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Authorities in Portugal have urged British citizens living in this country to apply for a new permanent residence card.
Through a statement to the ePortugal portal, Portuguese authorities called on Britons to apply for a new residence card on the website of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“With the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, British citizens must register and fill in the form that exists in the portal to request the new document. After filling in the form, they will be contacted by SEF to schedule the collection of biometric data collection,” the statement reads.
In addition, it notes that this card will serve as a replacement for the old Certificate of Registration that has been issued by the Municipal Councils, as well as the Certificate of Permanent Residence issued by the SEF.
It has been confirmed that Britons can continue to use the current documents until they take the new cards.
Since Britain is officially outside the European Union, both territories’ citizens are subject to different entry rules, when planning to travel and stay in each other’s countries.
Portugal is among the favourite destination for citizens of the United Kingdom.
Authorities in Portugal announced that a total of 27,080 UK citizens residing in Portugal received residence permits by the end of February.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Ministry of Justice of Portugal, the largest number of residence permits, or a total of 91.4 per cent of them were issued in the last four months.
The figures reveal that for a period from November 2022, until the end of February 2023, authorities in Portugal issued a large number of residence permits for Britons.
Authorities in Portugal are attempting to further ease the process of granting residence permits to citizens of the United Kingdom.
Last year, nearly 1,000 Britons living in the Portugal city of Porto were eligible to hold a new residence card after they are eligible to hold these cards in Porto as well.
The decision was confirmed by the Minister of Internal Administration, Jose Luis Carneiro, during his visit to the service centre for UK citizens in Porto.
“Today, the General Directorate of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Foreigners and Borders Service, opened a service post [in Porto] for UK citizens, who, by virtue of Brexit, do not have residence permits to fully enjoy their rights in Portugal,” Carneiro noted.
The figures provided by Portugal’s Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) revealed that a total of 42,071 Britons became residents of Portugal in 2021, accounting for the second largest nationality group.
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