Portugal
Spain
Italy
Greece
Grenada Citizenship by Investment
Short answer: Movingto admin and setup services are usually measured in days or weeks, while visa, residence, Golden Visa, and citizenship services should usually be planned in months. The ranges below are planning guides, not approval guarantees: external authority, consulate, bank, appointment, translation, apostille, and professional-review timing can change the total calendar.
Need fees as well as timing? See Movingto Pricing for current service-fee guide prices by country and service type.
Common Movingto timelines
Use this table to choose a realistic planning window before you book travel, sign a lease, leave a job, or set a relocation date.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal NIF | Usually 1 to 3 business days once the client file is complete. | Varies by tax-office access, representative availability, and document quality. | Plan 1 to 2 weeks. | Missing ID, proof of address, name mismatch, or urgent tax-deadline work. |
| Portugal fiscal representation | Usually 1 to 3 business days after details and mandate are complete. | Varies by tax-portal access and representative confirmation. | Plan 1 to 2 weeks. | Existing tax records, address changes, expired documents, or prior representative issues. |
| Portugal bank account coordination | Usually 3 to 10 business days to prepare and coordinate the file. | Varies by bank review, compliance checks, appointment availability, and source-of-funds questions. | Plan 2 to 6 weeks. | Non-standard income, company ownership, sanctioned-country exposure, missing tax documents, or complex source of funds. |
| Portugal D7 visa | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare the application once documents are available. | Varies by consulate or VFS appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Lease timing, proof of passive income, family applicants, missing civil documents, or consulate backlog. |
| Portugal D8 digital nomad visa | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare the application once remote-work evidence is ready. | Varies by appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Employment contract gaps, fluctuating income, tax-residence questions, family applicants, or country of application. |
| Portugal D2 entrepreneur visa | Usually 2 to 5 weeks, depending on business-plan and incorporation scope. | Varies by company setup, consulate appointment availability, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Business-plan quality, company formation, bank account readiness, family applicants, or regulated activity. |
| Portugal Golden Visa coordination | Usually 2 to 6 weeks for onboarding, document checklist, coordination, and application preparation. | Varies by investment subscription, bank/fund/custody checks, AIMA scheduling, and authority processing. | Plan 6 to 18 months for the first application journey. | Source-of-funds complexity, fund onboarding, family size, document apostilles, translations, or AIMA availability. |
| Portugal residence permit renewal | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare a renewal file once documents are complete. | Varies by AIMA availability, portal access, appointment timing, and authority processing. | Plan 2 to 6 months before expiry where possible. | Expired permits, missing tax/social-security evidence, travel conflicts, dependent renewals, or address changes. |
| Portuguese citizenship support | Usually 2 to 6 weeks to prepare and coordinate the file after eligibility review. | Varies by civil-registry processing, nationality route, document checks, and language/certification evidence. | Plan 12 months or more from preparation through authority review. | Nationality basis, criminal-record documents, name discrepancies, civil-registry records, or missing language evidence. |
| Spain digital nomad visa | Usually 2 to 4 weeks to prepare once remote-work, income, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate, in-country route, appointment availability, and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Employment status, company permissions, tax position, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Spain non-lucrative visa | Usually 2 to 4 weeks to prepare once financial and residence evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Savings evidence, health insurance, civil documents, translations, apostilles, or family applicants. |
| Spain NIE | Usually a few business days to prepare the file after identity and purpose documents are available. | Varies by appointment availability and local office or consulate handling. | Plan 2 to 8 weeks. | Reason for NIE, appointment location, power of attorney needs, or document legalization. |
| Italy digital nomad visa | Usually 2 to 5 weeks to prepare once income, work, housing, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability, local residence steps, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Employment status, tax-residence questions, housing evidence, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Italy elective residency or retirement route | Usually 2 to 5 weeks to prepare once passive-income, housing, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability, local residence steps, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Passive-income evidence, pension documentation, housing timing, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Italy bank account/company support | Usually 1 to 3 weeks for preparation and coordination, depending on the service mix. | Varies by bank, chamber, notary, accountant, tax-code, and compliance review. | Plan 3 to 10 weeks. | Company structure, shareholder documents, tax-code readiness, source-of-funds questions, or local appointment availability. |
How to use this timelines guide
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does Movingto preparation/support mean? | It is the time Movingto typically needs for onboarding, checklist work, document review, application preparation, filing coordination, appointment support, or partner coordination once the client provides the required information. |
| What does external waiting time mean? | It is time controlled by authorities, consulates, VFS, AIMA, banks, funds, notaries, translators, apostille offices, accountants, lawyers, or other third parties. |
| Are these official government processing times? | No. They are practical planning ranges for Movingto clients. Where authority timing matters, the table says it varies instead of pretending the timeline is fixed. |
| What should I do if I have a deadline? | Start earlier than the guide range, tell Movingto the deadline before engagement, and avoid booking irreversible travel or accommodation around an unconfirmed authority decision. |
Service timelines by country
The tables below split the main Movingto services by country and service type. Each range assumes the client file is broadly complete; missing documents, translations, apostilles, family applicants, prior refusals, source-of-funds questions, or urgent deadlines can extend the timeline.
