Elizabeth
@elizabethtPT
American and English expat in Portugal
Forum posts
36
Contacts
6
About me
American and English
Speaks English, Portuguese, Spanish
Registration: 17 January 2023
Visiting in January by MateoT7
Hello All,I will be visiting in later January for about 14 days. I will be basing out of Coimbra and will be looking for 1, 2, and possibly 3 day trips from there (don't want to lug all of my luggage everywhere). I've been lucky enough to meet a ...
If you're interested in looking south, be sure to check out the Alentejo! It's stunning. We're based in Estremoz, the white city (covered in marble!)EDIT oops didn't see when this was posted! Ah well Read More
Relocating to Portugal 鈥� need moving company recommendations by LuisCavalho
Hey everyone 鈥� I鈥檒l be relocating to Portugal in a few weeks and I鈥檓 currently looking into moving companies that are reliable, careful with belongings, and fairly priced.I鈥檝e seen ThreeMovers mentioned a few times, but ...
We had a recent positive recommendation for UPackWeShip (we rent furnished pet-friendly properties with relocation support in Estremoz, Alentejo, so hear from first-hand experience in terms of moving services from our tenants and wider ... Read More
AIMA Proof of accommodation by engsultan93
Hi everyone,I鈥檓 preparing for my upcoming AIMA renewal and wanted to sanity-check the proof of address documents I understand are required, and clarify one point that seems a bit confusing from past discussions.From what I鈥檝e gathered so ...
@JohnnyPT Very helpful to have the direct AIMA links, we have started to do documents for our last sets of tenants in Portugal (since last year) on advice of various immigration lawyers (ours and theirs). Read More
Cheap 12-month rental agreement as proof of accommodation by Charlie Simpson
Hey everyone - hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Family of 5, we're mid-D7 application through the London consulate and got an Audi锚ncia Pr茅via (intention to refuse) partly because our CPCV wasn't accepted as ...
@Charlie Simpson That's very interesting, we also thought that a CPCV would be acceptable, so long as it was for a habitable home (not commercial, ruin, etc.). I wonder if that is a change in policy or simply that, as we have encountered more than ... Read More
Rental Listing Question by picart035
Hello,Would someone please be so kind as to explain to me what these requirements are? Contracting conditions:- Presentation of personal documents- Performance test for the last 3 months- IRS and settlement note (in the absence of a job contract)- 2 ...
@picart035 Thanks for sharing the Portuguese! Yes, that is as I thought I'm pleased to say. In this case, and for future ease of viewing rental listings:Rendimento = income/earningsRenda = rentCau莽茫o = depositGood luck finding the ... Read More
Starting to Explore Retirement Opportunities in Portugal by amlgonzalez
Hi all.We are Amanda and William, currently residing in South Carolina, USA. Originally from Colombia, South America, we have also spent time living in Chile. Our passion for travel has inspired us as we plan to retire in approximately two years, ...
@amlgonzalezOl谩 Amanda and William! That's exciting you've narrowed it down to Spain and Portugal, both wonderful countries. My husband and I moved here five years ago, and before that has spent a few years in Madrid. For us, we chose our ... Read More
Rental Listing Question by picart035
Hello,Would someone please be so kind as to explain to me what these requirements are? Contracting conditions:- Presentation of personal documents- Performance test for the last 3 months- IRS and settlement note (in the absence of a job contract)- 2 ...
Was this list originally sent in Portuguese? Could you share that here?Here's my best guess of what they are looking for, but it's hard to say for certain without seeing the Portuguese version. We rent out properties for long-term rental with ... Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen:聽 聽- Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
A really important thing to do, to participate in one's new adopted country :-) We've found that registering with the local freguesia is quite easy too. Thanks for publicising this @JohnnyPT! Read More
Speak with Realtor by picart035
Hello,I am planning on moving to Portugal in January and would really like to speak with a realtor to get my 1,000 questions answered. (kidding, but I do have lots of questions.) We are looking to move to Porto/Vila Nova de Gaia.
