Hey all, I am in the process of applying for my D7 visa application. I have been to other European countries several times but not to Portugal. Will this count against me in my D7 application? I also do not have any family or people I know personally there. I read in the ‘Visa and Residence Permit 2021 Guidelines’ by Susan Stults that its good to demonstrate ties in Portugal in your personal statement as part of visa application. This is the only thing I fear can act against me. Any advice? how did others who did not have local friends navigate this?
Interesting, I didn’t realize that this was an obstacle for a D7 visa.
Would it be feasible to come on an education visa for Portuguese language classes, and bootstrap that into community ties? My intuition (pure guesswork) tells me that the immigration people would look favorably on a demonstrated interest in learning the language.
I don’t know whether it’s feasible to pivot from a shortish-term education visa to a D7 visa withut having to leave the country and fly back and forth again. That would be a definite negative in my book.
Thanks David! That sounds like something that could definitely work. I’d just like to avoid the hassle of doing visa work 2 times if I can.
That document is based on experiences at the Portugal Embassy and Consulates in the US. Since 2017 the Embassy and Consulates have added visa requirements, ones not on SEF’s (the Immigration and Border Service) list. The personal ties suggestion may not be necessary in other countries.
Thanks Dan Bert! I hope it won’t be necessary in the case of India.
In any case I am trying to find friends of friends who are in Portugal who could give me a reference.
You can demonstrate ties to Portugal via one or more of the following means
- having a tax number (NIF) and/or NHS registration (having registration with NHS is difficult if you are outside Portugal)
- Frequent visits to Portugal - in line with Golden Visa application (one week a year)
- Speaking portugues or passing the A2 Portugues test
- contribution to a social cause in portugal (as an example., EUR100-250 chairty into WWF Portugal each year)
Hope that helps.
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Thanks for that Aditya! While I can’t do anything about 2 and 3, I can certainly look into 4. My background is in climate change and so a contribution to WWF also matches with my sensibilities and would look right on the visa application. Have you contributed to WWF Portugal before? I had a quick look at the Donate to WWF link on the WWF Portugal webpage and while I can select EUR as a currency, it seems like all contributions go to a centralized account and the receipt won’t say it was for Portugal specifically.
Richa, I found this page listing a few Portugal-based nonprofits working on conservation:
On one hand, WWF (and WCN, Nature Conservancy, the Conservation Fund, etc.) are first class, reputable, sophisticated, highly rated charities doing excellent work all around the globe. On the other hand, you want to demonstrate ties to Portugal. 
Thanks David!
I know what a dilemna! 
Hi Richa,
I hope you are doing well.
I’m from Bangalore & wish to apply for D7, can you please share couple of pointers regarding how to start the process for D7?
any recommendation for a lawyer or consultant?
are embassy in india accepting application for D7?
Thank You
Hi Richa
I work in social impact as well and looking at the d7 from India. Any update on your application or pointers you can share ?
Thanks
Stuthi
Hey Naveen, sorry for the radio silence. I had paused working on my application for sometime, due to workload but also wanted to let the situation in India tide over.
In terms of lawyers, there are many options. I was going to go with AGPV Investments but you don’t really need a lawyer for D7 - everything can be done on your own. Most people get lawyers for the Golden visa.
Not sure about the status of Indian embassy accepting application for D7 yet. The last I checked which was many months ago that it was only based on special approval from embassy.
Do let me know if you hear more.
Hi Stuti, see my response to Naveen below. Have not made much progress on the application yet. Let me know if you had specific questions.
Thanks for the update Richa
I did check that vfs is not yet accepting applications with the Portugal consulate
I contacted a firm in Portugal for the nif and and they can also play the role of tax representative, which is mandatory.
Not yet figured out the answers to
A. Do we need to show a years lease rental. Bit of a waste at this stage unless we are certain of the d7.
B. Do we need to show a specific connection to Portugal and how …I do speak a wee bit of Portuguese from a long trip to Brazil earlier. But don’t think it will pass any language test 
But will keep you posted.
Naveen, have you made any progress on this ?
Cheers
Stuthi
I won’t say the role of tax representative is mandatory but certainly useful - at least that’s what I have found.
In terms of your question A. they accept airbnb receipts which are cancellable at one month’s notice and 6 months of accommodation proof will do.
For B. mentioning your tax rep’s details is one way to show some connection to Portugal.
Thanks Richa
Another forum indicates the Airbnb booking is no longer valid 
, bit unclear whether we need the place for d7 issuance or only for the residence permit when you go there
Sounds good. My understanding was that yoh needed a resident or citizen to be a representative in Portugal, were you able to find options to a tax rep ?
My thinking is to get the process going as it looks like documentation will be a pain as always in india. And then hopefully have everything together when the co sulate opens again.
Do let me know if you restart the process, would be great to have some company to figure this out !
Cheers
Stuthi