Case Study
Date
June 2023
Type of case
Immigration
From Rejection to Resolution: How Expert Legal Guidance Turned a Visa Nightmare into a Success
Situation Overview
John and Ashley, a couple of American citizens residing in Texas, decided to submit their D7 visas at the Portuguese Consulate in Washington D.C., without professional assistance. What initially seemed like a simple task quickly turned into a nightmare. After gathering the necessary documents according to the checklist and attending the passport submission appointment, they were surprised by a notification of the consulate’s intention to deny their visa application. Although they had 10 days to respond, believing it to be a minor issue, they submitted a quick, brief letter with a few supporting documents. The result? Their visa applications were denied, and they were notified of the option to file an administrative appeal.
Our Strategy
At this critical juncture, our law firm was brought in. Given that this was an appeal rather than a new application, simply submitting the required documents wasn’t enough. After a thorough analysis, we uncovered mistakes in the forms and identified that crucial information had been omitted from the bank statements, making it difficult to verify account ownership, a key criterion for the D7 visa: proof of personal income.
Our strategy was clear: we corrected the forms, resubmitted the documents—this time complete and with all relevant details—and lodged an administrative appeal directly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But more than that, since this was an appeal, we needed to go beyond just correcting the previous issues. We had to build a stronger case, gathering additional documents and providing more substantial evidence than initially required to ensure every aspect was thoroughly demonstrated. We maintained strict oversight and constant communication with the authorities to ensure the entire process received the proper level of scrutiny.
Conclusion
After several months of waiting, we achieved success: the consulate reversed its previous decision and approved the visa applications. John and Ashley finally flew to Portugal and were able to enjoy the apartment they had rented in Porto. Following this success, they entrusted our firm once again to assist with subsequent processes, such as scheduling their AIMA interview, which resulted in them receiving their residence cards in less than a month.
Cases like John and Asheley’s demonstrate the importance of specialized legal assistance from the very beginning. If you need support for immigration processes or any other legal services, contact our law firm today. We will ensure that your case is handled with the utmost efficiency and precision, avoiding mistakes and securing the success you deserve!
