, there are delays. In a competition for a coveted place, between you and someone else with a SEPA-area bank account, you will probably lose. You are already disadvantaged by the lack of a fiador, some landlords may choose a tenant with fewer encumbrances. Then you move on to the next place.

2. Idealista has every scenario, including scams, owners who won't register, obsolete listings, and then regular contracts. You will find plenty of examples of rental contracts online.


That is what I wanting to know in 4 of my previous post. Once you sign the contract, it definitely would not be registered with AT unless the landlord sends the paperwork.  You say the ideal option is to pay upfront 6 months, which I will, but I would just want to know that my lease is registered with AT before paying 6 months rent.


The lease can only be registered AFTER contract signing and simultaneous payment.


3. When you get the visa, there's a URL in it that is a link to your appointment prescheduled. It's generated by a computer, so if you don't like the location or date, you have to wait until you're in Portugal to call the SEF call centre to reschedule. Be aware that the SEF numbers can only be accessed within Portugal, and it takes at least 300 attempts to reach the call centre spread out over a week if you're lucky. Just take what you get.

You say the appointment is scheduled in advance. How long does one wait typically before getting that computer assigned appointment  ? Is it quicker in smaller cities like Coimbra/ Braga  compared to Lisbon?


There is no such thing as typical in COVID times, especially SEF appointments. It's all out the window.

4. Portuguese lawyers can verify a lease because they know the law. But unless you are very familiar with contract law, you won't know what your rights are. Once you sign a contract in Portugal, you are bound to the terms, so you will want to ask for a draft before signing and ask someone to review it. Or, just use a real estate agent. Agents are paid by the owner, the renter doesn't pay, but they are bound to contract law so the contract will be legal but may be less fair to you than the owner.


Speaking of real estate agents, when you establish your identity, do they only sight your passport/residence card or do they also need a copy of it. Have been a victim of identity theft previously and am  very cautious.

They will probably ask you to send your ID to them electronically along with proof of income as part of the qualifying process.

Your passport number is in the contract.

Thank you for your time.

If you do a bank-to-bank transfer from one network to another, there are delays. In a competition for a coveted place, between you and someone else with a SEPA-area bank account, you will probably lose. You are already disadvantaged by the lack of a fiador, some landlords may choose a tenant with fewer encumbrances. Then you move on to the next place.


I am thinking of opening a N26 account for SEPA payments as it requires lesser paperwork compared to traditional Portuguese banks.

The lease can only be registered AFTER contract signing and simultaneous payment.



[color=#000000]A contract is different from a lease? Contracts are enforceable? what happens if I sign a contract but not head to the lease signing stage for whatever reason? Any penalties/problems?

There is no such thing as typical in COVID times, especially SEF appointments. It's all out the window.

so how long does one wait- any idea for 1st appointment?

gailatlarge wrote:

geo33$L wrote:

This is for me or for the landlord to worry about. I am reading it as being applicable to my own tax return should I be a tax resident in Portugal.

As soon as you convert your NIF from foreign to resident with a Portuguese address, you are automatically a tax resident of Portugal from that day. You don't have a choice.

Only residence permits under Golden Visa which have extremely short stay requirements (a week in Year 1, and two weeks after that) are the exception.

If you enter as a D7 you'll be under the General Regime, Art. 77, for the permit which means to maintain your residency status you must remain in Portugal as a tax resident.

Thank you.

So for purposes of getting a residential NIF, I am planning to a N26 bank account as It requires only  your ID and Portuguese address(If i get a room) to open an account whereas other Portuguese banks need NIF.

Will Financas accept the N26 statement? Any idea or strictly has to be a Portuguese bank one?

Also is it possible to be become a tax resident by doing the above, when visiting Portugal without a residency visa?

Thank you once again JoHnny,

with this link, I see the offices of SEF in various cities. You initially said, it quicker in other cities than it is in Lisbon.  May I ask, where did you get that info from? Is it something to the link you posted?

Hello Thanks a ton for such wide information. Pls assist in my Querry I’m an Indian origin  living in UAE since last 13 years looking for D7 visa. With major passive income in India in Rupee deposits and here only cash equal to 2 year stay in Portugal so I qualify or stand any chance
Appreciate if you advice .

Pls assist in my Query also.

I’m an Pakistani living in UAE since last 10 years looking for D7 visa.
With major passive income from my job & business in UAE. I spoke to some consultants in UAE, they inform me that they will assist me to set a business in Portugal. And he inform me that he will do all the process to get the residency in Portugal for 2 year stay in Portugal so I qualify or not.  Appreciate if you advice .Thanks in advance