en 
Some of
the reports highlight the fact that there are British people who are unable to
get jobs, to register for health care, or to change their address. There are
even people who have been deported when they visit another EU country.
This was
the case of Nicola Franks, who told Sic
Notícias, that she was stranded when she tried to land in Holland.
“I was stopped and told that I had overstayed”.
Like many
UK nationals, she has a document with a QR code issued by SEF (Portuguese
Immigration and Border service) that can be used whenever she travels, as proof
of residence in Portugal, also guaranteeing access to public health services
and social benefits.
Problems
However,
the problem comes when some authorities do not recognise this paper as proof of
residence. The border agent “looked at these papers that he had never seen before
and decided that they were not legitimate papers that they were in fact only
applications for residency and turned me back to Portugal”, Nicola said.
This is
because "a QR code was given stating that everyone was legally resident in
Portugal, but it was not the biometric card required for every UK nationals
coming under the withdrawal agreement" said Tig James, Co-President of
British in Portugal.
“Without a
biometric card you can’t register for health care if you move address. The tax
office refuses to change addresses without a biometric card so even if a UK
national gets a driving licence it gets sent to the wrong address if people
have moved”, Tig James told The Portugal News.
In addition, “banks refuse to change addresses
without the tax office say so, so credit/debit cards are sent to the wrong
address, vehicles are unable to be matriculated so costing UK nationals
thousands in importation fees for vehicles that should be free to import,
garages refusing to repair vehicles, the QR code not being accepted at many EU
borders with the holders of such code often being threatened with refusal of
entry into the country, detained or deported”, she lamented.
Positive
experiences
Despite these unfortunate stories, Michael Reeve,
CEO of afpop (Association for Foreign Residents and Visitors to Portugal), said
he has not heard any reports of members experiencing such a negative situation
- on the contrary.
In fact, "we have reports from
our Members that they have had their documents accepted as promised by the
government," he stressed.
“They have documentation which is
accepted by the Portuguese authorities and the government has extended the
validity of the documents”, he said
Madeira
and Azores
The
second and final phase of the process for UK nationals to obtain their final
documents began in Madeira and the Azores in February.
“We know that members on the
island of Madeira completed the process and advised us that it was a very quick
and easy thing for them to do”, Michael Reeve said.
However,
while afpop members are happy with the process on Madeira, British in Portugal
say there’s still a lot of work to do, even on the islands.
"In
those regions many are still waiting to be seen and get their biometric cards.
The pilot project had a number of difficulties that still exist," Tig
James said.
Moving
forward: Loulé and Cascais next
Apart from the islands, SEF told The Portugal News that they are working
with the town halls of Cascais and Loulé - municipalities with the highest number
of British residents - in order to start issuing biometric cards.
"The municipalities will
provide the necessary facilities and human resources to run the service and
collect the biometric data. This will start in Cascais at the end of this
month," they said, adding that SEF will notify approximately 2,500 UK
nationals in chronological order.
Meanwhile, SEF guarantees that the
QR Code document remains an official residence document in Portugal and is
valid until the new card is issued, as well as the current European Union
residence documents are also still accepted for travel purposes, as long as
they are not expired, until the new residence card is issued.
Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252
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Our 5 year residency expired in December 2020,we applied in the summer of 2020
To renew And had a meeting in November , this was then cancelled and been
Waiting ever since, in the past 8 years have bought 2 homes
And 4 new cars paying substantial taxes into the Portuguese system , we employ
Gardeners, cleaner, and eat out on a regular basis. Thought we were the type of
Person a Country would want but apparently not ?
Shameful situation and considering selling up and returning to the U.K.
By Graham Wood from Algarve on 11 Aug 2022, 02:51
Having travelled to the UK, Sweden and back in to Portugal, I have never even been asked for my residency certificate or the QR coded document, both of ehich I possess. As for health care, I was initially registered in Alvaiazere but have since moved. I continue to attend Alvaiazere fir health appointments even after pointing out my inability to get my residence certificate updated. COVID vaccinations and booster also obtained without drama. I have also not had problems buying, registering or selling a vehicle, or having my Portuguese licence sent to the wrong address. I actually think that most of the complaining comes from Remainer types who believe they have the Colonial right to continue as though Brexit was a dream like aberration. Conform or get out of Portugal!
By Ian from Other on 11 Aug 2022, 04:56
No mention in made in this article about the fact that SEF refuse to process family reunification until after the WA biometric cards are issued. My daughter and I applied in April 2021. We are unable to leave the country (effectively landlocked), in addition I am unable to drive legally anymore, work or obtain a health number. There are many families in this position affected by this refusal by SEF to process family reunification applications (protected by the WA agreement).
By A Hewitt from Algarve on 11 Aug 2022, 08:38
It is A difficult situation with SEF, it is also understandable why people are deeply concerned.
People having moved to Portugal, to commit to life in a new country, involves a major financial, and lifestyle commitment.
As a retired person, this involves life savings, and planning. Those savings cannot be replaced easily, if at all for a retired person.
SEF has seen its work dramatically increase, with the fallout from Brexit, travel restrictions from Covid, golden visa schemes, and increased encouragement by government encouraging workers from overseas.
Further SEF have in the middle of all this, had to deal with a major restructuring
imposed by this government.
I am unaware of the manpower levels at SEF, but it is clear they are being constantly tasked with an increased workload.
We know also in the UK reports of Portuguese finding difficulties with post Brexit paperwork issues, and difficulties with the UK home office.
The Portuguese are a welcoming, good people.
It is right also to highlight difficulties people are experiencing with SEF with the post Brexit paperwork and associated paperwork.
That is how we can identify problems, and hopefully get solutions to solve those problems.
Leave and remain comments are neither appropriate, constructive, or welcome.
