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I’m celebrating! It’s a privilege. It’s my D7 Visa!

Posted on 30 June 202221 October 2022 by Marc

I am ecstatic!  I’ve been dancing in the kitchen.  Punching the air.  I have a beaming smile from ear to ear. 

I am privileged to have been granted the first stage of my D7 Visa from the Portugal Consulate in London. Thank you.  I am incredibly grateful.  And I won’t let you down.

It has felt like I’ve been waiting for months.  The reality is that it has been less than eight weeks since I walked into the VFS Global office in London.  But throughout those 53 days (35 work days) it has been in the back of my mind the whole time. 

I received notification from VFS Global that my passport and visa had been dispatched to me.  I waited for notification from the delivery company or simply for the doorbell to ring.  I didn’t receive either until the early evening when I received an email and text advising that the delivery would be the next day.

That wasn’t going to work for me as I was not going to be home and, to accept the delivery, I had to show identification.  The next two days were also impossible for me to be at home.  Therefore, my response to the email was to rearrange the delivery until the following Monday.  Five days later.

I know.  Five more days of not knowing whether my application had been successful.  What was I thinking?  Five more days anxiously waiting.  And I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive.

Rewind a couple of weeks

I knew that my application had arrived at the top of the pile as I had received an email asking for me to verify a couple of documents I submitted.  They also requested more information on the proof of my passive income. 

I took my time to respond to the email.  I read it a few times and carefully constructed a reply to respond clearly and concisely to the questions they were asking.  The information they were seeking clarity on and the information on my passive income had been submitted with my application so I provided the information in a slightly different format.

While I knew I exceeded the criteria for my D7 Visa, that does not necessarily mean it will be granted.  When they asked more questions, it raised doubt that I would receive my D7 Visa.  In fact, so much doubt that I started working out how long I could stay in Portugal before I needed to return to the UK and the schedule to re-apply.

Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

It was the first time I realised how much my new adventure was at the decision and discretion of someone else.  It felt uncomfortable.  Every spare minute, the thought of not being granted my visa returned.  Mentally, I was preparing myself for the worst.

“Out for delivery”

Monday morning, I received a text advising my parcel would be delivered between 7:45 and 9:35.  I was sat waiting.  At 8:55 the delivery van pulled up.  I opened the door, ID in hand.  After the obligatory photo to prove delivery, recording the details of my ID and signing for the parcel, I gently closed the door.

The house was quiet.  Oh so quiet.  I sat down.  Took a huge breath.  And cut open the envelope.  A sheet of paper and my passport.

I unfolded the piece of paper.  It was headed “Automatic appointment check”.  I have an appointment in Castelo Branco in October.  This can mean only one thing.  I opened my passport and there it was.  All the proof I needed was stuck firmly in my passport.

Yes, yes, yes! Passport returned with appointment with SEF confirmed!

While I’ve got this far, the next stage to get my D7 Visa is the SEF appointment in October.  Until then, I need to stay in Portugal and ensure that I prepare all the information required for the SEF appointment.

I am still on a (legal) high.  I am so chuffed.  I am incredibly grateful.  I am so excited about what is to come next.  I will also give myself a pat on the back. 

Via Verde update

Also on Monday, I needed to go for an emergency dental appointment.  I know, boring stuff that I wasn’t going to let dampen my excitement.  On returning from the dentist a few hours later, there was another package on the doormat.

Loving the envelope from Via Verde

It was from Via Verde and it was my transponder to pay for the tolls through Spain and Portugal.  How excited can you get over a small device?  Oh, the mood I’m in, very excited!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I signed up for Via Verde and received notification that the transponder had been posted the following day.  It still took twelve days to reach me.  But who cares?  I’ve got it and just need to put it in the windscreen in readiness to head to Portugal.

Baggage certificate

Now I’ve had my passport returned with the Visa firmly stuck in it, I can now apply for my baggage certificate from the Consulate of Portugal in London. 

For me, I hope this is relatively straightforward and I believe it is normally completed and returned within a couple of weeks.

As I am driving to Portugal with the items I can put in the car, it is not an extensive list of items I am taking.  In fact, it’s a pretty short list and the realisation that everything I own will be able to fit in a car.

Photo by Erwan Hesry

After all the paperwork is compiled I needed to get a Postal Order from the Post Office.  I didn’t even know they still existed!  But, they do!  That’s posted and now for another (shorter) wait.

Muito obrigado

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been an increase in people reaching out to share their stories and progress in moving to Portugal.  Thank you and I am genuinely humbled by the number of people who take the time to read my blog. 

Muito obrigado.

Marc

Feature photo by kind permission from Myriam Zilles


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Thank you. Muitio obrigado, Marc

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4 thoughts on “I’m celebrating! It’s a privilege. It’s my D7 Visa!”

  1. Portugal Living Magazine says:
    1 July 2022 at 09:13

    Parabems!

    We will enjoy following the details of your Portugal journey!

    Bruce Joffe
    Publisher/Creative Director
    Portugal Living Magazine
    portugallivingmagazine.com

    Reply
    1. Marc says:
      1 July 2022 at 12:14

      Ola Bruce
      Muito obrigado.
      Marc

      Reply
  2. Michael Shaw says:
    3 August 2022 at 13:27

    Wow…I can see why you are so elated…your journey seems straightforward so far…well done !
    My own D7 toot 19 weeks, but mine I dont think is typical as I have a British passport but reside in Southern Ireland so my application was to the Dublin consulate who seemed to be totally uninterested from day one.

    Just one question…I havn’t come accross the need for a baggage certificate or anybody else needing one…..What is it, and why did you need it ?

    Reply
    1. Marc says:
      4 August 2022 at 07:57

      Hi, thanks for your comment.
      The Baggage Certificate is a requirement to move your personal belongings to Portugal. It enables you not to be liable for import taxes for your personal belongings when they arrive in Portugal. I believe that if you use a removal/relocation company they include all of this within the service – but not entirely sure you’d need to check.
      I have approached my move to Portugal as “belt and braces”; therefore, I wanted both the baggage certificate and vehicle certificate in place before I travelled over. I anticipate there are some/many who just load up the car/van/motorhome and drive over without a certificate.
      Muito obrigado
      Marc

      Reply

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