Emigration to Portugal or “To the country where there is no winter!”

Standard of living in Portugal

The degree of economic development of Portugal is most eloquently demonstrated by the standard of living of the population. And the main indicators are:

1. Labor market . Finding a high-paying job is not easy. Foreigners cannot expect a salary higher than 1000 euros. This income is received by unskilled factory workers. Doctors and engineers earn over 2,000 euros per month.
2. Pension . After retirement, the Portuguese are entitled to a labor pension from the state. Its size is 300 euros, which can be called the average for the European Union.
3. Product prices . Portugal can be proud of the ratio of high quality products to their affordable prices. On average, a family of two spends about 300-400 euros on food per month.
4. Real estate . Currently, the cost of housing in Portugal is much lower than in other European countries. Undervaluation concerns both the purchase market and the rental sector. Even today, you can buy an apartment with three bedrooms in the Algarve resort area for 60-100 thousand euros, but experts predict a rapid increase in real estate prices. You can rent a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon for 300-400 euros per month. Portuguese banks are ready to issue loans for the purchase of housing at 5-6% per annum.
5. Education . Universities in Portugal have earned well-deserved fame among students from around the world, including from Russia. Coimba is home to the EU's oldest educational institution, founded in 1290. Two more local universities took 16th and 17th place in the ranking of the 100 best universities in Europe.
6. Medicine . The country's population receives medical care and medicines through insurance. The level of service and equipment of the clinics meets European standards, but there are not enough highly specialized specialists, so patients often wait in line for an appointment for several months.

Islands in the ocean

When planning immigration to Portugal, it is often overlooked that this country belongs to the Azores and Madeira.

Practice shows that immigration authorities on the islands are more supportive of immigrants than bureaucrats on the mainland. Especially when the visitor is helped by a close-knit diaspora.

Russians have been settling in Madeira for a long time. They have their own club and pages on Facebook and Vkontakte. Through the diaspora it is easier to find a job, rent or buy housing.

The Azores archipelago is poorly developed by immigrants from the CIS countries. But this gives an enterprising person additional opportunities. Fewer competitors means more room for activity.

Video: moving to Madeira

Portugal is not one of the rich European countries, and this is its advantage from the point of view of immigration as a costly event. This country provides those who live in it with prosperity and social guarantees. Registration of a residence permit and obtaining citizenship are not burdened with unnecessary requirements and long waits. Within 6 years, you can complete the naturalization process and receive all the benefits of an EU and Schengen citizen.

• Author: Alexander Ishmeikin
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Until January 2014, seaman. Now a land-based freelancer. Rate this article:

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Pros and cons of moving to Portugal for permanent residence

Moving to European countries not only gives an immigrant access to the benefits of civilization and social protection, but also confronts him with the difficulties of assimilation into local society. Therefore, it is so important, even before leaving for Portugal, to familiarize yourself with the positive and negative sides of its life.

pros

For migrants, interest in moving to Portugal is primarily associated with advantages, including:

1. Decent standard of living.
2. Excellent ecology.
3. Cheap property prices.
4. High quality products.
5. Stable political situation.
6. Calm crime environment.
7. Lack of bureaucracy.
8. Favorable conditions for doing business.
9. Increasing life expectancy.
10. Social security.
11. A fairly loyal tax system.
12. Decent level of medicine.
13. High-quality and affordable education.
14. The presence of the ocean coast and clean sandy beaches.
15. The friendliness and openness of local residents.

Minuses

Despite the large number of advantages, moving to Portugal can open up a lot of disadvantages for a migrant in everyday life. The disadvantages include:

1. A large number of rainy days a year.
2. Significant unemployment, reaching 17% in some regions of the country.
3. Lack of central heating in houses and apartments.
4. Low demand for the Portuguese language.
5. Short maternity leave.
6. A long siesta in the middle of the working day.
7. The lack of obligation and slowness of the local residents.
8. Poor driving culture and complexity of the procedure for obtaining a driver's license.
9. High air humidity in winter.
10. Significant fines for violations.