That's exciting you're considering a move! One option to have a one-stop-shop for questions and answers is to find a relocation support agency, that helps take you around to properties or organises virtual visits if you can't visit in person. They ... Read More
Farm with horses by ingridannea
Registered Nurse with higher degree in Preventive Healthcare - at the moment as an executive producer (and more studies in Fine Arts) - looking for a lifechange opportunity, working in a farm financially well doing enough to pay for an assistant ...
That sounds like an exciting move! Do you already live in Portugal? There are horses everywhere, but Ribatejo and the Alentejo are majorly horsey areas. In Ribatejo, the area around Goleg茫 is one of biggest, oldest centres, with an annual ... Read More
Retired couple considering moving to Portugal by vincefandel
Hi, my wife and I are both retired and considering relocating to and retiring in Portugal. We're hoping to find some folks to communicate with who are also retired and have lived in Portugal for some time. We know only some of the basics and have ...
If any of those moving wants any tips and tricks about the central Alentejo area, feel free to DM! We're in Estremoz just near 脡vora. :-) Read More
Buying property in portugal now by sdanders43
Hi,We are coming to Portugal in September and we are considering buying a property on the silver coast that we can rent until we retire in 5 years.聽 I was looking for opinions about the real estate market in Portugal right now.I am feeling like ...
Excellent advise by @JohnnyPT - every country has their fair share of people who are looking to make a quick buck. Agreed - no need to generalise the country, we are very lucky to be able to live in this beautiful and friendly place. Read More
Being careful with some real estate*** agents by dollydimple62
Just want to give you all the heads up about some of the dealings with real estate*** Portugal. Iv found that many properties have missing papers or deeds, or even sold property that wasn't allowed to be sold. We are selling our home in Portugal, ...
Absolutely second what @Santi2 is saying. We've certainly heard our fair share of horror stories plus our own experiences (we've visited perhaps 80 properties with agent and sellers in last 4 years, as we buy, renovate and rent properties in ... Read More
Agency reccomendario for visit appartments before paying by Paliporcario
Hi there! I'm moving to Lagos, Algarve in September... I'd like to rent an appartment i loved via Idealista, the thing is that before I pay anything, i'd like to send some agent or somehting similar to see the appartment and check that everything's ...
Perhaps you might be looking for a relocation agent, who when understanding your needs can go in person to various apartments, see them in person and discuss everything with the landlord. There seem to be all sorts of flavours, from ones specialised ... Read More
Registration of my lease by pwinternational
Hello, After we have been issued a NIF, can we as tenants register the lease with the Tax/Financial Authority through the appropriate portal. I understand that the owner or landlord is obligated to do so, as is the tenant. I apologize if my ...
Another item to mention as we can second everything above but adding one thing: in our experience, the proof of accommodation we provide as landlords is via the "Modelo 2" form - which the landlord can download after registering the lease with the ... Read More
"Rent a Wreck" question by Strontium
Later on this year I've got to collect from various places and move some second hand building materials, old tiles, wood, old bricks etc to match and repair existing building. From many previous car hires it's usual for a 1000+ euro deposit against ...
Ol谩 @Strontium, although we don't know of any places as you describe exactly, but if you find you do need to go down the traditional car rental route you could consider buying third party insurance for only the excess, the 鈧�1000 damages ... Read More
Relocating from UK by heathjason710
Hi my wife and i are possible looking to relocate to Portugal. We are living in the UK.We real need some advIce. How do we go about getting the right information on the right visas and permits we need. Also advice on buying a property and the legal ...
Great advice by @Strontium - once you know the visa type, then you can work out the process.One more property site is Imovirtual also. Read More
Relocating from UK by heathjason710
Hi my wife and i are possible looking to relocate to Portugal. We are living in the UK.We real need some advIce. How do we go about getting the right information on the right visas and permits we need. Also advice on buying a property and the legal ...
