About to start the process of retiring to Portugal

David_NOVA · 2025-02-20T19:59:55+01:00

Get practical advice on retiring to Portugal, including consulate requirements, pension documentation, and expediting your move by Nov 2025.

David_NOVA Member

Member since 20 October 2024

David_NOVAMember20 February 2025 17:59:55

Hello,

I have been a long time lurker on this forum and I know a lot of these questions are already answered but I wanted to ask here.

I am a federal employee that took the Fork in the Road program, this has advanced my timeline for emigrating I would like to be moved by Nov 2025.

I know that I need to set up an appointment with the consulate, but what exactly do I need to prove in the initial meeting and is there a application? (I could not find one from the Portuguese government, just a lot of checklists)

My federal pension will not start until the end of the year, so I am not sure how to prove that.

Are the services that exist worth doing to help me expedite and streamline the process worth using, have people on this site used them?

Thank you so much for any help, I am a little freaked out now that my timeline was advanced outside my control.

David

ALDRIVER Member

Member since 11 November 2024

ALDRIVERMember20 February 2025 20:10:33

Join the Facebook page Americans & FriendsPT. All the info you need is in the files. For specific questions, do a search first because it's probably been discussed before. We are hoping go move this summer.

David_NOVA Member

Member since 20 October 2024

David_NOVAMember20 February 2025 23:28:15

@ALDRIVER

Sadly, I am not on any social media so Facebook groups are not something I can join.

JohnnyPT Portugal Expert

Member since 23 May 2020

JohnnyPTPortugal Expert20 February 2025 23:32:52

4900

@David,

Maybe someone else can help you better, but at the interview at the consulate or when uploading documents to VFSGlobal, you have to have proof of passive income, be it pension and/or rents, for example. Isn't it better to wait until you start your pension? Or do you have other passive income at the moment, without waiting for pension?

Some help here:

/forum/viewtopic.p 鈥� 39#5462112

(Post #4)

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Experience sharing about Visas to Portugal (D7 & others)

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Strontium Serial expat

Member since 27 April 2019

StrontiumSerial expat21 February 2025 09:28:33

388

Hi, as he聽 ^^ says

Two D7 points,聽

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1, To apply you need to prove your passive income it's usual to provide bank statements or similar showing you have the regular passive income each month which exceeds the minimum requirement. Obviously this only occurs months after you have started to receive the benefit.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 2, Also there is a requirement for you having accommodation with an address in Portugal, and NIF (tax code) and Portuguese bank Account when you apply - for a lot of people this is difficult. AS there is some time before you can apply due to passive income not being in place yet you have time too come over as a tourist聽 and sort out your NIF and Bank Account and Accommodation.