CPLP citizens turn out in large numbers to exchange expired residence permits

The articles written by the PÚBLICO Brasil team are written in the variant of the Portuguese language used in Brazil.

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Citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) are turning up in large numbers at the mission centers of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) . Since Monday (24/02), lines have been forming in front of service points, such as the Hindu Center in Lisbon. The feeling that prevails among immigrants is one of hope. After all, after a long period of uncertainty, they finally have the prospect of exchanging their residence permits that have been expired for some time and that have only caused them headaches, because they do not follow the rules defined by the European Union.

As the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, António Leitão Amaro, has already stated, the AIMA mission structure is prepared to serve 220,000 citizens of the CPLP who “are in the condition of second-class immigrants”. The documents that will now be replaced were printed on A4 paper, without the security guarantees that any document requires. In addition to not allowing their holders to leave Portugal's borders and travel within the Schengen Area, as they are not recognized, the documents have even been refused in public establishments.

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The government expects most CPLP citizens to exchange their expired residence permits before May 31 of this year, when the mission centers will close, as provided for by law. The new permits will be issued on plastic cards, in accordance with European Union standards, with a validity period of two years. At the same time, Portugal will avoid punishment by the European Commission for having insisted on offering immigrants documents that are not valid in the economic bloc.

Brazilians are the majority

The call for the 220,000 citizens of the CPLP was only possible now because the majority of the 440,000 immigrants with pending cases at AIMA, related to the extinct expression of interest, have already gone through the mission structure to collect biometrics and deliver documents, especially criminal records. Of these 440,000, according to the Government, 160,000 had their residence applications denied , but, by law, they can appeal administratively for a new analysis of the cases or, as a last resort, go to court. Another 10,000 received the residence card and around 80,000 are in the processing phase.

Employees at AIMA mission centers told PÚBLICO Brasil that the service provided to CPLP citizens has been faster than in the previous round , when the diversity of immigrants was very large. According to them, most people are showing up with all the documents required by the government, which makes the work easier. Furthermore, after almost six months of operation of the mission structure, those who work with the public are better prepared to resolve last-minute issues.

During a recent trip to Brazil, where he participated in the 14th Luso-Brazilian Summit, the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luís Montenegro, pointed out that the majority of CPLP citizens who are in the process of exchanging their residence permits are Brazilians. Experts estimate that, of the 220,000 listed by the Government, 150,000 are from Brazil.

Elisa Fernandes, 51, from Ceará, is still waiting for the email from AIMA to resolve her document situation. “So far, I haven’t been called. I hope it happens soon,” she said. For her, it is essential to have a document that is actually valid, not a piece of paper that gives her almost no rights in Portugal, even though she works and pays taxes in the country.