D7 passive income

Hi there. We are an American family with a HK Permanent residency and currently living in HK. We are in the process of gathering all our documents for D7 application which we will need to send to Macau Portuguese Consulate. Now, two requirements gets me bit confused and I have look it up at SEF website  and  forums and there is not really a clear answer.

1. Proof of accomodation - I understand we have to proof a signed lease of a minimum a year and hotels or air bnb is not acceptable. My question is, do I signed a lease now and send it to Macau Consulate with the application OR we sign a lease when temporary visa is approved and before moving to Portugal and before SEF interview?


2. Health Insurance - same question as above. Do we buy insurance now and send proof to Macau with the application or does this can be done before moving to Portugal?

Thanks. I would be grateful for your help.


Thanks,
Celeste
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@Bluewaves77
You need to have accommodation booked BEFORE application. Sounds strange but welcome to Portugal! I use Flatio and booked 1 month than contacted yhe owner where we updated the contract to 12 months. This avoids paying flatio a huge commission.  It is a formal contract and includes furniture internet and all utilities!

For insurance we used cover more and paid in full to October starting on the date we arrive.

All this was acceptable to receive our D7. We leave in 12 days.  Happy to keep you up to date. With our. Progress.   4 July we go to SEF for residency.   Remember you must have a bank account in Portugal! A must use BORDR for that.  No lawyers required as it is pretty simple.  You need to have around 15k euros in that account.  We put much more.  The mite wealth you have the more that they want you.

Jeffrey
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@vjslater2

Hi Jeffrey. Thanks so much for your reply and for the enlightenment! Yes, I thought it didn't make sense to have a 12 month lease before any approval but hey you are right, it's Portugal! 😬

Yes please keep me posted on your visa journey. It would be very useful. If all goes well we plan to move by August 2022.

Another question, does it matter how many bedroom/s you sign up for the 12 month lease? Thinking of getting just a cheap one bedroom for the 3 of us just to get the lease documentation - not even sure if the landlord/s will agree and live in a comfortable hotel when we get to Portugal.


Thanks,
Celeste

.
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Hi Celeste and Jeffrey, Welcome :)

These visa application requirements are common to most countries. You need to ensure that those who come to live in a country are self-sufficient in terms of healthcare and accommodation. Suppose that two weeks after you arrive in Portugal, and just before the SEF interview, you had an accident and you had no health insurance to cover that treatment. Or you went to a casino and lost a substantial amount of money that makes it impossible for you to stay in a hotel. Remember that not all people are equal and behave in the same way as we do... these rules seem difficult to understand, but, being conditions required at the very beginning, they are applied to everyone in the same manner...

Kind Regards
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@Bluewaves77
We are at the beginning of our D7 application from Australia. I communicated directly to Sydney consulate re exactly your questions. Here is their answer:
"Important information for D2 and D7 visa:
·         Accommodation should be assured for 1 year
·         Health Insurance should initially be for at least 120 days
·         You will need to prove that you will be able to access your funds while living in Portugal. You are required to open a bank account in Portugal based on the minimum guaranteed monthly salary, which in 2022 corresponds to 705€, which for this visa must be guaranteed for a period no less than 12 months (8460€). "

I've clarified re accommodation, and they said it is acceptable to have multiple leases(e.g. 6+6) as long as it covers 12m requirement.  I asked about Airbnb directly too and the consulate didn't answer clearly this part.

Re health insurance, it is required for initial application and must start when you plan to arrive to Portugal.

Regards,
Mikhail
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Another question, does it matter how many bedroom/s you sign up for the 12 month lease? Thinking of getting just a cheap one bedroom for the 3 of us just to get the lease documentation - not even sure if the landlord/s will agree and live in a comfortable hotel when we get to Portugal.

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- @Bluewaves77
We were/are thinking exactly the same   - getting a cheap lease and live where we want to when arrive. At the end we decided to travel to Portugal first to investigate the rental/lease situation, return and apply after. I do not believe number of bedrooms matters as quality of accommodation is really a personal matter.
12m lease is indeed the hardest requirements on D7, as it is very difficult to get a lease starting 2-3 months out (i.e. potential timing of initial D7 application phase), unseen and for foreigners. It must be someone entrepreneurial enough in Portugal to offer cheap leases for this D7  requirement...

Regards,
Mikhail


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@Bluewaves77

Hello C.

Simply get a 1 bedroom. With three you'll need a apt with sofa bed...or get a eurobed inflatable. They're awesome and can be deflated during the day. They blow up automatically in 5 min then deflate to almost nothing. Neg for 12 months with a 30 day out clause  FLATIO...
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@JohnnyPT

The more you can prove you don't need money the more they love you! For the most part, I think the interview is a formality as long as you are originally approved.  Get all you ducks in order.  If you haven't been approved or applied yet forget August.  The process takes 5 months and that's if you have your stuff together
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@MikhailA

We're at the end of our D7 process.  All approved and leaving in 2 weeks! Aussies too.  Fernanda was amazing! Use Flatio as they generate a legal contract for 12 months accepted.  Bank account with Millennium Bank with well over the 8400. You must show income during your stay.

