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visa for non-EU spouse (Lisbon)

Hi
I have a question about visas...
My husband (Colombian, non-EU citizen) and I (Portuguese/South African, EU citizen) are currently living in Colombia but are wanting to relocate to Lisbon and we have been confused by the visa process. Immigration and the embassy, say one thing and the lawyer another.
My husband has a job offer and we were told by the Portuguese embassy here that we could just go to Portugal together and apply for a residence visa for my husband, they make it sound very simple, easy and immediate (i.e. we arrive register him and he gets the residence visa). However, the companies lawyer suggested that we apply for a work visa from here through the embassy, which we have done (his paperwork in "under investigation"), as there is a waiting period of at least 3 months to get the visa.
Our concern is that we were told at the embassy when we submitted all the visa documentation, that it would likely be rejected and that we should just go to Portugal to get a visa. Which we will do but we are worried about the visa processing time before he can start working. Does anyone have experience with this? Is it immediate? Or do you have to wait 3 months or so for an appointment?
Many thanks
Carla

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