D7 decision / New Delhi ,INDIA

I thought that Portugal would be more easier in issuing visa,what is the main problem.

2 different experience.

First,

1. I applied in end of 2021, they held onto my passport, which I eventually requested to give back in mid 2022 (~7m after the initial application), while my application was still being considered.
2. I was afraid they would not consider it after returning my passport, but they thankfully did.
3. Nearly 11m after my application, they approved my D7 visa in Oct'22. It was a long long wait. This I blamed on delays due to lower bandwidth during covid.
4. Even after this long wait, my SEF appointment in Portugal was scheduled for end of Mar'23 - nearly 6m after the visa approval and beyond the 4m initial temp visa window.
5. My resident card eventually came 3m after this SEF appointment in Jun'23
6. In total it took nearly 20m for the process - end to end.

Second,

1. A friend applied in end of March 2023, got the visa in mid May'23. Exactly 31 working days. That was super efficient.
2. The most difficult piece was getting the D7 appointment with VFS, which took nearly 2 months (Jan to Feb)
3. SEF appointment was also scheduled for July, within the 4m temp visa window and only ~2m after the initial visa approval.
4. Resident card also came in a month after the SEF appointment in Aug end.
5. In total it took only 5m for the whole process.

I assumed that the process would have become easier in 2023, but I don't know now. I am also assuming that your docs are pretty straight fwd and there are no gaps there. 

I just calling and e-mailed to Embassy but unanswered by them ..is it right to hold on to a passport for so long?
can anyone share me here of your experience from India of D7 visa  .

    -@h9654004745

Each embassy's procedures may be different. There are many delays in visa applications from that embassy. I don't know if it's a political issue,  if it's standard procedure there, ...

It seems that there is some problem in Portugal due to SEF's  replacement in AIMA .And perhaps AIMA has started working now after a gap of 2 -3 months.( By upgraded new software)It seems that our file goes to Portugal SEF First which is Now AIMA and from there after approval comes back to the embassy of our country.This could be the reason for delayed but Embassy of Portugal has not made any such update in the status.If someone shares his experience after October 2023,Maybe we can get more information then.Because replacement of SEF was done in month of OCTOBER/ 2023.

Before the transition to AIMA, there were already these delays at that embassy. There are statements about that here on the forum. But it's likely that things will improve in the meantime...

It sounds like madness to keep a passport for such a long time and in all of my visa appications to seveal non-EU countries I never had this problem. The whole process never took longer than a few weeks and my passport was only out of my hands for a few days. I wonder what people do who need to travel and thus need their passport?

However, take your current experience as an example for what you will be dealing with in Portugal. Getting a driver's license will not be any easier. You might end up without a license for several months, not allowing you to drive outside Portugal.

As a well off EU citizen one doesn't notice that much how broken the Portuguese public sector is. But for non-EU citizens this can easily end in tears.

    I thought that Portugal would be more easier in issuing visa,what is the main problem.
   

    -@alexniyi

I had applied with same in my mind that portugal is easier to apply and decision will be made upto 60 days ( As they committed in VFS Global's website)..It took me 2 months to even get an appointment From New Delhi,INDIA.. And now It's been 4 months since I applied, no decision has been received from embassy  of portugal.I am scared just thinking that what will happen if the approval process takes a long time? I am writing this story about INDIA's New Delhi Embassy.  This may not happen in any other country.

Don't ever leave your passport is always our advice!

Same situation here.

Applied at New Delhi but for the D8/DR Visa in early August.

Still no updates, meanwhile there's others who have applied after me and got their Visas.

Mine is a straightforward case, income is well over the requirements and long term remote job.

After the two month mark I asked for passport withdrawal but no one even acknowledged it.

I had to send a physical letter and personally visit the embassy just to get my passport back so I could travel.

Been over 5 months now.

They very rarely answer calls and never answer emails. The last time I got through about 2 weeks ago they said it's still in process.

The main issue here besides the long processing time is that they do not communicate with you at all. It's like talking to a wall especially when they're holding our passports.

No embassy process takes up so much time especially when there's only a few documents that they need to verify. It's only the New Delhi embassy which never responds to emails so pretty sure it's the local staff that's incompetent at their jobs.

As I guess.  Only one embassy of portugal in New Delhi has the entire load for all the states of India except Maharashtra and Goa.The point is not that there is any flaw in our application that is why it is getting delayed.  Everyone files the application in the best possible manner as per available checklist . Decisions in the embassy should be taken on time or if there is any deficiency then The applicant should disclose the deficiency by embassy, I have not seen any embassy that keeps a passport for so long and does not give a visa decision timely.As I have searched by my level people who have given the biometric in AIMA( portugal ) 2-3 months ago for TRC ,Now they are getting their TRC cards ..So may be still  they don't have verify our  documents yet.. But if the decision comes for those who applied later than us, then it is useless to even think like this. 