Ways to emigrate to Portugal from Russia in 2021

Portugal is a member of the European Union, so it is subject to the general rules established by European immigration laws. As of 2021, there are several grounds that give a foreigner the right to move to Portugal for permanent residence:

• Employment;
• Education;
• Family reunion;
• Marriage;
• Business immigration;
• Missionary;
• Refugee.

Employment

Despite the presence of unemployment, the Portuguese labor market is experiencing a shortage of labor. And the main replenishment comes from migrants. Both hands engaged in heavy physical work and highly educated specialists ready to perform the functions of doctors, engineers and programmers are required.

In-demand professions and salaries in Portugal for immigrants

Salary indicators in Portugal can be called average for the European Union. The minimum wage is 485 euros, and its average value does not exceed 850 euros. Given the current unemployment rate, finding a vacancy on the labor market is not easy even for a local resident. But there are in-demand professions available to immigrants.

Russian immigrants can count on a vacancy only if the Portuguese refuse it. Highly qualified specialists who speak English and Portuguese can get a job with a good salary.

Immigration through starting a business

Immigrating to Portugal to open a business is one of the most popular ways to obtain permanent residence. The process of registering a company in this country is not burdened with bureaucratic procedures, and the minimum allowed amount of authorized capital is 5 thousand euros.

If you use funds to develop a business in Portugal by opening or purchasing a company, the conditions will be different. It will be necessary to create 10 jobs and not cut them for at least 5 years. If investments are made in projects located in sparsely populated areas, the investor will receive a 20% discount.

There are several ways to register a company in Portugal. Empresa na Hora (opening a company within an hour) - registration cost is 360 euros. You will first need to prepare the registration papers of the enterprise. The presence of the founders during registration in the country is a mandatory condition.

Empresa Online (online company registration) - the ability to register a company via the Internet within 2 days. To do this, each founder must have an identity card and a digital certificate that confirms the electronic signature. The cost of the service is also 360 euros.

Obtaining a residence permit in Portugal

Moving to Portugal for permanent residence requires approval of a residence permit. To obtain resident status, an immigrant must go through several stages:

1. Approval of a national visa type D through the Portuguese consular office in Russia.
2. Entry into the country.
3. Submitting an application for approval of residence status to the Department of Immigration.

The procedure for contacting the migration service consists of the following steps:

• Registration on the Department website;
• Filling out an application online;
• Printing out the application and submitting it along with a set of supporting documents.

Documents for residence permit

Current immigration legislation provides for the collection of a certain package of documents. An applicant for a residence permit must provide:

1. Statement.
2. A passport containing a visa.
3. Two color photographs in ICAO international format.
4. Rental or purchase agreement for housing.
5. Conclusion of the medical commission on the absence of diseases dangerous to society.
6. International health insurance covering risks of 30,000 euros.
7. Proof of solvency.
8. Certificate of no criminal record.
9. Receipt for payment of the fee to the budget.
10. Documentary grounds for legalization.

Depending on the method by which the migrant plans to move to Portugal, he must attach to the package of documents:

1. Marriage or birth documents - to confirm kinship during family reunification.
2. Business plan, company registration documents, bank account statements - for business immigrants.
3. Confirmation of the fact of investment - for investors.
4. A letter from the university about enrollment in the course and a certificate of availability of 2000 euros in the account - for students.
5. Extract from the cadastre of housing ownership - for real estate buyers.
6. Employment contract and work permit – for employees.

If an immigrant plans to move to a new place of residence with a child, he needs to prepare a separate package of papers for him, including:

1. Birth certificate.
2. Copies of parents' passports.
3. Consent of one parent if the child will live in Portugal with the other.
4. A letter of sponsorship in which the parents undertake to take responsibility for the financial support of the child.

