VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

I try to do searches of what info is already out there but as things seem to change frequently it seems that a lot of the info I've found already is or may be out of date and it's making my head hurt.
So after initially believing that I apply directly to the Portuguese Consulate (Manchester in my case) I find a link via the London consulate directing me to VFS where I can apply for an appointment at the VFS Manchester office. The VFS step by step guide says:
1. Identify Visa Type (got there in the end!)
2. Begin your application
3. Book an appointment
4. Pay your fees
5. Attend your scheduled appointment (bring all supporting documentation original and copies)
6. Track your application
7. Collect your passport (unless you pay to have it posted to you

All sounds fairly straight forward and seemed to be in-line with an online vlog posted by someone who went through the process at the VFS London office Feb 2021 but then I came across the post below from this site where andywally explained that he applied to VFS Manchester then immediately following his visit to their offices was sent along to the Portuguese Consulate Office for a relatively pain free experience.
Residence - British Expats

Thanks for making it so far and I guess the simple question is does anyone know the current situation to apply via Manchester?

Thanks

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

I went through the whole process last year from Manchester finally arriving in Portugal at the beginning of July. As you say the first port of call is VFS in Manchester but once they have checked through your papers you are then told to go straight to the Portuguese consulate on Portland street in Manchester with all your documents and the application is done from there. We had no idea that we would be told by VFS staff to go to the consulate, we had not not seen this anywhere but once there it was all fairly straight forward.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Just to say that I went through the D7 Visa Application process last week at the VFS London location (I live in the south so no option for it to be other than there). A fairly straightforward and businesslike process, but certainly no opportunity offered or even suggested that I visit the Portuguese Embassy afterwards. My submitted paperwork was checked and retained along with my passport, and I was told that I would hear the outcome "within 30-60 days". Among other things, I paid for my passport to be couriered back rather than by post.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Thankyou PJC61 and charleyfarley it seems like the the process in London and Manchester is slightly different and not a major issue but nice to know in advance for the latter to allow extra time. As time has passed it seems like they have fine tuned what is required in terms of supporting documents and especially insurance with some previously seemingly having been accepted with a 4 month policy covering the duration of the visa and others requiring a 12 month policy. I've read that in the past individuals have found that the insurance accepted at the D7 application process has then not been accepted by SEF during the temporary residence permit application process. Same goes for the criminal record check. Would you mind sharing your experiences?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Certainly. My (UK) Criminal Records Check required that it was a "full" one, and they required the original certificate rather than a copy. I also learned in advance that a 12-month travel/health "Schengen area" insurance policy was required and secured this (with Axa).

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

We bought Axa "certificate for consulate, low cost travel insurance" after following a link from the VFS website. I did 4 months cover from the date of our VFS appointment and this was never queried, not by VFS, the solicitor I used in Portugal or by the staff at out SEF meeting. However, do check, we might have been lucky!

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Thank you both once again.

It's a funny one as I looked at the AXA policies and there was the option of either the Schengen low cost which offers up to 180 consecutive days which I think is the one PJC61 used and makes complete sense to me.

The annual multi-trip might satisfy the application process but has two major hitches that I can see 1) it's only valid for trips of up to 90 days at a time so you'd have to return to the uk every 90 days for it to remain valid and 2) it's only valid for UK residents and surely once SEF has issued your temporary residency certificate you cease to be UK resident so the policy is invalid? BTW I'm not suggesting charleyfarley got it wrong and I'll buy which ever is necessary but I have read posts where someone has bought the low cost policy but has been forced to upgrade it to a longer period!!!!

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

You can buy 2 x the low cost policy, with the second one starting right after the end of the first one. That way you dont have to leave after 90 days and return like the annual one and you satisfy the one year length

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya All

At our appt with the consulate in Manchester, our newly appointed case handler gave me a list of documents that we needed, one of which was 'travel insurance' now rightly or wrongly (as this hasnt been tested yet) when I produced our GHIC cards he said 'oh if you have got those then that will do for insurance' and like I said I didnt have to use them and it was untested, I assume that once residency is granted these are redundant as they are UK issue ? when we opened a bank account with santander we chose the private health care option for our product that we had to buy as a stipulation of the account, this is about 20euro a month for both of us and is not a contract so can be cancelled at anytime.

