Sally1605

Well I’ve started getting my act together, came over last weekend to visit my son and check out the areas I am interested in ( we stayed near Oliveira do Hospital as I liked the look and sound of the area, however it’s too far from Lisbon for travel to visit my son, so I also visited the area south of Coimbra and really liked that, so am focusing around there ( for now).

If anyone has any knowledge of the area ( south of Coimbra city, north of Leiria city) I would love some feedback please.

Whilst in Lisbon I tried to get my NIF number sorted, with the help of my amazing daughter in law ( who is Portuguese) we went to the first Fiscal office and were met with an incredibly unhelpful woman who point blank refused, saying I needed an appointment and the first one available was in May!

So we went to another office, this time really lovely man, we got most of the way through the process when his boss wandered by and gave him a real telling off, aparantly you can’t wander in off the street and get a nif, you must have an appointment, and he also said May was the earliest appointment. But as we were leaving the nice man gave us a form and said to do it online.

So we toddled off home, filled in the form online and bingo, two days later I now have a nif 🥳

So for anyone else needing one, it’s due to Covid, so may change when the restrictions are lifted, but apply online and avoid disappointment.

Next step, bank account! ( I have a Wise account which is brilliant for now, thank to the advice on here, but need a Portuguese account for the visa stuff).

Rambling archer

Your suggested area includes Penela, Miranda do Covo, Ansiao - all nice places, with quite a few ex-pats scattered about - do you have any particular interests that might help to join with local communities? For ease of access to Lisbon, consider Pombal (but it does have a reputation for gathering any passing clouds to its bosom and is often quite damp!), and a bit further south look at Caldas da Rainha (easy access via Motorway or train, and even express bus to Lisbon - quite cheap and can be faster than the stopping train) very close to nice beaches and good facilities of all sorts (and an expat community!).

Alan PT

Interesting, it used to be really easy to walk into a Citizen Shop and get a NIF, but I don't think it was possible online then, good update for people!

Seconded on Caldas, it's becoming very popular, growing in size and in services available. I don't know much North of that though, sorry

For a Portuguese bank account, my recommendation is always Activobank - it's one of very few options with no charges and with a website in English. It's a (mainly) online bank and I think you can do the whole application online, but we did it in one of their stores in shopping centres, there's often a bit of a queue there but all the staff are very helpful: https://www.activobank.pt/our-locations

Sally1605

Thank you, yes my DIL was very cross as she works in HR and used to be responsible for getting NIF numbers for new staff from overseas and she said it used to be simple, walk in with id and your sorted, but not any more.

In terms of area, I want to be somewhere fairly quiet, not too close to the sea, ( I think im probably the only person who will move to Portugal and not want to be near the beach!)but not so far inland so it’s too hot or a high fire risk area in the summer. Plus my budget is limited. So I thought somewhere between Soure, Penela and Leiria? I want enough land for fruit, vines, the hens and some veg, so between 1/2 to 1 acre and on first look that area seems to be a good temperature for what I want and reasonable prices.

im not very keen on people, and I’m happy with my own company, so being near other expats or joining groups isn’t high on my priority list. That said I don’t want to be completely isolated as I’m not sure I would feel safe being miles from anyone.

My DIL banks with Activo bank and said they are really good ( my son is with Santander and seems to pay a lot of fees), so that’s my next job.

Alan PT

Totally get the idea of enjoying your own company, though I find the Portuguese actually very good at giving you space, despite their general friendliness. Being near a small town or village where you can easily pop into the coffee shop or community centre is quite nice sometimes

It's worth considering medical services though, you don't want to be too far away from decent doctors and hospitals, just in case. The Portuguese health service is good, but (much like the NHS) underfunded and struggling in places. One big problem is a shortage of Family Doctors (sort of like GP's) nationally - in our area, for 6000 people, there should be 3 or 4 family doctors and there are zero

There is a very good and not ridiculously expensive private system though, but you may or may not be close to a good private clinic and it may of may not be part of the network of your insurance provider. Worth checking out. You can check the available options for the Medis or AdvanceCare networks (the two biggest) in your area by searching on their websites. It's not too hard, but it helps to know how the system works, so your DIL could maybe do this more easily for you

Sally1605

Thank you, good point, i will need to check that out when I sort an area out.

That has raised another question, probably stupid, but hey ho….

