Portuguese residents of the United Kingdom can travel to Portugal and apply for post-Brexit resident status with the expired citizen card, the Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes, confirmed this Wednesday in London.
«Yes, the citizen card is valid until the end of the year. The information is that there has been no problem in traveling with this card, which, in fact, has not expired because the Portuguese Government has decided to extend its validity, “said Berta Nunes to Lusa, during a visit to the Portuguese community.
The secretary of state said that “the British authorities are informed and so far there are no reports of problems.”
The Portuguese Government has extended the admissibility of the citizen card until December 31 due to the limitations of public services caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
This decision does not apply to the passport, the validity of which has not been extended.
Since the reopening on Monday by the British Government of international travel for non-essential reasons and the inclusion of Portugal in the ‘green list’, which exempts from compliance with the quarantine upon return to the United Kingdom, which many Portuguese have been seeking information on the possibility of traveling with expired documents.
The secretary of state also reiterated information that the British government facilitated the application process for the European Union citizen registration system last week. [«EU Settlement Scheme»], now accepting expired identity cards in the digital process.
Whereas before it was necessary to request a paper form to apply with an expired citizen card, now it is possible to do it through the Internet and then send the document for certification.
In both cases, travel and application for resident status, the Secretary of State recommended the use of the declaration available on the website of the London consulate.
This measure was taken to relieve pressure on European consulates affected by the restrictions of the covid-19 pandemic and to allow the maximum number of applications before the deadline, June 30.
This Wednesday, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities is in the second of a three-day visit to the United Kingdom, whose main objective is to assess the situation of migrants in terms of resident status and contact the community, a of the most affected by the covid pandemic -19.
On Wednesday, the minister visited several commercial and cultural establishments in “Little Portugal”, in the Stockwell neighborhood, south of London, and met with members of the Portuguese community.
He also gave an interview to RTV Lusa radio, in which he encouraged emigrants from the UK to take advantage of the ‘green corridor’ and visit Portugal because ‘they are always welcome’.
He also left a “message of hope” in relation to Brexit, as anxieties and uncertainties about the impact of the process on the community were overcome because “there was an agreement.”
«You only need a visa for those who come from Portugal to work. If you come to work, it is necessary to bring a residence visa and a contract, “recalled Berta Nunes, about the new immigration regulations in the United Kingdom.
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