Renting in Algarve

And D7's 12 Month Requirement...

Yes, I know it is still August. And as Portuguese school children don’t return to school for another 3 weeks, Vila Real de Santo Antonio is still not back to “normal”. But we are back from vacation. So today I share a secret, that might help you find that 12-month rental for your D7 visa.

This past weekend in VRSA…entertainment every night. Fireworks at midnight Sunday night, with music following the fireworks.

D7 Requirements

When we made the move to Portugal in December 2020, we only needed a 6-month rental agreement to get our D7 visa. We were advised to have an actual rental agreement, though we know people that had 6 months of Airbnb reservations. I guess not every consulate in the States had the same rules. Regardless, getting a 6-month agreement was not that difficult. (Granted when we came it was the height of “Covid times” and nearly all the short-term rental market was empty!)

Things are a bit different now. Tourism has returned to Portugal. In fact, most cities are posting numbers that exceed pre-pandemic levels.

A recent study by The World Travel & Tourism Council has revealed that Portugal’s travel and tourism sector will drive the national economic recovery. In fact, it is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels next year when it is projected to rise nearly 4.8% above 2019 levels. — Portugal Resident

Secondly, in October 2021 some of the D7 rules changed. Most notably, a 12-month lease was required if you didn’t already own a property in Portugal. Since many of us come without our cookware and/or furniture, finding a fully equipped apartment is a necessity.

Renting in Algarve

Finding a 12-month rental agreement can be tough if you want to settle in Algarve. As we documented in our post Finding an Apartment nearly all the apartments available when we moved to VRSA excluded at least two summer months, some even more. And this is not only an Algarve “problem”. You will find similar situations in the greater Lisbon metropolitan area!

We were fortunate. We found an apartment where we could afford to make the math work for the landlord and us. We have friends that just could not afford the amount required to cover the “high season”. Instead, they had to leave their Algarve apartment for two months. We also have a friend that couldn’t convince the owner to upset her family that used the property as their August get-away. Toby and his dog Harley had to leave.

Solution

You might be wondering how these Americans were able to satisfy the 12-month rental agreement requirement while having to vacate their new home for a month or more. It seems that having an undisclosed amendment was the key. In both cases, a standard one-year rental agreement was signed. Then a separate amendment (or side agreement) was signed that stipulated what months the property would be vacated. The rental agreement is shown to the consulate … obviously, the amendment is not.

Of course, vacating one’s rental property is a hassle. There is packing and figuring out where you will store things while you are gone. So if you can make the math work, in my opinion, this is the best option. But if you can’t, keep in mind that many landlords will work with you to satisfy your D7 requirements rather than leaving their property vacant for 9 or 10 months of the year. You just need to be creative!