There and Back Again

We arrived to Portugal on Nov 15 and again on Dec 15. Why did we enter twice? The first time, as a tourist and the next time on our D7 Visa. To get the entry stamp into our passport, we needed to leave the EU then return to Portugal.

We went to London

We flew on EasyJet from Faro to London Gatwick. I wasn’t too sure about the airline given its name but it turned out to be a totally chill travel experience. Boarding was the most efficient process I had ever seen, boarding from front and back of the plane simultaneously.

We stayed at The Royal Horseguards Hotel which is situated on the Thames at Embarkment with views of the London Eye from our room. It was spectacular.

We didn’t have much time in London because we had to head back around 5am the next day. We deprioritized eating after trying to just pop into a pub for a quick bite and finding it fully packed. We did a stroll to take a look at Big Ben, walking over the Westminster Bridge and over toward the London Eye. The sidewalks were bursting with people, so the stroll aspect was less strolly that I originally lead you to believe.

Some people chose to queue up at key spots to get their Instagram photo, others were heading to the line of Christmas stalls which served food & cocktails. It was a festive scene and we were excited for the double decker bus Christmas Light Tour we booked we had booked.

The Christmas Light tour was less idyllic than imagined. The bus moved slowly through packed streets taking nearly 2 hours to complete its route. We had a laugh thinking we booked the “sit in traffic listening to cars honking tour” or the “look at the instagram’ers lining up to take a photo” tour. When we got to the decorated streets, the lights were breathtaking. Between light displays, the tour driver was adept at pointing out lesser known attractions and giving us lots of historical tidbits. All in all, we had a great time. I’m still in awe of the people who lined up to take the perfect picture because there was no shortage of people doing this.Some people brought ring lights and
elaborate gear that might have required a media pass. 

No Fanfare

So we arrived back to Faro with some expectation of a grand entrance. There was no fanfare. But there was a long awkward moment after I handed my passport with my Visa stamp page opened. The passport control officer asking me “why are you showing me this page?” and me replying “this is my visa for a 2-year stay.” She flipped through my passport with a face that looked like there was going to be a problem. She said something in Portuguese to her fellow officer. Maybe it was “Watch this lady sweat while I make her wait.” And then a few more page flips, she stamped my passport and handed it to me without expression, without a “welcome to Portugal”, without any utterance. Just the sound of the stamp, and the passport being slid back. Regardless, that is the stamp we need to get our residency card.

Residency Card

The Long Stay Process is pretty straight forward. The Visa is like a promise of a 2 year temporary residency, and it is valid for 120 days from when the Visa is applied to the passport. During the 120 days, we need to go to the Portuguese immigration office to apply for our residency card. Due to a large backlog, our appointments are after the Visa validity date, but the Decree Law extends that validity to June 30, 2025. Even after our appointment, it could take months until we get the residency card in the mail.

Perks and Rules. The D7 Visa stipulates a minimum stay, and gives us access to travel within the Schengen Area which includes almost all the EU countries. After 5 years, we can apply for permanent residency and citizenship.