Hello.
Does the Manual Wayback Machine say that instead of a criminal record, I can provide SNS document because I entirely relocated to Portugal? If yes, what is the proof that I relocated?
“Para as situações em que o requerente permanece em TN”
Quote “MANUAL DE PROCEDIMENTOS RELATIVO À AUTORIZAÇÃO DE RESIDÊNCIA PARA INVESTIMENTO (ARI)”
3.2. Documentos relativos ao beneficiário de ARI
...
Para as situações em que o requerente permanece em TN, comprovativo de que é abrangido por proteção na saúde, designadamente:
Documento que ateste que está abrangido pelo Serviço Nacional de Saúde, ou;
Documento que demonstre que é titular de seguro de saúde reconhecido
internacionalmente pelo período temporal da residência legal solicitada ou que conste a
faculdade da renovação automática da despectiva apólice.
Se o titular de ARI não residir efetivamente em TN, tem que juntar certificado de registo criminal
– devidamente certificado por representação diplomática ou consular portuguesa – do país de
origem, ou do país (ou países) onde resida há mais de um ano. Este documento deve ter sido
emitido até 3 meses antes da apresentação de toda a documentação legalmente exigida e
traduzido para língua portuguesa (nos termos do artigo 172.º do Código do Notariado ou nos
termos do artigo 38.º do Decreto-Lei n.º 76-A/2006, de 29 de março11);
This is section 3.2 to which the Manual refers.
The first bullet point asks you to fill out a form that gives SEF (presumably AIMA, now) authorization to check your local criminal record.
Second bullet is your passport or other document of travel that is valid.
Third/fourth bullet says that if you reside in national territory, you have to show proof that you are covered for health either by SNS or by another health insurance.
Thank you for answer. But what about condition “SE”? Which clause is applicable if the applicant lives all year round? For example, “Se o titular de ARI residir efetivamente em TN,” then which clause is working?
Se o titular de ARI não residir efetivamente em TN
All clauses are relevant. You just put … (thereby ignoring) the most relevant clause (the first one) about access to the local police record. Here you have to give permission to SEF/AIMA to access your local police records through filling out a form. What that form is I dont know.
The third and fourth bullet points are about health cover. (either registration with local system of Saúde (SNS) or having a separate health insurance.
Yes, the Manual says that the applicant needs to provide a foreign criminal certificate if they do not effectively reside in Portugal.
However, I am not sure if this ‘rule’ is respected in practice.
How would AIMA decide if the applicant resides in Portugal ‘effectively’ or not?
E.g. I could say for myself that I reside in Portugal very ‘effectively’. Do you think AIMA would simply believe my word?
I’d rather expect they’d still want to see a criminal cert from the country where I ‘relocated’ from.
On the flip side, if AIMA believes that you indeed ‘stay’ in Portugal (note they use a different term here, and I don’t know how they determine that either) - then they’d demand to see your health insurance, either SNS or private.
The above bullet is about showing a foreign criminal record if you do not effectively reside in national territory. But, as Tommy says, it is about a judgement, and getting something that has at least 3 months’ validity - to cover the possibility that they will ask for a clear criminal record from your last residence, even if you have been residing in Portugal thereafter.
My sense is that if you have been living in Portugal for a while - almost since getting your last residence card - and you can prove this- it makes the clear criminal record from your last residence less important - because AIMA will check and be reassured by your clear criminal record in Portugal. However, if it is not difficult to get the criminal record, apostilled, from your last country of residence, it would be sensible to obtain it. They have a reputation for being inconsistent.
say that instead of a criminal record, I can provide SNS document because I entirely relocated to Portugal? If yes, what is the proof that I relocated?
“Para as situações em que o requerente permanece em TN”
Not the OP, so perhaps I am misinterpreting, or have misinterpreted!
I understood the question arose because of a renewal for a person who had fully relocated to Portugal - as happens in some cases. If that is the case, then a criminal record is available from Portugal - for the period after relocation - as per the Manual, and the person has to show a clear (no debt) record with Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira and Segurança Social. As well as other standard renewal docs.
If the renewal is for somebody who only is on national territory for the minimum duration (7 or 14 days), you are right, that the burden of proof is on the applicant to prove entry, exit and stay for the minimum periods, and criminal record in country of residence (elsewhere), as in the linked WIKI.
For example, if I’m under NHR programm for years and CEO of Portuguese company. And I have receipts for each day. NHR proves that I’m at least 183 days in Portugal.
Does that mean that the applicant effectively resides in Portugal? Are there successful cases on the forum of “effectively reside in Portugal?”
Regards
The question from OP arose from the two separate clauses of the SEF manual, which take kind of opposing effect:
If the applicant “stays” in PT - SEF wants to see his/her health insurance proof in PT.
If the applicant “does not reside” in PT - SEF wants to see his/her foreign criminal check (same as for initial grant of ARI).
So the OP surmised that the reverse logic may be applicable, namely if the applicant shows up with his health insurance (i.e. satisfying clause #1), then the same applicant would become exempt from the foreign criminal check as per clause #2.
To which I replied that in my opinion SEF’s logic does not work in reverse, if it works at all
In the beginning, yes, I thought that two clauses were linked.
But now, question only about “Se o titular de ARI não residir efetivamente em TN, tem que juntar certificado de registo criminal”.
If any successful cases exist and what are proofs of “residir efetivamente”
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