@SimCityATToday Everything has their purposes, so for some the saving is worth it, and for others, the security of help with a good lawyer or relocation agent has great value too. I'm sure you're away of the AIMA difficulties, and how immigration ... Read More
Relocating from UK by heathjason710
Hi my wife and i are possible looking to relocate to Portugal. We are living in the UK.We real need some advIce. How do we go about getting the right information on the right visas and permits we need. Also advice on buying a property and the legal ...
Starting with a good lawyer is probably the best option, as not only can they tell you above everything in your list, they can do it for you too :-) Would you be doing the D7 route? Read More
SEF: Evidence of Adequate Accommodation by Castle23
Is it possible to use a CPCV for D8 visa evidence of adequate accommodation at SEF appointment? I purchased a new construction home that should have been completed now, but it is delayed and may not completed before my SEF appointment. Is there any ...
Best talk to a immigration lawyer however we can add a couple thoughts:The idea is that you're proving you have accommodation upon arrival, not owning something alone as - for example - we understand commercial properties don't count for a D7. (One ... Read More
Help needed to set up camper in Grandola by Maryhands
Hi, my daughter needs help to set up a Hero camper before the end of the month including fixing an awning, a Joolca shower kit tent, kitchen etc. Anyone want a few hours paid work?
Hi there, although we can't help directly, I thought to mention checking Instagram for local van-lifers. There are so many travelling around Portugal and a lot of people have IG accounts, and could be the best people. So many of them have the ... Read More
Rental - Do I need NIF? by expat2020pt
Planning to move soon. Was wondering if NIF is required for property rental? What's you experience with rental market. Is it difficult to find a place (esp. Madeira)? Do foreigners have issues with renting?
Hi all, noticed this thread pop up again, in reference to one of OP's questions we don't see answered yet, in our experience yes a NIF is required for a long term (e.g. annual rental). We need to enter our tenants NIFs for example when we rent our ... Read More
Builders & Contractors in Portugal: Proceeding with caution. by williamstony360
After a recent very bad and costly experience (I purchased a property in the Tomar area of Santarem) I thought I would send an warning note to people contemplating builders and renovations to their home. The reason I do it here was that I was ...
We find it works well even for taller people as of course wall units are far shallower than the base units. But each to their own, we completely agree that a sink in front of a window is great when you have the option and space! We have also noticed ... Read More
Builders & Contractors in Portugal: Proceeding with caution. by williamstony360
After a recent very bad and costly experience (I purchased a property in the Tomar area of Santarem) I thought I would send an warning note to people contemplating builders and renovations to their home. The reason I do it here was that I was ...
Some really useful posts here regarding the construction methods of property in different parts of the country. Sorry to hear of the original poster's @williamstony36012 story. We completed two apartments, and are onto our 3/4/5th renovation in ... Read More
I think I was scam by Roseann28
I do not know if this is the forum for this and if it鈥檚 not please let me know.i have been trying to find an apartment as per the requirement for a D7 visa.i have tried contacting a couple real estate companies but never got a call back.i ...
@Roseann2803 Sorry to hear of your difficulties, that sounds stressful indeed. As a guide to hear what may be normal, we personally rent property in Estremoz (near Evora) with relocation support and we ask for 2 months guarantee as a security ... Read More
Rental proof for SEF appointment by bloggerblogger
Hey guys,I have my D& Visa and I am in Portugal already but my SEF appointment is April 2024. So I have been paying my landlord since October 2023 based on my rental booking date at Uniplaces even though I fled to Portugal just in December 2023 ...
Thank you so much @fotheringhamdiane, we've connected now :-) Read More
D7 visa accommodation requirements by RussellK
Hi all,I'm a UK national and I'm planning to apply for a D7 visa to Portugal. This site has been a real goldmine of information so far, but there's a few things regarding the accommodation requirement that I'm unsure about.Is an AirBnB (or ...
