The law comes into force that grants "automatic residence" to Brazilians who are in Portugal

Portugal’s big cities, such as Lisbon (photo) and Porto, are the ones that attract immigrants the most, including many Brazilians (illustrative) – Photo: AP – Armando Franca

The new form of residence permit in Portugal for immigrants from CPLP (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) countries came into force on Wednesday (1) and will change the process for many Brazilians already living in the country and those who intend to apply for residency .

The new law grants a one-year residence permit to immigrants from CPLP countries, without having to go through the Expression of Interest process, which currently takes up to two years. With “automatic” accommodation, immigrants will be able to work, enroll in courses or rent real estate legally.

The device facilitation should serve the thousands of immigrants who are awaiting the outcome of their immigration processes. According to Lusa Agency, there are about 150,000 immigrants in this situation, most of them Brazilians.

Cost 15 euros and peace of mind for a year

The new residence permit may apply to all those coming from CPLP countries who have entered Portuguese territory legally, according to the lawyer specializing in this matter, Ana Luisa Pereira.

The CPLP countries are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, and East Timor.

The rule, as it has been circulated, will apply to citizens who are in the process of expressing interest pending appreciation. That is, those who entered the years 2021 and 2022 and are waiting for an interview with the responsible authority [SEF]. They will be contacted via e-mail to pay a fee of 15 euros and issue the certificate, ”explains the expert. The authorization is valid for a year and must be renewed at a later time.

For the lawyer, this new law came to speed up and make life easier for those already awaiting authorization. “From those who have been waiting over two years to return to schedule an interview with the SEF,” he captures.

“Now, we can only wait for them to be put into effect,” he recalls. “The big question is how these licenses will be renewed. We still don’t know what it will be like in this case.”

There is still no information about the new visas

Brazilians who intend to come to Portugal no longer, according to the rule, have to contact the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF). However, the regulation has not yet been detailed.

“Everything leads us to believe that it will be a faster process for citizens of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries. To date, we still do not have information on a specific platform for new applications in this new method,” notes Ana Luisa Pereira. And what will be changed in this process is still unknown.

“Currently, for example, in applications for joint residence visas, the SEF is always consulted to give an opinion on whether or not to accept. What is expected is that this stage can be waived, for example.”