Do you know that it takes a good amount of money to apply for a  such types of visa.

In my case I applied for mine by  myself only not engage any consultant, Because  I have great successfull experience of Vistor visa applied through my self of countries like Australia , Newzealand

I did not include the family members in my D7 application . After fulfilling all those conditions of D7, The most difficult task was  Opening a bank account ,I did that too 😊.. I submitted all the evidence documents as per check list ...I have transferred the Euro 9900 approx for mine only l( As I applied  myself  only )into Mine Portugese bank's  account and the millennium  bcp bank deducted first 3 months   5 euro as maintenance charges , And now deducting 15 euro every month as maintenance charges.

The entire amount of 9900 euro was transferred by paying tax i.e TCS from India  ( New tax system implemented in India if pay more than 7 lac  foreign remittances , Indian will have to pay tax  as per RBI guidelines )

The questions is not that embassy  kept the passport for a long time.  There is another questions also.

Where is the tax being deposited on the maintenance charges being deducted by Portuguese banks?

The Bank of portugal  i.e millennium BCP is also deducting some tax on maintenance charges but where is the tax being deposited. And  The person himself does not know when will be approved D7 visa .This is very Interesting..😊

I don't understand this.  Does the Portuguese government want to invite us or does it want to embezzle our money?

The question is what should we do?

Only hope is left.😊

Where is the tax being deposited on the maintenance charges being deducted by Portuguese banks? @h9654004745

If you have a bank account, you have a Tax Number. You can check the taxes paid for maintaining your bank account here:

https://www.acesso.gov.pt/jsp/loginRedi … artID=EFPF

(NIF and password the same as on the Finance Portal).

The answer to this question is simple: it's bank accounting, just like in any other bank. Taxes paid by bank customers are transferred to a State account.

Does the Portuguese government want to invite us or does it want to embezzle our money?    @h9654004745

When you apply for a visa to a country, it's not the country that invites you. It's the applicant who wants to be invited...

There is one aspect to consider here. It's very likely that there are annual quotas for visa approvals from India, hence the "delays". These are political issues, not ones of efficiency or incompetence.... do you know how many applications are made at this embassy in the world's most populous country ?...Do you think it's possible to fulfil all these visa applications in a short period of time, in a small country?...

@JohnnyPT Thanks for assist.

Any luck with decision for D7 visa from embassy at New Delhi? Can anyone share current trend. I spoke to the embassy, but I guess there is little that they can do. I was made to understand that the decision comes from Portugal.

Can anyone share tentative timeline for D7 visa application decision from Embassy at New Delhi?

@h9654004745 Ha ha ha , why didn't you try EOI method? instead of D7?

@gauravsingh615

The decision of all  D categories visa is taking a long time from New Delhi,India  Embassy, I think 04 to 12 months waiting period!  If anyone has received an early decision, please let us know.

    @h9654004745 Ha ha ha , why didn't you try EOI method? instead of D7?
   

    -@prsekargeneral

I applied in the same category i.e D7, in which I considered myself eligible.😊

@h9654004745 thank you for the information.  While, the delay does not trouble me, I am concerned about paying rent for the duration of non decision. If I don't then my application gets rejected for non compliance of mandatory visa requirements. Can you advise please?

    @h9654004745 thank you for the information.  While, the delay does not trouble me, I am concerned about paying rent for the duration of non decision. If I don't then my application gets rejected for non compliance of mandatory visa requirements. Can you advise please?        -@gauravsingh615

As my opinion. I think you would be able to get NIF, then Portugal Bank Account  from INDIA ( Home country) then the eligible Amount should be transferred into your portugal Bank Account ,This is the most typical conditions to get D7 ..

I have booked the room through AIR bnb for 12 months  as I applied on dated sep 2023 I started the room's rent from 01/Dec/2023 , Because I was aware from the sources that decision will take by embassy 04 to 12 months, I also wrote the letter  to embassy that I would be arranged the house rent Aggreement and will be submitted to SEF/AIMA in Portugal when the temporary Visa will be approved from INDIA , you know that we have to be submitted the all documents like NIF ,Bank statement , PCC , Rent Aggreement , Health insurance etc to AIMA for getting TRC during  biometric in portugal.As when  I came to know that the decision has been delayed by the Embassy of Portugal New Delhi, then ​​I canceled the booking of AIR bnb too,   Is this right that we should make a rent agreement and keep paying when we know that the decision on our application is going to come in a several months later .

But my Amount is still credited into portugal bank account . I have Debit card in my hand

.

The Embassy says on its website that they will give a decision in 60 days but this is not fair,that We keep paying rent without any reason for several months.

I am Still waiting for decision of embassy of my Application.

As per my opinion, when our money is in the bank account of Portugal, it is the most solid proof that we want to go there and every month bank  maintenance charges and taxes are also being deducted on it.