So far so good you would think...............the only hitch so far for us is that 'apparently' from the moment we started the application process and us supplying all the other relevant docs that our case handler specified the authorities ( in lisbon ) then insisted that applicants must have either a property in PT that we own, or a rental contract on a property for 12 months, we are still property searching at the moment but pretty soon we are going to have to rent somewhere if we dont buy as time is getting on, the issue that we have with this is that we have towed a caravan 1700miles to the algarve only to find out that we need to rent a property (whilst also paying either rent on a campsite or at the very least storage) and the property market here still baffles me to be honest, for example we looked at a small property yesterday near Mertola (stunning place Mertola btw) the estate agent admitted to us that the seller had paid 35k for it, they had done a bit of a diy bodge job on it (my opinion not hers) and from the looks of the photo's made it worse then wants 70k for it, when I suggested it was maybe worth only 30k she wasnt the slightest bit surprised and said make an offer then ??? (my valuation was based on my building trade knowledge and experience developing property in the UK)...........like I said baffling ! I know that has gone slightly off topic btw :-) but the possible pitfalls buying are potentially very expensive if you get it wrong, and without the experience to put it right yourself even more expensive...............and that is without the legal side of things being trouble free, one property we wanted to look at wasnt ready to market as the contract to sell it needed to be signed by 8 different family members !! .............every day is a school day eh ?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

When I queried the "annual versus 180 days" options in relation to the Axa Schengen travel/health policies, it was pointed out that until SEF formally grants "residential status", an applicant from the UK is permitted only 90 days within 180 in Portugal (or anywhere else in the EU) anyway, and so should anticipate the possibility of having to return to the UK after 90 days if, for instance, the SEF appointment and decision hasn't been made in that time. The initial D7 entry permission gets round the "90 in 180" rule in that the permission granted covers "two entries" into Portugal, and so would allow for a quick trip back to Blighty for a couple of days to get round the Axa 90 day rule... I know all this sounds like bureaucracy gone mad, but for me I felt it was worth the extra expense of the annual Axa policy rather than the 180-day one so as not to get caught out by having the wrong documentation either at the VFS appointment, or later with the SEF. Incidentally, as I currently hold both an EHIC and a GHIC, I included copies of those in the documentation I presented to VFS.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

The initial D7 visa grants you 4 months stay so overrides the normal 90. Also If you have had your SEF appointment but they are taking ages to get back with decision and goes beyond the 4 month period , you are still allowed to remain in Portugal as long as you have proof that you are waiting on a SEF decision.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Thanks for the update - I thought you were all done and dusted and had your temporary residence certificate or at least an appointment with SEF by now!
Searching for info on the visa application process I found and watched some you tube videos by 'Those Weirdos' who applied using a long term contract they had drawn up essentially saying they could park up their campervan for 12 months on someone's land? Don't know the full ins and outs but campervan to caravan not a massive leap (although I suspect that's the equivalent to calling a Scot an Englishman!) so could that work for you? Might be worth watching although requirements might have changed by now.
It's strange there seems to have been teething problems for the consulates to understand what is required for visa applications given the UK only became subject to conditions that already existed for non-EU countries.
Agree re. Mertola and the property market is certainly different!

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya NSG

No mate, it takes anywhere between 5 days and 5 weeks to get a reply from the consualte on any enquiry that I have made, so if you ask for example 3 questions and they take 4 weeks to get back to you each time thats your 90 days virtually up due to delays in getting a reply...............for example when I sent the NIF numbers and the newly opened bank account info to the case handler (this took us about 3 weeks to achieve once we first got here) I sent them off............4 weeks later I got a reply 'saying thanks for the info all well and good but can you supply info re; how much you have deposited in the PT account ? simple enough you would think, so I e-mailed them back saying 'how much do you want to see in it and I will transfer the funds at the moment there is about euro 5k transferred is this enough ? .................4 weeks later a reply.........so thats 3 weeks to sort out the NIF and bank account then 4 weeks to get a thankyou, then another 4 weeks to get a reply to my question re; how much.............so just to establish something as simple as that took a total of 11 weeks, so 77 days give or take a few..............now.........just to set the record straight I am not suggesting that the case handler is dragging his feet, as I think its pretty obvious from all my correspondence with him that he is 'up to his neck in it' and has been more than helpful when he has finally worked through the work in progress and got around to me, so not an issue, and to be honest its that laid back here that I aint too worried, my application is in the system and I have saved every email.............this may or may not be looked upon favourably (hopefully it wont need to be tested, but time will tell).

