Why we chose Portugal for living and how our move went?

Moving to another country is a significant decision, especially when it comes to children. We wanted to create a comfortable and friendly environment for them, and that's how we managed to find the right place in Portugal.

Planning the move

Initially, our list included Georgia, Turkey, and Spain, but we were not satisfied with the conditions for obtaining a residence permit for financially independent citizens in Spain. Georgia and Turkey did not work out for various reasons, which left us still searching. At some point, our attention turned to Portugal, and my husband confidently said, "That's it, we're choosing Portugal. Find a city, and let's start with the paperwork."

Legal aspects

All legal matters related to our move have been outsourced to an agent who has taken on all the responsibilities. We didn't want to dive into independent searches and face potential difficulties.

Practical aspects of life in Portugal

As for the practical side of life in a new country, we decided to figure everything out on our own. There are many groups and chats online dedicated to life in Portugal, where people share personal experiences, talk about their relocations, and discuss the pros and cons. These resources became our starting point in choosing a city to move to.

City selection

In the end, we chose Setúbal, which is located on the eponymous peninsula and serves as the center of the municipality and district close to Lisbon. In the capital, the prices for housing and services are quite high, while in Setúbal, life is much more affordable. Additionally, this city is situated on the coast with a beautiful bay, where there are no strong waves and excessive maritime traffic. By many criteria, Setúbal turned out to be a comfortable place to live, and the locals really love their city. Now we have also become its admirers.

Obtaining a residence permit

The process of obtaining a Portuguese residence permit requires serious preparation. In our case, my husband submitted the documents based on his entrepreneurial activities. This required a significant amount of paperwork:

• Business information
• Tax returns for several years
• Diplomas
• Notarized translations

All the documents were collected lawfully.

Current situation

Right now, my children and I are in Portugal on a Schengen visa until the end of the current year. Due to measures related to the coronavirus, those who entered on a Schengen visa can stay in Portugal until the end of the year without any extra difficulties. My husband has already received his residence permit, but we are still waiting for the plastic card, which is a common issue for many. The waiting process can drag on for months. We submitted our documents back in January, while our acquaintances have been waiting since October.

Work and legalization

I also work remotely and plan to legalize myself as an entrepreneur. The authorities in Portugal are accommodating to new residents in this regard, allowing them to adapt after moving before starting the process of obtaining the necessary documents.

Successful examples of adaptation

One of my acquaintances has already started working from home as a hair removal specialist and is earning money. She intends to apply for a residence permit in the near future. This has become possible thanks to the flexibility of the local system, which helps newcomers confidently find their place in a new life and adapt after moving.

In fact, this situation did not cause us much concern, despite the fact that we started our work without the proper permission. Previously, we lived in Poland, where we were reported by a neighbor, an elderly lady, who informed that we were working without the necessary visas. Of course, this created some trouble. However, in Portugal, such difficulties are absent. Although officially employment without legalization is impossible, engaging in private practice is quite acceptable. You can also find useful information about investments, immigration issues, and the real estate market through a Telegram channel.

The process of finding housing

Amidst a multitude of advertisements, there were reports of a housing shortage, but we didn't lose hope and continued our search. In the end, it turned out that finding a place to live was not as difficult as we had expected. The life of an immigrant requires proactive actions and quick responses. We tried to act accordingly, especially when it came to finding an apartment. We checked the listings several times a day, as some apartments could be rented just an hour after being posted. Those who were quick won.

When we found a suitable option, we would immediately call the owner and ask about the possibility of meeting. They often suggested, "Let's meet tomorrow." But we always insisted, "Can't we meet today? We can come right away."

Successes in renting housing

In the end, our efforts to find housing paid off, and we managed to choose one of two possible apartments. One of the landlords agreed to rent us her apartment on the condition that we find guarantors. The owner had doubts about us because she didn't know how legal our income was, even with a series of documents confirming our financial stability. The thing is, we didn't have any guarantors since we had just started getting acquainted with Portuguese culture and society.

The owners of the second apartment said at the first meeting, "We'll think about it," as they had many potential tenants. However, after we agreed to pay the rent in advance for several months, their interest increased significantly.

Competition in the rental market

The rental market in Portugal is quite competitive, and landlords are very selective about their tenants. This is due to the fact that terminating a lease and changing tenants is not an easy process. So, we managed to rent an apartment from a Chinese family that owns a significant number of properties in the area. It was a pleasure working with them; they turned out to be very attentive and organized. It was convenient for us to communicate in English, as the locals often speak only Portuguese. Therefore, many rental options were immediately ruled out, and we had to handle the correspondence ourselves.

Help from fellow countrymen

Among the emigrants in Portugal, there were people who spoke Portuguese fluently and were willing to help us communicate with landlords. Thus, the language barrier in the process of searching for an apartment can be overcome if there is a desire. In the end, our search for permanent housing took about three weeks, but most importantly, we found a cozy and suitable place to live.

The first apartment we rented was only for a short term — ten days. Unfortunately, time did not allow us to complete all our planned tasks, and after that, we had to look for accommodation again for an additional five days. Fortunately, just three days later, we found a new place, and then we started actively setting up our space. For this, we went to an IKEA store, where we spent about 2000 euros. The rented apartment we found only had the basic kitchen appliances, and all the other rooms turned out to be empty. But there are also options on the market where the accommodation is already furnished.

