# SEF Appointment Timelines

**URL:** <https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256>\
**Category:** Portugal Golden Visa\
**Tags:** portugal, golden-visa\
**Created:** [January 11, 2022, 10:50am UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256 "2022-01-11T10:50:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![portuvisa8](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ecd19e/32.png) [@portuvisa8](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/portuvisa8)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 10:50am UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/1 "2022-01-11T10:50:47Z")

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Hi, would anyone know how long it takes to get an SEF approval at this time? We submitted our application more than 2 months ago and it’s still marked as not approved in the system until now. Should we be alarmed or are we still on track? How has the experience been for others?  
Many Thanks as always

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**Author:** ![jswik](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jswik](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/jswik)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/3 "2022-01-11T14:05:47Z")

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My application was submitted at the end of July and I still haven’t gotten pre-approved. Apparently some people at SEF are extremely slow (according to my attorneys). 23 weeks and counting…

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**Author:** ![Onward](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/e47774/32.png) [@Onward](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/Onward)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/4 "2022-01-11T15:16:53Z")

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We share status here: [Awaiting Biometrics (Stage 3)](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-sharing-status/37666). You may not need to read all the notes, but you will get a more recent picture of timelines if you read the last few submissions - eg from December 2021.  
Basically, there is quite a backlog for SEF biometric appointments. The good news is that since 17 December 2021, appointments have been scheduled in chronological order. My lawyer confirms that as a general rule lawyers have already been notified and been able to make appointments (until March 2022) for all clients who were pre-approved until 3rd quarter of 2020. Hopefully this will clear much of the backlog. But, unless I missed it, I have not seen anyone with pre-approval from Q4 2020 to Q4 2021 confirming an appointment via the new chronological order system. So, like you, many of us who achieved pre-approval since Q4 2020 or are close to pre-approval (normally \<12 -14 weeks) are waiting for the backlog to clear & for notification of when we might be able to schedule an appointment.  
_Edit_: Roger points out that SEF have reached up to May 2021: [SEF Scheduling Update - #20 by joseph.c.lapierre](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-scheduling-update/44759/20)

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**Author:** ![jpgoldenvisa](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jpgoldenvisa](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/jpgoldenvisa)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/5 "2022-01-11T15:17:08Z")

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Completed application Sep 27 last year. Approved Jan 14 2022.

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**Author:** ![rogergan68](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@rogergan68](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/rogergan68)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/6 "2022-01-11T17:08:04Z")

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Look at this post: [SEF Scheduling Update - #20 by joseph.c.lapierre](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-scheduling-update/44759/20)  
It indicates appointment booking notification reached Feb 2021 pre-approval.

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**Author:** ![joerh2017](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/joerh2017/32/6042_2.png) [@joerh2017](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/joerh2017)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/7 "2022-01-12T17:52:29Z")

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Hey guys, screenshot regarding some updates from SEF Facebook page!

Do they mean T1 2021 application Date or from pre approval date ?

 ![Screenshot_20220112-132541_Facebook](https://c-assets.nomadgate.com/original/2X/e/ebe59a03561fbee9e85cba370d61f9a3b742b00e.jpeg)

Cheers  
Joe

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**Author:** ![YJM](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/e19adc/32.png) [@YJM](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/YJM)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/8 "2022-01-13T15:28:18Z")

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> [@joerh2017](#):
>
> Hey guys, screenshot regarding some updates from SEF Facebook page!
> 
> Do they mean T1 2021 application Date or from pre approval date ?
> 
> ![Screenshot_20220112-132541_Facebook](https://c-assets.nomadgate.com/original/2X/e/ebe59a03561fbee9e85cba370d61f9a3b742b00e.jpeg)
> 
> Cheers  
> Joe

From Preapproval date

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**Author:** ![ahmedfawzy](https://community.nomadgate.com/user_avatar/community.nomadgate.com/ahmedfawzy/32/10381_2.png) [@ahmedfawzy](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/ahmedfawzy)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2022, 10:11am UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/9 "2022-01-14T10:11:29Z")

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Completed application on Oct 27, 2021. Still waiting the pre approval. 😔

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**Author:** ![edandmegan](https://community.nomadgate.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@edandmegan](https://community.nomadgate.com/u/edandmegan)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.nomadgate.com/t/sef-appointment-timelines/45256/10 "2022-07-21T16:09:20Z")

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The press release implies it is from pre-approval date, but evidence seems to indicate they are going from application date (but, I assume only for those who have pre-approvals at the time of the opening of appointment slots).