And the problem (from what I can make out) with a contract is that it has to be registered with the tax authorities, and someone did mention to me that its initially taxed at 17% on a monthly billed basis (like I said this is only what I can glean from estate agents that I have spoken too, they arent tax experts just estate agents, so they may or may not be 100% correct) so if you want to stay on 'joe bloggs's' back garden and you are paying him to do so and he isnt registered with the tax authorities, then him giving you some sort of a contract is only going to shine a spotlight on him, and the local council are then going to come knocking asking why he is running an unlicenced campsite from his back garden !! or there apparently is another option if you are staying on 'joe blogg's' back garden called something like 'termo de responsibiliadade' (or something like that, I am sure somebody will correct me ) and whatever that 'responsibility' entails I cannot see many people taking too much 'responsibility' for someone thay have only known fro a few weeks (well I certainly wouldnt) so ........stuck between a rock and a hard place as they say. .............so we plod on :-)

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

To what are referring when you say a "full" Criminal Records Check was required. The London Portuguese Consulate confirmed to me that you can use either the ACRO police check or the cheaper DBS service.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

From other forums and discussion groups concerning the D7 visa application process, it appeared that the ACRO certificate was necessary, and this is what I obtained and presented. At the VFS interview, I gave them a colour photocopy of the certificate but they said that the original was necessary which, fortunately, I had with me. From this and other forums, it's clear that there is no consistency to what might be required in the way of paperwork and my view was to go for the "best in class" rather than have to go away and start again, even if it meant having to choose more expensive options than might have been acceptable.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

For info below is a response I received from the Manchester consulate in reply to my query regarding travel insurance and proof of living (as I won't be drawing any pension income but living on savings for a few years). Note in particular the answers regarding insurance and criminal record checks. I asked the question by email on Friday and they replied on Monday apologising for the delay as work is hectic.

Bellow we will leave you with a list of documents needed, in order to apply for a D7 residence visa:

- Form filled and signed;

- Declaration filled and signed;

- UK criminal record (ACRO, DBS or Subject Access Request);

- ACRO - https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

- DBS - https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record

- Subject Access Requests (Scotland) - https://www.scotland.police.uk/acces...cess-requests/

- Purchase and sale agreement of property in Portugal (if applicable);

- Rental agreement of property in Portugal [12-month rental] (if applicable);

- Signed personal statement must explain the reason(s) to wanting to apply for permanent residency in Portugal, and mention the full address including postcode of the property you will be living at in Portugal upon arrival;

- Marriage certificate (if applicable);

- Children birth certificate (if applicable);

- Enrolment of children in PT school (if applicable);

- Travel insurance (6-12 months);

- Pension statement (if applicable);

- Work contract with possibility to work remotely (if applicable);

- NIF;

- Bank statement from Portuguese bank account (€705 x 12 per first applicant, 50% for subsequent applicants, in case of family)

- UK Bank statements, last 3 months.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya NSG

Useful info there, the living on savings for a few years is what I have been informed (by Manchester) could be a stumbling block apparently as ' my case handlers' words here 'SEF have been turning down people who are living on just savings and not either a passive income or 'digital nomad existance' ................I would be curious to hear what they had to say to you re; this and how this outcome turns out for you as we are in a similar position.
Andy.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hi Andy

In my emails to both the Manchester and London consulates I did give them brief details/figures of our savings, personal and company pensions and asked whether in principal subject to me providing hard evidence would this be acceptable. Manchester didn't address that specifically as per above but London said the following (below). Note that Manchester said 6-12 months insurance but London said 12! I'm a cautious planner so gathering all of the info before making any commitments whereas you seem to have winged it a bit travelling to Portugal before you've had the visa application accepted and that would absolutely blow my mind! I think you'll be sorted one way or another before I've even had an appointment.

As a standard rule we request the insurance to be valid for 1 year (AXA can be accepted).

Regarding income, if you will not be developing any remote activity while in Portugal and do not yet have access to your pensions or any other source of income, we can accept the evidence of pension savings and forecasts (in complement with remaining savings/ bank statements), though this is subject to analysis of the actual application.

