Yes, exactly that!
(plus potentially moving the goalposts again just as you’re getting close)
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This might be a coincidence (though I doubt it), but another applicant who is using the same attorney as I am has his appointment scheduled for the same day and location.
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I agree with that. This is just a quick way to swindle money from everyone. While collecting biometrics, they charge a card-making fee, more than 6 thousands euros per applicant, which is another way to scam a large sum. There’s an old Chinese saying, “Poverty breeds cunning, wealth breeds conscience,” which is very apt here.
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My agent told me their customer applied last year and earlier this year received the appointment for Mar 2026. Not yet for mine. Keep waiting.
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Applied end of July 2025. Received word today from my lawyer that I, as primary applicant, have an appt for Feb 6 in Cascais. Waiting game for my wife. I made non refundable plane reservations for us both, but am on the fence about it. My enthusiasm is waning with the proposed changes.
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I applied in May 2025 and received my biometrics appointment in Jan 2026. I was debating on dropping PT and moving to a different program this past week. Not sure if I will stay with PT or do something else. Feels a bit like the person you wanted to go out with finally agrees and you realize what a horrible person they are before the date. 
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Submitted July 2023, today received biometrics appt Feb 2026. Partner not scheduled yet.
Considering bailing out - will be watching closely.
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Applied August 2022 as primary applicant of family of four (at the time 12 and 16 year old kids). Filed lawsuit in November 2024, no response to that. Resubmitted documents June 2025. Yesterday received biometrics for me for January 2026. Nothing yet for husband and kids (now 15 and 19).
Applied as primary investor in March 2023. Received biometrics appointment yesterday just for me (not partner or 3 kids) on Feb 9 in Lisbon. Feeling discouraged about the process, especially now that kids are aging out - 17, 19, and 21.
Has anyone had success getting their spouses/kids scheduled for the same date/time as them or is that impossible?
Also, is the 10 years to citizenship from the receipt of the GV? And, if kids “age out” before the 10 years, are they no longer eligible?
Thank you!
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I can really only answer one of your questions with any measure of confidence. The 10 year clock starts from the card issuance under the new law.
With respect to the spouse/partner/kids appointments, this massive surge of appointments has, so far, only gone out to the primary applicants.
As far as kids aging out, I share your concern. This issue is really up in the air right now.
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It is interesting to see so many people here celebrating their biometric appointments. It’s like cheering that you have been randomly selected to be thrown into a wood-chipper.
If I could exit my investment from the GV program, I would do so as quickly as possible. But I cannot.
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Isn’t the hallmark of an abusive relationship to do bad things to you and then try and convince you that you’re the problem? Makes you think 
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"You have no idea how lucky you are”, that’s what the lawyer told me when I got the biometrics appointment (the main applicant,for now). But honestly, I’m going to wait and see how this whole situation plays out. I’m hoping things will be clearer by the end of 2025. Unless there’s some kind of grandfathering or reduced requirement introduced, I probably won’t be committing myself to this drama.
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I once walked into a busy restaurant at 12:00pm. After I paid 30 euros for my Chicken Salad, I took my number and sat down at the first open table. 4 years later, after seeing hundreds of orders being picked up by Glovo drivers, a waiter came out with a dish and walked to my table.
He woke me up and said “I have your order sir.” Having not eaten for 4 years, I excitedly picked up my fork, only to realize the waiter had brought a tomato soup.
“Where is the Chicken Salad?” I asked the waiter confused and dismayed. The waiter turned to me and said, “I’m sorry sir, but since you have been waiting for your order for 4 years the Chicken Salad is no longer on the menu.”
Upset but having no other option I turn to my daughter and give her the soup, “Are you bringing another soup?” I asked the waiter hopefully, “Sorry sir, we only have capacity for one soup at a time.” A Glovo driver rushes past my table in haste carrying 10 Chicken Salads and 10 Soups on his way out for delivery, almost hitting a well-dressed man who is just entering the restaurant.
The well dressed man who looks like he works for a prestigious lawfirm walks past my table and stops. “Ah, Tomato Soup? You have no idea how lucky you are!!” before turning around and leaving the restaurant.
Portuguese Golden Visa in a nutshell…
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Our GV advisor also reports that “Clients are very happy” and I’m like, wha?
I guess if they move you from the dungeon up to the prison yard, you’d consider that a win.
“Oh yeah. While you were down there in the dark your sentence was doubled from 5 to 10 years. Soz 'bout that!”
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Ah but 10 years to what? A mirage of citizenship? Maybe 9 years in they amend the law again to only count time spent physically in Portugal.
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It’s possible quite a number of people are happy enough with just residency. Or will be. When you are late to the game because you didn’t think ahead and are panicking, maybe the tomato soup is better than starving. That we ordered and paid for the chicken salad isn’t relevant to their situation.
Or you could just see it as another form of shrinkflation. It works for boxes of cereal and tins of coffee, why not here too?
I have the same issue with my kids, who were 12 and 16 when we applied in August 2022 and are now 15 and 19. I just got a biometrics appointment for January (I’m the primary applicant). But nothing yet for my husband and kids.
So was this the norm before this “mass biometric appointments”? That the primary applicant is scheduled for biometrics without the spouse? So we are supposed to fly all the way to Portugal twice or individually for biometrics? I can’t imagine that is possible..
Yes this was the norm. Some people here even received bio-metrics for their family on the same day but scattered across the country. So you would have to go to Porto, your wife would go to Lisbon, and your kids would have to be in Braga at the same time on the same day 
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