Michelle,
Not sure what passport you hold, and what country you live in. I assume your goal is to have a multi-entry, 5-year (or as long as possible) Schengen visa to maximize flexibility. Whether this can be achieved depends on
your country—I imagine the source countries of the many “manifestation of interest” applicants now have their Schengen visas heavily scrutinised;
your own travel history and financial ties to your home country—if you’ve traveled to France for vacations a few times over the past few years, never overstayed, and have a high salary job in your home country, then at some point they stop being tight fisted (single entry only) and start giving you multi-entry, multi-year visas. Of course, if you get a visa from France (or whichever Schengen country), your first trip on that visa should be to that country, or you’ll be questioned at the border.
The right place to strategise is probably travel forums your countrymen frequent. I’m not advocating for visa arbitrage, but pick a Schengen country that treats you best (multi-entry, multi-year visa) and take a real vacation in that country. Then you have a multi-entry visa to go to PT for the appointment on short notice.
Sorry I should have made it more clear. I am an applicant of the Portugese golden visa program and waiting for the residency card.
I need visa in order to travel to Europe and to come for the biometrics appointment. Hence I am applying to Portuguese embassy for a short or a long term stay visa. My question is specifically about that, not just any path to to Schengen countries in general.
Getting a visa to any other country is much more difficult since
a. I need to travel to that country
b. I need to show flights/hotels and other information about going there
c. they are likely to give me a single entry visa
If I apply for a Portuguese visa - at least I can explain why I need a visa and show some proof why I need it for longer than ~2 weeks.
Until I got my current passport (with 90-day visa free travel to the Schengen area), I always had a 5-year multi-entry Schengen visa to be able to travel on short notice. But you do what works best for you.
I think you already answered your own question? You don’t have a date for the biometric appointment yet. So,
a. Will your law firm give you a letter attesting to the fact that you NEED to be in PT on date xyz?
b. Surely you can book refundable air tickets and hotel, to corroborate your travel dates, if required for the visa
c. What if you do this thinking your biometric will be in May (with your lawyer’s full cooperation), but is only able to obtain a 30-day, single-entry visa, then you are actually given an appointment in July? Better ask people from YOUR COUNTRY (possibly even using the same PT consulate) whether anyone has had success obtaining a single-entry visa (if that’s the best you can get from PT) that can be used anytime over the next year or so (which is different from the number of days you are allowed to stay once you are in).
From my country, all people that I know personally or thru FB forum, have never ever successfully obtained a 5 year multi entry Schengen Visa.
To build up a travel history that is able to get to 5 year multi entry Schengen Visa, it might take up another 5 years. (at least one 6 month visa, then re-apply for 1 year visa, then re-apply 1 year visa, then re-apply for 2 year visa,…plus total processing time and luck, it easily takes more than 5 years to just to be able to apply for 5 year multi entry…). Nothing is impossible. But it is really nearly impossible. Good luck for those choosing that path!
@michelle.watson.mda I’m in a very similar situation, my Golden Visa application is submitted and pending biometrics. I’m also considering applying for a Schengen visa in the meantime.
Were you able to get a visa using this reason? If so, how many months was it granted for, and was it a single or multi-entry visa?