# What constitutes ‘evidence of sufficient funds’?



## Tropicalelf (Jul 10, 2018)

Can anyone give specific examples of what constitutes ‘evidence of sufficient funds’ for an EU Citizen moving to Portugal with a baby? I will probably do voluntary work for friends to pay for board and food for the first few months and then if my partner can then get residency to join us as a family member he will hopefully be able to do paid work. I have a modest amount of savings, which can stretch far if we are super careful, but I need to know if they will be considered ‘sufficient’. Does anyone have an examples of what they might ask for ? Thanks!


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Tropicalelf said:


> Can anyone give specific examples of what constitutes ‘evidence of sufficient funds’ for an EU Citizen moving to Portugal with a baby? I will probably do voluntary work for friends to pay for board and food for the first few months and then if my partner can then get residency to join us as a family member he will hopefully be able to do paid work. I have a modest amount of savings, which can stretch far if we are super careful, but I need to know if they will be considered ‘sufficient’. Does anyone have an examples of what they might ask for ? Thanks!


There's no such thing as an EU citizen & I think you mean a holder of a passport from an EU member state & as such, you don't need to prove sufficient funds or anything else except who you are & you do that by showing your passport. 

Right to enter, work & reside is a RIGHT not a privilege you have to apply for. 

Info here: 
http://www.sef.pt/portal/v10/en/aspx/apoiocliente/detalheApoio.aspx?fromIndex=0&id_Linha=4351 

If your partner does not hold a passport from an EU member state, he/she still has the rights to the same things under the reunification of family rules & you'll find those on the Portuguese Govt website at sef.pt. - And there's an English language option on the top left of the screen.


----------



## Tropicalelf (Jul 10, 2018)

travelling-man said:


> Tropicalelf said:
> 
> 
> > Can anyone give specific examples of what constitutes ‘evidence of sufficient funds’ for an EU Citizen moving to Portugal with a baby? I will probably do voluntary work for friends to pay for board and food for the first few months and then if my partner can then get residency to join us as a family member he will hopefully be able to do paid work. I have a modest amount of savings,
> ...


Thanks. Yes not an “EU Citizen” per se as there is no such legal entity. 

Good news if there is no partitular threshold for ‘sufficient funds’. 

Cheers


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Looking at it further, Article 7 says 'sufficient funds' but I can find no mention of having to actually prove 'sufficient funds' or what amount of funds is sufficient therefore assume that if the individual says he/she has sufficient funds then the funds they say they have are sufficient. lol! 

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02004L0038-20110616&from=EN


----------



## RichardHenshall (Jul 26, 2009)

From https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/residence-rights/pensioners/index_en.htm

"As an EU national, you can live in any EU country if you have:


comprehensive health insurance cover in your host country
sufficient income to live there _without needing income support_.
Income could come from a pension, if you are a pensioner, or any other source of revenue."​
The sufficient income requirement is targeted at the economically inactive as they will not qualify for any benefits that might be available to those who contribute to the social security systems. If you can't support yourself you may lose the right to live in another EU country.


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Gotta say I find that 'comprehensive health insurance cover in your host country' an interesting one because NHS entitlement is based solely on residency here so not sure what they mean by that? 

I guess it could mean that some EU countries might possibly not offer that and in those countries, you need private health insurance?

I have a vague idea that Spain might possibly be one of those countries but am not sure.


----------



## RichardHenshall (Jul 26, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> ... I guess it could mean that some EU countries might possibly not offer that and in those countries, you need private health insurance? ...


That's how I'd read it. If everyone else needs health insurance, you do too. If no-one does, you don't either.


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Equally, as right to enter/work/reside is a RIGHT then one has to question the 'sufficient funds' thing? 

You can ALWAYS rely on a bureaucrat to take something simple & overcomplicate it for no good reason.


----------



## Tropicalelf (Jul 10, 2018)

I saw some mention of making a written signed affidavit stating you have a sufficient funds.... so maybe you don't actually have to mentioned the amount - frankly it would be like how long is a piece of string, because how much is enough would depend on how long we stayed as temporary residents, which could be anything between a few months and 6 years! I have enough savings to cover us for maybe 6 months to a year living very frugally by which time my son will no longer be breastfeeding and I would be able to get paid work (I am a Chartered Engineer). So let's hope just stating it in the affidavit is enough!


----------



## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

As others have said, as a UK citizen you have a right to live and work here. A friend, who is a UK citizen with UK passport, has recently moved here from Australia after spending the majority of his working life outside of the EU in one place or another, but mostly Australia. He arrived at Porto Airport, flashed his UK passport and is now happily settled in Coimbra.

As far as work is concerned, you have now mentioned that both you and your partner hope to find work here. I don't want to put a damper on your plans, but finding work here is very difficult, even for the Portuguese who are packing their bags and moving to other countries. You would not believe how many Portuguese are working in other European countries, with a very large number in the UK. There are also large PT communities in the US by the way. If you do not both already speak Portuguese, it might be an idea to start learning a.s.a.p. otherwise you stand next to no chance of finding any employment. As a Chartered Engineer, presumably you can find consultancy work online, but does your partner have the same option?

We will give you all the help that you need to make your decision, but you should be aware of some of the pitfalls of a life in Portugal. It's not all sunshine and, to be honest, this year we're even struggling for that! Where is our summer?!


----------

