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Do I have to stay in Portugal within D7 Visa period?

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canerselim

I am about to acquire a D7 visa. I would like to discover more within EU borders. For this case, if I rent a house in Portugal and visit several places in EU - as there are not any borders with EU, does this days count as days in Portugal? I know that, I have to stay at least 4 months at first year, then 6 months for the next ones, but what happen if I also have another house in Netherlands, Amsterdam and continue to rent my home at Portugal while living at Amsterdam? How do they measure being inside of borders? Do they look into flight tickets? If so, what happens if I travel by my car?

Many thanks for sharing your valuable experiences,
Caner Selim

See also

Work visas in PortugalGeneral visa requirements for PortugalPortugal Visas for AmericansPortugal Job Seeker visa application processing timeD7 Visa Wait
vjslater2

I was asking the exact same question today.  I hope we find some answers!!!

JohnnyPT

Hi,

It seems to me that there is a bit of a misunderstanding about what the D7 visa granted by Portugal is. Portugal is not a gateway to the Schengen countries. If you intend to reside in the Netherlands, you should apply for a visa to Netherlands.

The D7 visa is a residence visa that is intended to enable the holder to obtain a residence permit in Portugal. In this context, the visa is valid for two entries and entitles the holder to remain in Portugal for a period of 4 months  (Max deadline). In this period, the Residence permit in Portugal must be requested through SEF, and if granted, it enables the respective holder to reside in Portugal for a period of one year, which can then be renewed for successive periods of 2 years and can be converted into a permanent residence permit after 5 years.

It's a Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area of 26 European countries, but you remain a resident in Portugal during the time period of your visa, because it is Portugal that granted you the visa. But this does not prevent you from travelling within the Schengen area.

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