# Contacting SEF



## JacketPotato

For almost a month I have been trying to contact SEF using the two numbers provided on their website in order to apply for a family permit for my non-EU spouse, but neither number appears to work. The fixed line gives what I think is a busy tone (even if calling first thing in the morning) and the mobile number gives a message of 'unable to connect'. I sent them an email, but also received no response. Has anyone else been experiencing this problem?

I have tried visiting the regional office (Viseu) but was told to call the central numbers. They didn't seem to understand that the numbers weren't working. Does anyone have any suggestions of alternative ways to speak to SEF?


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## travelling-man

Everyone has the same problem........ You need to look on sef.pt (it has an English language option) & get the email address for your local SEF office & email them for an appointment to get your spouse residency under the reunification of family rules & at the same time ask them for a list of documents etc that you need to bring with you.


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## stumo

yes, they normally dont answer and when they do, they tell you to email them.


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## Ukkram

Strange as up here in the north we were told to "just pitch up" We did and concluded all. The boss man then gave us his email address if we have any questions about Portugal. I did ask him about fishing license and he answered within minutes.


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## Tropicalelf

Hi! My partner and I have just received our fiscal number plus a residency letter/certificate from local Junta de Freguesia in Sao Mao near the Serra Da Estrela. I am from UK and he is from the US and our baby is s UK citizen. For our annual temporary residency do we now need to go to an SEF office (Guarda is the SEF office for this area), or is that only required for the permanent residency after 5 years? Also, does anyone have experience of visiting Guarda SEF office and what format the 'declaration of financial self sufficiency affidavit' needs to be in'? Thanks so much!


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## travelling-man

The letter from the Junta is the Attestado which attests to you living where you do & you now need to get the 5 year Residencia (which is effectively a registration of residency) from your local Camara (same with your child) and then you make an appointment with SEF to get your husband his residencia under the reunification of family rules. 

When you make the appointment, do it by emailing your local SEF office & at the same time, ask them to confirm what documents you need to take along & print their reply so you can take it to the meeting in case there's any discrepancy between what you were told in the email & what they ask for on the day


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## Ukkram

Your husband needs to register at SEF and you at the local Camara. You must go with your husband as men tend to forget dates and the names of their parents and kids.

You do not need to go to the Junta for an affidavit to prove where you live. We showed them out rental agreement. (They came to visit our home as well) Actually we did not even know what the junta was or where it was until 3 years later when we had to prove that we lived in this parish for our state health care numbers and get a family doctor appointed to us.

They did not ask about our financial position and all we had was our foreign share investment that they did not even look at. Nor did they ask for private medical insurance. I gave them all the papers but they just pushed them back to me. They did however take my PT bank statement and made a copy of it although there was hardly € 100 in it.


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## Tropicalelf

travelling-man said:


> The letter from the Junta is the Attestado which attests to you living where you do & you now need to get the 5 year Residencia (which is effectively a registration of residency) from your local Camara (same with your child) and then you make an appointment with SEF to get your husband his residencia under the reunification of family rules.
> 
> When you make the appointment, do it by emailing your local SEF office & at the same time, ask them to confirm what documents you need to take along & print their reply so you can take it to the meeting in case there's any discrepancy between what you were told in the email & what they ask for on the day





Ukkram said:


> Your husband needs to register at SEF and you at the local Camara. You must go with your husband as men tend to forget dates and the names of their parents and kids.
> 
> You do not need to go to the Junta for an affidavit to prove where you live. We showed them out rental agreement. (They came to visit our home as well) Actually we did not even know what the junta was or where it was until 3 years later when we had to prove that we lived in this parish for our state health care numbers and get a family doctor appointed to us.
> 
> They did not ask about our financial position and all we had was our foreign share investment that they did not even look at. Nor did they ask for private medical insurance. I gave them all the papers but they just pushed them back to me. They did however take my PT bank statement and made a copy of it although there was hardly € 100 in it.


Thanks travelling man and Ukkram for the useful replies! 🙂 ...so are you saying for me and our baby (as EU passport holders) we only need to go to the Camara, not to the SEF office? Also, if they do ask for proof of financial self sufficiency do you have any idea what amounts they would deem sufficient?


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## Tropicalelf

Hi again Ukkram! Just wondering which SEF office it was in the North that you dealt with? Cheers!


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## Ukkram

Tropicalelf said:


> Hi again Ukkram! Just wondering which SEF office it was in the North that you dealt with? Cheers!


Viana do Castelo. No need for appointment. Just pitch up.


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## AndyCY

it took me two months (Sept and Oct 2018) calling them 1-2 times every day to get through


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## del Pereira

I have just renewed my wife's residency card (which is now valid for ten years) and had the same problem as everyone else truing to contact SEF. what worked for me was around 1600 I would call from a land line and just kept on hitting redial. continuous until it finally went through. This worked for me three times I needed to talk to an Agent. Sit i front of the computer and play a game makes time waiting go a little easier.
Do not try and call the local SEF offices as when we finally had our appointment I noticed all the phone of the hook
On a positive note when I finally got an appointment we were treated very professional and it went very smooth...Just ensure to have all paperwork with you


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## geological

Ukkram said:


> You do not need to go to the Junta for an affidavit to prove where you live. We showed them out rental agreement. (They came to visit our home as well)


I will be wanting to register shortly after arrive and will not have a normal rental contract - we will be living in a holiday let for the first few months. I am therefore wondering whether that level of enquiry would be normal now (let alone your home visit!) - would you know? As a matter of interest, when did this happen?


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## Ukkram

Some people on the other forum used their holiday lets addresses. One even used a caravan camp site address. They asked the owners for a confirmation letter. 
I got my NIF 4 years ago.


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## geological

Ukkram said:


> Some people on the other forum used their holiday lets addresses. One even used a caravan camp site address. They asked the owners for a confirmation letter.


Thank you. I read somewhere that the favourable tax treatment of holiday rentals (alojimentos locais?) depends on the occupants being tourists. Makes me worry that the landlord might not be happy with (in effect) confirming we are not. I am therefore hoping that an AIrbnb receipt will pass muster.


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## Ukkram

geological said:


> Thank you. I read somewhere that the favourable tax treatment of holiday rentals (alojimentos locais?) depends on the occupants being tourists. Makes me worry that the landlord might not be happy with (in effect) confirming we are not. I am therefore hoping that an AIrbnb receipt will pass muster.


The first address I gave them was a AirBnB in a little holiday resort near my town. I changed the address a week later when we found long term rental.
I had no proof of the AirBnB as my daughter in the UK booked and paid it. I verbally gave the address and it was accepted with no problem.


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