I am prescribed HRT meds by my uk gp, is hrt available in PT, (Oestrogel and progesterone pills) or is it frowned upon? Would it be available in the public system?

Sally1605

Ok, next question, I am getting my application ready for my visa and I’m a little confused, do I need an acro or will a dbs check be sufficient?

Rambling archer

Sally1605 - Look at the area round Ansiao/Pombal for what you are looking for - local hospital is either Pombal or Avalar (small place to east of Ansiao at junction of Motorway - lots of semi rural properties round there and a mostly nice climate. Big teaching hospital at Coimbra covers all that area, though Pombal may refer to Leira which is just down the road ... HRT is available and commonly used in PT and your "GP" would provide prescriptions for it (normally repeat prescriptions are done every six months). Your DIL will advise on health services in general ... you will need to go to the Health Centre nearest to your new home and sign on there to get your all-important Utente number and make an appointment for general introduction (you will probably not have an asigned GP) so that they can put your health details into the computer and arrange the follow-ups you need. Then you go the INSS social security office to sort out that service - if UK pensioner you will need to ask the Pensions Office in UK after your move for your S1 which you take to INSS so they can sign you up for a SS number and once they get approval from UK about your pensions status UK pays your health charges. Also eventually you will need to ask UK (Pensions Office tell you how) for the equivalent of EHIC (GHIC) so you can travel round europe with the same health cover.

As for Visas, as you are joining your son who is already a Resident, look into the Family Regrouping sections of the visa applications and what is required of you/him there?

Sally1605

Thank you.

I not able to follow the family reunification route as I don’t qualify, (I’m not dependant on my son), so I am applying for the D7 based on passive income (savings and rent from a uk property), I don’t draw my pension for another 10 years, so will not need the S1 yet.

However, massive spanner in the works, which is probably going to end my dream.

I started to pull together the paperwork today for the visa application and realised the requirement for NO criminal record means never had a criminal record, and in Portugal spent convictions are counted.

I have a conviction (more than 35years ago) for possession of drugs, that resulted in a conditional discharge.

Do I cut my losses and give up now, or is there any chance a visa would be granted?

I am absolutely devastated, firstly for being so stupid at not checking this sooner, secondly for a stupid mistake made when I was very young and stupid and thirdly for daring to dream I could make this move work.

Alan PT

This might help: https://www.uglobal.com/en/questions...iminal-record/

It says that there is only an issue if the conviction was for something which, under Portuguese law, would have resulted in imprisonment for over 1 year. Since possession for personal use was decriminalised in 2001 in Portugal, that would appear to be not a problem.

You might like to double check with a lawyer just in case, but it seems pretty clear

Sally1605

Thanks Alan. I had seen that in my frantic googling, I wasn’t sure if the law in PT at the point I was convicted would be applied and it was 1986, however I think I’m going to proceed asap with my visa application and see what happens.

I am going to get a couple of statements from people who know me well ( one is a policeman, the other a magistrate) to confirm I am and have been for a long time, an upstanding member of the community, in the hope if I present them at my interview they may help.

Can I check, if the temporary visa is approved in the UK, is there a chance the permanent (2 year) could then be refused once I have moved to PT?

sorry for the twittering.

NSG666

Hi Sally

Among other things I queried what criminal record check was required directly with the Portuguese consulate in Manchester earlier this year. They advised that ACRO or DBS is acceptable (Subject Access Request for Scotland)- ACRO - https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

- DBS - https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record
You said you successfully applied for your NIF online - did you need a fiscal representative?

Sally1605

Hi, thank you, I’m guessing both will show the same info.

I had a fiscal rep ( my DIL), I think if you are not an eu resident it is necessary, i think it just needs to be a Portuguese tax payer, no need for a lawyer.

Alan PT

I think you are worrying too much. There's zero reason for Portugal to see you as a danger or a liability. But pay a bit of money to a lawyer if you want a definitive answer (or, as you say, just proceed with the process)

I'm sure that there is some theoretical chance that the residence visa could be refused, but I think in reality you are more likely to be hit on the head by a falling meteor

Sally1605

Ok, so did the dbs online, two hours later results are in, big green “result clear”. States no information to show.

Now trying to get an appointment with vfs, none available, ever, according to their calendar page. 🤦‍♀️