Americans Moving to Portugal 🇵🇹 First Steps on the Checklist | Expats Everywhere

[@bobbygreene7748]

The most informative vids I've seen on KZbin. Thank you guys! My wife and I are super close to pulling the trigger on this process, and you guys have been a huge help.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

So, so glad to hear that. Off the back of this video series and a lot of subscribers emailing us and saying, "Could you guys just make a course already?" We did and we launched it in February this year. In what I classify as the worst sales pitch ever, you don't need the course, you can just watch the this series. However, the course will give you a lot of structure with checklists, action items, and a timeline to follow. On top of that there are resources you'll find beneficial to the actions you should be taking at the time and discounts to services you might need. We're really excited for you all. Let us know how we can help further. If you want that course link, it's in the description section of our videos now or you can just ask me and I'll reply with the link, but again, you can just use these video (Kalie's going to kill me for saying that. If you only see her in the next video...you know why. 😂). - Josh & Kalie

[@bobbygreene7748]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Lol! Thanks, Josh! I appreciate it. We may definitely take a look at the course just to give ourselves some additional structure. We're both planners, so that would be extremely helpful. It's also helpful to see that you guys did it with such a young baby in tow - we're expecting our first this summer, and that was one of the big hesitations (how the hell are we going to move to a different country with a baby??!) Seeing you guys do it gave us some additional confidence that we don't have to wait 5 or 10 more years till she's older to make this move. Anyhow, hope you guys are enjoying your time out there, and that things are starting to open back up with covid. Take care!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@bobbygreene7748 Thanks! I really appreciate you sharing that personal stuff with us. Honestly, you all have got this! You're organized and will have a pretty young baby so based on our experience we would say, "You've got this!"! Valencia slept the bulk of the way on Kalie during the flight because we flew through the night and it was completely normal for her. We have friends that moved across the Atlantic with a 3 month old and they said it was pretty smooth. Hit us up if you have any questions. We love helping nice, positive people like y'all. - Josh & Kalie

[@oreospeedwaggindoesamerica6078]

I truly need to thank the both of you for these videos walking us through the steps!!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Our pleasure! - Josh & Kalie

[@nevinbeaver1111]

I have to say I love that you detail it all. It will make our lives so much easier! Thanks guys! ~ Jen & Nevin

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome, Jen & Nevin! Such a wonderful comment and thanks for the support. We appreciate it. We're getting ready to launch a course where we've put all of these details in a clear, more step by step, action items way because so many people have asked us privately to do it. - Josh & Kalie

[@JBSpecialMusic]

Wow, think how far y’all have come so far! Thanks for paving the way, as we beginning our official D7 journey this month. Your trail of informative video breadcrumbs will not go unnoticed.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

🙏 Thank you very much. We appreciate it. It's kind of crazy going back and seeing these videos. It's even crazier going back and seeing our first year of video making. 😅 We're cheering for you on your D7 journey. - Josh & Kalie

[@Monkfruitandtea]

Are you using a firm to help you, or are you going through the process in your own?

[@JBSpecialMusic]

@@Monkfruitandtea we’re DIY. Gathering everything for our application packet and will send directly to Washington DC office from TX.

[@Monkfruitandtea]

@@JBSpecialMusic I’ve been shopping firms but I think I feel comfortable enough to do it myself after all the research I’ve done!

[@Monkfruitandtea]

@@JBSpecialMusic thanks for replying. One more thing, do you mind my asking what company you used for your background checks and how much was that?

[@chelseywallace8344]

Great video, guys! Thanks for documenting the process of getting your visa application in order. Enjoyed the driving commentary, too!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Chelsey Wallace you’re very welcome. We have two more videos that need to be finished. One from Tuesday last week and from Friday! But we just got a call from VFS Global that needs to be included in a future update as well! Shew, so much to do. 😅 -Josh and Kalie

[@gochristyo]

Drivenspice (an expat who’s recently moved to Portugal suggested booking an airbnb for the first few weeks and then also book a hotel for the remaining time (payment due upon check-in). Once you find a spot you like and secure for the long term just cancel the hotel.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Christiannah Oyedeji Yep. We were going to do that but just decided against it in the end because we know Porto. We knew what districts we wanted to live in and found a place in our price range for a 6 month contract. This will be the 3rd time we’ve moved into a place sight unseen so we’re cool with it. - Josh & Kalie

[@samanthafromme]

I am so excited for this next step in your lives!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Samantha Fromme Aww 🥰 Thank you 🙏 We’re looking forward to sharing our lives with you guys-Josh and Kalie

[@insurednomads]

Great to see you ✅ checklist those items! Great progress

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Insured Nomads Thank you 🙏 Another video to come soon with more checked off ✅

[@rafaelfonsecaportugal.]

