# How best to retain a Portuguese immigration attorney? **URL:** \ **Category:** Locations\ **Created:** [August 16, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649 "2020-08-16T20:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/john.haake/32/3897_2.png) [@john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/john.haake)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/1 "2020-08-16T20:57:32Z")
Hi there, New to the group and first post, so apologies in advance if a similar question has been posted. I’m wanting to begin the immigration process to establish residency permit and citizenship. However, I see on the Portuguese Consulate site for DC, that applications are not being accepted for non-family or Portuguese related applicants. I would like to search now for an attorney so that when applications start being accepted I will be ready. How does anyone suggest retaining an attorney in Portugal, from the US, to facilitate immigration process? Thnx ---
**Author:** ![pbm](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/pbm/32/78_2.png) [@pbm](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/pbm)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/2 "2020-08-16T22:51:33Z")
[https://lmgtfy.com/?q=Portuguese+immigration+attorney](https://lmgtfy.com/?q=Portuguese+immigration+attorney) ---
**Author:** ![john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/john.haake/32/3897_2.png) [@john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/john.haake)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 12:38pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/3 "2020-08-17T12:38:48Z")
Thanks. I did see a couple of offices from that link that I also found elsewhere in searches so contacted them. ---
**Author:** ![chris4nyc](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@chris4nyc](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/chris4nyc)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/4 "2020-08-18T19:01:49Z")
Thanks, Philip. 😀 ---
**Author:** ![phil](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@phil](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/phil)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/5 "2020-08-26T14:44:53Z")
John, I could be able to refer you with a couple of immigration lawyers based in Portugal with whom I work. Feel free to contact me in private if you would like. ---
**Author:** ![john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/john.haake/32/3897_2.png) [@john.haake](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/john.haake)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/6 "2020-08-26T15:03:30Z")
Hi Phil… the site isn’t allowing me to message you directly. Are you able to? ---
**Author:** ![sharon3](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@sharon3](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/sharon3)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/7 "2022-02-10T18:47:53Z")
Hi John. I am right now trying to find an immigration attorney. Were you able to find one? I am looking for recommendations. ---
**Author:** ![halekao](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/ec9cab/32.png) [@halekao](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/halekao)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 12:20pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/8 "2022-02-17T12:20:42Z")
We enjoyed working with Vanessa. She was pleasant and very effective. [You can contact Vanessa Rodrigues Lima](https://nomadgate.com/verified/vanessa.lima/) -Rob ---
**Author:** ![chinbawambi](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/chinbawambi/32/6385_2.png) [@chinbawambi](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/chinbawambi)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/9 "2022-03-24T00:20:37Z")
I had two different lawyers. I worked with Paula Santos to get my NIF and was very satisfied but she stopped her practice for a while but recommended me to my current lawyer Raquel Prata (both are out of Lisboa) who is very good. The D7 process is complicated enough without being a native speaker. You may want to shop around because the prices can be very different. While I am picking up the language well enough it is not nearly sufficient for reading governmental forms let alone reading your lease. ---
**Author:** ![rahimlakhani](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/rahimlakhani/32/5678_2.png) [@rahimlakhani](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/rahimlakhani)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/how-best-to-retain-a-portuguese-immigration-attorney/26649/10 "2022-03-25T22:18:52Z")
@john.haake There’s a wide variety of options when you’d like to choose immigration attorneys. What’s important to know is if they resonate well with your value systems and meet your expectations and timelines that you have. If the process is for GV, I highly recommend doing it with one that has done a handful of files prior to taking your application. Lawyers in Portugal mostly practice everything so it’s important to find one that has a specific niche! Happy to recommend a few if you’re interested.