 Manifestation of Â
 interest Â
The expression of interest is primarily used by those who entered the country as tourists, without a work or study visa, for example, and wish to stay in Portugal legally.
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This service is for any foreign citizen who entered Portugal legally, is registered and has their situation regularized with Social Security, and has a proven employment relationship (either through an employment contract or service provision contract).
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Through the SAPA Portal, it is possible to register an expression of interest presentation. This request does not correspond to an online appointment. After the expression of interest is analyzed, the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) will contact the individual to schedule an appointment at a service location.
It is also possible to check the status, update information, or cancel a previously submitted expression of interest.
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Please keep in mind that the Expression of Interest is a time-consuming process, and there are no guarantees of approval.
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What's required?
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Application form (signed by the applicant or their legal representative).
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Passport or another valid travel document.
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Proof or declaration of legal entry into Portugal (a valid visa or proof of entry within the visa exemption period is accepted).
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Proof of financial means to sustain oneself in the country.
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Criminal record certificate from the country of origin (recent and issued by the Federal Police, in the case of Brazilian citizens).
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Criminal record certificate from other countries where the applicant has resided for more than one year (except Portugal).
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Document confirming guaranteed accommodation in the country.
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Proof of registration and regularized status with Social Security, obtainable from the Social Security Direct website (except in cases of a promised employment contract).
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Proof of registration with the Tax Administration (Finanças).
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Employment contract in Portugal or a formal promise of an employment contract.
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What's the process like?
Soon after you place your order, we'll email you and provide you with a secure link for you to upload the required documentation.
We will review everything within 48 business hours and will let you know if there's anything else we need.
If everything is approved by our team, we'll submit your application and email you the confirmation as soon as it's done. We will also share with you the log in details so you can then check on the progress of your application.
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How long does it take?
This is challenging information to pinpoint precisely because it primarily depends on the demand for requests that the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) has at the moment. Generally, the initial document analysis can take from a few weeks to several months, but it truly varies. Additionally, there is the wait time for scheduling a personal interview. Finally, after the approval of the application, there is a waiting period to receive the Residence Permit, which can be around 90 days. However, as mentioned before, it heavily depends on the res. There are reports of individuals having to wait for more than a year until the process was completed, and the document was issued.
Start your application today!
Disclaimer:
Please be aware that the process can only commence upon receipt of all necessary documents/information. The timeframe is calculated exclusively on working days, excluding weekends, official Portuguese holidays, strikes, and any other technical errors from the relevant entities (social security, tax office, post office, etc)