Hi Josh and Kalie! Great video as usual. Portugal is waiting for you with open arms! See you soon.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Rafael Fonseca - Mortgage & Real Estate PORTUGAL Obrigado! We’re looking forward to our move and hopefully it happens. 65-ish days to go. Thanks for the support and we look forward to seeing you- Josh and Kalie

[@markmark35]

My wife and I were going thru the same thing about 6 months ago. We had all the paperwork in order and ready to buy the money orders. Then, my daughter (who we were living with) told us she was pregnant and asked us to stay until Dec, then corona hit. But we still want to go in Jan/Feb next year, so I will definitely follow your journey. I hope it all goes well. Ate logo.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing your story, MarcoPolo. We hope all goes well with your daughter and grand baby. New videos coming soon. Ate logo indeed.-Josh & Kalie

[@scotthenry4983]

Hey Guys! Just discovered you and am frothing at the bit to binge all of your KZbin content. I'm a former military expat who plans to retire and return to Europe soon under a D7 Visa. Please keep doing what your doing!!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hey, Scott! Let us know how you get on with the content. Don't worry the video editing gets better the more practice we have at making videos like that. 😂 Once we got to Portugal, we had a lot of people reach out asking for more than just videos and they asked specifically for us to create a D7 DIY course so we did that as well if you're interested, but it's not necessary. Let us know how you get on with it all. We're here for you. - Josh & Kalie

[@scotthenry4983]

@@ExpatsEverywhere It appears you guys have honed your craft well ;-) How do I find the D7 DIY? Would love to see it. Thanks!!

[@learneuropeanportuguese]

Thanks for sharing your journey! Will definitely share this with my students moving to Portugal 🇵🇹

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're very welcome! Thanks for sharing our journey with others. It's been a lot of fun putting this content out and we're putting together a course for those that want a little more structure and help organizing there move. 😊 - Josh & Kalie

[@learneuropeanportuguese]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Perfect!

[@2clarityin30]

Super, super helpful! A BIG thanks to you guys!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Great, Michele! So good to hear that it's been helpful. You're very welcome. Thank you for subscribing. - Josh & Kalie

[@MoeRockVO]

This is fantastic!! I wonder if much has changed in 2 years.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you, Moe. A decent amount has changed but the fundamentals are still similar. Stay on the channel, keep watching the vlog, and then jump to the newer stuff to get the current requirements. 😁 - Josh & Kalie

[@denisebernard1921]

A great video! Id like to request the list made by Kalie. Thank you!

[@achievereslschool]

Guys your videos are certainly useful and I consider you are very active while showing topics of interest. Thanks for the details, I'll like to know under which visa you move to Portugal.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Jani! We appreciate it. We're on the D7 visa. This series is complete so it gets unraveled in more detail as we go along. Have you seen it all yet? - Josh & Kalie

[@elizabethreynolds6874]

Another fun video! Just love you three!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Woah, Elizabeth, you're watching us in our early day of trying to vlog. 😅 Thanks for the love 🥰 - Josh & Kalie

[@elizabethreynolds6874]

@@ExpatsEverywhere playing catch up! 😊

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@elizabethreynolds6874 👏👏👏🥳

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Put your questions about Josh and Kalie's move down here. This section is (feeling less lonely).

[@MeliMel277]

What jobs will you take on once you move to Portugal? I’m new to your channel. 😀

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Meli Doboj Thanks 🙏 Glad you’re here. We’ve been doing digital jobs before CoVid struck and we’ll keep on doing those. We would love to just make videos but we’re not there yet and we’ve transitioned our business (ExpatsEverywhere) away from B to C expat business consulting to digital media/content creation and now we have to build that income stream up to be full time. In the meantime, we’ll keep our digital jobs (data entry and compliance work) Thanks for the question. Keep em coming and thanks again for joining the journey - Josh & Kalie

[@teodoro1007]

No, no. "Schmuddelwetter, kein richtiger Schnee, nur kalt". This few words in german explain my posture partially. I had a nice house, a BMW car, and went to school in Hamburg. Happy 2022! Well, things have changed for me. For Xmas 2021 I was still in Tigre, in Argentina, doing paperwork. Now, thanks to my Schengen passport and thanks to radical, I´m in Coimbra in Portugal renting the little flat 5 C you showed in your July video with Sandra Carvalho-Fonseca. I´m enjoying Coimbra since a week, & near to the Alma Shopping. I hope we´ll coincide. Thank you! 🙂🙂

[@jillaskerlund5094]

Hey Josh and Kalie- thanks for all the info! Question- where do you get the FBI background application to send in with your fingerprints?

