Awaiting Pre-Approval (Stage 2)

@sen,

If you are wondering about the “pending” status of the application and moving to Portugal under “irregular resident” status, this is what my attorney conveyed to me. I moved to Portugal myself about 6 months after pre-approval and before my biometrics (I did biometrics in January 2023, and still don’t have my residency card - what a surprise!). We stayed in Portugal well past our tourist visa, and had no issues with SEF, either whilst there or when we were leaving for the U.S. for a “homecoming” (more like tax preparation, etc.). Once you receive your “pending” status, you can request a confirmation from your lawyer with your case number. Generally this should suffice.

Unfortunately, I do not have a link to any official directives clarifying this matter. Next time I will chat with my lawyer, I would ask her for the section of the immigration code that addresses this issue.

You may also want to refer to the topic: Moving to Portugal right after pre-approval where many of these issues have been addressed.

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