Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Apr 25th 2020, 6:46 am
#46
Polished expat
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Arcos de Valdevez "Onde Portugal se fez"
Posts: 16,835
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Update
Just spoke with my local GNR station...the loiceman I soke with spoke perfect English
My question was
1) I am in UK
2) I am a UK resident
3) I own a property in Portugal.
4) Would I be allowed to hire a car in Lisbon and drive down to my house in the Algarve.
His answer was: YES.
I mentioned about the paperwork I was told about by the hire car company, and he said that is the same for a Portuguese resident as non resident.
He suggested that it would be advisable to carry documents to prove that you actually own a porperty in Portugal and that is where you are going.........
Just spoke with my local GNR station...the loiceman I soke with spoke perfect English
My question was
1) I am in UK
2) I am a UK resident
3) I own a property in Portugal.
4) Would I be allowed to hire a car in Lisbon and drive down to my house in the Algarve.
His answer was: YES.
I mentioned about the paperwork I was told about by the hire car company, and he said that is the same for a Portuguese resident as non resident.
He suggested that it would be advisable to carry documents to prove that you actually own a porperty in Portugal and that is where you are going.........
I did wonder whether the advice you previously received was sound - it may have been the case during the Easter weekend (when flights were suspended in any case), since we were confined to our own concelhos except for very particular circumstances and with a heavy police presence to enforce it. The same will apply over the May 1st weekend (Friday to Sunday) but the rest of the time it's not so stringent.
Apr 26th 2020, 9:53 pm
#47
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 59
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
As the OP (who managed to spell Portugal without a "t" in the subject) I thought I would report back having successfully returned to my home in the Algarve. But first I would like to thank those who offered practical advice. It was all very useful.
To recap I wanted to return to Portugal from the UK in my own Portuguese registered car which had been parked up in the UK whilst I was on a trip to Australia. Getting out of Australia had its own challenges but after several cancelled flights I got back to the UK where I stayed in self-isolation (UK style) for 2 weeks. My ferry crossing to Spain was also cancelled leaving me with only Eurotunnel as an option to get to mainland Europe.
I had done quite a bit of research, including starting this thread. One of the most useful resources was the Eurotunnel website which provides its own advice about travel to France and provides links to the French Government website where you can download the documents you may need - including bilingual versions. I had contacted the British Embassy in Spain to ask for their advice about transiting through Spain and they were, frankly, useless. They just sent me a stock reply which was all about advice for UK citizens returning to the UK. I also contacted the Portuguese Embassy in the UK and they answered my email within a matter of hours and provided me with the information I needed regarding driving through Spain.
Here's what happened:
I drove from north west England to Eurotunnel in Folkestone. I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the M1 and the M25 - it was nothing like the photos of deserted motorways I had seen on the BBC website. At the French passport control I presented the International Travel Certficate to Mainland France (you would need one for each occupant), my Portuguese residency certificate and, of course, my passport. In the event they weren't interested in the International Travel Certificate but were very interested in my Portuguese residency certificate. I was advised that, in addition, I would need an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire (again one for each occupant and one for each day spent in France). My car was one of just 5 on the train. There were lorries and a few commercial vans as well.
Leaving the Eurotunnel in Calais was just as normal: no checks of anything else, just straight out onto the Autoroute.
I drove to south west France where I had booked a room at an Ibis hotel. Ibis was excellent and were even able to supply breakfast in a coronavirus friendly manner. Not all their hotels are open but their website has an interactive map to show where the hotels are which made it easy to find one en route. I booked through booking.com which allowed me free cancellation up to 6 o´clock on the day of arrival.
I had expected occasional police checkpoints and had assumed that maybe the gendarmerie would be situated at motorway toll booths but throughout France I saw none. I felt a little conspicuous when I had to leave the motorway to get to my hotel but again I saw no police checks - but by that time it was 9 o'clock in the evening. Most motorway service stations in France are open for toilets, fuel, machine coffee and sandwiches.
