To add another data point, itās been over 14 weeks since my attorneys submitted my application and I still have not gotten preliminary approval.
Hi, We did our biometrics around the same time and were told it depends on the office for how long it will take to process. The most efficient are around 3 months - the least take up to a year. From what Iāve heard, typical approval and issuance of the temporary residence status (card) is 3-6 months after biometrics.
This would suggest that the applications are processed at the actual SEF regional office where the biometrics appt was held and not a central location. That seems inefficient and an invitation for problems/inequity. Is there some indication which offices are faster and which are slower?
That is my understanding - processed at the local office. I have heard Azores is on the 3 month side but donāt know specifics on other offices. It sounds like Tommy got theirs in about 4 weeks in Lisbon, so that would be exceeding expectations. Happy to share our data point when it comes through, but for now I only have second hand info.
Coimbra is around 3 months according to sources I believe. Iām coming up on 3 months soon. Weāll see!
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Hi ā¦ lets hope we will get in 2021, thanks for sharing your experience.
I will keep you posted when I get any information.
My application was submitted Aug 6 and received pre-approval (notification of acceptance) of October 11. So about 9 weeks.
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Hi Shabnam itās a couple of years ago now but it took almost exactly 12 months from our Biometrics in August 2019 to get residency cards issued in August 2020. Hope youāve now received yours.
cheers
Warwick
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What was the reason for waiting that long? Were all the required documents submitted at the time of biometrics? According to the information I got from my lawyers last week when my wife attended her appointment, now the waiting time is on average 3 months for a decision and 1 month for card issue in Lisbon.
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Yes everything was submitted as required. Our attorney had little explanation. They said it may have been because of the Evora office - where we submitted and did biometrics. Apparently they donāt handle that many GV applications so everything took longer.
A related question: how are cards received? Can they be picked up from the SEF office or sent internationally?
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Dear Philipg;
I believe the cards can be either collected from the SEF offices or can be sent to an address within Portugal (this can be your legal representativeās address) but in my case I do recall that I did not have the option of card being sent to my home city directlyā¦
Up until now, my lawyers who received/collected my cards delivered them to meā¦ For your note my second card has just expired so I had two cards delivered to me in the same manner.
Cheeers
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Hello,
I had a question about the expiration dates on the FBI, marriage and birth certificates. Do you count 3 months from the date on the certificate was processed or the date of the apostille? And do all the certificates need to be apostilled? and is the validity 3 or 6 months?
On the the 19th of october my application was submitted but my certificates were all over 3 months old and also my daughter who was 15 when we started the application process is now 16 so she needs to get fingerprinted for the FBI background check too. It is very hard to get fingerprints done in Italy for US citizens so our lawyer went ahead and submitted the application in anyway.
Does anybody know how to get fingerprinted in Italy? The US embassy had no information for us.
As far as I understand the validity is counted from the date of the document issue, not from the date of the apostille, and is required as follows:
- Birth certificate - 12 months
- Marriage certificate - 6 months
- Criminal record - 3 months
Also the following PT documents have even shorter validity of 45 days but not requiring apostille:
- Tax declaration of āno debtā
- Social security declaration of āno debtā (or of non-existence of record)
Thank you very much for your response.
Hi
Any news from Coimbra ? We did ours in Coimbra also but in September.
Thanks in advance for sharing you feedback
Nothing yet; my lawyer sent a fresh inquiry today. SEF was supposed to finish the process within 3 months but weāre over that limit now.
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I sent my application in on the 24th August, so itās been 3 months since it was done. My lawyers have not had confirmation from SEF accepting my application. I am waiting for this so that I can make applications for 2 dependents (mother and brother). I have just received a message from my lawyers saying that the office in Albufeira has closed and they have to go to Portimao instead. I also understand that SEF is no longer going to be dealing with GVĀ“s and they have passed everything over to the GNR or police. They have apparently run out of money and are being disbanded. Has anyone else heard anything similar to this? Panic station!!!
Just to clarify some terminology hereā¦
If by āSEF accepting my applicationā you mean āSEF pre-approvalā, then you donāt need to wait for that.
You can submit your family application as soon as your own application is submitted and the initial processing fee of EUR533 is paid for it. This is reflected by SEF changing your application status to āUnder Analysisā. Then you go and create your āAgregado familiarā straight away.
Now, if your own application status has not changed to āUnder Analysisā since the 24th of August, then you may have a problem somewhere, e.g. it either has not been properly submitted, or it has not been paid for, etc.
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Became really frustratingā¦ all the best and hope all this mess ends soon