In a statement, the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) states that the procedures envisage “mitigating the consequences that resulted from the health emergency situation, adopting exceptional and temporary measures that allow for a recovery of pending issues and an efficiency gain in the document management of foreign citizens”, said a spokesman from SEF.
SEF maintains that, in the context of pending applications for renewal of residence permits, the citizen does not need to go to a service desk and instead can make their request on the SEF Portal.
Subsequently, SEF will carry out all security consultations to confirm the suitability of the applicant, as well as consultations with the databases necessary to assess the fulfilment, by the applicant, of its tax obligations and before Social Security, explains SEF, adding that, after paying the fees, the citizen will receive a residence permit at his / her tax address.
In relation to requests for the granting of a residence permit with a visa waiver, citizens do not need to submit new documentary evidence, for this purpose, documents submitted together with the visa waiver request (expression of interest), regardless of expiration date, provided they are valid on the date of presentation, according to SEF.
With this measure, SEF foresees “a substantial reduction in the service times at the counter, which should decrease from 40 to 15 minutes”.
Meanwhile, according to a decree-law published this May, the approximately 130,000 immigrants who were provisionally settled in Portugal due to the Covid-19 pandemic will continue in this situation until 31 October.
The 130,000 foreign nationals who remained in good standing were those who had pending cases at SEF until 18 March, when it was decided to declare a state of emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
SEF simplifies procedures for residence permit applications
in News · 29 May 2020, 01:00 · 19 Comments
Did we have to change our expair doucment ,because of us we don't hear at about our lawyer
By SAINEY Daffeh from Lisbon on 29 May 2020, 08:23
I am agree with SEF. Its a very good step for all guys.
By Hammad Zafar from Porto on 29 May 2020, 10:15
When it will come into force. All having confusion about it . Thank you
By BHUPINDER Singh Kalyan from Algarve on 29 May 2020, 13:25
This is an amazing initiative that surely seems helpful. It would bring down the chaos from the point of views of the citizens, immigrants as well as the authority. I am one of those who had applied for a tax residence in the first week of April. I previously had an NHR status. There is a clear cutoff date of 18th Mar, though I would like to understand the perspective on a few queries.
1. What happens to the applications that were applied on a later date beyond 19th Mar?
2. Is there a clarity on when the new process would start? I hear it's July 1st.
3. Is there a clarity on reduction in the timelines?
4. We already have 1 single verifiable document in the form of an ID. As a provisional there should be some kind of a provisional ID be created this way the other 100 accompanying documents won't be required. Verification of the documents needs a central database and not 3-4 different partners checking different accounts.
5. As an alternative through machine learning where there is facial recognition softwares, we could introduce a new path instead of having finger prints. Finger prints would require the attendance of both the authority and the applicant and is unhygienic. This could be far fetched though a great idea to introduce.
By Nat N from Lisbon on 29 May 2020, 14:57
This is not simplification at all. Before, you had to make an appointment to submit your documents and they would send your new residency card by post within 3/4 weeks. Now you have no idea how long it’ll take after you send the documents online.
By M Rahman from Lisbon on 29 May 2020, 15:16
Pease let me know about the cancelled appointments for familly reunification?
In this situation what we have to do for the pending familly reunification requests? Our appointments are also cancelled due to Covid19
By Ebrahim from Porto on 29 May 2020, 16:25
Je voudrais savoir si tous les étrangers qui ont déjà déposé leur demande de permis de séjour auprès du sef Seront-ils régularisé au mois de juin ????
By Aliou from Lisbon on 29 May 2020, 16:30
I had maracaço 20 Mach but still they don't call me am confusion
By Ousman dukureh from Lisbon on 29 May 2020, 22:50
I have already requested an apointment for renewing my resident permit online and SEF has sent me an email indicating when and where I should go. Now, my question is that whether SEF will automatically follow up my application or I have to make another request for renewing my resident permit?
By Jaber Ehdaie from Lisbon on 30 May 2020, 00:31
Portugal is being more flexible for migrants, it's a cool decision for us who were waiting for a rapid actions against being delayed.
By NIRANJAN from Porto on 30 May 2020, 08:01
How can I change my residence permit from Germany to Portugal?
By Shahzeb from Other on 30 May 2020, 16:41
Hi there just an query uhm I had my renewal in February and I still didn't receive my card yet so just wanna know when can I expect
By Zane Cassim from Lisbon on 31 May 2020, 00:19
Is asylum seekers among because before they state it in green light for immigrants and asylum seekers that asylum seekers are among but now I didn't hear anything about asylum seekers again I mean those in camp
By Jones Atta Boachie from Lisbon on 01 Jun 2020, 16:06
My husband and I had a certificado registo de cidadão de União Europeia dated 2 June 2015. We renewed it about a year later because we changed home address. So , on June 2020, after having been in the country for 5 years, we were eligible to get an extension for another 10 years. We started trying to get an appointment with SEF or use their online service last JANUARY - plenty of time, you might think. Then Covid-19 came along, and SEF decided to change all their systems, just to add chaos to confusion (chovar no molho!) Since then, we have tried countless times to use their online forms (still not working correctly), phone on their two contact numbers (nobody answers, ever, and after 1 minute holding in a queue, they blast your eardrums with a loud sound to force you to terminate the call), emails just get the same formula - try these phone numbers or contact us online. And even our registered letters in two languages have had NO RESPONSE. What the hell are we supposed to do? Sure, SEF are short staffed. Of course they are coping with Covid-19. So are we all. But to get their online system so pathetically wrong time after time after time. I get as far as the last step, putting in a password, and even when I use the one they suggest, I get a notice: "Individual tab number could not be determined". What the F*** does this mean, and what is the user supposed to do? Oh, and by the way, the "online form" that's supposed to be so simple, has a big blank space where your digital or digitised fingerprints should go. Explain, please HOW I'm supposed to put my fingerprints on an Internet form? And if they have to be taken by someone - maybe GNR and then scanned and added as an uploaded file - why not SAY SO? SEF, in my opinion, are purposely effing things up so they have excuses for being way, way behind on everything. Then we, the public, will probably get blamed, fined or whatever. "Simplifying" things? Don't make me laugh (or cry - I don't know which to do.).
By Judith Carol Irwin from Beiras on 06 Sep 2020, 16:20
Keep trying to register with sef to get my reserdancy papers updated but won’t accept password Anybody had the same problem
By P Harris from UK on 14 Mar 2021, 18:57
I have been here in Portugal since 2019 June and still doesn't have an appointment to sef because whenever sef opens for new appointment i am on my work so how can a person get appointed? I don't know what to do am stuck here, whenever I call to my mom she used to ask me when you are coming i want to see you ????and i want to go back to my country as soon as possible i came here at the age of 19y its really hard for me to make a appointment, people came after me got residency and they came back to portugal after going their home. If anybody can help me out please let me know
By Jahangheer from Porto on 19 Apr 2021, 15:15
Dear sir,
I have done my biometric finger on January 6 from the Sef of Santarem, but today’s date I haven’t received my trc. Need your kind actions supports.
By Seemon Bk from Lisbon on 30 Apr 2021, 11:00
Dear sir/madam:- I have been here for 1 year 6 months and my email came for 10 months and I have not got the date yet because I am at work when the safe is open
Please can you tell me how can I get my finger done??
By Aniket singh aoulakh from Lisbon on 23 Jun 2021, 13:41
Plz aplied new schol
By Masroor from Other on 23 Aug 2021, 11:33