Leaving very early the next morning and driving on towards the Spanish border (nearly 4 hours away) the roads got quieter except around Bordeaux. The last 40 or 50 km felt quite lonely as I only had international trucks for company.
At the Spanish border there was no tailback - there was just one car in front of me. I presented my certificate of residency to the Spanish border officials together with a piece of ID which, in my case, was my Portuguese driving licence. They gave me an "Authority to Transit through Spain" which they dated, timed and stamped. They said I could present it if I was stopped by the police. I had made the decision to drive through Spain without any overnight stops, mainly because only certain hotels are allowed to be open in Spain. They have to be on an official list. I had considered crossing into Portugal at one of the more northerly crossing points but armed with my Authority to Transit I felt confident enough to drive to the south of Spain so I could enter Portugal at the Ayamonte/Vila Real crossing. The drive from the French border to Ayamonte can be done entirely on motorways but service areas are a bit difficult. They are open for toilets and fuel but I was unable to buy a cup of coffee during the whole journey. There were plenty of gantry signs reminding drivers that their journey must be essential and that they can expect checkpoints particularly around cities. But I saw none.
Arriving at the Portuguese border I was asked how long I had been out of Portugal (and why). I presented my certificate of residency which was photographed along with my passort and the car registration plate. I was also asked for a contact phone number. Half an hour later I was home.
I have to say that all the officials I dealt with on the way were charming and good humoured.
So that's it. If I can offer any advice to anyone contemplating the same trip it would be:
To recap I wanted to return to Portugal from the UK in my own Portuguese registered car which had been parked up in the UK whilst I was on a trip to Australia. Getting out of Australia had its own challenges but after several cancelled flights I got back to the UK where I stayed in self-isolation (UK style) for 2 weeks. My ferry crossing to Spain was also cancelled leaving me with only Eurotunnel as an option to get to mainland Europe.
I had done quite a bit of research, including starting this thread. One of the most useful resources was the Eurotunnel website which provides its own advice about travel to France and provides links to the French Government website where you can download the documents you may need - including bilingual versions. I had contacted the British Embassy in Spain to ask for their advice about transiting through Spain and they were, frankly, useless. They just sent me a stock reply which was all about advice for UK citizens returning to the UK. I also contacted the Portuguese Embassy in the UK and they answered my email within a matter of hours and provided me with the information I needed regarding driving through Spain.
Here's what happened:
I drove from north west England to Eurotunnel in Folkestone. I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the M1 and the M25 - it was nothing like the photos of deserted motorways I had seen on the BBC website. At the French passport control I presented the International Travel Certficate to Mainland France (you would need one for each occupant), my Portuguese residency certificate and, of course, my passport. In the event they weren't interested in the International Travel Certificate but were very interested in my Portuguese residency certificate. I was advised that, in addition, I would need an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire (again one for each occupant and one for each day spent in France). My car was one of just 5 on the train. There were lorries and a few commercial vans as well.
Leaving the Eurotunnel in Calais was just as normal: no checks of anything else, just straight out onto the Autoroute.
I drove to south west France where I had booked a room at an Ibis hotel. Ibis was excellent and were even able to supply breakfast in a coronavirus friendly manner. Not all their hotels are open but their website has an interactive map to show where the hotels are which made it easy to find one en route. I booked through booking.com which allowed me free cancellation up to 6 o´clock on the day of arrival.
I had expected occasional police checkpoints and had assumed that maybe the gendarmerie would be situated at motorway toll booths but throughout France I saw none. I felt a little conspicuous when I had to leave the motorway to get to my hotel but again I saw no police checks - but by that time it was 9 o'clock in the evening. Most motorway service stations in France are open for toilets, fuel, machine coffee and sandwiches.
Leaving very early the next morning and driving on towards the Spanish border (nearly 4 hours away) the roads got quieter except around Bordeaux. The last 40 or 50 km felt quite lonely as I only had international trucks for company.
