New Requirements for D7

Some things has changed

It has already been one year since we applied for our D7 Visa to Portugal. I recall our excitement as we dropped the FedEx envelopes off at our local Pack ‘N Ship. Perhaps because there has been an uptick in applications from certain countries, or because of changes the Portuguese SEF office has implemented, some of the requirements have changed. We’ll review them today.

First the Obvious

The information I am sharing below is what I have synthesized from people that are applying now, official websites, and relocation specialists. I am not in the relocation business, though it seems it is booming … everyone seems to be hiring. We in fact used such a company, just because we wanted someone to hold our hands. We did not then, and I am not now, gathering information from Facebook groups. So given this preamble…here’s what I think we know.

Accommodations

When we applied for our D7 visa, we were advised to have a six-month rental agreement. We were discouraged from just having an Airbnb agreement, though we have met many people that did. Recently, consulates received a directive asking that they require a 12-month rental agreement. Was there a change in the law? None that I can find. Does the consulate have the ability to ignore the directive on a case-by-case basis? Perhaps.

Is there a way around this? Yes. If you have a friend in Portugal that will vouch for you, inviting you into their home, you can submit this referral letter instead. But in the majority of cases, it is best to assume you need a one-year lease. (Of course, if you have already signed a Promissory Note for a home or apartment in Portugal, you don’t need a lease.)

Now, you have already probably jumped ahead to think, ”But Nanc, what if the place turns out to be a dud?” The good news is in the vast majority of cases you effectively have a six-month obligation when you sign a one-year lease. In Portugal, leases can be legally broken after 1/3 of the term…in this case 4 months. So assuming you give 60 days’ notice, which is customary, you effectively have a 6-month obligation.

Bank Account

If you have been with us from the beginning you will recall we did not have a Portuguese bank account the day we sent in our application. During the 31 days that it took to receive our visa they added this requirement. Suffice it to say, today you need to have a Portuguese bank account. You can get a NIF (the first step) online, and then create your Portuguese bank account online as well.

Money in the Bank

When we applied for our visa we were told that our SEF meeting would result in a temporary residency lasting one year. That after that one year, it could be auto-renewed for a longer-term. Shortly after we arrived, SEF announced that the initial term would be extended to two years. Perhaps because of this fact, the amount of money you are expected to deposit in the Portuguese bank is the equivalent of 24 months of the Portuguese minimum wage. That is just under €16,000¹ for an individual. You will be expected to submit a Bank Statement showing this amount on deposit.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I love that Bowie song…don’t you? But I digress…

There is nothing to say that there won’t be further changes. It’s possible. But there is no need to stress over it. If you submitted your D7 request under the available rules, and something changes (like the creation of a bank account when we submitted) it is likely they will let it go. And certainly, if you have already received your visa but haven’t left your home country yet, don’t stress out about any of the changes. Relax…it’s Portugal.

1. There has been much discussion regarding this amount. Folks that came in from the SF office approximately 7 weeks ago were only asked for half the amount stated. But others have had different experiences and some relocation companies are not requesting that their clients deposit this amount. As always, check with your local consulate to determine their interpretations of the requirements.