@prateek4u2000 yes you're right that is a very different situation given the lead times. With our tenants, signing a few months ahead it's more or less worked out, they have been able to use the property from the beginning coming and going to ... Read More
D7 visa accommodation requirements by RussellK
Hi all,I'm a UK national and I'm planning to apply for a D7 visa to Portugal. This site has been a real goldmine of information so far, but there's a few things regarding the accommodation requirement that I'm unsure about.Is an AirBnB (or ...
@prateek4u2000 You might also find the thread "rental lease and obtaining a D7 visa for Portugal" useful on this subject. Such as our post here: /forum/viewtopic.php?id=1064921#5907148Also there is a thread "Rental proof for SEF ... Read More
Immigration attorney by mgorman339
Hello,I'm planning on retiring in Portugal - either in Lisbon or Cascais. I'm looking for an English speaking Portuguese lawyer in lisbon who can help me with immigration, renting an apartment or maybe a room temporarily, setting up a bank account, ...
@mgorman33902 Dear Maureen, we have used a company in Lisbon for our immigration. We researched a lot of find them, and cold contacted them when we first arrived along with several others. We picked them on price / quality of their reply which ... Read More
UK Citizen Moving to Portugal by Klmeermpt666
As a UK citizen experienced in teaching , can I find work as ESL , English teacher in Portugal ? Has Brexit effectively banned British teachers from working in Portugal?
@Klmeermpt666 As Nia says, there was no ban like you describe as far as we are aware. We have a friend who runs an English teaching school in 脡vora for instance, and regularly sponsors visas for them (native teachers can be a personal ... Read More
New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2024 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Portugal forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
@JohnnyPT thank you so much for the horsey tips!@Dedou2You Thank you for the message! We have two rentals completed in Estremoz, and have three more underway, we use a mix of builders and our own muscle (as part of our resettling assistance to our ... Read More
Rental proof for SEF appointment by bloggerblogger
Hey guys,I have my D& Visa and I am in Portugal already but my SEF appointment is April 2024. So I have been paying my landlord since October 2023 based on my rental booking date at Uniplaces even though I fled to Portugal just in December 2023 ...
@sunbest As an American here in Portugal, and a landlord with many successful D7 tenants (and a place actually listed as available on 大咖福利影院 at present), we can confirm and second @hblinder36 and Nia above: the landlord themselves (or their ... Read More
How to build a social circle from scratch in Portugal by JohnnyPT
Due to Covid19, many of these groups may have conditioned or temporarily suspended events. In many of them, you can see that the last event took place in March 2020.聽聽But now everything seems to be getting back to normal ;)In what concerns ...
@JohnnyPT thank you so much! Yes the Alter do Ch茫o centre is fantastic, we went to the leil茫o there once too, although I've not ridden there yet though. I teach riding in Estremoz at the moment, and enjoy other horsey projects around, ... Read More
Rental lease and obtaining a D7 visa for Portugal by mgorman339
Hello, this is my first time posting a question. I'm planning on retiring to Portugal and have done a lot of reading but haven't started paperwork yet. I've read several times that it takes about a year to get the D7 visa and whatever else you need ...
@mgorman33928In our experience yes 12 months is a requirement for the lease, or if you can prove you have bought a place or are in the process of buying (that also works too). We've had 4 sets of D7 tenants (all American as it happens in the last ... Read More
How to build a social circle from scratch in Portugal by JohnnyPT
Due to Covid19, many of these groups may have conditioned or temporarily suspended events. In many of them, you can see that the last event took place in March 2020.聽聽But now everything seems to be getting back to normal ;)In what concerns ...
This is an excellent list from JohnnyPT. One thing we would add on top is when there are markets, we find there are a huge source of community! Here in Estremoz (Evora district), the antiques market I believe is the largest in Portugal, and with the ... Read More
New members of the Portugal forum, introduce yourselves here - 2024 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Portugal forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
Hi All, my husband and I moved to Portugal in 2020 in the middle of lockdown! It took us several months to sort the move out given the pandemic, but we finally settled in Estremoz (Alentejo, about 35m from Evora) later that year. We joined the forum ... Read More