Government safeguards rights of foreigners with pending cases at SEF
The Portuguese Government extended the situation of regular residence in national territory of foreign nationals who have pending cases initiated until 30th of April 2021 with the SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service).
The measure aims to guarantee the rights of all foreign nationals with pending cases at SEF in the context of the covid-19 pandemic.
Accordingly, serve as a means of proving their regular situation:
- the document of expression of interest or request issued by the platforms in use at SEF for the purpose of entry, stay, exit and removal of foreigners in the national territory;
- proof of SEF scheduling; and
- receipt of the application made for all other situation of pending cases at SEF, such as concessions or renewals of residence permits.
These documents are considered valid for all public services, namely for obtaining a user number, access to the National Health Service or other health care rights, obtaining the social security identification number, access to social support benefits, signing of lease agreements, employment contracts, opening bank accounts and contracting essential public services.
It should be noted that, for the first time, the descendants of foreign nationals in this situation will have access to the family allowance, as long as the parents have started the regularization process as indicated.
The statement comes due to attendance restrictions, and “the SEF will continue to ensure face-to-face service only for requests considered urgent, that is, citizens who need to travel or who prove the urgent and indeferred need to leave the national territory, for imponderable and indeferred reasons and citizens to whom documents have been stolen or misplaced”.
This order came into effect on April 30th, 2021, and remain in force during the consideration and processing of the cases.