· Regarding proof of funds for National Visa, you can find more information in the link here, but as a general rule the applicant must have access to a minimum of 665 Euros (Portuguese Minimum Wage) multiplied by the number of months the applicant will be staying up to 12 months. For Residence Visa (in particular the D7) they should provide funds for a minimum of 12 months in a Portuguese Bank Account.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

The travel insurance requirement has increased from a minimum of four months to six otherwise the above is exactly the same as when I went through my application at the start of 2021, also from Manchester and also living on savings as I retired early.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya NSG

Trust me I am not normally a 'wingin it' kind of person :-) but I was advised by the case handler thet it was ok to go and that once we had got to PT created a NIF and opened a bank account I could send our passports back to Manchester for him to stamp (not that I would trust CTT with them in any case, but thats another thread altogether ) I will fly back with both passports and get them stamped in person, we will have bought a property by the end of next week hopefully, then that is the last hurdle, then its create an income remotely until the pension kicks in...............all being well ! the requirement for a property or a rental agreement was put in place during our application by the authorities, according to the case handler (or the case handler missed it off of the list) if he missed it off or if they added it, it does not matter either way we have to overcome it so it is what it is, I aint knocking him for that, it just needs to be dealt with.............and I am actually kinda getting used to 'winging it' to be honest, its been relaxing and refreshing......and when you speak to people here and how they deal with ( or just ignore ) the rules and regulations its a bit of a reality check to be honest.......so 'wing it away my friend'

Hopefully it will get sorted soon fingers crossed.
Cheers
Andy.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hi andywally! It's beginning to look as though the two VFS offices - London and Manchester - are perhaps interpreting and handling things differently, or perhaps I have misunderstood something.

My interview was at VFS London just a fortnight ago. I presented them with all the correct documentation, details of which I had gleaned from this and other forums, and as has been discussed above, it's possible that I overdid what was required by securing and providing "best in class" documents e.g., an annual travel/health insurance policy rather than a 180-day one, and an ACRO check rather than a cheaper DBS one etc. I also already had a NIF, a Portuguese bank account with more than the required balance in it, full details of my accommodation in Portugal, and all the other evidential documentation of that and of sufficient pension income in the UK by way of bank statements, HMRC documentation etc., and provided copies of this too as well as copies of my EHIC, GHIC, and UK driving licence. etc., etc. The case-handler appeared satisfied with everything, and the final thing she did was to take my fingerprints (electronically) and a "passport type" photograph (to add to the two I had provided as required from the Visa Application form), as well as my passport. Having done that, she told me that the documentation I had submitted would be scanned and, together with my passport would be sent to the Portuguese Embassy for them to process (and stamp the passport appropriately), and that the passport would then be returned by courier (I paid a little extra for that) in "between 30 and 60 days".

Hopefully, when you have secured your accommodation etc., you'll be able to nip back to Blighty and get your passports stamped by VFS Manchester so that you can pursue the next stage with SEF in Portugal. As I had all the correct documentation when I went through the VFS process, I wish that had been the procedure in London. So I'm just wondering; are you sure that when you have secured your accommodation contract etc., it is just a case of nipping back to see your case-handler in Manchester and getting your passport stamped there?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Thanks for this information, I've been wondering about this a lot. It does seem quite vague on the websites.

Hopefully I will be in a position to have savings/investments well in excess of the minimum monthly wage x months until US Social Security and the UK State pension kick in. I do need to get professional advice about structuring the investments as a lot is currently offshore...and later this year I need to know whether to offshore more when my "pension freedoms" appear when I'm 55.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya Charleyfarley

I am not sure of anything to be honest mate, this should have been all sorted by now, the case handler said to post the passports back to him for the 120 day extension to be granted then the appt with SEF lodged........this may or may not happen as simply as that, but I will keep ya posted :-) but yeah the last thing we need from that list is some accommodation and we have it all sorted.....apparently.........?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

One key difference between London and Manchester is that in the former you only deal with VFS for everything whereas with Manchester, you go to VFS only for your photos and fingerprints taking and maybe a cursory check of your documentation then trot off down the road to the Portuguese consulate for them to go through your application in more detail. If everything goes smoothly then I guess both systems are good but if there are any issues or queries then Manchester might be slightly better as you are dealing with the consulate direct rather that having VFS acting as a go-between. Just to be clear, I contacted and received replies direct from both consulates not VFS.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

NSG666, Ah, that explains the different experiences between mine and andywally's. So it looks as though this is one area where the northerners are privileged in comparison with we southerners! A pity one can't choose to go to either London or Manchester since your sole available "application centre" is determined by your UK address. If I had known about the difference, I might have found myself a kind "uncle" with an address somewhere up north! Although perhaps the address on documents you have to submit like bank statements might have given that particular game away!