From the appliances, we decided to purchase only a heater and a dehumidifier. It's funny, but one of our acquaintances managed to furnish her apartment for just 1000 euros by finding inexpensive furniture in thrift stores. Initially, we considered housing options on the Airbnb platform, but we found out that long-term rentals were not cost-effective for us, with monthly expenses reaching 1000-1200 euros, depending on the location.

Comparison of housing prices

In Lisbon, the cost of long-term rent is significantly higher than in Setúbal, where we pay 850 euros a month. In comparison, in the capital, you can only rent a room for that amount, which highlights the substantial difference in housing prices. There is also a noticeable difference in utility costs. However, food prices mostly remain the same, which is a relief.

Caution when searching for housing

When looking for housing, it's important to be cautious to avoid encountering what's known as a "problematic apartment." For example, if the apartment is cold and damp, living there can become a challenge.

In Portugal, wine is available at a very low price — just 2 to 3 euros per bottle. The price of milk is approximately 1 euro, and fresh bread can be bought for just 18 cents. Fruit prices vary depending on the season, and when compared to prices in Moscow, Portuguese prices seem quite reasonable. However, since we arrived from Kirov, Portuguese prices may seem somewhat high to us. At the same time, there are also more budget-friendly products available in the market, and they are of high quality. Meat products in Portugal have an outstanding taste, and the eggs you can buy in stores are very similar to those sold in the village. It's also worth mentioning the wonderful local bread.

Assortment in supermarkets

The range of products in the supermarkets of Setúbal is quite diverse, and you can find all the necessary groceries here. Additionally, there are many specialists in this city offering manicure, pedicure, hairdressing, and waxing services. Soon, one of our acquaintances will be opening her own salon, where the price for a manicure with polish ranges from 15 to 20 euros, and nail extensions will cost from 25 euros. A men's haircut is only 5 euros, although such prices are likely set by Indian masters. By the way, in Lisbon, the cost of services is about twice as high.

Laundries and kindergartens

Don't forget about the price of the laundry sauna, which is 1.5 euros. This can be especially useful during the winter months when drying clothes can take quite a long time.

As for kindergartens, we have small children who attend preschool institutions, but our knowledge about local kindergartens is quite limited. We missed the current enrollment season for public kindergartens, as registration there only starts in April. We decided that it would be better for our children to continue attending the private kindergartens they like, to avoid unnecessary stress from changing their environment.

Searching for kindergartens

We have two different kindergartens. We were able to enroll our younger child in kindergarten purely by chance. Previously, an acquaintance had tried to find out about available spots in the kindergarten, but without success. However, when we met with neighbors from St. Petersburg, they were just enrolling their daughter, and I quickly signed my child up for that kindergarten. In the end, the next day we went to classes together with them.

Our eldest son has already turned five, and the process of finding a kindergarten for him took us about a month. We walked around the neighborhood ourselves to find a suitable place. When you want to learn something new, it's best to just walk around and explore. I marked the addresses on a map and checked for available spots, but this process sometimes felt endless. In moments of despair, I even thought that we might have to wait our turn to enroll him in a public kindergarten.

At one point, while talking to an acquaintance, she advised me not to limit myself to just the nearby kindergartens since we don't have a car yet, and it would be difficult for me to get around with two children. She mentioned an existing transfer service — buses that pick up children from home and take them to kindergarten. She recommended a private kindergarten associated with an elementary school. I visited the place, and it made a great impression on me! The establishment turned out to be cozy, with a homely atmosphere, where lemon trees grow, and classes are conducted in Portuguese.

Moving to Portugal: A New Chapter in Life

Upon completing our move to Portugal, I realize how important and significant this step has become for our family. We faced numerous obstacles and challenges, but we overcame them thanks to our unity and determination. Portugal has become not just a new point on the map, but a place where our children can grow inwarmandfriendly atmospherethat was our main goal.

Reasons for choosing Portugal

Our decision to move was driven by the desire to create better conditions for life and healthy development. We considered various countries, but ultimately we chose Portugal. This decision was based on time, discussions, and the desire to find the perfect place where we could start a new chapter in our lives. When we chose Setúbal, we found a city that is not only close to the capital but also offers an incredible atmosphere of comfort and coziness.

Organizational matters

The organizational aspects required a lot of patience and diligence. Preparing documents, obtaining visas and residencies – all of this became a lesson in the importance of establishing the right connections and finding experienced professionals for the much-needed legal support. We realized that without the help of specialists, it would have been much more difficult to deal with bureaucratic red tape.

Experience in searching for housing

The experience of searching for housing turned out to be a real challenge for us, but we were lucky in the end. We learned to respond quickly to offers, and ultimately managed to find a cozy apartment. This taught us not only to be flexible and resourceful, but also gave us skills that will undoubtedly be useful in the future. We got to know the locals and are slowly starting to settle in, discovering the culture and traditions of this amazing country.

The results of our move

Therefore, to sum up, I can say that our experience of moving to Portugal is not just a story about changing our place of residence. It's a story about:

• search
• research
• opening new horizons

This is a story about how important it is to follow your dreams and not give up in the face of difficulties. After all, life gives us the opportunity not only to adapt but also to grow in a new environment. Now, looking back, I can confidently say that the choice we made was the right one, and we eagerly await the new experiences and opportunities that await us in this beautiful country.