Self Relocation: U-Turn from Spain to Portugal

After becoming a fully remote product designer, my intention was to move out to a country that has digital-nomad visa support & culture that’s easy to blend in.

So as I was scrolling down the list of random blogs, there it was: Spain.

A beautiful country which I’m also familiar with — since I joined an Erasmus program in Barcelona back in 2015 and fell in love with the city there.

I checked the requirements, the videos of some other people who have done this — mostly from the USA, and found out that it’s a long process but a ‘‘likely to be’’ one, I said okay I’ll go for it, but not Barcelona this time. Remembering the Catalan language challenge, plus as I got older (*clears throat, wiser) thinking of somewhere more chill to live… Valencia sounded so appealing.

But I have never been to that city before, so I planned a short trip to experience the vibe there before moving out.

It was early October, the weather was so soft, like an early spring, I was with my crush back then and the city was just amazing. It looked like a great place to live in, I even decided on my future neighborhood.

A shot from Valencia city center

I threw a coin here in Jardin del Turia, and made a wish on coming there for a second time

After returning to Istanbul, I was super motivated to take action. I reached an agency to officially start the process and talked with a Turkish guy there.

And what he told me was a big hit on the wall.

‘‘Özge, most of my clients are being rejected lately and in your position, I can not guarantee anything. This visa type is more likely for retired people rather than freelancers. So I can’t be sure.’’ (And basically offering to make a 1-year rental contract there, gathering 500 papers together, plus paying the consultancy fee… yet it’s likely to get rejected.)

I got really disappointed. I was just misled by all the dirty information on the internet.

After giving myself a couple of weeks to bury this dream in silence, I started asking myself:

Why do I really want? Like deep down, what’s my aspiration?

The answer was actually to live in a European country — preferably a sunny one that is easy to blend in, and less crowded than Istanbul.

So, what were the other options that I might have never considered?

Coming back to the freelancer visa blog posts again, Portugal caught my eye. I was so blinded by Spain back then I have not realized it. After a deeper search, I still had question marks in my mind since there was no proper source for that country and a consultancy company to help.

I could hardly find only one agency helping with the visa process, and they asked me for 6K EUR for the consultancy fee(!) Again not %100 guarantee…

*Inhales deeply

Closing off that door, I started writing on the Lisbon ex-pat groups on Facebook hoping to come across someone who is actually experienced in this. And one morning, a Turkish girl messaged me:

Hey I have just moved to Lisbon from Istanbul and I think you can do that totally, I can give you my lawyer’s number, contact me if you like.

Wait, whaaat?

Now that’s what I call the universe collaboration :)

So as I asked her more and get in touch with the lawyer, I started to believe that’s a very possible scenario — a slightly easier process than the Spain visa.

Chances were not %100 again (how can it ever be for a non-EU one?) But gaining the courage with an actual Turkish person doing this, I said okay, I am willing for what to come, and I’m all in this time.

And after that big first step, it moved on like

tick-tock, tick-tock

• Got my NIF number through my lawyer
• Got an appointment with Portugal Embassy (in Ankara)
• Waited for my appointment — for a month, and prepared necessary documents & translations at that time
• Packed for a 2-day trip to Ankara

I have such a sweet friend living there, she hosted me in her house and took me out for a pre-visa appointment good luck dinner.

• Got up early the next day and headed to the embassy with my huge folder.
• The police made a pre-control, reordered the papers, and let me in.

Breathe in, breath out…. I waited around 40 mins trying not to have an anxiety attack — I just have this huge stress with paperwork stuff.

But I asked myself, repeatedly:

How can it be better than this?
How can it happen with joy, ease, and glory?

Access consciousness vibes, yeah sue me — it just works.

And after 40 mins a lady came in, checked my papers one by one, as I was holding my breath and wishing for nothing missing for each paper, she finally said ‘‘Thanks, that’s it!’’

I went out that door, leaving at least 10 kg behind my back. And ordered myself a post-anxiety coffee.

Back in Istanbul, I let it all flow for 2 weeks.

And I got the approval on the 14th day!

And I am writing these last words from my new tiny-miny flat in Lisbon.

A celebration meet-up by the Tejo river with the girl who wrote me on Facebook

Highlights from this loong process:

I guess the key is not ‘‘what’’ to wish but ‘‘how’’ to wish for your goals. It’s amazing how the doors are opening as you shift your perspective.

Keeping a positive mindset — because we always have a choice — and when we choose to do that everything is just easier.

Being open for the unknown, and letting it get shaped on the road.

Bonus: Being grateful for each person you come across during the journey.

So, I am giving myself permission to have some ‘‘Snoop Dog-I wanna thank me’’ vibes for a couple of weeks at least. But nothing has finished actually, I’m just starting now!

Eventually, I am seeing this whole process as a precious experience to prepare myself for the rest, to evolve my mindset, and remind myself that I’m (and of course as a whole, we are) capable.