Hi everyone,
Finding this thread has been invaluable as Iām not receiving any realistic timelines from my lawyer. I applied in November 2022 and Iām obviously still waiting for pre approval. Has anyone switched and decided to go for another visa route because of all this? Reading about the June ā22 applications just sounds too much to be honest. Thanks everyone for all this.
@razo I did not āswitchā per se, but rather started and progressed a CBI in another place. Itās near completion now. While SEF was giving me some spare waiting time - why not use it for smth positive, right? 
Did progressing that one affect your current Portugal application ? Do you anticipate it would ?
(I would have to give up my current passport if I got another one but your case might be different )
I exchanged a couple of emails with my lawyer today on the subject of pre-approvals. They shared that they have several pre-approvals still pending from December 2021 - sadly that backlog is/was quite large, and SEF is making its way through it very messily (putting it mildly!). With regards to the jump to June 2022 submissions, they were of the view that many applications have been submitted since then as well. A minor improvement is expected in waiting times for those that applied more recently, but no one can be sure.
Thereās also only once advice - patience!
Hi Guys,
Just wondering, when exactly did the applications re-open for new applicants in June 2022? Is there a specific date for this.
My wife applied on 1st June (As an additional applicant based on my application, which was applied in Oct 21). My lawyer informed me that āadditional applicantsā were still able to apply while the portal was closed, and hence she should be processed, before the June rush, but I am not quite sure of this.
I think it was June 15th
Dear all,
Me and my family applied on 26 th of June so it has been approx 1 year no news. Also i didnt know about close and re opening of SEF? Can you please inform me? Does it mean no application on feb,march, april, may 2022? After finisihing dec22 aplications, can we say that our turn will come faster?
Thnks
It should be ***After finisihing dec21 aplications, can we say that our turn will come faster?
No one really knows, but we can safely assume six months of applications were submitted upon re-opening. We do not know the scale of that demand ā my lawyer suggests 2022 was āconsiderably lessā than 2021 ā but even if we look at mid 2021 pre-approval times, people were waiting 3-4 months back then. So if we assume a return to pre-q4 2021 application levels, which is a big assumption, an end-of-June 2022 applicationās pre-approval would still be many months behind that of a mid June application.
Expecting pre-approval in 2023 may end up being a bit optimistic. But the next couple of months will be very telling, as we see 2022 applications start receiving pre-approval. Especially after June 2022 is finished, I bet the application-weeks start flying by.
The firm I am using reports pre-approvals through 2021-12-23.
I applied 2021-12-28, 3 dependents 2022-09-02 (I am not on the spreadsheet, as I do not know how to add data).
So I am expecting pre-approval any week now, just a year and a half behind schedule.
Fortunately, the kids are young; I empathize with those experiencing significant inconvenience.
Viva Portugal.
SEF replacement begins 29 October
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), which will replace SEF and the High Commission for Migration, will start operating on 29 October. SEF replacement begins 29 October - The Portugal News
They say its just a merger of 2 departments so hopefully no fear of our application lost in transition! Nor hopes of improved processing efficiency 
Kevin L this is exactly the same as what our ātrappersā didnāt tell us. We thought weād have had our cards in hand by now, according to their pretty picture. What a scam. We did make some plans based on this timeline and now we are in limbo. First-world problems and all that, but quite annoying to have this ālittle pointā left out. Agree completely.
Hi everyone,
status of my application has changed from āunder analyzeā on āwas acceptedā. What does it mean? Is it pre-approval or not yet?
I believe you are pre approved now. When did you apply?
about month ago
What does it say in Portuguese? Should be āCandidatura aceiteā = pre-approved.
I feel like this may be another sign of what I think is happening, but I am not yet sure if this is happeningā¦ 
Itās like too good to be true, but letās see what shows up over the next few daysā¦
Iām looking forward to SEFās new āGolden Visas While-u-Waitā serviceā¦