Cost of residence permit

The procedure for obtaining a residence permit is paid. It costs 450 euros for each applicant to review the application. In addition to paying the fee, you need to take into account the costs of translation and legalization of documents.

Registration period

The period for consideration of the application depends on the migrant’s stated purpose of living in the country. The wait can last from 2 to 12 months.

Validity

Initially, a residence permit is approved for a migrant for one calendar year. After this period, if there are grounds, he has the right to extend the permit for another two years. Subsequently, the procedure for extending temporary status can be repeated.

As a result of the extension of status, the migrant lives in the country legally for 5 years. After a five-year period, he is given the opportunity to submit an application and obtain permanent residence.

Immigration to the very west of Europe

Portugal is a member of the EU, the eurozone and the Schengen agreement. Immigration methods are similar to those that exist when moving to similar European countries. Against the backdrop of global migration processes, Portugal is not very noticeable, but statistics show that with a population of 11 million, visitors account for more than 3% (about 350,000 people). The main diasporas are Brazilians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, Romanians and Russians, followed by people from the former Portuguese colonies of Asia and Africa.

Cape Roca is the westernmost point of continental Europe

Immigrants are attracted by the ease and orderliness of life in Portugal, which is located away from hot spots and regions with unstable economies. Opportunities to join Portuguese society are few and typical. You can start by traveling on a Schengen visa to get to know the country and assess your chances of adaptation. At the same time, understand the status of the migrant.

Leaving his homeland, a person becomes an emigrant for it. While wandering around the world in search of a better life, he joins the ranks of migrants. Entering another country is called immigration. Until the newcomer receives citizenship, he will be in the position of an immigrant in the country chosen for residence.

A Schengen visa allows a short-term stay of up to 90 days without the right to work, study or do business. If the decision is ripe, you need to return home to submit an application to the consulate for a long-term (national) visa, when applying for which you must state the appropriate purpose of the move.

Obtaining Portuguese citizenship

Portuguese nationality legislation provides standard grounds for a foreigner to obtain a passport of the Republic, although with some distinctive features. Chief among them are:

1. Naturalization . Possible for residents who have lived in the country for at least 5 years. The period of 3 years applies to persons moving from countries with the official language of Portuguese. For example, from Brazil.
2. Marriage . After registering a marriage, foreign spouses must live in the family for at least 3 years. After this period, they can apply for citizenship, but are required to pass an exam on knowledge of the official language.
3. Restoring ethnic roots . Foreigners who can prove family ties with Sephardic Jews are entitled to a passport of the Republic as descendants of an ethnic group expelled from Portuguese territory.
4. Birthright . Citizenship is available to children born in Portugal, but only if one of the parents has a passport from this country or both parents have legally lived in it for at least 2 years. The right to a passport is granted to children adopted by Portuguese citizens or born outside the borders of the Republic, but with Portuguese parents.
5. Merits to the state . At the discretion of the country's government, outstanding athletes, recognized figures of science and art, who decide to move, can acquire Portuguese citizenship.

Documents for obtaining Portuguese citizenship

Russians who decide to move to Portugal to live want to eventually become its citizens. And at this stage, documents play a particularly important role. The authorized body should provide:

1. Statement. You can obtain the form from the Service for Work with Foreigners.
2. Internal civil passport.
3. Birth certificate.
4. A valid residence permit or permanent residence permit and the grounds for obtaining it.
5. Certificate of absence of offenses in the homeland and in the Republic. The statute of limitations should not exceed 3 months.
6. A bank statement confirming that the passport applicant has sufficient financial resources to cover expenses in the country.
7. Certificate of marriage.
8. Certified result of passing a language exam.
9. Medical report on the applicant’s health status.
10. Agreement for the purchase or rental of housing.

All documents of Russian origin must be certified by a notary, apostilled and translated into Portuguese.