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

An update on my experience of the D7 visa application process having used (as required because of where I live in the UK) the London VFS centre. My passport was returned to me by courier today (a service which was an optional one but which I thought prudent) just 37 days after my interview and presentation of all the necessary documentation. As a reminder, I was told that it would take "between 30 and 60 days" for the return of the passport, so well inside that time. And I'm pleased to report that not only does it have a shiny new visa on one of the pages, but also - and I didn't expect this - a date, time, and place very close to my accommodation where and when a confirmed appointment has been booked with the SEF for the next stage of the D7 residency application process. The fact that this SEF interview is 5 months away is academic as far as the "90 in 180 day" rule is concerned since I understand that as long as one has a confirmed appointment with SEF, that rule will be disregarded. However, although I shall have to make a quick trip back to the UK before the SEF appointment to comply with the "trips no longer than 90 days" rule in relation to the AXA annual Schengen health insurance policy I was recommended to purchase, I'm glad I did that rather than the cheaper six-month one (which some people suggested was adequate) since if I had done that, in order for the policy to have been valid at my VFS interview, it would have expired before my SEF interview. Now all I need is to get my Covid booster, not due for a while, and I'll be all set to go.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

As you have discovered, visa (sticker) is something that issued at embassy/consulate.
Passport stamping is only done at border crossings. Just to clarify above posts.

There is nothing "academic" about 90 in 180 day rule. It applies to all tourist visitors.
As you posses national Visa, you're not a tourist. However, until you go to your appointment with SEF, you have to be careful with any absences from PT.
There is limit on how many times and what length. Too many times or too long out, and you will not be seen as resident.

Also once you get 2y permit from SEF, learn rules on now many days you're allowed out of country.
https://www.sef.pt/en/pages/conteudo...he.aspx?nID=39

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Very helpful please update with your SEF experience when it happens.

Q27 on the application form asks for the arrival and departure date for the first intended stay in Portugal. How far apart did you have these, and was your confirmed SEF appointment within that period?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

A good question appman. I thought long and hard about what dates to put into the reply to Q27. My logic was that since I had previously established that the process would take "between 30 and 60 days" post-interview before my passport with the necessary D7 visa would be returned, I needed to take that into account. So since my VFS interview was in early January, I elected to put 7th March for the first entry date, thus allowing for the "60 days" if necessary so as not to be presumptive. For the second date - i.e., the first departure, I had to do another calculation. To be sure of having the necessary correct documentation at my VFS interview, I elected to buy my annual AXA Schengen travel/health insurance policy to commence on 1st February, figuring that this would satisfy the requirement for me to have a valid and existing policy in force should the passport with D7 visa be returned to me within "30 days". However, in the knowledge that the AXA annual policy allows for stays in the Schengen area of 90 days only at a time, requiring at the least a quick "pop-back" to the UK in order to maintain validity - although you can of course return to the Schengen area the next day, and thus begin a fresh 90-day insured period - I selected 90 days from 7th March, and put 5th June for the "first departure date". So no, the appointment date I have been allocated from the SEF meeting is a month or so beyond the first departure date I put on the form. As it happens, all these dates have, probably more by luck than judgement, worked out well (give or take a day or two) so I've now been able to book the three flights back and forth, albeit that the flight back to UK in June has cost considerably more than than the other two flights together because it happens, for some reason, to be an extremely popular travel time. However, I love it when a plan comes together! Sorry for the long explanations but I hope this information has been helpful. As requested, I'll try to remember to update this thread after my SEF interview in July.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Long is better otherwise important detail may be missed.

Are you saying you didn't need to show flight tickets with your visa application?

I've already bought mine in anticipation of applying in May/June assuming they would want to see them?

