CPLP – Amendment to the Foreigners Law
The proposal for Law nº 19/XV was voted in favor today, which makes the 10th amendment to Law nº 23/2007 of 4 July (Foreigners Law) which provides, among other things, for the creation of a new type of visa: the visa for nationals of members belonging to the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
What is the visa for nationals of countries belonging to the CPLP?
The visa for nationals of countries belonging to the CPLP, which allows the holder to apply for a residence permit in Portugal. The CPLP residence permit allows residence in Portugal, for an initial period of one year, renewable for successive periods of two years.
Who can obtain a visa for nationals of countries belonging to the CPLP?
Citizens of countries belonging to the CPLP, more specifically:
- Angola
- Brazil
- Cabo Verde
- Guinea Bissau
- Equatorial Guinea
- Mozambique
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Timor-Leste
Requirements for obtaining a residence visa for nationals of countries belonging to the CPLP:
Residence visas and residence permits can be granted to nationals of countries belonging to the CPLP provided that they cumulatively meet the following requirements:
- a) Inexistence of measures prohibiting the entry of the applicant in Portugal; and
- b) Inexistence of indications of threat by the applicant to the order, security or public health of Portugal.
Deadline for the award:
The application for a CPLP residence visa must be decided within a period not exceeding 60 days, counted from the submission of the application.
The application for a residence permit is requested within a maximum period of 90 days from the first entry into Portugal, and decided within 60 days from the date of submission of the application.
Residency visa waiver:
Temporary residency is allowed (for a period longer than 3 months and less than 1 year) for nationals of a member state of a country belonging to the CPLP, when they have legally entered Portugal. This temporary authorization may be renewable for an equal period.
Some of the advantages that the remote worker visa holder can have are:
- Family reunification;
- Obtain Non-Habitual Resident Status;
- Benefit from a qualified and accessible health system; and
- Access to law and courts.
After the present approval of the referred draft law, the subsequent legislative procedure will be followed up, which, from the outset, will culminate, in the near future, in the publication of the referred legislative amendment in the Diário da República and subsequent entry into force of the referred amendment. There will still be room for the necessary legislative regulation.
