It’s three weeks until I hand back the keys to my rental house and head to Portugal. Since I made the decision to move to Portugal the anticipation and excitement have been constant. But also, there have been some reservations. The next three weeks are going to be hectic and include a week in Greece.
Today, the furniture I have sold has been collected. The house is bare. I’ll be resorting to sleeping on ta make shift bed and sitting on a beanbag. Some will say this is extreme minimalism. But it continues to be therapeutic. The last week has enabled me to progressively get rid of the rubbish. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that the UK government have also been doing a similar exercise.
I can’t believe it’s only been a week since I received my D7 Visa. So much seems to have happened since then. And the elation of receiving it continues to give me a skip in my step. Receiving it has been such a weight off my mind and has brought renewed energy to sort out other bits.
As I mentioned in last week’s blog, I submitted my application for my baggage certificate. On Monday, I received an email from the Consulate of Portugal in London requesting one additional piece of information. Information sent by return email.
On Wednesday, I received a phone call advising that my baggage certificate had been issued and would be sent by post. On Thursday I received the certificate. Once again, brilliant service from the Consulate in London.
One certificate received. One to go.
However, I am still waiting for the ISV exemption certificate for my car, although similarly, they requested some additional information. There is a theme here. They always seem to request an additional piece of evidence or a minor change. Strangely, I take comfort in these requests as it confirms they are working on my application or paperwork.
I hope to receive the important exemption certificate within the next two weeks. For those who don’t know, the ISV exemption certificate is issued by the Consulate in the country you are exporting the car from. The Consulate verifies you have owned the vehicle for the mandatory six months before import and all the paperwork is in order. If so, they issue the embossed Certificate confirming there is no tax to pay on importing the vehicle.
This Certificate, along with the Certificate of Conformity (or Certificate of Compliance) which enables you to register the car anywhere in the EU are the two compulsory certificates required to import a car to Portugal.
Just to add, I am proud of my certificates! They mean more to me than the 2nd place certificate I won for the best-dressed clown when I was around eight years old. Some things don’t change!
Sticking with the car theme, I have serviced the car and put it through an MOT. The last ever MOT I will need to worry about in the UK. It also gives me another piece of paper ready for when I can matriculate my car.
Early planning pays off
I’ve also checked and updated my EuroTunnel ticket. In doing so, the booking system offered me some alternative times. To change to the train immediately before or after my current booking would incur an additional cost of £105. That is more than I paid for my ticket in the first place. Just proves, book early to get the best discounts! My planning has finally paid off!
I believe, I now have everything in place ready to drive to Portugal. Now I just need to sort out whether I can actually fit everything I have included in my baggage certificate in the car. Ummmm.
But before I worry about that, I have a week relaxing in Greece with my daughters. Flying tomorrow. No doubt too much good, too much lying around a pool and I’ll probably partake in the occasional beverage. But the best bit will be spending the whole week with them.
Therefore, while I usually retrospectively apologise for missing a weekly blog, this time I’m ahead of the game. Maybe my Portugal planning is finally rubbing off on to my blog planning.
Muito obrigado
As always, I’d like to thank everyone who reads my blog. I am humbled by your interest in my little world. I write for myself and I write in the way I read. Please do get in touch or reach out by adding a comment below.
Muito obrigado.
Marc
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Thank you. Muitio obrigado, Marc
You have a nice way of writing. I’m not English, don’t have a car, nor a D7 Visa, but it was a pleasant read nonetheless. (Oh wait. I have certificates.) I’ll read other episodes, hoping that some of that planning genius will rub off. 🙂
Ola,
Thank you for your comment. Much appreciated.
Felicidades
Marc