At the Spanish border there was no tailback - there was just one car in front of me. I presented my certificate of residency to the Spanish border officials together with a piece of ID which, in my case, was my Portuguese driving licence. They gave me an "Authority to Transit through Spain" which they dated, timed and stamped. They said I could present it if I was stopped by the police. I had made the decision to drive through Spain without any overnight stops, mainly because only certain hotels are allowed to be open in Spain. They have to be on an official list. I had considered crossing into Portugal at one of the more northerly crossing points but armed with my Authority to Transit I felt confident enough to drive to the south of Spain so I could enter Portugal at the Ayamonte/Vila Real crossing. The drive from the French border to Ayamonte can be done entirely on motorways but service areas are a bit difficult. They are open for toilets and fuel but I was unable to buy a cup of coffee during the whole journey. There were plenty of gantry signs reminding drivers that their journey must be essential and that they can expect checkpoints particularly around cities. But I saw none.
Arriving at the Portuguese border I was asked how long I had been out of Portugal (and why). I presented my certificate of residency which was photographed along with my passort and the car registration plate. I was also asked for a contact phone number. Half an hour later I was home.
I have to say that all the officials I dealt with on the way were charming and good humoured.
So that's it. If I can offer any advice to anyone contemplating the same trip it would be:
- be prepared for any eventuality (one of my worries was that the hotel I had booked would be closed on arrival).
- print off all the documents you need before travelling (I had even printed my hotel booking confirmation and if necessary, I could have demonstrated that I had been making my way back from Australia). It's probably a good idea to print some extra attestations for France just in case, although I believe it is now possible to complete an attestation online for whch you get a QR code to present to the police if necessary.
- make sure you have your Portuguese residency card or certificate. You will definitely need it.
- stick to motorways as much as possible. You will feel less conspicuous and it would be much easier to explain why you are on the road. Motorway service stations provide a relatively safe haven if you need to sleep in your car.
- take food and drink with you.
- drive safely!
Apr 26th 2020, 10:10 pm
#48
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,033
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Congratulations!
And thanks for letting us know you made it back safely.
You have a great story to tell now, as one of the select few to make a transcontinental car journey during the corona lockdown.
And thanks for letting us know you made it back safely.
You have a great story to tell now, as one of the select few to make a transcontinental car journey during the corona lockdown.
Apr 27th 2020, 6:14 am
#49
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 657
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Good to see you got back ok, the "no coffee" for that distance would be the death of me!!! I need/want a cup every couple of hours!
Apr 27th 2020, 6:35 am
#50
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 569
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Well done, pleased to hear you had a relatively trouble free journey.
Apr 27th 2020, 7:53 am
#51
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
After all my Cassandra-like comments, I'm really pleased that you've got back home without official hassle!
Respect!
Respect!
Apr 27th 2020, 9:35 am
#52
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 8
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
As the OP (who managed to spell Portugal without a "t" in the subject) I thought I would report back having successfully returned to my home in the Algarve. But first I would like to thank those who offered practical advice. It was all very useful.
To recap I wanted to return to Portugal from the UK in my own Portuguese registered car which had been parked up in the UK whilst I was on a trip to Australia. Getting out of Australia had its own challenges but after several cancelled flights I got back to the UK where I stayed in self-isolation (UK style) for 2 weeks. My ferry crossing to Spain was also cancelled leaving me with only Eurotunnel as an option to get to mainland Europe.
I had done quite a bit of research, including starting this thread. One of the most useful resources was the Eurotunnel website which provides its own advice about travel to France and provides links to the French Government website where you can download the documents you may need - including bilingual versions. I had contacted the British Embassy in Spain to ask for their advice about transiting through Spain and they were, frankly, useless. They just sent me a stock reply which was all about advice for UK citizens returning to the UK. I also contacted the Portuguese Embassy in the UK and they answered my email within a matter of hours and provided me with the information I needed regarding driving through Spain.
