I Finally Received My Visa

I Finally Received My Visa

• Getting to Portugal, d7 visa • 6 min read
portugal vfs vfs-consulate-interview

The Process So Far (an overview)

  1. contacted Outbound Migration Consultancy

    • decided to apply for my visa
    • contacted Calvin at Outbound Migration Consultancy

  2. contracted with Outbound Migration Consultancy AND NSM Lawyers in Lisbon

    • this started the process
    • provide information for filling out the visa application
      • drivers license
      • passport
      • proof of address (utility bill)
    • signed ageement and provided payment

  3. prepared for the Portuguese Consulate / VSF appointment

  4. the VFS appointment
    It was at this point that I had to surrender my passport to them in order to have the visa attached. Later, the passport would be returned with the visa attached

Notes on Receiving the Visa

  1. For me, in New York City, it took me 2 months and 1 week to receive my passport with the visa attached. this was pretty close to my expectations (good or bad)

  2. At the VFS appointment, they tell you to take a picture of your FedEx return label this has the tracking number on it and you can follow the progress when the passport is returned

  3. I have an account with FedEx and when someone ships a package to me via FedEx I get an email telling me that my package is going to be delivered.

  4. This did not happen with my passport. I received no notifications - not from the consulate, not from VFS, not from FedEx. It completely surprised me by just showing up at my door.

  5. The only ‘oddness’ I noticed was that when I then went back to see information about the shipping of my passport, I entered the tracking number and saw two duplicate tracking numbers. I do not know enough about FedEx, nor do I care to try to figure it out (anyone know?) But, perhaps this was enough to not notifiy me that my passport had shipped?

  6. No, I received no notifications from the consulate or VFS. I only received on notification in the very beginning that VFS had processed my information (the forms and materials I left with VFS) and had forwarded those materials and documents to the consulate. Other than than… no additional notifications!

  7. NOTE: There was no additional information in the FedEx mailer other than just my passport. Thumbing through the passport, I found the attached visa. My AIMA appointment notification was by an http link on the visa. It is a bit of a pain because the link text spans several lines and you must enter the info in by hand. Once the link is displayed however, your AIMA appointment is displayed on the website.

About the Visa

redacted-visa-annotated

  1. First thing to do is to review all the information on the visa. Just make sure it is all correct - someone had to initially enter your information and if it was scanned or copied, there could still be some errors.

  2. Next, look at the AIMA appointment information (just a little bit to the right of the middle of the visa… see image above) You will see a section that begins with Agendamento / Appointment. There you will see a URL (it starts with http://) that spans several lines.
    It will be in the format: http://agd.sef.pt/?XXXXXXXXXX

  3. if you were to just enter that first part, up to but not including the “?” this link will take you to the generic AIMA Appointment Check page This is unimportant really, I just wanted you to know that it was there.

  4. The only other information you should make note of and check are the number of entries, the duration of the stay, the from date, and the until date. I can only speculate here because my sample size is exactly one. My visa is good for 120 days. It starts (the from date) when they send the visa back to you. It is good for 120 days. The until date is the date of my AIMA appointment. I do not know if that is just a coincidence or if this intentional. I received my visa and passport exactly 120 days before my AIMA appointment which is scheduled for the day on which the visa expires.

  5. Question. If anyone knows? Is the consulate holding my passport until 120 days before my AIMA appointment? Has anyone received their visa prior to the from date (meaning that the visa does not go into effect for some amount of days from the date where you received the visa back?)

  6. Question. I wonder if the backlog were to increase for AIMA appointments, would the consulate be holding on to the passports longer and not be returning them until 120 prior to an AIMA appointment?

AIMA Appointment Check Information

sample-aima-appointment-check

  1. If you have an appointment scheduled, this page will tell you at which branch your appointment has been scheduled, the address of the location, along with the date and time for your appointment

  2. You do not request a location. I do not know if you can change the location or the date. I know that I wouldn’t even think about it, or try. You have been waiting for this for some time… why would you screw around with it once you have gotten it?

In Summary

  1. Between the from and the until dates on the visa, one had the right to two entries into Portugal. One must enter Portugal no later than the until date.

  2. After the AIMA appointment one may exit and re-enter Portugal normally using Schengen rules while the residency card is being processed.

  3. Once the biometrics (AIMA) appointment is completed, you will receive an official receipt from AIMA confirming that your residency permit is under processing. With that document, you may leave Portugal and return without issues. You will no longer be bound by the “two entries” limitation of the D visa. You may travel to New York and come back as needed.

Lojas AIMA | AIMA Stores

A Loja AIMA é um espaço de prestação de serviços públicos em balcão único de atendimento que serve de interface dos cidadãos migrantes e das respetivas entidades empregadoras com diversos serviços de várias entidades públicas e privadas, designadamente no âmbito do processo de acolhimento e integração de migrantes. A AIMA disponibiliza 35 Lojas em todo o país.

The AIMA Store is a one-stop shop for public services that serves as an interface between migrant citizens and their employers with various services from several public and private entities, particularly within the context of the reception and integration process for migrants. AIMA has 35 stores throughout the country.

click here for a list of the AIMA Stores

Resources & References

NSM Lawyers

NSM Lawyers

Contact Information:
Phone: +351 215 847 264
Email: geral@nsmadvogados.pt
Visit: www.nsmadvogados.pt
Address: Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo, 21, 2º 1050 116 Lisboa

Outbound Migration Consultancy

Outbound Migration Consultancy

Contact Information:
click here to request free 30 minute consult
Email: planb@outboundmigration.com
Visit: outboundmigration.com

USA
Phone: +1 424 404 9399
Address: 8383 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 800 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Canada
Phone: +1 604 200 3560
Address: 230-1290 Howe St Vancouver, BC V6Z0C2

AIMA

AIMA Logo

Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, 20 1069-119 Lisboa geral@aima.gov.pt +351 217 115 000 Monday to Friday - 8:00 am to 8:00 pm

VFS.Global

VFS Global

Have questions about moving to Portugal? Drop a comment below!