Price

Consideration of an application for citizenship is accompanied by the payment of a state fee. Its current amount is 250 euros per applicant. The following are exempt from paying taxes into the state treasury:

• Refugees;
• Children under the age of majority;
• Persons acquiring citizenship for special services to the Republic.

Registration period

The decision-making process by authorized bodies takes about 12 months. If an applicant for a passport makes inaccuracies in the completion or content of the papers, the waiting period may drag on for a year and a half.

other methods

So, there are other ways that will subsequently allow you to become Portuguese citizens.

The main way is that you can marry a Portuguese citizen. What does it mean ?

This means that you can be in the status of a bride. In this case, you will be issued an appropriate type of visa, allowing you to enter the country for a year.

If a marriage takes place in Portugal, you will immediately automatically receive a residence permit. You can obtain citizenship much earlier than other citizens.

However, there are several nuances.

This is the easiest way to obtain Portuguese citizenship. However, in order for social services to believe you, you must prove that your marriage is real and not fictitious. To do this, it is necessary to perform some evidentiary steps.

Namely, go through an interview, and also be prepared that at any moment representatives of the social service may appear and check whether you really live in the same room, and also whether your feelings are real.

If, after passing several checks, everything is successful, and you have truly proven that you are in a relationship of your own free will, then you can be congratulated. We can say that you automatically receive a residence permit, which means that the next step is that you will soon become a citizen of this sunny country.

Attitude towards Russian emigrants in Portugal

Moving to Portugal for Russians is associated with the need to learn the official language and adapt to the local way of life. The Portuguese treat migrants very well, showing friendliness and openness towards them. In recent years, the number of Russian diaspora in the Republic has increased significantly. At the same time, most visitors prefer to live in the capital Lisbon, despite the fact that this city is expensive.

The Portuguese sincerely admire the beauty of women from Eastern Europe and the professionalism of men. They actively welcome any attempts by Russian emigrants to speak Portuguese. They dream of visiting Russia and seeing Moscow and St. Petersburg with their own eyes.

It is the tolerance and peaceful disposition of local residents, their friendly attitude towards visitors that largely contribute to Russians’ decision to move to Portugal for permanent residence.

Mikel and Anna

According to the diploma, my cousin Anya is a tourism manager. After graduating from university, she managed to work in Tunisia, Greece, Turkey, but met her true happiness in Madrid. Anya is very good at foreign languages, so she learned Spanish for several years without much difficulty, in her spare time, but she was not really able to work as a guide in Spain. On the second day, she met Mikel in the supermarket and a spark ran between them. He did not take the phone from the stranger and went home to Portugal. A week later he returned, found Anya and said that all this time he had been thinking only about her. With the slyness characteristic of all women, she said that she was very pleased and did not reciprocate. For some reason, she was transferred to Turkey, to Belek, the land of fashionable hotels. Mikel found out about where Anna was now working and went after her. He lived for a month in a five-star hotel and went on all her excursions. In general, she could not resist. And this, admittedly, is not surprising.

Mikel has never read Ilf and Petrov, but is, in my opinion, a real prototype of Ostap Bender. Over the course of his thirty-something years, this man changed a dozen activities and achieved success everywhere. Now he has organized a company that supplies clothing and medicines from Southeast Asia, as well as Arab cosmetics, to Western Europe. It is all natural and by European standards very cheap. Mikel has an office on the next street for this purpose. Thanks to good earnings, he has already registered it as his property.

Now the Urruti family (this is the surname of Mikel and Anna) live in Ericeira, a suburb of Lisbon. It's about half an hour's drive from here to the capital's center. The apartment is spacious, not like the Khrushchev-era apartment we still have in Yekaterinburg. Urruti has three bedrooms, a huge living room, a fireplace, an underground garage, a swimming pool and a garden in the yard. From the balcony you can see the sea. The total area of ​​the apartment is about two hundred meters. By Portuguese standards this is quite luxurious accommodation. Anna and Mikel immediately gave us one bedroom. No one lives in the house except them; they have not yet had children.