My Portuguese Visa Expired 6 Months Ago—Here's My Escape Plan

Why every expat needs a Plan B (and how to create yours before you need it).

Author Selfie in Sintra (Caves of Quinta da Regaleira) May 2025

Hello and welcome! I’m Kimberly Anne—a U.S. expat who moved to Portugal solo in 2022, sight unseen and without a safety net. I started this Substack to document my own journey, but these days, I’m here to help you explore your own dreams of moving abroad. Thanks for joining me on the adventure! (Want more of the backstory? Click here.)

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When Life Changes Course: Why Backup Plans Matter

Thinking about moving abroad—or just worried about what happens when life goes off-script? You’re not alone. Whether you’re facing visa headaches in Portugal or dealing with unexpected changes closer to home, having a backup plan (or three) is essential.

In this article, I share how my carefully laid plans may be unraveling, what I could be doing next, and—most importantly—how you can build your own safety nets for whatever life throws your way. Even if Portugal isn’t on your radar, these lessons apply to anyone ready to take control when the unexpected hits.

Let’s talk about real-world Plan B’s—and why you should have yours ready, wherever you are.

When Best-Laid Plans Fall Apart

I have to laugh at myself for publishing last week's productivity article because this week I've been less productive than I've been in years. Did I jinx myself? More likely I'm suffering from a little bit of burnout plus time off that I'm finding difficult to bounce back from.

I started a different article for this week that I am excited about. I'll post it next week. It's a short overview of all the towns I've visited in Portugal since 2022. A lot of people ask me about moving here and where to settle, so hopefully it will answer those questions.

But first… what’s really been on my mind—a reality check.

Bureaucratic Nightmares

Bureaucracy is terrible everywhere, we all know this. I'm not saying it's worse in Portugal because it's just as bad or worse in many other countries. However, my 2 year visa expired in December and there's no indication of when (or if) it'll be renewed. I'm far from the only person in this boat.

Until October 2023 there was one agency that handled immigration. It was called SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras). I am absolutely no expert, but thought it was working. It's how I, and many others were able to move to Portugal. When you come over on a D7 (passive income) or D8 (digital nomad) visa, you get a two year temporary residency visa which you can then extend for another three.

In the past, it was easy to extend these through the SEF website. You went online, provided your updated information and voila, you were approved.

However, today I stopped at my favorite bookstore, and during a conversation with the owner, I learned about a horrible incident: SEF agents beat a forty-year-old Ukrainian man to death at the Lisbon airport. I was told that SEF employees were mostly law enforcement officers. Apparently SEF was a security service/police force with law enforcement and border control powers.

This murder led to the disbanding of SEF.

Two years ago, another agency called AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) was formed. Sadly, this agency doesn’t work. From what I understand—and what several Portuguese friends have told me (though I may be wrong)—they hired new people, launched a new website and processing system, and quickly became overwhelmed.

Why This Matters to Anyone Thinking of Moving Abroad

Portugal is over nine months behind on renewing people’s visas. This means my visa expired over six months ago and there's no indication of when it will (or if it will) be renewed. Everyone was given an extension to June 30th. This article is releasing at the beginning of June and they haven't extended our extensions. There's no information about when or if they will. In the meantime we can't leave Portugal. We're told we can fly in and out of Portugal to a non-Schengen country in Europe but I have a dog and refuse to take the chance that I may not be allowed back in. Plus, after June 30th, all bets are off.

Whenever I broach this subject with friends they tell me not to worry, everything will be fine… and they're probably right. I love that my friends are unworried and trust in the Portuguese government, I really do. But I just can't.

I'm not a worrier, I'm a doer. I'm not a "sit around and hope for the best" type of person. I'm a "grab the bull by the horns and work on plans B, C and D" type of person.

If you look at the recent developments, you can see that Portugal is keen on removing undocumented immigrants from the country. If we don't get an extension past June 30th, if we don't get our visas renewed, we'll be in that category.

I found an article where the minister of Portugal is telling people to be "calm" as they sleep outside of AIMA's doors. There are other articles listing the thousands of immigrants that are being deported. And there's the issue that the government here is going through it’s own re-branding with one leader expelled for corruption. There was an election held on May 18th that welcomed in two right-wing parties (after thirty+ years of democracy per several Portuguese friends of mine). And there’s no clear indication of what the future holds.

I'm not writing this article to beat up on the bureaucracy of Portugal because there's nothing I can do about it, and governments pretty much suck everywhere. I'm writing this article to talk about what I can do if the worst happens. And what you can do too.

Photo of Belém by Author May 2025

How to Build Your Backup Plans

As mentioned, I'm a practical person. I can't just close my eyes and hope for the best. The intent of this article is to show you that sometimes best laid plans crumble and we all need a plan B, C, D… or even Z.

I've had these for as long as I can remember. Years ago, when I still had the body for it, my plan Z was to be a stripper—if there ever came a time when I couldn't earn. Thankfully (not that there's anything wrong with that profession) I didn't have to lean into that.

