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'Citizen's card for foreign residents' launched

holdinghandsThe Portuguese government is launching a citizenship card for registered foreigners in Portugal.

The card, similar to the national ‘cartão de cidadão,’ groups together identification references for tax, social security and the national health system but does not make the holder a 'citizen.'

Immigrants will be able to apply for their very own version of the Portuguese ‘cartão de cidadão,’ potentially avoiding hours of sitting round or waiting for the post.

"Nowadays, when someone goes through the residency process, once you get a ‘residência,’ you then have to visit the branches of Finance, Social Security and the National Health Service and register with each," said Secretary of State for Administrative Modernisation, Graça Fonseca.

According to Fonseca, with the new card, the applicant will be given all these numbers at the same time and in the same place, reducing the time and effort.
"Currently, the process is relatively complicated and involves several trips," explained Graça Fonseca, patiently.

The new 'citizens' card for foreigners' will be controlled by the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), but its bureaucratic operation will not be the sole responsibility of this august cadre.

It will be a process of "intercommunication between the various parties, from Finance to Social Security,” and as a four-party multi-agency programme, applicants can expect teething problems, initial delays and an information black-out if there are problems.

The Secretary of State says that the new card is part of the 'Simplex + 2018' programme.

As part of a pre-Brexit plan to facilitate UK citizens living in Portugal to get registered, the project should be welcomed by most expatriates and will help identify registered UK nationals living in Portugal when officially they become 'non-EU citizens,' post-Brexit.

Last month, more than a hundred immigrants demonstrated outside the Assembly of the Republic against the delay in issuing residence permits, including cases of citizens who already work and pay into the Social security system.

Simplex is the 2006 programme to simplify and modernise public services.

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Comments  

+3 #7 mj1 2018-06-17 09:57
mike says "Looks like more queing days ahead"

come on mike we have to find work for the bureaucrats, what else what they do every day :P
+3 #6 Mike Towl 2018-06-16 06:54
Also, does it apply to those who have a residencia already and are registered with all the relevant agencies? Does it replace the residencia? Looks like more queing days ahead, if it happens at all of course.
+3 #5 Ed 2018-06-15 23:27
Quoting Carl H:
How about informing the reader of:
- where do I apply for this card
- how long will it take to get this additional document and why should I apply for it
- what is the cost


I will do, when the government decides to publicise these details.
+4 #4 Jobroco 2018-06-15 23:05
"Citizen's card for foreign residents" - does that make foreign residents Portuguese citizens? Surely not. In which case it's a stupid name for an identity card.
+5 #3 Jobroco 2018-06-15 23:02
"Simplex is the 2006 programme to simplify and modernise public services". So how is that coming along, 12 years on?
+10 #2 Carl H 2018-06-15 22:21
How about informing the reader of:
- where do I apply for this card
- how long will it take to get this additional document and why should I apply for it
- what is the cost
+3 #1 mj1 2018-06-15 21:11
would it not be easier to have it tattooed on your forehead, and then the camara staff can read your info as they look at you

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