Our experience with GCS started strong and ended in frustration. Early on, their legal team was professional, responsive, and clear about the D7 visa process for Portugal. That standard did not hold.
As we approached our scheduled December 2025 VFS Global interview in San Francisco, communication steadily deteriorated. Emails went unanswered, updates were sporadic, and it became unclear whether our case was being actively managed. At one point, I contacted GCS headquarters directly just to get basic status information.
Amid growing uncertainty around AIMA procedures and proposed immigration law changes, we chose to withdraw our D7 application. That decision came with significant sunk costs - legal fees, insurance, documentation, travel, and a year-long property lease - which we accept as our responsibility.
What was unexpected was a €1,272.62 invoice sent days after we formally withdrew, covering services such as NIF assistance, banking introductions, and VFS appointment scheduling. These charges were neither billed when the services were performed many months ago nor clearly outlined at the outset, which was extremely disappointing.
I will pay the invoice in full, but reluctantly. GCS had real potential and showed it early on; however, communication, transparency, and follow-through declined at the most critical point in the process. read more