I’d love for each and every one of you to come up with your plans B, C, and D in case whatever you’re doing right now doesn’t work for you (for whatever reason).

So the first thing I did when coming up with my plan B was to take stock of what I have (stuff) and where else I can go (move).

Taking Inventory: What I'm Working With

I have been in Portugal for almost three years which means I cannot travel to another Schengen country since, without a visa, an American citizen is only allowed to stay in a Schengen country for ninety days.

I have a dog who is too large to take inside a plane and too heavy for me to carry in a crate onto a train. Plus I had horrible experiences doing both with my last dog.

I have a car and my dog loves (and is trained) to take long car rides, up to nine hours at a time, with pee breaks of course.

This means I can drive to a non-Schengen country and stay there for ninety days before being allowed to return to a Schengen country for ninety days. A person can do this indefinitely. I interviewed a wonderful woman named Mandy on my first podcast series who did this for fourteen years and loved it.

Albania and Georgia are non-Schengen countries and both offer one year visas. Georgia is a further drive from Portugal, but still doable.

Here's my thinking and I hope it doesn't have to come to this but I'm laying it out here because maybe you're dealing with something similar in your home country and it feels overwhelming. Or maybe you’re already a digital nomad in Asia or Central or South America or Africa looking for something or somewhere new. Perhaps you’re already living in another country, but your time is limited.

So, here’s my plan broken down in steps because who doesn’t love steps?

1. I have an apartment with a five year lease.

   1. Solution: break the lease. My landlady said she’d be okay with this but if it actually happens, who knows for sure. As a friend asked, “do you have that in writing?” And the answer is, “no.” But if it comes to that, hopefully she will understand.

2. I have quite a lot of furniture.

   1. Solution: sell it, leave it here for the next person, and/or give it away.

3. I have stuff I don’t want to get rid of (clothes, really nice flannel sheets, nice cookware and knives, suitcases, etc.)

   1. Solution: an affordable storage unit in Gaia for things I want to keep.

   2. Give away everything I don’t want or can’t keep.

4. I have a dog.

   1. Solution: she comes with me.

5. I have a car.

   1. Solution: my car is my escape plan. If I load my car full of crap I won’t be able to sleep in it, but if I just bring a small amount of stuff, I can flip down one of the back seats and sleep comfortably while I travel to wherever. This is the plan. Don’t bring too much stuff.

6. I have a bank account in Portugal.

   1. Solution: keep it for now.

7. I pay for private medical insurance in Portugal.

   1. Solution: keep for now, in case I need it because healthcare here is stellar.

I have a phone plan and wifi here in Portugal.

1. Solution: TBD: you can’t cancel because they lock you into contracts and it’s more expensive to break them, you have to pay the full contract either way.

2. Solution: get a SIM card wherever I land and use my wifi hotspot while on the road.

What to bring, besides my dog?

I’ve traveled for several months with just a carry one in the past, so that’s my plan. One stuffed backpack (or small suitcase) with clothes and toiletries and one gear backpack with electronics.

Destination Research: Where Can You Move on $500 a Month for Rent?

This does not include bills or food. I’ve been pretty transparent that I live on €2,000 a month.

Remember: I would HAVE to leave the Schengen for at least ninety days.

I did a little research to find the most affordable Airbnbs, not that I have to use Airbnb but it gave me a good overview. Tirana in Albania has become pricier than it was last year. My ideal is to find a rental for around $500 a month. Airbnbs in Tirana are now renting for $1,000 per month or more.

I could be outside the city a bit but I really love living in a city, especially as a single person. For affordability, that leaves Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Tbilisi, Georgia. I could swing Tirana for a couple of months, use half my income and and stay longer, or earn more.

I have a very good friend in Ireland, I thought about begging to use her couch but she's had another couch surfing friend for the past five years and there's probably not room for two unless it's a very big couch.

I also have friends living in Schengen countries and during my ninety days in, I could stay with them. However, I'm much happier on my own.

I could sell my car and buy a very cheap and very used van to live in or at least travel in. I lived in a van in the US for a year and swore I'd never do it again but I could do it for a short time or in between destinations.

Here’s a list of my Plans B, C, D and D+:

1. Move to Tirana, Albania for a year and figure out how to earn more and where to go from there.

2. Become a digital nomad and explore Europe, staying in rentals while doing the Schengen Shuffle.

3. Sell my car, buy a van and make my way to Tbilisi, Georgia where I can stay for a year.

4. Buy a van and do the Schengen Shuffle.

What lights me up the most? Honestly, being a digital nomad again.

Author Selfie in Tavira May 2025

Am I Overreacting or Just Being Smart?

I don’t really feel like I’m catastrophizing and my therapist assures me I’m being practical LOL. I have a timeline for all of this. If I don’t get a visa extension by August I’m going to make plans to leave in September.

I realize this may all be moot. Everything probably WILL work out, but why leave it to chance?

Therefore I wrote this article so you can see:

• how I plan.

• how you can plan.

• how plans B, C and D are relevant to you and important to have.

• how none of us can really count on anything to remain the same.