Here's what happened:
I drove from north west England to Eurotunnel in Folkestone. I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the M1 and the M25 - it was nothing like the photos of deserted motorways I had seen on the BBC website. At the French passport control I presented the International Travel Certficate to Mainland France (you would need one for each occupant), my Portuguese residency certificate and, of course, my passport. In the event they weren't interested in the International Travel Certificate but were very interested in my Portuguese residency certificate. I was advised that, in addition, I would need an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire (again one for each occupant and one for each day spent in France). My car was one of just 5 on the train. There were lorries and a few commercial vans as well.
Leaving the Eurotunnel in Calais was just as normal: no checks of anything else, just straight out onto the Autoroute.
I drove to south west France where I had booked a room at an Ibis hotel. Ibis was excellent and were even able to supply breakfast in a coronavirus friendly manner. Not all their hotels are open but their website has an interactive map to show where the hotels are which made it easy to find one en route. I booked through booking.com which allowed me free cancellation up to 6 o´clock on the day of arrival.
I had expected occasional police checkpoints and had assumed that maybe the gendarmerie would be situated at motorway toll booths but throughout France I saw none. I felt a little conspicuous when I had to leave the motorway to get to my hotel but again I saw no police checks - but by that time it was 9 o'clock in the evening. Most motorway service stations in France are open for toilets, fuel, machine coffee and sandwiches.
Leaving very early the next morning and driving on towards the Spanish border (nearly 4 hours away) the roads got quieter except around Bordeaux. The last 40 or 50 km felt quite lonely as I only had international trucks for company.
At the Spanish border there was no tailback - there was just one car in front of me. I presented my certificate of residency to the Spanish border officials together with a piece of ID which, in my case, was my Portuguese driving licence. They gave me an "Authority to Transit through Spain" which they dated, timed and stamped. They said I could present it if I was stopped by the police. I had made the decision to drive through Spain without any overnight stops, mainly because only certain hotels are allowed to be open in Spain. They have to be on an official list. I had considered crossing into Portugal at one of the more northerly crossing points but armed with my Authority to Transit I felt confident enough to drive to the south of Spain so I could enter Portugal at the Ayamonte/Vila Real crossing. The drive from the French border to Ayamonte can be done entirely on motorways but service areas are a bit difficult. They are open for toilets and fuel but I was unable to buy a cup of coffee during the whole journey. There were plenty of gantry signs reminding drivers that their journey must be essential and that they can expect checkpoints particularly around cities. But I saw none.
Arriving at the Portuguese border I was asked how long I had been out of Portugal (and why). I presented my certificate of residency which was photographed along with my passort and the car registration plate. I was also asked for a contact phone number. Half an hour later I was home.
I have to say that all the officials I dealt with on the way were charming and good humoured.
So that's it. If I can offer any advice to anyone contemplating the same trip it would be:
To recap I wanted to return to Portugal from the UK in my own Portuguese registered car which had been parked up in the UK whilst I was on a trip to Australia. Getting out of Australia had its own challenges but after several cancelled flights I got back to the UK where I stayed in self-isolation (UK style) for 2 weeks. My ferry crossing to Spain was also cancelled leaving me with only Eurotunnel as an option to get to mainland Europe.
I had done quite a bit of research, including starting this thread. One of the most useful resources was the Eurotunnel website which provides its own advice about travel to France and provides links to the French Government website where you can download the documents you may need - including bilingual versions. I had contacted the British Embassy in Spain to ask for their advice about transiting through Spain and they were, frankly, useless. They just sent me a stock reply which was all about advice for UK citizens returning to the UK. I also contacted the Portuguese Embassy in the UK and they answered my email within a matter of hours and provided me with the information I needed regarding driving through Spain.
