Portugal
Spain
Italy
Greece
Grenada Citizenship by Investment
MovingTo coordinates your European visa or residency application from first consultation to residency card and beyond. You are assigned a dedicated Case Lead who manages your timeline, a licensed immigration lawyer in your destination country who handles all legal filings, and a structured checklist process that tracks every document and milestone.
Here is exactly what happens at each stage.
Who Does What
MovingTo is not a law firm. We are an independent coordination layer between you and your licensed immigration lawyer. Here is exactly how the responsibilities divide.
What You Do (The Client)
- Provide personal documents (passport, criminal records, proof of address)
- Provide financial documents (bank statements, tax returns, source-of-funds)
- Make the qualifying investment (fund, donation, or business)
- Obtain health insurance
- Travel for biometrics (typically one trip)
- Respond to document requests on time
- Meet minimum stay requirements
What MovingTo Does (Your Case Lead)
- Eligibility & strategy assessment
- Lawyer matching in your destination country
- Personalised document checklist
- NIF registration
- Bank account coordination
- Fund selection support via funds.movingto.com
- Apostilles, translations, legalisation
- Milestone & deadline tracking
- Weekly updates, same-day urgent replies
- Biometrics scheduling
- Renewals & citizenship support
- Direct escalation with authorities
What Your Lawyer Does (Licensed Lawyer)
- Legal eligibility assessment
- Document legal sufficiency review
- Prepare & file official application
- Legal representation throughout
- Fund subscription doc review
- Government correspondence
- Family inclusion advice
- Renewal & citizenship legal work
You engage your lawyer directly. MovingTo does not mark up legal fees. We coordinate the process around your lawyer's work — we do not replace it. Your lawyer's name, credentials, and bar registration are shared with you before engagement.
Your Application Timeline
Every engagement follows the same structured process. Timelines below reflect realistic processing times based on recent applicant data and government processing capacity.
Step 1: Free Eligibility Call (30 min)
We assess your background, goals, family situation, nationality, and timeline. If we are not the right fit, we tell you and point you in the right direction. If we are, we explain your options, indicative costs, and likely timeline. No obligation, no fee.
Step 2: Engagement & Lawyer Matching (Within 1 week)
You are assigned a dedicated Case Lead and matched with a licensed immigration lawyer in your destination country. You receive the lawyer's name, credentials, and bar registration before signing. Your Case Lead creates your personalised case plan and document checklist.
Step 3: NIF & Bank Account
MovingTo coordinates your Portuguese tax number (NIF) registration and opens a bank account with a partner bank for investment transfers. Bank account opening can take 3-4 months due to AML/KYC compliance requirements — we start this early to avoid delays.
Step 4: Document Preparation
You provide personal and financial documents. MovingTo coordinates apostilles, certified translations, and document legalisation. Your lawyer reviews every document for legal sufficiency before submission. Allow 2-4 months for document preparation, including FBI background checks for US applicants.
Step 5: Investment Execution
Your Case Lead helps you shortlist qualifying funds using funds.movingto.com. Your lawyer reviews subscription documents before you sign. MovingTo coordinates the capital transfer.
Step 6: Application Submission
Your lawyer prepares and submits the official application to AIMA (or the relevant authority). MovingTo performs a final quality check on the complete dossier before filing.
Step 7: Government Processing
The immigration authority verifies your application and conducts due diligence. Your lawyer handles all correspondence. MovingTo monitors status and escalates directly with authorities if timelines exceed expectations. Processing times vary significantly by program — see timeline summary below.
Step 8: Biometrics Appointment
Once approved in principle, you travel to your destination for fingerprints and photographs. MovingTo coordinates the appointment date.
Step 9: Residency Card Issued
Your residency card is produced and delivered. You are now a legal resident with the right to live, work, and travel freely within the Schengen Area (for EU programs).
Step 10: Ongoing Support — Renewals, Tax & Citizenship
MovingTo does not disappear after your card is issued. Ongoing support includes permit renewals every 2 years, minimum stay monitoring, tax registration, cross-border tax advisor connections, family additions, and citizenship application guidance. Your Case Lead remains your contact throughout.
Realistic Timeline Summary by Program
- Portugal Golden Visa: 12-18 months total (3-5 months pre-application, 6-10 months government processing, 2-4 months biometrics to card)
- Portugal D7 (Passive Income): 8-14 months total (2-4 months pre-application, 3-6 months consulate processing, 2-4 months AIMA appointment + card)
- Portugal D8 (Digital Nomad): 7-12 months total (2-4 months pre-application, 2-4 months consulate processing, 2-4 months AIMA appointment + card)
- Spain Non-Lucrative: 5-8 months total (2-4 months pre-application, 2-3 months consulate processing, 6-10 weeks TIE card)
- Greece Golden Visa: 5-7 months total (6-12 weeks pre-application, 1-4 months government processing, 1-2 months card issuance)
Timelines reflect realistic processing based on recent applicant data (2025/2026). Individual timelines vary based on document readiness, nationality, and government processing capacity. Portugal timelines have improved significantly since 2024 but remain longer than marketing claims suggest.
Your Case Dashboard
Every client has access to a personalised case view where you can track documents, milestones, and communicate directly with your Case Lead and lawyer.
Document Checklist: Track each document's status — Approved, Under Review, or Pending. Your checklist is personalised to your program and situation.
Application Status: Real-time progress through each milestone (Engaged → NIF → Docs → Fund → Filed → Review → Bio → Card). You never have to ask where things stand.
Communication: Direct messaging with your Case Lead and lawyer. Full conversation history in one place.
Typical Documents by Program
Requirements vary by program. Your Case Lead provides a personalised checklist tailored to your nationality, family, and situation.