[@itan9672]

It is funny to see you two being so rush in front of the traffic lights... completely different person after 1 year in Portugal.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

It's because those lights in particular are a long wait and a short green. 😅 - Josh & Kalie

[@USagainstTHEM85]

Hi Josh and Kalie, Great video, packed with information and a great "checklist" for anyone looking to go the mortgage route! 🙌 P.S. I may have a business idea for you guys, but I'm going under the assumption that you guys already thought of it lol.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much. It's wild you found our early stuff on Portugal. 😁 Email me at [e-mail] and let's find out. - Josh & Kalie

[@sharonpetersen8033]

This was helpful ... thank you. 😊

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You’re welcome 😊 - Josh & Kalie

[@oliamazuryk7980]

Great videos! Thank you for these. I’m right there with you. Great info on insurance, didn’t know that. Here in Florida too, selling my house and hoping to be right behind you guys. Keep vlogging so I can follow your steps. 🙃

[@oliamazuryk7980]

Quick question. I checked out Living. Do they do long term rentals? Looks like their main focus is on sales. We’re you able to locate rentals through them? Thank you!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Olia, thank you so much for the support. There are cheaper ways to go about insurance but we want insurance that'll take care of us when we're traveling too. It's international health coverage and not just national (Portugal) coverage and it is private health care. There are ways to go about it cheaper, but most likely not if you're trying to do all of the steps like us on our own. We're not hiring anybody to do any of these steps for us. We've had other commenters talk about using immigration lawyers and such. All of that is fine, but we feel comfortable trying it on our own and...I'm cheap (Josh). Congrats on the house sale. Please keep us posted on your progress and let us know if there's anything we missed and we'll try to cover it in a future video. You (awesome subscribers and commenters) are guiding our decision making on what we can touch on for future videos. We'll keep on vloggin'.-Josh and Kalie PS-Have you seen episodes 2-4?

[@oliamazuryk7980]

Expats Everywhere sorry I meant the rental places not insurance, although I agree with you and am trying to do it without hiring someone at least here in the states. I’ve been searching on Airbnb and Idealista and checked out the Living site you mentioned. I just couldn’t find any rentals. Anyway, we hope to be there by December, so I’m right behind you guys! Thank you and once again love your videos. I love the checklists!!! 🙃😊

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@oliamazuryk7980 We went through Idealista and that's where we found apartments through Liiiving and Feel Porto that we liked. There were a few other (PM) companies too. The work around for the rental situation is having a Portuguese citizen or company write the letter of invitation, but that's where we just want to do our own thing, because unless you know someone willing to do that, you'll have to pay for it. BTW-There are other rental sites. We're just really familiar with idealista from when we lived in Spain so we went with that site first. Although we thought about hacking Airbnb, we decided against it. December, great! Keep us posted. Thanks for watching and you're welcome. Kalie loves her checklists and pros & cons list for decision making.-Josh and Kalie

[@janiswilliams3732]

Hi Josh and Kalie The two of you are digital nomads and Self-Employed. How do you pay taxes? How does the NHR apply to self-employed people who live in Portugal? Do you have an accountant that you can refer us to or a website or links to get more information? My husband has an LLC he will be working for himself as self-employed but through an American company and has foreign clients. We’re trying to see whether it’s advantageous to us to move based on the NHR a tax structure. How did you find these questions out before you made the decision to live in Portugal? Thanks in advance. Maybe you could do a video on the NHR and taxes etc. or if you have and I haven’t seen it please let me know about it.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Janis, email me at [e-mail] and I'll get you connected with our accountant. - Josh & Kalie

[@atlanticcorgi7740]

What are your thoughts about this idea? As US citizens, we’d visit Portugal as a tourist, get a NIF, open a Portuguese bank account (ActivoBank), find and purchase an apartment then we could visit Portugal from the US several times a year and wouldn’t need any visa and the associated requirements? Thanks!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thoughts are that it can be done for sure. We personally wouldn't bank with ActivoBank. If you're going to set up a bank account here in Portugal, use another bank. We knew people that wanted to do what you are suggesting and they ended up getting a D7 because they didn't want to leave Porto and they want to live here permanently. If you need any recommendations on realtor, let us know. We've met several in the area and know what their strong points are. Email us at [e-mail] if you need additional help or have additional questions. - Josh & Kalie

[@canadianlady777]

Valencia , Spain is my favourite City...love her name....Mine is Merida, Spain.

[@williamgautreaux5545]

Any update on the accommodations requirement? Is it a lease for 6 months or has it changed to 1 year?

[@MErwinTraining]

Do you know much about the one year visas for Americans? Have a video already about it?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hey! So, so, so sorry that we took so long to get back to you. We completely missed this comment. Email Kalie at [e-mail] and she can give you details. 😁 She's very organized. - Josh & Kalie

[@amc2510]

Just found you and and finding your videos informative. Where can I find the checklist? Looking forward to more of your videos.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, MoutainGirl, if you send an email to [e-mail] Kalie can get you the checklist. Thanks for the comment. We have a ton of content that followed this particular video...spoiler alert....we're in Portugal now 🙂 - Josh & Kalie

[@aspenvallee]

Thank you for this information! How did you get to Portugal with Covid-19. What was the process with flights?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Do you want us to ruin it for you or are you going to binge watch the rest of our videos until the last Americans Moving to Portugal 🇵🇹 in the series? We will tell you if you really want to know though. Just let us know 😉 Thank you for watching and we’re so glad you find the information helpful. - Josh & Kalie

