I’m going to enter Portugal soon with a D7 visa, and I am not able to get an appointment at any SEF bureau. In fact, what I heard from my immigration lawyer is SEF stopped giving appointments indefinitely. Which means I might have to overstay with my D7 indefinitely.
I wonder, what are the risks of doing this? For example, what happens if I overstay for a year and not be able to get an appointment and throw the towel and exit the country? Would I get a penalty? Is “I couldn’t get an appointment, and now I’m giving up” a good excuse at the border?
If you have a new D7 visa, you will be assigned an appointment with SEF. Sometimes it is printed in tiny print on an url on the visa, sometimes not. Once your get the visa, you need to register on the SEF website. There will be your assigned appointment. It may be several months away. Technically, you are legal to stay in Portugal after the D7 expires if you have a scheduled SEF appointment.
965903700
From 8am to 8 pm. Call this SEF number on working days. Stay on the line for at least 45 minutes. Stay as long as you can and it will be answered. They speak English. I got mine this way. Have patience.
Good luck
Hello… I finally received my D7 approval this week ( 12/21/22) after waiting 8 months. I live in SF, CA. My visa’s start date is January 28, 2023 (the day of my flight to PT). I registered on the SEF website and discovered that they scheduled my SEF appointment next week on December 26??? I will not be able to make that appointment. The consulate told me to contact SEF when I arrive in January. Does anyone know if one is able to reschedule and if so, how? I read in the replies that calling was helpful but I am concerned that if I am a 'No Show" that will jeopardize my visa when I arrive in January as planned. I appreciate any suggestions, comments and/or advice. I will be in Porto so I started looking up SEF offices there but have no experience if I should be focusing on just trying to get someone via telephone. thanks in advance. Ray
