# Certificado de Bagagem - how long does it take to get one?



## hoserama99 (Aug 7, 2020)

Hi all,

I, uh, may have miscalculated a bit on getting our Certificado de Bagagem. How long does it take to get one of these back from the Portuguese consulate, specifically the one in San Francisco?

Any tips for speeding up this part of the process would be welcomed.

I also need to prove my wife has lived here with me for the past 12 months. She's unemployed, so no paystubs, and her name isn't on the house utilities. But her name is on the statements for our shared bank account. I'm hoping that's sufficient.


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## ChristineL (Jul 5, 2020)

It took us two months in Sydney, and we had to chase. It was a painful process. However, once we got all the paperwork requested by the brilliant Portuguese firm who moved us, our container sped through Portuguese customs.


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## hoserama99 (Aug 7, 2020)

ChristineL said:


> It took us two months in Sydney, and we had to chase. It was a painful process. However, once we got all the paperwork requested by the brilliant Portuguese firm who moved us, our container sped through Portuguese customs.


Oh boy. Did you, uh, ship your container before you had one in hand? Asking for a very worried friend.


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## ChristineL (Jul 5, 2020)

No, the removals company insisted that we had all documentation in place before they commenced the process. We initially didn’t even have a Portuguese address, so had to set up a temporary address just to apply for the customs clearance.

But you know, if I had to do it again, I would have sold all my furniture prior to coming here. The hassle, stress and expense was just not worth it for our old furniture. Plus when we got over here we realized that the long term rental market is predominantly furnished.


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## hktoportugal (Feb 25, 2019)

ChristineL said:


> But you know, if I had to do it again, I would have sold all my furniture prior to coming here.


Exactly, that's what we did when we moved last year. We (family of 3) packed everything in oversized suitcases and the rest in carry on luggage.


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