{"id":3746,"date":"2023-11-25T12:12:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-25T17:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/startabroad.com\/?p=3746"},"modified":"2026-05-14T08:52:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T12:52:42","slug":"delayed-and-denied-my-journey-to-residency-in-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/startabroad.com\/es\/delayed-and-denied-my-journey-to-residency-in-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Delayed and Denied: My Journey to Residency in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kam C.<\/strong>\u00a0is a budget travel and holistic wellness blogger who enjoys sharing stories through her (mis) adventures. She is a native Michigander and travel enthusiast, having been to 25 states and 19 countries. Her experiences and a drive to better herself, opened the door to immerse herself in cultural exchanges.\u00a0Her website<\/u><\/a>\u00a0connects travel and wellness through storytelling, advice, and tip sharing.<\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t

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Moving to Portugal was one of the biggest risks I\u2019ve taken. As a single 20-something freelancer, I moved to a country I had never visited or was even on my radar! Ultimately, I\u2019ve made it home while co-creating a thriving community for expats and locals.<\/p>

Although \u200cgetting here was undeniably challenging (I\u2019ll explain later)\u2014the time, effort, and planning was well worth it!<\/p>

Why did you move to Portugal? What attracted you to the country?<\/h3>

What initially attracted me to Portugal was a visa option that can lead to dual citizenship in five years.<\/p>

In early 2020 I was in Thailand trying to plan my next move. I wanted to be somewhere relatively close to the U.S., but far enough for my sanity (if you know what I mean).<\/p>

I liked the peace that came from living abroad\u2014the safety, the affordability, the freedom to show up unapologetically me, the chance to travel more, and have excellent healthcare. All of which I experienced living in Thailand, but it was SO far and didn\u2019t feel like home.<\/p>

What stood out the most about Portugal is that I thought I could fit right into the city culture. Plus, it\u2019s only a 7hr flight back to the U.S.<\/p>

What I love about Lisbon is that it\u2019s a cosmopolitan city. It has a diversity of people from the diaspora, black and brown people from all over. I love that, because finding a place where I could feel at home was important to me.<\/p>

Even though I had never visited Portugal, I did my research (as much as one could). I joined a bunch of Facebook groups, followed YouTube channels like Our Rich Journey<\/a>. I even got on Tinder to see what the dating scene might be like.<\/p>

Everything I learned made me fall in love with the idea of Portugal.<\/p>

I knew my soul was calling for Portugal. The soft way of life. The espressos midday at a Pasteleria, the rustic (and slippery) sidewalks, the slow but meaningful days. I didn\u2019t know at the time, but this was just the tip of the iceberg!<\/p>

Which visa did you get, and what was the process like?<\/h3>

In Portugal, you can apply for short-term or long-term visas.<\/p>

My end goal was to become a citizen, so I began researching which visas would give me residency. My choices were narrowed down to the D2, D7, and the Golden Visa.<\/p>

The D2 visa<\/a> is an entrepreneur visa, the D7 visa<\/a> is based on having income from abroad (outside of Portugal), and the Golden Visa<\/a> is based on obtaining property in Portugal.<\/p>

I eventually applied for the D7 visa. It would provide temporary residency and put me on track for citizenship after 5 years.<\/p>

I looked up the requirements and it seemed straightforward\u2014make at least 600 euros\/month, get a lease, have background checks done, save up at least $9k, and write a personal statement.<\/p>

Here is the checklist I followed<\/a> for my application, which seemed pretty straightforward at the time.<\/p>

I completed my application myself and was denied. I ended up consulting with a relocation specialist who helped me figure out what I needed to correct.<\/p>

With that help, I prepared everything I needed to submit a stronger application for the second time, and submitted it in February 2021\u2026 In May 2021 the government announced the borders were opening, so I booked a flight to Portugal and took a leap of faith, hoping it would all work out. I packed up all my stuff and said my goodbyes to loved ones.<\/p>

Luckily, within two days of my arrival, I found out my visa was approved!<\/p>

I have a detailed account of the steps (and missteps!) I took here<\/a>.<\/p>

Tell us about finding a long-term rental in Portugal – how did you do it, and what is your advice for others?<\/h3>

I recommend finding a reliable realtor, but sometimes that can be challenging if you\u2019re not actually in Portugal. (Editor\u2019s note to readers: StartAbroad<\/a> can help you with the rental search even before you arrive in Portugal!) For my apartment, I ended up using Idealista<\/a> because you can find apartments that are furnished or unfurnished, for rent or for sale. My recommendation is to speak with a realtor directly vs emailing. That\u2019s what worked for me.<\/p>

Here\u2019s a few things that I learned and were useful for me during my process, your mileage may vary.<\/p>