Here's what happened:
I drove from north west England to Eurotunnel in Folkestone. I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the M1 and the M25 - it was nothing like the photos of deserted motorways I had seen on the BBC website. At the French passport control I presented the International Travel Certficate to Mainland France (you would need one for each occupant), my Portuguese residency certificate and, of course, my passport. In the event they weren't interested in the International Travel Certificate but were very interested in my Portuguese residency certificate. I was advised that, in addition, I would need an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire (again one for each occupant and one for each day spent in France). My car was one of just 5 on the train. There were lorries and a few commercial vans as well.
Leaving the Eurotunnel in Calais was just as normal: no checks of anything else, just straight out onto the Autoroute.
I drove to south west France where I had booked a room at an Ibis hotel. Ibis was excellent and were even able to supply breakfast in a coronavirus friendly manner. Not all their hotels are open but their website has an interactive map to show where the hotels are which made it easy to find one en route. I booked through booking.com which allowed me free cancellation up to 6 o´clock on the day of arrival.
I had expected occasional police checkpoints and had assumed that maybe the gendarmerie would be situated at motorway toll booths but throughout France I saw none. I felt a little conspicuous when I had to leave the motorway to get to my hotel but again I saw no police checks - but by that time it was 9 o'clock in the evening. Most motorway service stations in France are open for toilets, fuel, machine coffee and sandwiches.
Leaving very early the next morning and driving on towards the Spanish border (nearly 4 hours away) the roads got quieter except around Bordeaux. The last 40 or 50 km felt quite lonely as I only had international trucks for company.
At the Spanish border there was no tailback - there was just one car in front of me. I presented my certificate of residency to the Spanish border officials together with a piece of ID which, in my case, was my Portuguese driving licence. They gave me an "Authority to Transit through Spain" which they dated, timed and stamped. They said I could present it if I was stopped by the police. I had made the decision to drive through Spain without any overnight stops, mainly because only certain hotels are allowed to be open in Spain. They have to be on an official list. I had considered crossing into Portugal at one of the more northerly crossing points but armed with my Authority to Transit I felt confident enough to drive to the south of Spain so I could enter Portugal at the Ayamonte/Vila Real crossing. The drive from the French border to Ayamonte can be done entirely on motorways but service areas are a bit difficult. They are open for toilets and fuel but I was unable to buy a cup of coffee during the whole journey. There were plenty of gantry signs reminding drivers that their journey must be essential and that they can expect checkpoints particularly around cities. But I saw none.
Arriving at the Portuguese border I was asked how long I had been out of Portugal (and why). I presented my certificate of residency which was photographed along with my passort and the car registration plate. I was also asked for a contact phone number. Half an hour later I was home.
I have to say that all the officials I dealt with on the way were charming and good humoured.
So that's it. If I can offer any advice to anyone contemplating the same trip it would be:
- be prepared for any eventuality (one of my worries was that the hotel I had booked would be closed on arrival).
- print off all the documents you need before travelling (I had even printed my hotel booking confirmation and if necessary, I could have demonstrated that I had been making my way back from Australia). It's probably a good idea to print some extra attestations for France just in case, although I believe it is now possible to complete an attestation online for whch you get a QR code to present to the police if necessary.
- make sure you have your Portuguese residency card or certificate. You will definitely need it.
- stick to motorways as much as possible. You will feel less conspicuous and it would be much easier to explain why you are on the road. Motorway service stations provide a relatively safe haven if you need to sleep in your car.
- take food and drink with you.
- drive safely!
For one who has family in France and they have to have a written authority to go for a walk. You did exceptionally well.
Cheers,
Thumbs upRed face
Apr 27th 2020, 10:22 am
#53
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Wales/Ribatejo
Posts: 575
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Good to hear you had a good journey.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
Apr 27th 2020, 11:48 am
#54
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Good to hear you had a good journey.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
Hope your trip is as straightforward as bicabica's, Boa viagem!
