en 
The Minister of Internal Administration has said that he
hopes that the approximately 36,000 British citizens living in Portugal will
have the new post-Brexit residence card by the end of the year.
“By the end of the year, that is, until the 31st of
December, we really hope to have responded to these 36,000 British citizens”,
said José Luís Carneiro during a visit to the service centre for British
citizens at the Lisbon Regional Directorate of the Service of Foreigners and Borders
(SEF).
With two exclusive counters for British citizens, the new
Lisbon post is the fifth to open in the country for the collection of biometric
data for the issuance of the new residence permit, under the agreement
regarding the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
Two new posts opening
in October
This phase of the process started in February in the
autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira and from July onwards in the
municipalities of Cascais and Loulé, with the opening of two other posts in
October in Porto and Quarteira.
“We are fulfilling the commitments we have assumed, with a view
to guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of British citizens who seek our country
as a country of residence”, said the minister in statements to journalists.
Following the United Kingdom's departure from the European
Union, British citizens who were already living in Portugal when the transition
period ended, at the end of 2020, were able to request the issuance of a new
residence permit. Until September, there were about 36,000 applications
registered.
Provisional document
Meanwhile, and until the issuance of the definitive card,
citizens have a provisional document issued when they register on the Brexit
Portal, proof in digital format with a QR code that serves as an official
residence document.
However, according to José Luís Carneiro, this document does
not guarantee the right of access to the National Health Service, the services
of the Tax Authority and the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social
Security, nor the right to circulate within the Schengen Area.
“This service station aims to respond to that need,” he
added.
The minister also advanced the opening of 13 more service
points for British citizens from next month, in conjunction with the Agency for
Administrative Modernization (AMA) and the Institute of Registries and Notaries
(IRN)
The new stations will open in Lisbon, Faro, Marinha Grande,
Pombal, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Porto, Seixal, Santarém, Beja and Lagos.
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I last heard from SEF back in March 2021. I don't see Sesimbra in the list of cities included in this news, and I am in that municipality. How much longer will I have to wait?
By Steve Andrews from Other on 27 Sep 2022, 14:53
Jose admits to what many of us British have been raising.
That the assurances by SEF, that these documents would be valid and allow for access to government services as well as travel across the Schengen area, were incorrect.
They have in fact been violating the withdrawal agreement which enshrines our right to retain our access to government services whilst the administrative procedure is carried out to protect against delays such as these.
Those of us campaigning have been vindicated.
By James Campbell from Lisbon on 27 Sep 2022, 17:42
I will believe it when it happens, but what about brits who live in the north Chaves Braganca region, do we have travel to Porto for the nearest point of data collection point.
By horton from Other on 28 Sep 2022, 08:17
Believe it when you see it! Unfortunately, based on all other ex pat related support functions here I have little confidence in this being actioned in an organized or timely manner.
By Stuart Wood from Algarve on 28 Sep 2022, 09:21
I am retired and am near Caldas da Rainha, very few buses from my village. What arrangements will there be to get me to Santarem?
By Pamela Patten from Other on 28 Sep 2022, 10:43
The intention is good, but as with many other bureaucratic procedures in Portugal, it is not easy to access. I followed SEF instructions to obtain the residency card, but the website I was directed to led nowhere. Am I the only one to have had this problem?
By Norman from Lisbon on 28 Sep 2022, 10:44
Lets hope we finally get our cards before the end of the year and it all goes to plan. With no more delays.
By Alan M from Algarve on 28 Sep 2022, 11:13
I share the concerns of the others above. Our original temporary 5-year residency document expires next month. While it is good to see there are plans to open more SEF stations in other parts of Portugal, our place of residence (Viseu) is not mentioned and there are not many British citizens in our area.
By John Hein-Hartmann from Other on 28 Sep 2022, 13:01
I have had my meeting in Loulé and was told that my biometric card will arrive through the post in 3 or 4 weeks. We have been resident here for 22 years but my wife is Canadian and from what little information I can get from SEF they have no idea when they are going to deal with her biometric card.
By David from Algarve on 28 Sep 2022, 13:45
I had mine yesterday, in Porto. Whole operation was flawless and took about 20mins from start to finish. ONLY issue I have is that I was told my details would be updated on the brexit.sef.pt website (which indeed they have) and I'd have to pay, and the new permit would be with me upto one month later. However the payment page appears to be broken. All in all though, from getting the email, booking the appointment, attending and processing, it really was handled quite well.
By Jason M. Hirst from Porto on 28 Sep 2022, 13:53
@James Campbell I'm heartened that the finer point of this piece was not lost on other readers. I couldn't have put it better than you. As I read the article and saw "...according to José Luís Carneiro, this document does NOT guarantee the right...", I thought at first I was misreading it.
Let's not forget SEF's former official line, repeated ad nauseam, and reproduced in numerous articles since the beginning of 2021...
'SEF explains that British residents can download proof of their application in the form of a supporting document with a QR code. This, it says, "allows to travel, serves as proof of their residence in Portugal and guarantees access to public health and social services".'
By John P from Algarve on 28 Sep 2022, 17:59
What about an American who has had his residential visit for four years, he is living here, they can’t get his renewal card, and therefore has been unable to obtain his drivers license, neighborhood parking permit, and many other essential privileges?
By Patrick Oh from Lisbon on 28 Sep 2022, 19:40
So there is one already in Loule and they are going to open another just down the road in Quarteira but no mention of one opening in Albufeira or Lagoa or Silves,which is still the second largest concelho.
By Dave from Algarve on 28 Sep 2022, 20:16
People in Albufeira told to go Lisbon 250 kms away
Like everything Portugal ..... Hell
By James from Algarve on 26 Oct 2022, 14:22
James is correct, I’ve just been online to book my appointment and it only allows Lisbon as the visit location !!!!……Albufeira to Lisbon and back when I could go to Loule or Quarteira is madness !!!
By JG from Algarve on 27 Oct 2022, 07:49
To hell with it I am not travelling a day for a document
If they dont get their act together they will have to drag me out of the country and some of the 400,000 Portuguese happily installed in the UK can be dragged back to Portugal
Albufeira has the largest expat community and we are told to go the furthest.
Sort yourselves out Portugal
By James from Algarve on 27 Oct 2022, 14:25