If I get a residency under D7, and stay in another EU countries more than 6 months, consecutively, then how could Portugese immigration check that, is there any real way? Also, I saw somewhere, that the timer, the countdown, starts from the time leaving EU, but I lost that source, and cannot locate it again. Is it true, as well? Regards.
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Ask yourself: Does it matter? Who is the burden of proof on here?
Suppose you walk in for SEF renewal. What conversation is more likely?
You: “Please renew my visa.”
Agent: “I’ve gone through all my systems and it looks like you’ve met all the requirements, here you go.”
or
You: “Please renew my visa.”
Agent: “Prove you’ve been in my country the requisite amount of time and that you still have enough money and haven’t committed any major crimes and met all the other requirements. Here are the vague guidelines you’re supposed to meet and I’ll decide whether you got it right.”
Which experience most resembles your experience with any government agency anywhere in the world?
If you’ve stayed in another country most of the time, how are you going to prove your presence in .pt?
They mean .pt not .eu. If you are in some other country then you are not in .pt and not spending money in .pt and not contributing to .pt in any way. So what does it matter you are in .eu versus anywhere else in the world?
Well, if you are not checked within Europe where you spent your time, and you spend all your time in Portugal, but maybe you have needs or wants to spend the time in other countries around Europe, then it is rather lame. Let’s say, I buy a house in Portugal and pay the bills, does it show that I live in Portugal? But in a meanwhile travel around Europe.
Regulations and rules are imperfect and often arbitrary.
Hell, I see this all the time in the US.
One anecdote: Last year I went to renew my drivers license. I carefully reviewed the list of required documents and brought copies and alternative evidence to prove residence just in case. The requirements stated to bring “evidence of social security number”. I brought a copy of my social security card. When I arrived I was told that I needed the original social security card. I showed the clerk the list and argued for about 5 minutes but got nowhere. Then the clerk said that another option is to provide the first page of my tax return showing the SSN. I told her that anyone could print off a tax return and insert any SSN they wanted. They didn’t care. Long story short, never assume anything and bring redundant evidence to prove your position. 
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