All done pretty simply. Started in October for may departure
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@MikhailA

We booked in December for may! Easy...12 month agreement 700 € pm. 1 bedroom in Lisbon.
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@vjslater2
Thank you for the information vjslater2! This is very useful.
Regards,
Mikhail
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@JohnnyPT

Thank you for the info! Yes, of course this make sense. Immigration want to ensure that you have the means to take care of yourself and financially capable as to avoid people from being a burden!


Thanks,
C
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@vjslater2

Hello J. Thanks so much for the info especially on the accommodation via FLATIO. I have looked into it and it seems a lot of options and the great thing about it is the 1 month break clause which an absolutely positive thing!

We are still gathering our documents and still premature in terms of our Stage 1 D7 application.but we are making progress on the info of the process.

Since you have recent experience with your Stage 1 D7 application and was successful, would you mind giving me another guidance on Stage 1. So, I have found out that my husband being the Main applicant will have to apply for D7 first and when he gets D7 visa approve then he can sponsor me and our child via Family Reunification. So hope you can enlighten me again with the questions below:

1. Does my husband need to fly to Portugal first and then he can sponsor us from there or we can all fly together with his D7 visa? I'm a bit lost how and when do we apply for Family Reunification?

What did you do to process visa for your spouse/family?

I'm sorry if I sound so ignorant but I have read the info on the Family Reunification on SFE and it is not so clear about how to do it?

Your guidance and input is much appreciated!

BTW, Congratulations on the D7 visa approval and best of luck to you and your family on your new life journey in Portugal!


Best,
C
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@MikhailA

Thank you for the info! I hope to share some info with you once we start our Part 1 D7 process.

Good luck!



Best,
C
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@Bluewaves,

I suggest you all apply together for D7!

This is because SEF appointment family reunion is closed and briefly opens once in two months and we are supposed to book the appointment by calling them. This can be very tough - easily takes 6 months to an year!
We regret not applying together. After 1000calls if you are lucky you may get the family reunion appointment when it opens! A lot of pending is there.
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Actually my wife loves me alot and she can't live without me and she also wants to bring children with her..  i would be thankful if you take out any solution
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Im already in Portugal
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@vjslater2

I also opened an account at Millennium BCP, I'm wondering if I can apply with an e-statement that I printed from there internet banking or I have to request from my bank to send me by post a signed/stamped bank statement?
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@wisegorilla  You Can print statement through your mobile app. I also print the same for D7 Application.

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@Farhan Younis Thanks Farhan, btw was you apple to get your D7 visa?

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Yes i already Applied for D7 and Allhamdiliallah i got.
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@Farhan Younis Congratulations :), btw I was wondering what you did regards the accommodation renting, do you think that a [link under review] hotel booking would be enough to get the visa and later I can find other permeant accommodation when arriving Portugal and before the SEF interview?

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Before it possible but from Jan 2022 they are not accepting hotel booking for D7  If you check the VFS website (Checklist for D7) its also mentioned that "The lease agreement signed on the last page by both (Landlord and Tenant) and rubricated on each page by both.
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Is that okay to get support for the application process from law firm in Portugal ? I'm a remote software engineer. They says I have to register as an independent professional and pay taxes and also social contribution of 21.4 % on 1/3 of the income.
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@asela28sl

no need you can do your self in less amount.
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@Farhan Younis

hope you can help me out. 1f600.svg can you send me some of your contact info ? personal message.
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@vjslater2 as for health insurance, is it travel insurance valid? where can I get health insurance is the travel insurance is not valid? I hope you can help me. thank you!

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Hi Cristina, Welcome.

Evidence that the applicant has travel insurance with health coverage

(Post #9)

Best Regards
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@Farhan Younis I'm wondering how you was able to get your accommodation proof?, Do you think that flatio flat/room would work?

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@wisegorilla

we made Lease Agreement for 1 Year direct with Landlord. Its our good luck.



D7 Visa application Lease Agreement Require?
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@Bluewaves77 You need an agreement now for a 12 month lease. And you need only travel insurance for the 120 days that the D7 is granted for. (not a full health insurance) the insurance needs to cover repatriation to your own country should anything happen to you. Think of it this way. You must supply everything for the first hurdle (stage 1) and once you receive the D7 visa you then start thinking about the second stage now (AIMA) no longer SEF. Make sure your application form is notarised. And your rentsl agreement is lodged at finincas as the landlord needs to inform them. And this way you know the rental agreement is good. Now you may find others tell you different but as far as i am aware on a nov 29 2023 visit to London Consulate (recent) this was what was required. i will add that during the application the VFS representative crossed out the dates 1st January and changed it to 1st February stating that the dates were ”more reslistic”!

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