[@aspenvallee]

@@ExpatsEverywhere I fast forwarded to a few of your other videos. I had no idea they opened back up with just a covid test so I am really looking forward to planning a trip soon. I have many other questions but I will try to watch the series first before I ask. ❤️

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@aspenvallee 😉You're the best! Please note that we did not travel for tourism, that unfortunately is still closed. We were legally allowed to travel during Covid-19 because we had our D7 visas and we provided a negative covid-19 RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours before the flight. We're also available via email to answer stuff you come across not in the videos or that you need clarification on. [e-mail] By the way, your photo and channel banner look awesome! 👏👏👏 - Josh & Kalie

[@Mr.S65]

I thought it was illegal to take copies of the American passport

[@SomeGuy-ol7qg]

Hey again Josh and Kalie- Would you mind explaining how you did the FBI background process in a bit more detail? This is the most confusing part of the package for us. Where did you go for the fingerprints, the cost, did they send a paper copy (assume you got an electronic copy), and what about the apostle requirement? We have been seeing people say you don't need it if you send the paper copy unopened, but still confused on what VFS is telling everyone. I am assuming you guys will be going thru the DC consulate, and just sent the packets to VFS for them to process first? (I mention this because I know different consulates have different requirements, but we will have DC since we are living in Alabama).

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Some Guy hey. How quickly do you need a response? If you give us a couple days, we can put it in video format. Thoughts?

[@SomeGuy-ol7qg]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Wow! Didn't want you to have to go through all that! Not a huge rush on our part because we wont be starting for a few months, just information gathering and prepping right now (and trying to sell a household of stuff :) ) But thank you- I am sure any info you can provide will help us and others immensely! We will definitely be sending some beers your way when we get over there. :)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

:-) Thanks. Okay, well in that case...We'll pull this question and move it into a video that we were planning on doing very soon to answer all these great questions we're getting on these videos. Are you a Sagres, man? Also, what city are you looking at moving to?-Josh and Kalie

[@SomeGuy-ol7qg]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Thanks once again- we really appreciate all you guys are doing. I am definitely a Sagres man- was hoping to be sipping some more this year...damn Covid... I'd drink Super Bock too. Hell, who am I kidding? I'll drink anything as long as it's in Portugal.... We seem to flip-flop between Lisbon, Algarve (west), Silver Coast, and Porto...but it's looking like Porto will probably win. Just can't get around how great it is on every level. BTW- we are Chris (husband) and MJ (wife). That way you don't have to say to the bartender that you aren't responsible for your tab because 'Some Guy' said he would pay for all of those beers ;)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hey! You're welcome. I'm okay with both. We're looking at Porto obviously so we need to become Super Bock people. We hope Porto wins for you all so we can hang out as Josh & Kalie and Some Guy & Some Guy's wife. ;-) Seriously though, Chris & MJ, we appreciate the support. I'm going to drop your name in the bar and see what happens. Please keep us posted on your whereabouts. Cool?-Josh (& Kalie)

[@frankg.39]

Is this your first Portugal video? Why didn't you explain what prompted you two to move there?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yes, it is besides our general ExpatsEverywhere content. That's simple, Frank. It's because it was our first vlog and we didn't know what we were doing. 😁 - Josh & Kalie

[@blchase6748]

@Expats Everywhere - Hello and thank you for documenting your process. Does it matter how far out the Fingerprint and background are from the time you submit the paperwork? Basically do they require the background check be completed a certain proximity to the time I file the application? We will be going through the DC consulate. Thank you.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

So so so sorry that it's taken several days to get back to you. In general things like fingerprints are valid for 6 to 12 months, but it's best to check with VFS Global. They're pretty good about responding to things like that. All the best on your process. Let us know if we missed anything in these videos that you'd like answered. - Josh & Kalie

[@kstock2478]

Hey Josh and Kalie, thanks for these fantastic videos - we are watching them all! My wife and I, together with our 5-yr-old son, are on the same journey as you but our move will be in 2021. One thing we were wondering is whether it's possible for just me to get the residence visa, travel to Portugal ahead of my family to sort out things like choosing our son's school (which will be a key issue for where we buy our house, etc) and so he doesn't have school interruptions here in the US (in case there actually is school). Then we would bring the rest of the family over during the summer under a Family Reunification visa. We thought maybe it might also save us a little time and expense on things like buying travel insurance months in advance for the whole family vs just me. Just wondering whether you looked into that or think it's possible to do it that way...

