A Season of Waiting
Emigrating from the United States to Portugal
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I applied for a Portuguese long-stay visa. The visa, if approved, can be converted to a two year temporary residence permit. At the end of the two year period, a temporary resident can apply to renew the permit for three years. After this three year period, one can apply to be a permanent resident or a citizen. To be a citizen, language proficiency at the A2 level is required. This emigration process is a lengthy one.
Last week, I applied in person in Washington, D.C., the regional office for those living in the American South. When I arrived for my morning appointment, I brought a green notebook tabbed with the names of the documents I had compiled: número de identificação fiscal (NIF); contrato de aluguel de imóvel (lease); documentation showing how I would support myself; a personal statement about why I want to relocate to Portugal, and more.
It took me almost a year to identify and gather all the documents I needed for this application. The last one I completed was the personal statement giving the reasons why I want to emigrate. It seems as if this should have been the first thing I finished. I kept things as simple as possible, because “why?” is such a deceptively simple question.
When my visa interview started, the interviewer requested the items in my visa application packet one by one and I handed them across the table: copy of my passport; proof of my ability to support myself; background check; bank account statements; marriage certificate; signed national visa application; signed checklist of all the documents I provided; money order; and additional administrative fees.
When the interviewer had every document required, he told me the Portuguese embassy would determine in 30-60 days whether my visa has been approved. He pointed me towards a QR code and said he would appreciate my providing feedback on the services I had received. He added that his name was written on the receipt he had given me.
On the way out of the building, I completed the feedback survey, but I when clicked the submit button, I received a 404 error code.
I flew home later that morning and felt stunned. I had actually started the process to emigrate to Portugal.
That evening, I checked the applicable online portal and saw my application had been sent to the Portuguese embassy for processing.
Now to give away, throw away or sell just about everything I own. I can’t imagine shipping things across an ocean. Photographs and journals are important. I need at least a few clothes. I probably need a few cooking tools and one or two cookbooks. Everything else can go.
Together, my wife and I have made our scouting trips and plans to move to Portugal. For this post, though, I wanted to remind myself, as well as others who are on this challenging path, that it helps to intentionally make this significant personal decision individually, as well as to make it as a part of a couple.
When my wife and I were in Washington, D.C. for our visa appointments, we walked ten miles through the city. I used to work in D.C. during the Obama era. We revisited favorite restaurants and locations on the National Mall.
It’s a rainy Sunday morning with unusually loud thunder, which sounds distant, rather than close, as it usually does. Our dogs know it’s rainy and they are curled up together. These two will be heading to Portugal soon.
Have you emigrated to another country? to Portugal? Where are you on that journey? I hope you will share with me in the comments below.
Similar experiences and emotions, especially after leaving the VFS office in DC. My husband, our fur-son/pug, and I arrived on October 24, 2023 in Porto. The culling process took almost two years as we went through four generations worth of items. We brought only what tugged most deeply at our hearts.