# Questions for the Community



## cadtodd (Jan 17, 2018)

Good Day folks,
Rather new to the forums and I have some questions as me and the Missus are trying to figure out whether or not we would like to move to Portugal (Algarve).

We are a common law couple from Canada, she is 34, and I am 36, together we have a 3 year old son. I am currently on a medical pension as a Veteran from the CAF and am therefore retired as it were, my wife would like to work in Portugal and is a trained Medical Office Admin (Diploma) and has a degree in statistical analysis.

My pension alone is worth roughly 3300 Euro AFTER taxes, so that should be enough to support us for awhile, and on top of that we have roughly 40,000$ (CAD) saved. Can we technically immigrate using a retirement visa, or would we have to go with a Long term request and file for a Residence visa after?

If we immigrated on a Retirement Visa and upgraded to a residency visa after would my wife be legally allowed to work then?

How difficult is it to get a mortgage in Portugal?

I am sure there are more questions to be asked, and I have done research here and there but I keep getting dead ends on trying to clarify things.

Cheers
CadTodd


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

You're certainly in an unusual situation. 

I'd suggest you make sef.pt your first port of call to see what your best option is for visas etc & go from there. 

As for work for your partner, you need to remember that more than 20% of the active population have left PT in recent years in search of work & that unless she speaks fluent Portuguese, she's unlikely to find work in that field.

As for mortgages, I've never had one here but do know several people who do & had no problem getting them. 

Good luck!


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I'm sure that there will be plenty of advice coming your way from the members but I'll kick off with a couple of points. I'm not wanting to dampen your obvious enthusiasm but, unless your partner is fluent in Portuguese, it is highly unlikely that she will be able to find employment in her field, or any other. Jobs are few and far between here and obviously go to locals and fluent Portuguese speakers in the first instance. 

Secondly, I helped a young American couple to settle over here five years ago and they are still unable to get a mortgage. They are professional photographers and their main income is from the Internet, so have had a continuous income stream since arriving. The lending institutions are very wary of lending to foreigners, fearing that they might up sticks and move on at any time.

As a vet I'm sure that you are well used to the odd challenge or two and you certainly have a steep uphill battle before you can settle here.

I wish you well.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I wonder if mortgage availability varies by area or according to % required etc? 

The people I know who have got (bank) mortgages here have had no problem getting them but (I believe) have not needed anything like even 80% of the house value.


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> I wonder if mortgage availability varies by area or according to % required etc?
> 
> The people I know who have got (bank) mortgages here have had no problem getting them but (I believe) have not needed anything like even 80% of the house value.


Quite true TM. My US friends are looking for 80% and I guess that is the problem.


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## cadtodd (Jan 17, 2018)

Aye, Well yeah battling is one thing I was hoping to give up a little on. But I have sent emails off to SEF for their opinion on the matter as well. As it stands my income is theoretically enough to cover our needs, and that is guaranteed for my entire life and only slated to go up. Also with the money saved I am sure we have quite a cushion and could still manage a rather large downpayment.

That being said, my wife is not fluent in Portuguese but we have started learning together using a combination of sources Including, Rosetta stone, conversing with locals in Portugal who are Native Portuguese speakers, and physically sitting down for quizzes with an old friend who is Portuguese (and enjoys embarrassing the living tar out of me when it comes to this)

I am open to any and all information as well as Criticism, never know when someone else might need this information.


Cheers


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

No criticism intended cadtodd. We would be letting you down badly if we did not warn you of the potential pitfalls ahead. If you are able to put down a decent deposit and with the net income you state, a mortgage will be the least of your problems.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi and welcome, A quick check says the average monthly wage here is €925 nett so you have a good chance of living on your income. Portugal is a varied country and even areas like the Algave vary fa lot from place to place. If you have not spent time here and visited different places i suggest you do before trying to come to any sort of decision. if your son can travel and is too young for first school you can spend a months here as "tourists" in different locations to see if it what you desire before any commitment. You would get an idea of how people live, the costs, transport links, food, festivals, schools, language, possibility (or not) for employment, internet availability, the Scorchio Scorchio summer sun, beaches, forests. lakes, fishing, beer, wine, etc. In reality only you can decide if it what you want or not by experiencing life as it is available here.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

cadtodd said:


> Good Day folks,
> Rather new to the forums and I have some questions as me and the Missus are trying to figure out whether or not we would like to move to Portugal (Algarve).
> 
> We are a common law couple from Canada, she is 34, and I am 36, together we have a 3 year old son. I am currently on a medical pension as a Veteran from the CAF and am therefore retired as it were, my wife would like to work in Portugal and is a trained Medical Office Admin (Diploma) and has a degree in statistical analysis.
> ...


Quite probably, if you were on a Retirement Visa, it would have a bar on any gainful employment and to change to a visa for residency (i.e. giving up the advantages of a Retirement visa) may well require your going back to Canada and re-submitting an application for the different visa (maybe on the grounds that they think you are "taking the p*ss")


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## cadtodd (Jan 17, 2018)

Hmm, Criticism might have been a bad choice in words, but it is still welcome as I am just as flawed as anyone else and prone to mistakes.

As to the visa's, you may be right....even though it would technically never be my intention to screw the system, I can see how that would look. I am going to be calling the closest Embassy probably next week some time, but still have not heard back from the SEF.

We are trying to swing an extended vacation in the area so that way we can explore the area. Perhaps when the time comes I may "employ the services" of someone here...someone that will show the good, the ok, and the bad...Not just a touristic view of the country


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## dancebert (Jun 4, 2015)

cadtodd said:


> ... We are a common law couple from Canada, ...


So you've verified that Portugal recognizes it as a marriage and/or her as a wife for legal and immigration purposes?


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## dancebert (Jun 4, 2015)

cadtodd said:


> If we immigrated on a Retirement Visa and upgraded to a residency visa after ...


Portugal has 2 types of long stay visas: Temporary and Residence. Retirees / pensioners enter the country on a residence visa to get a temporary residence permit to get a renewable residence permit. After 5 years you may apply for permanent residence.

Overview Início - Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas / Vistos


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