Take an example from the Portuguese and be a little more tolerant!
By ian from Alentejo on 11 Aug 2022, 11:19
I live in Marinhais, Salvaterra de Magos, there are very few British here, so it looks like we won't get our cards in the foreseeable future, with the way SEF are doing it. Our 5 year CRUE ran out in March 2021. I had to renew my passport so it no longer matches my QR code or any residency and can't be changed until the biometric card is done. This all means that I am a prisoner in Portugal until they do my card. I cannot travel. I cannot change anything for banks, tax etc. God help me if we want to move home. I love this country but we think we will have to relocate. We are too old to be wasting so much of our lives being prisoners and with so much stress. We want to be able to visit family and friends and travel.
By Anita Green from Other on 11 Aug 2022, 19:13
SEF are claiming they need to train staff in bio data collection. This is a load of rubbish. I am a UK national, my wife is American. She attended the Local SEF in Portimao and had her Bio Data recorded, I also watched others doing the same.
SEF are lazy and want to think of any excuse to slow things down. The recent court hearing about a UK national on the golden visa scheme won his case. It could well be we need a group action against SEF. they have all they need to start processing our residency cards
By Steven Bruce Smith from Algarve on 12 Aug 2022, 10:04
Well Graham Wood, if you think totalitarian UK is better and you are not prepared to put up with a little inconvenience...thank goodness you are not in Italy. SEF has internal problems, of that there is no doubt, as IMT taking nearly 2 years to exchange our driving licences. I write regularly and receive replies that are printed and kept in a file in the event we travel. Several people we know in the same position have had no problems, so cool it. It will happen, if not get a lawyer.
By Diana from Beiras on 12 Aug 2022, 19:59
Hardly think or would be fair for anyone to assume the circumstances and difficulties certain people are facing within Portugal. I have faced discrimination, bigotry and racism from people within the municipality and government offices refusing flat out to help me with processing my documents after spending money, time and effort in reaching the requirements they said that I needed to only to be told that it's summer and they busy must come after December, before that told me I needed other documents that I have never heard of at least 5. Suspicious so I asked around and turned out to be some sort of nasty intent. They now told me I need to go to guarda get there they are confused as this should have been done without question, they said they can't do anything must go to SEF, they said you need to know a godfather (Padrinho) that has ties in order to get what you need here. I have been called all sorts of names from Parasita, Estúpida, usurpador and other. They refused to give me an appointment with SEF for 1 piece of paper. Witnessed then giving favorable ppl papers and forms without staying in a que and laughing about it did not bother to hide what they were doing. I had been polite and respectful only to be told I must go back to where I come from. You quite right Ian perhaps some are just lucky enough and others suffer harshly under the cruelty and evil in ppls hearts unprovoked. These ppl do not understand the difficulties certain ppl were going through trying to make a life in freedom as promised only to be treated like this.
By Lynette Lima from Porto on 13 Aug 2022, 08:23
It may interest your readers to know that 6 days before today, the 9th or possibly 10th August, the day this article was published, the British Embassy in Lisbon, on their Facebook page, published this:
"We are aware of the difficulties many British residents in Portugal are facing due to the delays on issuing residency cards for those protected by the Withdrawal Agreement.
The British Embassy has been in frequent contact with the Portuguese authorities regarding this issue and the complications many people have been dealing with, and we continue to urge the Portuguese government to complete the process without further delay.
The British Ambassador and visiting UK Ministers have raised this directly with Portuguese Government Ministers and with the European Commission. SEF has publicly declared in recent days that the rollout process on the mainland will get underway shortly.
We will continue to update our pages and the Living in Portugal guide to reflect the latest announcements by the Portuguese authorities on this process. Kind regards, the Brits in Portugal team."
By Tig James from Algarve on 15 Aug 2022, 15:17
Reading through the comments here, there appears to be a little bit of anti-Portugal feeling creeping in.
That won't help the situation.
Perhaps this has been stirred up by Tig James comments?
Perhaps just born out of the frustration of wanting something, you can't have!
I have been to the SEF, I made an appointment and got as far as finger prints and photograph taken on the day.
A word of advice your biometric card contains your portuguese medical number and socialsecurity number, so make sure you have them to hand.
It's ot a deal breaker if you haven't. But it is handy to have that information all in one place.
At a local level the I can vouch that the SEF are helpful and doing the best they can.
My application could not progress further, because of log jam that your local SEF can't overide
or they would, they are as frustated as you.
Maybe they dont show it as much as would be liked by some, but maybe Brexit protocol is not their only frustration.
I was told that jam is somewhere in the local municipalities adopting the SEF's Brexit Protocol.
Let all hope that work out very soon.
Today News does sometimes seem to be sensationalised.
I personally have not seen on social media hundreds of stories about Brexit stranding Portuguese residents.
I personally have travelled back and forth from the UK on my temporary residence certificate with no problem.
Also social media is full of stories of people who have returned and enjoyed family trips to the UK.
Euro News appears to have picked up a similar story to this one and includes the comment.
"James has turned down an appointment in September to present evidence of the Britons' difficulties before the European Commission's Economic and Social Committee." Why?
By Gerald Ward from Alentejo on 16 Aug 2022, 19:26
Dear Diana of Beiras you must be delusional to describe UK as totalitarian, we allow thousands of economical migrants in every week, we have just got rid of
The prime minister. A totalitarian state is Russia, North Korea, China, etc etc .
I normally do no social media and to write my comments is based on frustration, Nothing else, i do not need or seek your comments, PS Diana i have paid in excess of 300,00 euros into the Portuguese tax system in past 6 years alone, think that gives me the right to make a comment.
By Graham Wood from Algarve on 25 Aug 2022, 13:11