Apr 27th 2020, 1:43 pm
#55
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 59
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Good to hear you had a good journey.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
We are about to do the same but vice versa starting out next Monday. All the way through Spain,1 night St jean de Luz,1 night Le Mans and tunnel the next day.Need 2 nights as we're getting on a bit! Similar feeling,hoping hotel stays open... Thanks for the info re attestation, and needing one for each day.
Do they keep it or can you take it with you?
Don't really want to leave but we are overdue our leaving date thanks to Brittany Ferries! The difficult part is leaving and not knowing when you might return.
And good luck if you're trying to get a refund from Brittany Ferries. They want us to prop up the company by stealing our money. I have asked for a refund in accordance with their terms and conditiions and received just a stock reply in which they say they want to "encourage" people to accept travel vouchers. But I noticed that they didn't actually refuse a refund so I wrote again saying "thanks for encouraging me to accept a travel voucher but I want my money back." I already have a credit card chargeback letter drafted in BF outright refuse my refund.
Good luck.
Apr 30th 2020, 12:13 pm
#56
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Wales/Ribatejo
Posts: 575
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
Just getting our paperwork sorted for next week and there is a french form called a DEROGATORY TRAVEL CERTIFICATE GENERATOR. It won't accept our UK postcode,so will not generate a certificate for our phone. Does anyone know if this is compulsory to have if going thru France? Also do you need one for each day of travel?
Apr 30th 2020, 12:59 pm
#57
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Location: Porches, Algarve
Posts: 75
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
I assume from your post that you were travelling alone ?, I am due to move to Portugal from the UK as soon as is practicable to do so and as part of that I am having my two dogs transported via a UK DEFRA accredited company. As all flights to Faro seem to be a problem I asked the couriers if I could travel with my Dogs if I were the only customer for the trip but they thought that either France Spain or Portugal had restrictions on the number of people travelling in a vehicle to the point that where they normally send two drivers/handlers they will probably have to use just one.
May 1st 2020, 7:21 pm
#58
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 27
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
bicabica thank you for reporting back so elaborately.
I am about to make a similar bid to reach my home in Portugal. I am currently stuck in Belgium.
Only extra problem I have is that I won't be traveling alone: my girlfriend would be coming with me and she does not have her residency set in Portugal. Just me.
Wonder if that would be a problem. Would be kinda "silly" (but I get it) if they would allow this if we were married.
I am about to make a similar bid to reach my home in Portugal. I am currently stuck in Belgium.
Only extra problem I have is that I won't be traveling alone: my girlfriend would be coming with me and she does not have her residency set in Portugal. Just me.
Wonder if that would be a problem. Would be kinda "silly" (but I get it) if they would allow this if we were married.
May 2nd 2020, 11:54 am
#59
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 59
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
bicabica thank you for reporting back so elaborately.
Only extra problem I have is that I won't be traveling alone: my girlfriend would be coming with me and she does not have her residency set in Portugal. Just me.
Wonder if that would be a problem. Would be kinda "silly" (but I get it) if they would allow this if we were married.
Only extra problem I have is that I won't be traveling alone: my girlfriend would be coming with me and she does not have her residency set in Portugal. Just me.
Wonder if that would be a problem. Would be kinda "silly" (but I get it) if they would allow this if we were married.
May 2nd 2020, 12:07 pm
#60
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 59
Re: Driving Back to Porugal - Advice?
I assume from your post that you were travelling alone ?, I am due to move to Portugal from the UK as soon as is practicable to do so and as part of that I am having my two dogs transported via a UK DEFRA accredited company. As all flights to Faro seem to be a problem I asked the couriers if I could travel with my Dogs if I were the only customer for the trip but they thought that either France Spain or Portugal had restrictions on the number of people travelling in a vehicle to the point that where they normally send two drivers/handlers they will probably have to use just one.
If you are moving to Portugal you can only currently enter Portugal (and other EU countries you may have to pass through) if you can prove legal residency. I don't believe it is sufficient just to have a house here but you might want to check that with the Portuguese Embassy.