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi, K Stock! Thank you so much for the encouragement. We really appreciate you watching and commenting. Here's what we can tell you. It's going to be seemingly easier to apply all at the same time and when you put on the applications your arrival in Portugal, you can set different times (arrival dates). Check with someone like @insurednomads to see about starting out with a plan just for you and then adding your family. They're a really personal business that won't try to "sell" you on anything. Andrew Jernigan is the main man that can help you and tell him that we sent you. You don't have to go with them, but they'll answer your questions in a caring way about your possibilities. Does that make sense? Which kind of visa are you going for? I know you said residence visa, but are you going to be investing there, working digitally, or something else? It seems based on the language of the government websites and other resources that Portugal is rather liberal about family reunification visas so you shouldn't have much problem. Since you're American and will need to go through VFS Global initially if you're going to apply for the visa by yourself instead of using a Portuguese go-between/immigration lawyer, you can ask them some of the clarifying questions that you have as they're really responsive. We hope that helps and we didn't muddy the waters for you! - Josh & Kalie

[@kstock2478]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Thanks so much for that info! We've been bookmarking all these companies and websites you mention - can't tell you how helpful it's been to us! Yeah, we kind of thought we might complicating things to try the 2-step with the Family Reunification visas vs just getting the visas all together. But I think I probably will have to go there first in any case to lay the groundwork and get the house, schools, etc sorted out before we move everything over. We think we'd have enough investment income to qualify for the individual revenue visa, although we both plan on working while we're there. I'm a video editor/producer/writer and Cara is a middle school teacher, which we hope might help with the cost of private school if she can get a job where our son is attending. We're looking at areas in and around Lisbon. Please keep the videos coming! We're really enjoying them and rooting for you guys every step of the way! Kevin & Cara

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

K Stock we love it, Kevin & Cara. Thanks again for the support and rooting for us. It’s been fun making these videos as it’s not really the backbone of the channel but we wanted to share our lives with our audience since you all see us doing these interviews and city profile videos. We’ve traveled and lived abroad for a while now so we hope to help as many as possible through it. We’d love to have this content creation replace our jobs and just make content full time. I need to improve my filming and editing for sure but little by little I guess. What site is Cara using for her job hunt? ISS and Search Associates tend to have the lion’s share of the job postings for international schools. Have you signed up with either of those? - Josh & Kalie

[@kstock2478]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Cara hasn't signed up with those yet but will do - thanks! We've both lived abroad as well, but this is our first time doing the move without a sponsor and with a kid in tow. So it's been really encouraging to watch you two plough your way through it all. Re content creation over there, it's tough to move much equipment over to Portugal but probably double the price to buy anything there. Bright side, though - it's amazing what you can shoot on an iPhone now with a few accessories (mic, steadicam, lenses). Have been trying to figure out how much the Adobe Creative Cloud costs to use in Europe for editing, effects, etc. Sounds like that's also a lot more expensive than in the US. Anyway, happy to help with any video stuff if you have questions - just ask!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

K Stock cheers. Sounds like we’re the same couple. First time without a sponsor. First with a kid. 😂 Yup, we’re organizing our equipment now, selling our 27 inch iMac 🖥 😢 , buying a MacBook Pro 💻 smile 😊 and sticking with our FCPX and Apple suite of products. If that offer stands, you better believe that I’ll take you up on it! Sounds like we need a meet up in Portugal when we’re all there - Josh (& Kalie)

[@gigit43]

I am assuming if different if we are coming from Canada?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Not too different. The main difference is the paperwork will go directly to the Portuguese consulate instead of the visa agent that works on behalf of the Portuguese consulates in the USA. - Josh & Kalie

[@chloeamanda86]

is it possible to open a bank account in portugal without pay slip ? and what’s the best bank to go when moving here and renting apartment ? thank you for the video ☀️☀️🙂🙂

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome. Are you opening the account remotely or while you're here? What you're asking is a bit loaded but we might have a solution. Email Kalie at [e-mail] and explain what you're trying to do and how. - Josh

[@anniekohl8902]

Hi guys, My partner, son and I are just a bit behind you in the process! We’re waiting on our FBI background checks to come back but now they’re wayyyy backlogged and it’s taking about 12 weeks. :/ I’m trying to figure out if all three of us should apply for the D-7 or if just I should apply for the D-7 and then my partner and kiddo should apply under family reunification... what did y’all do? Also, loving your videos! Thank you for making them. It’s so nice to be able to compare where others are in the visa process / what questions and hurdles we’re all trying to sort out...

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Annie, Sorry to hear about the backlog. Did you hear directly from someone doing the FBI background checks that they're backlogged? 12 weeks is extreme and they've been processing fingerprints for a while now (after covid19 reopening). The D-7 or D-7 plus reunification is certainly two options. It seems that our "stuff" is being processed together/at the same time, which would indicate that it's going to take the same time regardless if it's 1 of us or all 3 of us applying. To take it a step further in my logic, that would mean if all 3 of you apply together then you will all be able to travel together as opposed to waiting for your partner and son due to the reunification process. Does that make sense? That's just our two cents based on recent conversations with VFS and the consulate in Washington DC. Thanks for the comment and support. It's been a lot of fun for us to share this stuff with you and hear all of the encouragement and updates from others while they're on their journey too. Keep the questions coming. Sept 8th (this Tuesday) we're putting out a Q & A video of the most common questions that we've gotten so far! If you're subscribed and have hit the bell, you'll get a notification of when that video goes live. Have a great rest of the weekend - Josh & Kalie

