Move to Ponte Delgada
posted by Joan Wallace in Azores forum
Hiya Heather, I am currently in the process of applying for a residence visa for Terceira Island. It has not been as easy as all the articles I read. If I had known how complicated it would become I would have started sooner. You will need an FBI report, and when you receive it you need to mail it back to Federal State Department to get an apostille on it.
Also if you want to sign a long term lease, you need your NIF. If you know someone you trust on the island, they can apply for you, but you need a limited power of attorney in both English and Portuguese. There are not a lot of attorneys who have the knowledge, but you can send the English copy to a translation service to get it in Portuguese. When you get it back, then you have to take it to your secretary of state to get an apostille on it. I am thinking about signing a short term lease and apply for NIF when I arrive on the island. And of course, there is no guarantee I will get the visa. I am applying as a retiree.
As for furniture, I am not taking anything other than a few personal items, and getting my son to ship my books and pictures once I get settled.
I wish you the best of luck on your move. And even though it has been a frustrating time, it is going to be more than worth it.
Belinda