As of Tuesday, the office opens at 8am instead of 8.30 am and closes at 6 pm (and not at 4.30 pm) following the example of the office in Manchester which extended its opening hours on Monday, from 8.15 am to 5 pm.


However, unlike Manchester, which will open its doors on 17 Saturdays on alternating weeks by the end of the year, London will work on weekends, but only for back-office.


“In London, Saturdays will be used to organise and prepare back-office work on birth records, citizen cards and passports,” said Carneiro.


He said that the employment and social situation of employees in the capital is different from colleagues in northern England, because the cost of accommodation makes a lot of them reside outside London, resulting in long journeys to the office.


As part of the UK departure from the EU, all European citizens, including Portuguese, must apply for the status of residents in the country at least until the end of 2020.


To make this registration it is necessary to prove their identity through a passport or citizen’s card.


These measures are part of the contingency plan of the government for Brexit, which also includes the reinforcement of consular posts with human and technical means and the launch of a telephone line for clarifications and to make appointments.