Portugal Golden Visa
Personal:
- Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
- Criminal record certificates (country of nationality + countries of residence, past 5 years)
- Portuguese NIF (tax number) — MovingTo coordinates
- Health insurance valid in Portugal
- Two passport-sized photographs
- Proof of address in current country
Financial:
- Bank statements (6 months)
- Tax returns (2-3 years)
- Source-of-funds documentation
- Proof of qualifying investment (fund subscription confirmation)
Family (if applicable):
- Marriage certificate (spouse)
- Birth certificates (children)
- Proof of dependency (adult children / parents)
- Criminal record + health insurance for each family member
All non-Portuguese documents require certified translation and apostille. MovingTo coordinates this through its provider network.
Portugal D7 (Passive Income Visa)
Personal:
- Valid passport
- Criminal record certificates
- Portuguese NIF — MovingTo coordinates
- Health insurance valid in Portugal
- Proof of accommodation in Portugal (12-month lease required)
- Two passport-sized photographs
Financial:
- Proof of passive income (minimum €920/month for main applicant — based on 2026 Portuguese minimum wage)
- Bank statements (6-12 months)
- Tax returns (2-3 years)
- Pension statements, rental income, or investment income evidence
Family (if applicable):
- Marriage certificate, birth certificates, dependency proof
- Additional income proof (+50% for spouse, +30% per child)
Portugal D8 (Digital Nomad Visa)
Personal:
- Valid passport
- Criminal record certificates
- Health insurance valid in Portugal
- Proof of accommodation in Portugal
- Two passport-sized photographs
Financial / Professional:
- Employment contract with company outside Portugal, or freelance/self-employment proof
- Income proof meeting minimum threshold (€3,680/month — 4x 2026 Portuguese minimum wage)
- Bank statements (3-6 months)
- Tax returns from current country of residence
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Personal:
- Valid passport
- Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
- Medical certificate
- Private health insurance — full coverage, no co-pays
- Proof of accommodation in Spain
Financial:
- Sufficient financial means (€2,400/month for main applicant — 400% of 2026 IPREM)
- Bank statements (12 months)
- Pension, investment income, or savings evidence
All documents must be apostilled and translated to Spanish by a sworn translator.
Greece Golden Visa
Personal:
- Valid passport
- Criminal record certificate
- Health insurance
- Two passport-sized photographs
Financial:
- Proof of qualifying real estate investment: €400,000 (regional areas) to €800,000 (Athens, Thessaloniki, major islands) for standard property purchases. €250,000 minimum applies only to commercial-to-residential conversions or heritage building restoration.
- Bank statements confirming investment transfer
- Source-of-funds documentation
- Tax returns
All documents must be apostilled and officially translated to Greek.
Our Service Standards
Measurable commitments from first consultation through to citizenship:
- Case Lead Response: Within 1 Business Day — Urgent queries handled same-day
- Lawyer Response: Within 1 Business Day — For all portal messages
- Milestone Updates: Proactive + Weekly — Notification at every milestone, weekly status as standard
- Document QC: Dual Review — Case Lead review before passing to lawyer
- Escalation: Direct Authority Access — Proactive escalation when timelines exceed expectations
- Continuity: Single Point of Contact — Same Case Lead from engagement through citizenship
Frequently Asked Questions
How does MovingTo work?
MovingTo coordinates your European visa or residency application from first consultation to residency card and beyond. You are assigned a dedicated Case Lead who manages your timeline, a licensed immigration lawyer who handles all legal filings, and a structured checklist process that tracks every document and milestone.
Is MovingTo a law firm?
No. MovingTo is an independent coordination platform. You are matched with a licensed immigration lawyer in your destination country who provides legal representation. You engage the lawyer directly — MovingTo does not mark up legal fees.
How long does it take to get a Golden Visa through MovingTo?
The typical timeline for a Portugal Golden Visa is 12-18 months from engagement to residency card. This includes 3-5 months for pre-application preparation (including bank account opening), 6-10 months for government processing, and 2-4 months for biometrics and card issuance. Timelines have improved since 2024 but remain longer than some marketing claims suggest.
What documents do I need for a Golden Visa?
Typical documents include a valid passport, criminal record certificates, health insurance, proof of qualifying investment, bank statements, tax returns, source-of-funds documentation, and passport photographs. For family inclusion, marriage and birth certificates are also required. Your Case Lead provides a personalised checklist.
What does a MovingTo Case Lead do?
Your Case Lead is your single point of contact. They handle eligibility assessment, document checklists, NIF and bank coordination, apostilles and translations, milestone tracking, weekly updates, lawyer coordination, and authority escalations. Response time: within 1 business day.
What happens after I get my residency card?
MovingTo provides ongoing support including permit renewals every 2 years, minimum stay monitoring, tax registration, cross-border tax advisor connections, family additions, and citizenship application guidance. Your Case Lead remains your point of contact throughout.
Can I include my family in the application?
Yes. Most programs allow inclusion of a spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents. Family members receive their own residency cards. Your Case Lead coordinates all family documentation as part of the standard process.
How is MovingTo different from a law firm?
A law firm provides legal representation. MovingTo provides end-to-end coordination — managing timeline, documents, fund selection, ancillary services (NIF, bank accounts, insurance, translations), and escalations. You get both: a licensed lawyer for legal work and a Case Lead for everything else.
How much does MovingTo charge?
MovingTo charges a fixed coordination fee disclosed before engagement. This covers your Case Lead, document coordination, fund selection support, timeline management, and ongoing support. Legal fees are paid directly to your lawyer — not marked up. See our services page for current pricing.
Ready to Start?
30 minutes. No obligation. We will assess your eligibility, explain your options, and give you a clear timeline and cost — before you commit to anything.
Book a Free Eligibility Call →
Your call is with a licensed immigration advisor — not a salesperson.
