Well, automatic renewals for 4q 2023 are not opened for anybody not only for ARI.
On the new tariffs schedule there is 25% discount for online application. Apparently, there should be some online applications, but looks like it will not be same as the old system.
In the old system those people who were eligible for automatic renewals just could not do it offline, SEF just did not give appointments to them, and there was no choice.
Also there was an interview from one official that there will be new online system.
Well, I am very skeptical that it will start working immediately without bugs, so probably there would be another waiting period before they debug it.
But in order not to accumulate people with expired permits it is possible that they open old automatic renewals for 4q. Would be good!
I recall someone in the forum noted that the 2024 budget has funding for online renewal for the first half of 2024.
I hope online renewals continue My card is expiring on 1 july 2024
You could only imagine how we, whose cards already expired in October, wait for online renewals.
I also have wonderred the whole year, even knowing that the system is very old and many work is done manually
- why open automatic renewals every quarter and overcrowd the system, while could be every month
- why not open it on the 1st day of quarter? What prevents them to open earlier and not after some permits expired for sure
- And why not open letās say 14 day or one month in advance
Apparently all those points especially 2 and 3 do not change overall amount of work or create any extra expenses. Open nonthly may be slightly increase as they open manually but spread the work more even across the year.
I think they just donāt care that expired docs restrict the life of immigrants and after covid lenthy delays one-two months look like nothing for them. Thatās it. Some of delays like late opening for autorenewals have no reason behind and serve nothing. They are exist so because there are no any cost or reprimand for delays for SEF.
True they donāt care after receiving money
Why even open renewals on a schedule at all? Everyones visas expire on different dates, just let us renew as necessary?
They must have a guy on the other end of the website making clicking sounds with his mouth when you click links / doing all the renewal work by handā¦
I wonder if I might take a quick poll: many thanks to anyone responding.
Q. As your final approval approached, did SEF ask you to refresh any expired documents? Click any that apply:
- Police certificate / criminal records check
- Marriage / birth certificate(s) or similar
- Confirmation of investment status
- I wasnāt asked to refresh any documents
Many thanks for the replies on thisā¦ seems thereās little consistency in practice.
Now lets determine which SEF offices dont require the documents, and if that is one of the super fast or super slow offices!
This is interesting information but I wouldnāt read too much into it as the applicants arenāt uniform which would skew the results. In that I mean the applicants are likely from different countries, different investments, etc. which could trigger the additional document requests.
Anyone who applied in 2019, did you get citizenship based on the new laws?
We had applied in June 2019, but got our biometrics done only in September 2023. If the first of these dates is determined to be the start of the 5 year period, then we plan to apply for citizenship as and when weāve received an A2 level certificate in Portuguese.
I think the only way for this to be determined is for someone like you to apply for citizenship and then let everyone know about the result. I donāt expect any proactive classification coming from the portuguese authorities.
That unfortunately is not a prudent approach IMHO. I should know. Iāve been an immigration lawyer in two jurisdictions for 33+ years combined.
Iām pretty much sure weāll be hearing from many lawyers as soon as thereās a definitive answer. At least one I hope to hear from is Alexandre Dumont dos Santos who has been very helpful with my ARI process and whose helpful responses to questions from members of this forum can be found under various topics here.
First Visit to Portugal to Collect Residency Card
Yesterday my lawyers received my Residency Card and I will be in Lisbon next Friday anyway so will collect it. I am arriving in Europe at MAD airport on Wednesday so will receive an entry stamp there.
I will then exit MAD with my Residency Card in hand and will return to LIS airport to live permanently in Portugal on July 1 so no problem proving I will have stayed 7 days in Portugal in 2024.
My question is: what, if any, passport stamps should I attempt to collect once I have my Residency Card given that we will move permanently to Portugal on July 1 and will collect reams of evidence we are permanently living there without passport stamps (boarding passes, NIF receipts etc.). Specifically, do I need to insist on an exit passport stamp at MAD if they donāt proactively offer me one when I present my passport and Residency Card upon departure? Thanks for any advice.
If you are living in PT then you shall have a rental contract/house ownership document ( CertidĆ£o Permanente), bank statements, NIF provided for various services and purchases. These are the proofs they definitely do accept and you donāt have to bother about entry and exit stamps as long as you have one legal entry stamp on the passport.
refer to this post for proof of stay requirements.
In short, no, you donāt need to collect passport stamps as it is not the only evidence possible.
Hi all, glad to finally make it to this stage.
We applied in Nov 21, did our biometrics in Feb 2023 in Lisbon. Had to file a lawsuit to expedite in Nov 23 and we got our approvals earlier this month. All three us (me, my wife and my daughter) have cards that are valid for 2 years.
Quick qtn: Our lawyer feels that we will still need to do 7 days of residency in year 1 and another 7 in year 2 - and that 14 during the course of 2 years will not be sufficient. Looking for any feedback on this.
Karthik, we have about the same schedule, excepting that we filed suit earlier and got cards earlier (in Jan). We are in PT now, for a 16 day visit solving for the min 7 days in year 1 and 14 days within the two years. Our atty felt that was a conservative approach and the family of 3 was available, so it has worked out. Enjoying a great tour of the north of Tagus.
Thanks for the quick revert. I sent a few follow up questions to my lawyer and they have clarified that one is free to do 14 days in one stretch in year 1 to complete the residency requirements. So all good for now and we are looking forward to our summer trip covering a bit of Lisbon, Algarve and Porto.