I'd also appreciate an indication of what you wrote to support your application (DM if you prefer and generality fine)

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hi appman. No, VFS didn't want to see flight tickets and nor did flight tickets appear on the list of documentation needing to be presented. I was previously advised not to be too specific in writing the "why I want to be resident in Portugal" supporting document, and kept it very short and general along the lines of "I have spent many happy holidays in Portugal, and now that I am retired, I want to give further consideration to residence, and spending at least 10 or eleven months a year there in the future.". I note that you propose applying in May/June; if my experience of applying for an appointment with VFS is anything to go by, you might find the online application process (the only method available as far as I could tell) a little frustrating. I was trying two or three times a day for three weeks or so before the system presented me with an appointment date and not a "no appointments available" message. Then the first successful attempt presented the availability of an appointment for the following day, and which was too soon to enable me to make suitable travel and other arrangements, as well as it being uncomfortably close to Christmas! I continued to try daily and eventually was offered an appointment three days hence enabling me to make the necessary arrangements, as well as to brush up and update the required documentation, and to secure the necessary health/travel insurance etc., in order to print out the details and take it with me to the interview as required. In other words, securing an appointment with VFS is not like booking a flight where you might be presented on line with a list of options: it's "here's the date we're offering you - take it or leave it".

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Thanks for that clarification. On the official use section of the form it has a tick box for 'Means of Transport' and I assumed the pre-paid transport requirement in Q32 would need some proof as I believe the pre-paid accommodation does (deeds or rental agreement)?

I did have some experience with the London VFS as I tried applying last year for a Temporary Stay Visa (as advertised on Ministry of Foreign Affairs website) but according to VFS and Consulate not available, hence the residency application this year.

As you say appointments are few and far between although in my case it was some weeks away, luck of the draw I guess.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

appman, Q32 does indeed require positive proof of intended accommodation. I spotted the tick-box relating to "Means of Transport" but as it was in the "For Official Use" column, and since the list of required documents did not specify anything about means of transport, I chose to ignore it. Fortunately, this proved satisfactory. However, you'll wish I'm sure to have the tickets with you at your VFS interview just in case they decide to come up with the question! Certainly I took with me many more documents which I thought might be asked for just in case, but nothing other than those on the "official list" of documents was requested.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Sorry for the bump on this one, but when I want to select my application centre on the VFS website I’m not sure do I book the appointment in London or Manchester. The VFS website only lists counties from England, Scotland and N.Ireland - I reside in a Welsh county so not sure which centre to apply to.

Does anyone happen to know? I’ve been trying to contact VFS but they are proving to be very elusive.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

eusou - My Welsh friend who lives in mid-Wales was required to choose an appointment at the London VFS Centre.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Amazing. Cheers for the quick response.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hi I’m a bit confused so I hope you can help me out. I have my interview for the D7 in London at the end of May I’ve got almost all the information that’s required but my only confusion is about showing where I will be living. Do I have to get a rental property even before I’ve had my Visa agreed by VSF and so that means taking out a 12 month rental agreement basically now. I have a friend that I can move in with who lives in Portugal if he gives me a letter to say that I’m living with him is that sufficient or is there a official document that he needs to sign to say that I’m living with him. Any help with this would be gratefully received

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Hiya,
Its either buy a property, get a rental agreement for at least 12 months, or the third option is ask your friend to sign a 'termo de responsibilidade' witness by a solicitor.

VFS dont grant the visa the PT consulate do, VFS are merely an oursourced 'clearing house' for the menial tasks, after which they will send you to the consulate for the rest of your docs to be checked...............apparently it works slightly differently in London to Manchester, in Manchester we went straight to the consulate after VFS I have read on here that in London VFS tell you to go home and await an appt at the consulate by post ?

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

andywally, the difference between Manchester and London is that in Manchester, VFS send you round to the Portuguese embassy straight after the meeting with them. In London, VFS take your passport away from you at the end of the meeting and it gets sent by them to the Portuguese embassy for insertion of the necessary temporary visa information, and then the passport gets sent back to you by post or courier (depending on which option you have selected and paid for) together with a note of an appointment date and time for an interview in Portugal by the SEF (border force). The location of this will usually be in the nearest SEF office to the address of the accommodation you nominated in your original interview. In my case - and in the experience of others as I understand it - it can be up to 90 days before your passport gets returned to you with this information.

Re: VFS D7 Visa Application Process
 

Just curious charleyfarley, if VFS in London take your passport and you are not sent to the Portuguese consulate, who checks all the other documentation such as proof of somewhere to live, NIF, bank and sufficient funds, criminal checks etc, etc? Having been through the process in Manchester I know the consulate checks every last piece of paperwork and they take your passport, are you saying VFS do everything in London cutting out the necessity for a consulate visit?