Traveling the Labyrinth of Immigration to Portugal: Step 1 of Many

Why are we here in Portugal.

I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it…

On Saturday we signed a one-year lease, the first essential requirement to apply for a temporary residential D7 visa in Portugal. We feel very fortunate. And relieved. And pleased with our soon-to-be-home.

Finding a place to live is the biggest challenge to most aspiring immigrants here. There is no central database of available homes and apartments. Listing agents rarely respond to messages. Many listings have already been rented or are for short-term rent only. We are required to have a 12-month lease, so now we can take the next steps into the labyrinth of the visa process.

During our first four weeks based in Lisbon, we made weekly trips by metro and bus to the beautiful town of Alcobaça which has been on our short list since February. Each trip included overnight hotel stays of one to 6 nights because our travel time took 3 hours each direction. The relocation specialists of Portugal the Place introduced us to many communities in the area and helped with phone calls, appointments, and translation.

Keys to our future home

A party atmosphere surrounded our signing the lease – six copies of seven pages each in two languages. Our new and most lovely landlady, Doña Luisa, was accompanied by her son-in-law Francisco who translated. His two daughters were wide-eyed. One of Doña Luisa’s daughters came with someone else. The neighbors joined us. And the realtor brought her boyfriend. We were driven to the house by Clyde Showalter of Portugal the Place. They all made us feel so welcome that I think we will have an “insta-family” with these warm and gracious people.

Rustic approach to our house that sits in the far back. Large rain collection tank is for garden water.

Our new home sits on in the hills above Alcobaça in the little village of Chiqueda de Cima, ten minutes by car or a fifty-minute walk from that beautiful town. Map of our home here. The house sits near a natural spring used by the Romans to channel water to Alcobaça. The driveway shows the rustic nature of our village. We were told that the village council will pave our driveway!

View of the future kitchen

The kitchen has not yet been installed. There are no closets, heating, or cooling. But it is well-built, clean, with enjoys a view of the valley below. And the place is quiet and calming.

We will furnish the house and start a garden when we return in about a month.

Back in Lisbon we celebrated in typical Portugues style: delicious food and fabulouse wine in an outdoor cafe. See you in Portugal, friends!

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