[@anniekohl8902]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Yea, I emailed the FBI and the were quick to respond. They said they're currently working through identity summeries from the end of June. It's also posted on their website now that it's taking 12 weeks. Maybe it's because we're in a different jurisdiction or maybe because had to do ours analog because the closest digital reading center is nearly 8 hours away... there are a lot of variables... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The VSF office in San Francisco is also still closed because they're only in Phase 2 so we have to apply directly at the Consulate and the first available appointment is end of November. We've got some time! I was able to talk with someone at VSF office in Miami and they said that it's possible (and recommended) for al three of us to apply with the D-7 because all three visas would be processed at the same time but that the consulate (for us it's San Francisco) will decided it we would have to take the Family Reunification route. I'm just little worried because another family documenting their experience with the D-7 visa last year (also going through the San Francisco consulate) had to go the family reunification direction. They don't mention having to be separated for any length of time but I'm going to reach out to them to see how it went. We'll see. :) Have you guys done much research on what others have done? Check out Driven Spice and Earth to Family's videos - We found them really useful. Driven Spice especially has good ideas about insurance and housing. Hope y'all are having a good holiday weekend, too!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@anniekohl8902 Hi again. Good to hear from you. Yes, it sounds like the slow down is because of the jurisdiction difference, which I'm sure is frustrating. There was another couple in CA having the same issues. Everything in DC between VFS and the Consulate seems to be going smoothly and they're not backed up. We haven't looked into what others are doing really just because we've been through this process before and we know what to expect since it's our 5 time moving countries. We're familiar with Portugal in terms of life/getting around there. Now it's just more of improving our Portuguese to make life easier and waiting on the visas. We know we're not guaranteed the visas so we're not trying to get ahead of ourselves. We know we have zero "right" to be there and it's an honor to be able to, so we're hoping for the best and keeping that perspective if that makes sense. Take care and keep us posted on things. Thanks for the message! - Josh & Kalie

[@anniekohl8902]

@Expats Everywhere That's very cool that you've been preparing so much! My Portuguese is limited to level 4 on Duolingo, I have a long way to go and am looking forward to enrolling in a class once we're there... I hope I didn’t offend you by asking if you had looked at other expat’s videos. Watching your video was so helpful for us but some of the tips and tricks on other’s videos were helpful, too. I just thought you might find them useful as well - specifically on the insurance front because you had mentioned how frustrated you were paying so much. We’re also a nomadic family! My partner is Moroccan/American and we’ve spent the last 4ish years on the road (it’s mostly been on many, many long flights). Our little guy has already flown around the world. 🌍 It’s been weird being grounded in the US but we’re thankful for all the time we’ve gotten with family. We’re hoping to make Portugal our permeant home, though, and we’re looking forward to settling down a bit. Maybe if we cross paths in Lisbon we can grab a beer and share our some of our adventures from abroad. 🍻 Cheers to you all!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@anniekohl8902 No offense at all, Annie. We knew what you meant. I guess that we meant, we were on our journey and a lot of the research we do is direct to source. We explain this in the up-coming Q & A video, but we used to do bespoke expat consulting so we are used to going to the direct source for information, but we obviously see the value in vloggers and individual's experiences. Heck, our channel is built on individual's experience as we interview real people from all over the world about their experiences living where they are. This is Josh by the way. I'm using Duolingo as well and will most likely get into in-person classes once we get to Portugal. Kalie most likely will not. She'll rely on me to order her food ;-) That's awesome to hear about you and your husband (and LO). So where all have you lived? Maybe you'd want to be interviewed for the channel. We now know several couples that are moving to Lisbon and we'll be in Porto (hopefully if they give us the visa), but we'll have to pop down, get the whole community together and go out for a beer (Sagres, Super Bock, or maybe a Portuguese craft beer!). Again, great to hear from you! - Josh & Kalie

[@kerrylwilde]

Hi! I'm filling out my NIF application and have hit a snag. I am a housewife/mother and have been for most of my adult life. (Yes, a throwback to the dinosaurs) However, I selected "Housewife/househusband" for my occupation and it immediately wants proof of employment. It won't allow me to proceed without entering a photocopy of something "proving this". What on earth do I do?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Kerry, please feel free to shoot Kalie an email and see if she can help you with it. - Josh

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

So do you have any tangible reason for moving there? Like affordability? benefits for expats? Exchange of Dollars? Language? I am comparing it to other places...

