# Requirements family reunification



## ZombieAttack (Aug 28, 2016)

Good morning,

First I'll shed some light on my situation. I am living with my partner in The Netherlands, with whom I have a civil partnership for about half a year now. We are looking to move to Portugal. Civil partnership is equal to a residence permit of any sort, so we're going to have to sort this out. I don't comply to all the rules in The Netherlands, so staying here is not an option.

In the last few months I've been searching my ass off, but I can't find the details of the requirements. It doesn't help that, reading through this forum, I heard some people say that it's not uncommonly for civil servants to apply the law as they feel like, sometimes even depending on their mood. I'd like to have laws or experiences on paper to use that as a guidance throughout our bureaucratic journey.

First on the matter of our civil partnership. Article 98 states: União de facto - O reagrupamento familiar pode ser autorizado com [...] o parceiro que mantenha, em território nacional ou fora dele, com o cidadão estrangeiro residente uma união de facto, devidamente comprovada nos termos da lei.

Pode ser. Could be. Could be not. Does anyone have experience with their civil partnership and how it went?

Then there is the financial side. I need to proof sufficiency. That was the easy part, the hard part is finding out what sufficient means. What do I legally need to earn to sponsor my partner? What if I'd like to become a freelancer instead of getting a job contract. In Spain I'd have to proof savings of €5000 for me + €3000 for my partner, and they will accept that as sufficient funds. How does that work in Portugal?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Your profile says you're originally from the Netherlands but I'm guessing that might not be the case?

If not, what passports do you & your partner have?


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## ZombieAttack (Aug 28, 2016)

Hey Travelling-Man, thank you for your reaction.

I am Dutch by birth, so citizen of the EU.  My partner is from Ukraine originally, holds that passport, and lives with me on a student visa. Her student visa is not enough for us to stay together indefinitely, so our deadline is December 2017. This is why we're looking to move elsewhere in Europe where the regulations aren't as tough as they are in The Netherlands, and family reunification is easier. Since my partner is fluent in Portuguese already, Portugal is one of our top favourite countries to go to.  Unfortunately the details are holding us back. I don't know what I must earn, or proof how much savings I have if I choose to go freelance.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I think you'll find both countries are in the Schengen Zone & if so, the same rules will apply to your partner.

As for you. If you have a passport from an EU country then you have the right to reside & don't have to prove anything at all. 

All you do is move here & then get you (initial 5 year) Residencia after you've been here for 3 months. That takes about 2o minutes & costs about €25.


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## ZombieAttack (Aug 28, 2016)

Okidoki, so for me it is not a problem, that makes it a lot easier for me. 

Unfortunately Ukraine is not in Schengen, and Schengen covers tourism only. The EU will vote in September again but we're not very positive about that. They have promised for nearly a decade that Ukraine would get a visa free regime (travel wise), but we'd like to be prepared.

So, that leaves the finals question open: if I am self employed, with a salary that varies, how much of savings do I need to show to proof sufficient funds. I have about €12.000, is that enough?


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I don't know much about the Ukraine & Russia visa thing but understand visa free travel was being discussed until it all kicked off which stopped negotiations but let's hope they'll be restarted asap.

As you're an EU citizen you don't need to prove an income, net worth or anything else at all.

You can just enter the country & get a fiscal number & then not before 90 days & not after 180 days, go to your local Camara/Town Hall, show your passport & fiscal documents & a residential address & they issue you with a 5 year Residencia at a cost of about €25.

There's a possibility you might be able to get your GF in under reunification of family but you'd need to check that with SEF & they might require something like some kind of proof of long term relationship


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