More than 113 thousand CPLP citizens received a residence permit in Portugal in two months

In approximately two months of operation of the SEF Portal for Citizens of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), more than 113,000 Portuguese-speaking immigrants, most of whom are Brazilians, have obtained residence permits in Portugal.

In a balance sheet submitted to the Lusa agency, the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) reported that the portal provided the possibility of issuing residence permits to CPLP citizens who issued more than 113,000 such titles in about two months, with Brazilians accounting for almost 83% of new legalized immigrants in Portugal.

The platform for obtaining a residence permit in Portugal for CPLP citizens went live on March 13 and is aimed at Portuguese-speaking immigrants with pending cases in the SEF until December 31, 2022 and those who have a CPLP visa issued by Portuguese consulates after October. 31, 2022.

Since March 13, the SEF has received more than 131,000 requests for residence permits from SPLP citizens, the SEF said.

Of the 131,000 requests made on the “CPLP Portal” available at www.SEF.pt and www.ePortugal.gov.pt, SEF issued more than 119 payment documents, of which almost 116,000 were settled and, according to this service, security, more than 113,000 residence permits have been issued.

According to the SEF, Brazilian citizens currently account for 86.8% of CPLP residence permit applications, followed by Angola citizens at 5.5% and Sao Tome and Principe at 4.3%.

SEF emphasizes that as part of this process, security consultations are being conducted in the databases, “more than seven thousand situations have already been identified, which have identified new and more detailed ongoing security consultations.”

SEF also emphasizes that this new digital-only model is for CPLP citizens with an Expression of Interest submitted before December 31, 2022, and for those who have new CPLP consular visas issued after October 31, 2022, granting access to education, health care, social security, professional activity, vocational training and justice.

According to the SEF, these residence permit benefits are automatic and “solely ‘online’, without the need for any other interaction with the service or physical travel to the point of service.”

However, in the case of minors participating in the legalization process, it is necessary to go “then to the SEF service point”.

A residence permit for CPLP immigrants costs 15 euros, and the availability of this document in electronic format usually takes 72 hours.

This residence permit in Portugal for CPLP citizens is granted in accordance with the mobility agreement between the member states of the organization.

In addition to Portugal, the CPLP includes Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor.

The CPLP Mobility Agreement Residence Permit is initially valid for one year, renewable for two consecutive two-year periods.