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Ann Raybon Good question. We’ve started to answer these questions in this series we’re doing. We’re glad you found the first one. #5 goes up today. #6 this coming week and #7 is going to be a compilation of questions that viewers have left in the comment section that we’ll answer. Why move there over some other places? Our reasons are more intangible than tangible but if you’re just looking for our reasons, here are a few. Seemingly the barrier of entry is fairly low considering we want to keep our digital jobs in the US while living there. The cost of living there is much less than other parts of Europe while still allowing us to live in Europe. The weather there is going to offer us variety compared to the last few places we have lived which where all hot weather. We’ve found Portuguese people to be really nice on our numerous visits to Portugal.

[@rhondalynn4759]

Question about background check. How did you know that the background check is considered apostilled if you don't open the package? I have been trying to find that information. Thanks so much. And do you know how long the check is good for? Thanks so much. Going to start the process!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Rhonda Lynn You simply don’t need to apostille it if you don’t open it. VFS Global also confirms this. We don’t know how long it’s good for but the assumption would be several months maybe even up to 12 months. All the best in starting your process. Keep us posted. Thanks for the question. - Josh & Kalie

[@lindalockhart1266]

How do you know whether this apartment is in a decent area or not???

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Great question, Linda. You've got to ask around really. If you're moving to Porto, you can always ask us. Check out our neighborhood series for that too. If it's elsewhere, there are groups to ask. In general though, if you book a nice place for a decent rent, it's going to be an investment property for someone in a decent area. The one thing I'll say about that is that many short to medium term rentals are concentrated in the tourist zones of towns and cities, which might not be the place you want to live depending on your lifestyle. - Josh & Kalie

[@hectorarmienta3569]

Hello. Can u tell me how you’re able to travel from US to Portugal if there are COVID 19 restrictions? Thanks

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

If you have a residence visa or student visa to be in Europe, you can travel to Europe. Hope that helps. - Josh & Kalie

[@willp9082]

Hey guys, sorry is it $20 per person or $75 per person for the FBI check? Thanks much

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We went through FastFingerPrints, which was $52 per person. - Josh & Kalie

[@bluestar1740]

Hi josh & Kalie,, can you recommend a particular place or city in Portugal that you think is a good for a visit, vacation.. im planning to do short vacation in portugal.. I think portugal is a nice place... Antoni

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Antoni. When we lived in Madrid, we loved visiting Portugal. It's been what we call "a hidden gem in Europe" for a long time. It's cheap by Western European standards and the people are really friendly. We've been to 4 major areas and all of them offer something different. In the far north, we've been to Braga. We wouldn't really recommend it for tourism. Lisbon is a fairly large city with awesome cultural sites and plenty to do. Porto has culture as well as a beach area, and if you're into Porto wine, then you definitely need to go there. In the south, we've been to Faro. It's much more laidback and beachy. The vibe there is cool. It all depends on what kind of vacation you want to have. Lisbon-higher paced, more exciting. Faro/Albufeira-laidback, beach. Porto-in between. Thank you very much for the question. We hope you enjoyed the video and join the journey here by subscribing.-Josh and Kalie

[@bluestar1740]

Expats Everywhere thats nice to hear you’ve going so many lovely places, like Spain, Portugal.. and its cheap.. nice to hear from you.. enjoy life and be happy...

[@melinda5777]

What is BOA?

[@aqueelahdames5684]

Great video. How long did it take for your FBI fingerprints to come bk approved after you e-filed them? Did you receive them bk snail mail or via email?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Great question. We got our fingerprints done on July 24, sent in the application on the 28th, and we got the record in the mail the following week so it's safe to say less than two week.-Josh and Kalie PS-Have you watched episodes 2-4 yet?

[@BushmasterBrackett]

Is 3700 usd a month ok to live on there

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Depending on your lifestyle, it should be plenty. - Josh & Kalie

[@9degreas49]

Hi Guys! Thanks for the great video, very helpful! You mentioned round flight tickets may be required by D7 Visa, what is the conclusion? Is one-way ticket OK? Thanks you.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

9degreas heyyyy! Thank you. Glad it was helpful. Were still in the midst. We put out our biweekly City Profile today (Panama City) so episode 2 so to speak will go live tomorrow. We have 3 total unreleased to take us up to where we are now, which is waiting. We had confusion with VFS Global about the D2 and D7, because we could have applied for both. We are applying for the D7. Either way, we found on either the VFS Global or the Embassy website that we needed a round trip ticket 😐 So that’s what we bought. VFS Global has been very good getting back to us on any questions and since we found that requirement, we didn’t even bother asking. Next episode we vaguely explain why the RT ticket wasn’t a big deal for us. 😊-Josh and Kalie

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

UPDATE-Kalie decided to write VFS Global "For D7 visa applications a flight itinerary is not necessary. Check prior to travel for update measures for the traveler to take before or upon arrival"

[@9degreas49]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Thanks for the reply and wish you all the best!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

9degreas You’re welcome. Anytime! Thank you. Stay in touch.

