Glenda B. Says:
Hi, we want to rent a furnished property in a Portuguese beach town on the Atlantic for six to 22 months out of Australia. How do we go about doing that?
IL Contributor in Portugal Terry Coles Says:
Hi Glenda,
Thanks so much for your interest in Portugal and for writing to International Living. You can visit Portugal for up to 90 days with just a tourist visa. To stay longer, you’d need to apply for a long-stay resident visa. The D7 is the most common visa, but it does require you to live in Portugal for most of the year.
The only other option I’m aware of is the Golden Visa, which requires you to make an investment in Portugal, usually by purchasing property. With a GV, you only need to live in Portugal for two weeks out of every year.
If you’ve already secured a D7 visa, Julie at Tavira Long Lets can assist you in finding a rental in and around Tavira, a charming town close to the Spanish border. She helped me and my husband find our current rental.
In the central Algarve near the town of Vilamoura, you can contact Stella Oakes at stellaoakes@hotmail.com, my friend and former landlady. For other towns, there are Facebook groups like Long-Term Rentals Algarve, Long-term properties Algarve, and East Algarve rentals, just to name a few.
Please check with the Portugal consulate in your country for specific details on how to apply for a long-stay resident visa.
Hope this helps. Safe travels, and best wishes.
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