Warning for clients attending VFS appointments for Portugal visas in the USA
We want to make clients aware of a serious issue that has been reported at a VFS appointment.
A Visas.pt client attended their appointment with four months of travel insurance, which matches the requirement confirmed by VFS in writing for a Portugal D2 visa. During the appointment, the VFS agent allegedly told them this was not enough and that the application would be refused unless they had one full year of insurance.
The client was then pressured into buying one year of insurance on the spot for $600.
This is very concerning because VFS has later confirmed by email that the insurance requirement is not one year. Their written response states that the insurance should cover the full validity of the visa, commonly up to 120 days, and include:
- Schengen-wide medical coverage of at least €30,000
- Medical emergencies
- Hospitalization
- Repatriation
Based on this, clients should be very careful if they are told at a VFS appointment that they must buy one full year of travel insurance. It seems as though they are using this method to upsell and profit by stating existing 4 months of insurance is not valid.
Our advice:
- If you are working with Visas.pt, our clients will be provided a printed proof of VFS’s written confirmation showing the 120-day / four-month requirement
- Do not buy extra insurance on the spot unless VFS gives you an official written requirement confirming it is mandatory
- Insure that your travel insurance is valid from your departure date
- Ask the agent to put any different requirement in writing
- For Visas.pt clients, contact us before paying for any unexpected add-on or insurance product at the appointment
We are raising this because clients should not be pressured into buying unnecessary products based on incorrect information.