If you want to apply for D7 and you are not able to submit any eligible document as per check list provided by embassy then definitely should be write a letter to the embassy to be mentioned why you are not able to do it here ?if your statement is positive then definitely they will be considered.

It is written in the form that some people got visa even without opening a bank account in Portugal.

I think you would be able to be fulfilled the all other conditions of D7 .

This is my case story

You can do it as per your wish and if my decision of Application had come then maybe I would have been able to write something further with confidence!

@h9654004745. Thankyou for the elaborate reply. I can understand the frustration. It is preposterous. However, I do not think that the delay is at the embassy here in New Delhi. Unfortunately, the final decision comes from Portugal or that is what I was made to believe. The only option one has, is to sit back and wait.

@gauravsingh615.   Have you applied or will you apply?

@h9654004745 Sir, I deposited my documents in First week December 23.

Things dont happen overnight, it can be 3 months or longer, and each case is different. Remember there have been holidays if you submitted paperwork last year.

Embassy of portugal in New Delhi, INDIA still unable to giving decision of D categories visa in reasonable time frame,nor replying to emails.If anyone from Asian country has received a decision.please let us know ?The frustration is that the passport has also been kept for a long time..Now They have mentioned this Notice below on their embassy website and sitting  in cool mind

NOTICE

The consular services of the Embassy of Portugal are working to conclude the immense number of processes that accumulated during the Pandemics. We ask your understanding for the impact of this effort on our visa operations.

For more information, please contact visas.novadeli@mne.pt

There should be a provision for granting visa through Evisa  Without submitting the original passport  OR should be asked for passport after approval. Similar like Canada Australia and Newzealand.

I thank to the owner, members of this forum  that this is the only way we can express our views which gives us satisfaction.

@h9654004745.

This notice has been there for quiet sometime now. I have spoken on telephone to the embassy a few times and frankly they have provided information which they are permitted to give. It seems there are a few cases of forged documents and apostille which have come to the notice of the embassy and they have informed the MEA India about it. It seems the solution which has been found is to reverify all documents deposited alongwith the visa documents. This is what was told to me by an immigration lawyer from Portugal. I cannot verify it, but knowing how things work here in india, it is possible.

But as per the embassy, delay is from their office in  Portugal. I was informed that the visa section has forwarded a reminder email to their office in Portugal. All we can do is to keep interacting with the embassy.

@gauravsingh615

Thanks for such relevant information sharing,Yes, this can also happen and such information cannot be written on embassy's website.. That's why I got apostille my PCC by Visiting Patiala House,Tilak Marg .

Once a more little bit information I want to know from you please reply.. as we Applied PCC by visiting passport office , As I think also paid fees of 500 rupees to Government. Then after verification by one police officer PCC received to us our Home Address . Everything was in perfectly.

So please  tell that did you pay any government fees while Apostille your PCC .. have you available receipt of it ?Or is there any procedure to verify it ?

Actually Due to lack of actual knowledge, some people come in contact with the fake agent and the agent does the same to them like preparing fake Apostille of documents.

Yes, we should sit patiently and stay in touch with the embassy through email and phone.

@h9654004745,  I had got all my documents apostille from MEA not just the PCC. I did not want to leave anything to chance. But,it should be understood that it is not required and is not  mandatory to get all documents apostille.  MEA has certain approved agents who do the work for you. Yes I had to pay them a fee for the service.

See, this information was based on Facebook conversation with some random advocate, I do not even know if she was a real lawyer or not. The embassy at New Delhi has not mentioned it anywhere. In my opinion, the delay is due to the quota system that Portugal follows. I think they had some vacancies available in Sep and they opened appointments from 18 Sep to 31 Dec 2023. I am sure they would have received huge chunk of applications. Now, they must be evaluating all of them before giving their decision and not just blindly following "first come first serve basis" concept.

The above is my analysis of the situation based on inputs about quota system. This is mere speculation.

The funny part is that it's just us two who seem to be  effected by this delay in processing. This only implies that either we were only two applicant post Sep 23 or other have got their decisions. Any which ways, we can only sit back and wait.

@gauravsingh615

Thanks for your reply ..I agreed with your statement.

Any idea when will VFS Portugal delhi release appointments for D-7 visa? I have been consantly checking and its not showing any availibility. Any tips? Also, can we keep our passport while they process the application since they take too long.

@sk5843 Tips is that follow the Facebook page of portugal embassy of New Delhi India.They will be published the upcoming slots  through Facebook ..I think last time slots were opened for long period oct 2023 to Dec 2023 , I have no idea VFS will be accepted your application without submit a passport. Better you can request  by saying that  delay will take long process so I will be submitted my passport after approval..

D7 visa approved. It took about 5 months. Thank you expats for the support.

We submitted on 29th Dec 2024.

On the first week of Jan, we checked status on vfs's website and it showed doument sent to embassy.

From then on total radio silence.

We wrote to the emabssy few times and only got automated response.

Not sure what to do.