[@tericam5154]

Just came across your "moving to Portugal" today. Thank you so much for your info. Would you give me a link to the health insurance that you use to apply for the visa, or direct me to which video that you address it. Thank you so much.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Woah! Awesome. We're glad you found us. While we would love for you to watch them all, we understand. For our insurance, we used Insured Nomads. We did an interview with Andrew from Insured Nomads about international health insurance and travel insurance, and we felt good about him and his company. We did compare Cigna's plans vs Insured Nomads. Full disclosure, we're not getting paid to refer anyone. www.insurednomads.com/ If you do decide to stick around or subscribe and watch more of our content (which we'd personally LOVE) please note that we try our best to put links to things that we've talked about in the video description section for your convenience. This doesn't mean we don't want comments though. We truly appreciate and value relevant comments like yours! All the best on your journey, Teri. Hope to see you around. - Josh & Kalie

[@tericam5154]

@@ExpatsEverywhere I can't thank you enough for you prompt and thorough reply. I also guess that you are very busy, so please don't feel like you have to reply to this one. I am looking forward to meeting you when I move to Portugal. Or you can visit me in Southeast Asia(where I start my early retirement next year).

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@tericam5154 You're very welcome. We appreciate people like you in our community. We're not always able to reply straight away but we try to reach out to everyone that's left a comment we can reply to. We've made it a point to respond to the positive stuff and focus on the good. You know? Where are you in Southeast Asia? We love that part of the world. - Josh & Kalie

[@tericam5154]

@@ExpatsEverywhereI plan on making Chiang Mai, Thailand as my base for 2 years. During which time, I'll travel to Da Nang, Nha Trang VN, Penang Malaysia for a few months each. Then Nice, France for 2-3 years, then Portugal for the rest(however many years it may be). But I have to be flexible in my "slow" travel plan depending on whichever country that opens border to US citizen in early summer 2021.

[@wesenglish]

Would you send me all your checklists for Portugal? Thanks so much in advance.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Please email Kalie at [e-mail]

[@arturjcrebelo3275]

You going for D7 visa or Golden Visa?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Artur João Costa Rebelo D7 visa. We were initially going to do a D2 but changed it to a D7.

[@bluestar1740]

hello guys,, can you please tell me why did you move from your country to Portugal,, is it because the cost of living in Portugal is more Cheaper than in USA? or its because you find the people in Portugal more Nice & Friendly than Americans? hope to hear from you... Enjoy your daY.. Antoni

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi again, Antoni. We're in the midst of moving to Portugal. We've been expats for over 10 years now. We've lived in Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. Covid-19 has prevented us from moving again until now. We love the US, but we feel more comfortable in the tension of living abroad. It's simply more interesting. Depending on what area of the US you're in, the people can be incredibly friendly. Josh is from a more rural area of the south east, and Kalie is from Florida. Sometimes, Kalie used to get annoyed at how Josh would stop to talk to everyone, even people he didn't really know, when they were visiting his region of the country, and then she realized, "woah, people are just really friendly, and it's apart of the culture here." Portugal is a friendly place and we've not had a bad experience there from people being unfriendly. Maybe the language barrier can cause small issues where you might think people are being unfriendly, but it's probably that you can't speak Portuguese and they can't speak English, things get awkward, and they seem unfriendly. Does that make sense? We hope you enjoy your day too! Hope that answers your question, Antoni. Much love!-Josh and Kalie. Where are you from by the way?

[@bluestar1740]

Expats Everywhere you are more cmfortable living abroad.. Enjoy life and be happy... thank you...

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@bluestar1740 You too. You're welcome. Hope to see you in the comment section of a future video-Josh and Kalie

[@mpc6879]

So do you need to show return flight tickets after all?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We guess you'll just have to keep watching to find out..... (the answer is "no". 😅 But please do keep following this vlog 😊) - Josh & Kalie

[@brunopinheiro1632]

Me as a portuguese citizen: portuguese burocrasy is awfull... also me: thats not that bad ....also me: wtf with cars in america? Why they are so big...? Oh nevermind welcome to my beautifull country

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

HAHA, this comment wins the day, Bruno! We have a lot of wide roads and reasonably priced gas 😂 - Josh & Kalie

[@theluxuryvagabond]

My husband and I are still considering places to move and Portugal is high on the list! As far are getting clarification on what needs to be done for the move check out 'Our Rich Journey' youtube channel. They actually have so much information on this topic and have been living in Portugal now for over 1 year. Wishing you the best of luck on the move.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

That's awesome, Jay. We know 'Our Rich Journey'. In late 2019, we reached out to them for an interview for our channel, which was before we knew we were going to move to Portugal, and they declined. It's all good though. We're on our journey. Thank you very much for the well wishes. Let us know if we can help. We used to be in the expat consulting space before transitioning to working on content creation and media as our way forward. We've lived abroad for over 10 years and done this process to varying degree for Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. :-) Please keep in touch. We'd love to hear from you-Josh & Kalie

[@melinda5777]

Bank of America! Lol

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yup, BOA is Bank of America.