Any info, if the biometric appoint would be given in chronological order or randomly? If in chronological order,then on the basis of application date or pre-approval date?
I have applied on 7 Dec 2021 and got pre-approval on 16th Nov 2022. When can I expect the appointment for biometrics? Thanks.
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From what I have gathered in these posts is that the SEF is giving out biometric appointments to applications that were pre - approved between July - September 2021, and until those are completed, they will not begin on the next three months (Oct - Dec 2021).
Has anyone noticed anything contrary? The exception I can see is @deepyarn whose wife was pre - approved in Nov 2021; but this may be an exception, as his own application along with his parents’ was pre-approved in June 2021, so it may have been treated as a special case by the SEF to enable them to do the biometrics together.
Not pre approval, application date.
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Hi everyone, we (my wife and I) had our biometrics appointment today in Lisbon. Applications submitted September 2021, preapproval January 2022, notification of biometric appointment availability June 2022, and now the appointment.
We met our lawyer at the SEF office 10 minutes before the appointment time. We went in, she took a number, and we waited in the lobby for the number to be called. The lawyer went in and reviewed our documents with an SEF agent for 15 minutes, and then we were called in for biometrics and signing a few documents. The whole thing took about an hour, and was very routine. We had all of our updated documents except our FBI background checks - we received them from the FBI, but the State Dept apostille process is apparently very backlogged at the moment. But that didn’t seem to be a problem; we just need to submit the apostilled documents when they are available.
Note - we have two children who are on our family reunification application. Their applications were submitted in October, 2021, and preapproval was in January, 2022 (right after ours). However, we never got notice of biometrics availability for the boys. Our lawyers checked repeatedly with SEF (during other meetings there) to see if our children could be included in our appointment since we would all be here in Lisbon, but the answer was always the same: they will receive the biomtrics invitation when their names come up in the cue. So, we’ll need to come back to LIsbon when that happens. Not the worst thing, of course (such a lovely city), but the inefficiency at SEF seems almost hard-wired.
Timing from now until the residency card is issued is anyone’s guess. We are hearing anything from 6 to 11 months.
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I hope this helps relieve some of the stress. This was posted on another thread so I thought I’d share it here. My husband and I are still waiting for pre-approval, applied December 23, 2021, so this is a huge relief. Hang in there everybody and good luck.
Portugal Golden Visa – 29 Nov 22
PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT VOTES NO TO THE END OF THE GOLDEN VISA Portugal Golden…
http://www.investgoldenvisa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Portugal-Goldev-Visa-Program.jpg
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This is great news!
Applications submitted Oct & Nov 2021
Pre-approvals received March & May 2022
Still no word regarding biometrics appointments!
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Just wanted to share how disappointed and upset I am! Today, 1001 days passed from my pre-approval on 12 of March 2020 and I am still waiting for biometric appointment without any hope!!
Not only SEF is disappointing, Portuguese lawyers are same. Bullshit!
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Application submitted - 29 November 2021
Pre-Approval - 11 August 2022
No update on Biometrics, I followed up with my Lawyers and this is the latest response I got from them:
Unfortunately, we have not received any update form the Immigration Office since our last communication.
*Our Partner is supposed to have a meeting with the Secretary of State that is responsible for SEF during this month. The meeting will have 4 lawyers from top tier law firms in Portugal and we hope to be able to present our proposals and have more clarity on what the Government has to say on this subject. *
We will keep you informed should we have any news.
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As I and some other folks mentioned earlier, we should not expect any biometric slots opening until all of the submitted 2021 GV applications have been processed (i.e. pre-approved).
SEF have been drip-feeding their pre-approvals, currently Dec 12th 2021 seems to be the latest reported pre-approval on this forum. So I’d say somewhere around Feb 2023 we might see some movement on biometrics.
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Yes it seems there are many in your situation, who applied 2020 and are somehow forgotten by SEF. Have you considered contacting Association of Immigrants to see if they can talk to SEF on your behalf? https://www.mundofeliz.pt/
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Hi, submitted on 14th December 2021 no pre approval yet.
Anyone got his pre approval in this date?
Finger crossed 
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My turn to give some updates
One dependent applicant of my family:
- Application submitted in April 2020
- Pre-approval in June 2020
- Biometric in Porto in February 2022
- Approval letter in September 2022
- Payment notification was also in September 2022 but then immediately informed by SEF that the payment via DUC was not working and needed to wait for further instruction.
- Another payment notification for card issuance on November 2022
- Card received today (2 weeks after my payment)
One thing I find a bit awkward is that the card of the main applicant is valid between Sept 2022 - Sept 2024. However the card of dependent applicant is valid between Nov 2022 - Nov 2024. That means when the card of main applicant is expired, the dependent’s one is still valid.
I remember that someone in this forum has said the card of the dependent always has the same end date with the main applicant.
Anyway, I don’t care. Card is the product of SEF. That’s it
Some dependents of my family are still waiting for the biometric appointments. 
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From what I have read on the forum posts, the last pre-approval has been received for an application on 12 Dec 2021, which is a couple of days before you. Hopefully, you should receive yours soon.
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Hi everyone, I suggest you check your emails and SEF portal as it looks like they opened up the next window of biometrics for the whole of Q1 2023…
I have just booked mine…
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Same here. My dates:
1st Oct 2021: Application submitted
25th Jan 2022: Pre-approved
16th Dec 2022: Invited to make appointment
13th Feb 2023: Appointment (Lisbon). Family of three, all together
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Hello everyone, I need to get the card residency as fast as possible, should I book the appointment in Lisbon, or Coimbra or any other city? Which office will handle the request faster?
@ahmedfawzy for what it’s worth from some old posts:
Based on feedback here in order of biometrics to residency:
Faro has seen the fastest biometrics to approval reported above (~2months).
Coimbra seems next taking ~6months from biometrics to approval.
Lisbon seems to be ~8months
Azores seems to be the slowest based on some issues/delays at SEF in Ponta Delgada. Ppl waiting for
>10months.
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Just got the mail confirming opening of the biometrics appointments and booked for the family through our lawyers. We got our pre-approval in Jul 2021.
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Any ideas how far the appointment window is open ?
Is it all the way till end of summer ? Want to be able to book to accomodate the summer school closure.
Thanks
JP
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I was given a ten day window in which to make a booking up to the end of March