Portugal admin and setup timelines
These services are usually the fastest because they depend mostly on document completeness, representative availability, bank checks, and appointment access.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal NIF | Usually 1 to 3 business days once the client file is complete. | Varies by tax-office access, representative availability, and document quality. | Plan 1 to 2 weeks. | Missing ID, proof of address, name mismatch, or urgent tax-deadline work. |
| Portugal fiscal representation | Usually 1 to 3 business days after details and mandate are complete. | Varies by tax-portal access and representative confirmation. | Plan 1 to 2 weeks. | Existing tax records, address changes, expired documents, or prior representative issues. |
| Portugal bank account coordination | Usually 3 to 10 business days to prepare and coordinate the file. | Varies by bank review, compliance checks, appointment availability, and source-of-funds questions. | Plan 2 to 6 weeks. | Non-standard income, company ownership, sanctioned-country exposure, missing tax documents, or complex source of funds. |
Portugal visa and residence timelines
Visa and residence routes need more planning because the application file, consulate or VFS access, and authority processing all affect the final calendar.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal D7 visa | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare the application once documents are available. | Varies by consulate or VFS appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Lease timing, proof of passive income, family applicants, missing civil documents, or consulate backlog. |
| Portugal D8 digital nomad visa | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare the application once remote-work evidence is ready. | Varies by appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Employment contract gaps, fluctuating income, tax-residence questions, family applicants, or country of application. |
| Portugal D2 entrepreneur visa | Usually 2 to 5 weeks, depending on business-plan and incorporation scope. | Varies by company setup, consulate appointment availability, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Business-plan quality, company formation, bank account readiness, family applicants, or regulated activity. |
Portugal Golden Visa, renewal, and citizenship timelines
These routes usually involve more parties, more documents, and longer external review windows, so applicants should plan early.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal Golden Visa coordination | Usually 2 to 6 weeks for onboarding, document checklist, coordination, and application preparation. | Varies by investment subscription, bank/fund/custody checks, AIMA scheduling, and authority processing. | Plan 6 to 18 months for the first application journey. | Source-of-funds complexity, fund onboarding, family size, document apostilles, translations, or AIMA availability. |
| Portugal residence permit renewal | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to prepare a renewal file once documents are complete. | Varies by AIMA availability, portal access, appointment timing, and authority processing. | Plan 2 to 6 months before expiry where possible. | Expired permits, missing tax/social-security evidence, travel conflicts, dependent renewals, or address changes. |
| Portuguese citizenship support | Usually 2 to 6 weeks to prepare and coordinate the file after eligibility review. | Varies by civil-registry processing, nationality route, document checks, and language/certification evidence. | Plan 12 months or more from preparation through authority review. | Nationality basis, criminal-record documents, name discrepancies, civil-registry records, or missing language evidence. |
Spain service timelines
Spain timelines depend heavily on route choice, consulate or in-country filing path, appointment availability, and whether translations or apostilles are needed.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain digital nomad visa | Usually 2 to 4 weeks to prepare once remote-work, income, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate, in-country route, appointment availability, and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Employment status, company permissions, tax position, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Spain non-lucrative visa | Usually 2 to 4 weeks to prepare once financial and residence evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability and authority processing. | Plan 3 to 6 months before the intended move. | Savings evidence, health insurance, civil documents, translations, apostilles, or family applicants. |
| Spain NIE | Usually a few business days to prepare the file after identity and purpose documents are available. | Varies by appointment availability and local office or consulate handling. | Plan 2 to 8 weeks. | Reason for NIE, appointment location, power of attorney needs, or document legalization. |
Italy service timelines
Italy timelines depend on the consulate, local residence steps, bank or company checks, and document legalization requirements.
| Service | Movingto preparation/support | External waiting time | Typical planning window | What changes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy digital nomad visa | Usually 2 to 5 weeks to prepare once income, work, housing, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability, local residence steps, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Employment status, tax-residence questions, housing evidence, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Italy elective residency or retirement route | Usually 2 to 5 weeks to prepare once passive-income, housing, and insurance evidence are ready. | Varies by consulate appointment availability, local residence steps, and authority processing. | Plan 4 to 8 months before the intended move. | Passive-income evidence, pension documentation, housing timing, family applicants, translations, or apostilles. |
| Italy bank account/company support | Usually 1 to 3 weeks for preparation and coordination, depending on the service mix. | Varies by bank, chamber, notary, accountant, tax-code, and compliance review. | Plan 3 to 10 weeks. | Company structure, shareholder documents, tax-code readiness, source-of-funds questions, or local appointment availability. |
Timeline questions
How long does Movingto take to start work?
Movingto can usually start after engagement, payment, and onboarding details are complete. The practical start date depends on the route, document readiness, and whether a regulated professional needs to review the file.
Which Movingto services are fastest?
NIF, fiscal representation, basic appointment support, and some document-support items are usually the fastest because they depend mostly on having the right documents and a clear instruction.
Which services take the longest?
Golden Visa coordination, citizenship support, complex residence renewals, entrepreneur routes, and family files usually need the most time because they involve more documents, more parties, and longer external review windows.
Can Movingto guarantee a government or consulate timeline?
No. Movingto can prepare and coordinate the file, but government authorities, consulates, VFS, AIMA, banks, funds, courts, civil registries, and other third parties control their own availability and review timing.
When should I start before a move?
For simple admin services, start weeks ahead. For visa, residence, Golden Visa, or citizenship work, start months ahead and leave extra time for appointments, translations, apostilles, and authority review.
What delays a visa or residence timeline?
Common delays include missing or expired documents, unclear income, source-of-funds questions, family-member evidence, apostille or translation delays, bank compliance review, appointment shortages, travel conflicts, prior refusals, and changes in authority workflow.
Important limits
These are guide planning ranges for service coordination. They are not legal, tax, accounting, investment, banking, or immigration advice. They do not guarantee approval, appointment availability, bank acceptance, fund onboarding, citizenship approval, or authority processing speed. Movingto confirms the exact scope and any time-sensitive constraints before work starts.
Last updated: June 17, 2026. Timelines are guide planning ranges and may change when scope, route, applicant profile, authority availability, or third-party requirements change.