Governments change!!! Laws change. Families change. Money comes and goes. Things go sideways…

As Robert Burns said: "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

Conclusion

So, if you’ve made it this far—first, thank you for letting me spill my bureaucratic guts. I know this isn’t exactly a sun-drenched “living abroad is a dream!” postcard, but it’s real, and sometimes reality is exactly what we need to hear.

If there’s one thing I hope you take away, it’s this: you don’t have to be fearless, you just have to be prepared. The world is unpredictable, governments are fickle, and sometimes you find yourself weighing the pros and cons of van life all over again. But you’re not powerless. You can make plans. You can pivot. You can laugh at the absurdity, have a good cry if you need to, and then grab the bull by the horns and figure out your next move.

Maybe you’ll never need your Plan B, C, or D—but there’s something empowering about having them tucked in your back pocket. And honestly, sometimes the backup plan turns into an even better adventure than the original.

So here’s to all of us—retirees, dreamers, reluctant nomads, and everyone in-between—who keep showing up, figuring it out, and finding a way forward, no matter what curveballs come our way.

Stay tuned for next week, when I promise to share something a little more lighthearted: all the quirky, charming little towns I’ve discovered in Portugal. Until then, keep your passports handy and your backup plans ready.

Thanks for reading, and—who knows?—maybe I’ll see you in Europe.

Resources

• ***John Howard’s Great Article about a similar situation and take!

• AIMA

• More information about the disbanding of SEF

• The Ukrainian Man who was Murdered by SEF Agents

• More Border Police for Airports

• Sleeping at the doors of AIMA

• Immigrants being kicked out of Portugal.

• AIMA’s backlog.

• What is the Schengen?

• What is the Schengen Shuffle?

• Non-Schengen Countries.

• Mandy Interview. Mandy Moore successfully did the Schengen Shuffle for fourteen years.

Thank you so much for reading! If you don’t want to become a paid subscriber (my articles will always be free) but enjoyed this article, please consider a one time donation below.

I’m excited to help you make your dream of moving abroad a reality! 🎉 Book a video consultation with me to get personalized guidance for your big move, or check out my super affordable, self-paced class to learn key steps and strategies for relocating abroad. Let’s make it happen!

• Consulting Information: Discover how I can help make your move abroad smoother and stress-free.

• Work With Me: I offer personalized à la carte consultations and ridiculously affordable packages to fit your needs!

• My Class: Learn step-by-step strategies to move abroad on a budget—all at your own pace!

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—If you want to learn another language before you embark (or after) on your new adventure, I highly recommend the platform Preply! It’s what I use to learn Portuguese and it’s also the platform I teach on. Please use my referral code for $17 off your first lesson!

—I use Wise to transfer money internationally between bank accounts and they also offer a free ATM card that can be used worldwide without fees. Please use my referral code for a free transfer of up to $600.

—I’ve started using Kindred Home Exchange in order to secure affordable accommodations! If you’re interested and want to sign up, you will get five nights with my referral code!

—I use SafetyWing for my travel medical insurance abroad. You can check them out here.

—For travel hacking, I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. I earn enough points by using the card regularly (with no foreign transaction fees) to get a “free” RT ticket from Europe to the US at least once a year.

—I use the eSim Nomad. I’ve tried several others, and Nomad is the only one that’s ever worked for me.

—If you’re traveling or moving to a new country, I highly recommend choosing ExpressVPN. It’s the VPN service that I use. Click here for more information and get three extra months on an affordable twelve month subscription.

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If you’re interested in my “Why I Left the US and Won’t Ever Return” Series, please check out..

1. Cost of living: Article here

2. Healthcare (or lack thereof) here.

3. Safety—article here.

4. Polarization—too much hate and anger

5. Community

6. Values

If you’re interested in moving abroad, check out my free Expat on a Budget pub or podcast on Substack

The How to Live Abroad Publication is here.

• Part 1—Want to move abroad? Start here!

• Part 2—Conquer your fears about moving abroad!

• Part 3—12 Minimizing Mistakes Part 1

• Part 4—12 Minimizing Mistakes Part 2

• Part 5—A Personal Case study (re: Minimizing)

• Part 6—Your Move Abroad: The Ultimate Checklist

Please like by clicking on the heart below and share this article with a friend. 

Your support (in all ways) is greatly appreciated! 

—Expat on a Budget (AKA) Living Abroad on a Budget, My Unknown Adventure and An Unscripted Life are all brought to you by Kimberly Anne 🥰🤩🥳

*** This article contains a few affiliate links. Using my affiliate links is not required and does not cost you anything extra but I greatly appreciate it, if you do. It’s a (free to you) way to help support my writing.

***Disclaimer: My writings and podcasts are based on personal experience and are provided for informational purposes only. I am not a lawyer, therapist, or CPA, and the content I share should not be taken as legal, medical, or financial advice. All information I provide about moving abroad is based on personal experience and research. If you have disabilities, health concerns, or financial difficulties, please consult with the relevant professionals before making decisions about moving abroad. I am not responsible for any outcomes or consequences resulting from the use of this information.