Portugal’s Crédito Agrícola has introduced a new system that allows staff to open new accounts for individuals and small business owners simply by scanning the details and signature as on their Citizen Cards (Cartão de Cidadão).
The new CA Express service scans the card and signature which is enough proof required for opening and running a new account. The Portuguese Citizen’s Card or Portugese passport can be used and verified when making transfers or carrying out other in-branch activities.
CA Express will enable the bank to save money as it will no longer be producing reams of paper for banking or savings processes and the customer will not have to provide endless proof of address document copies when asking a teller the time of day.
The customer’s detsild will be as oper their Citizen's Card and held on computers with any subsequent contracts being pre-completed to reduce admin time.
The documentation for the customer when taking out a contract, for savings or insurance etc, will be sent by email as will contract updates from time to time.
The president of Crédito Agrícola in Portugal, José Maia Alexander, said today that "this innovation shows that we are at the forefront. We have even anticipated one of the measures recently announced by the Government in the new Simplex+ process for the third quarter of 2017."
Portugal’s banking sector could do well to follow Crédito Agrícola’s example in reducing the tonnage of interminable pieces of paper for the simplest of in-branch transactions.
Expat associations are making enquiries as to the proceedure for non-card-carrying residents.
Comments
One notable benefit is that the holder can vote for an MP in Portugal. This is useful for '15 year +' Britons who currently may not vote in UK or Portuguese general elections or Referenda.
The latest afpop Update magazine has a list of 'things to do' to obtain the card, including the essential first step of visiting your local Conservatorio to get the list of documents needed, which then must be translated into Portuguese and notarised as correct translations.
The citizens card gives you the right to apply for a Portuguese passport and the State does not mind citizens holding dual nationality. This may be useful should the UK leave the EU.
Just 30 seconds with Google got me this:
"Citizenship in Portugal
Portuguese citizenship can be acquired by those who are descended from Portuguese parents or grandparents. It is also possible to apply for citizenship in the following situations:
1. After six years of legal residence in Portugal, if
The applicant is legally considered to be an adult, i.e., 18 years old
The applicant has been a resident in Portugal for at least six years
The applicant has basic (A2 international level) knowledge of Portuguese language
The applicant has not been convicted for a crime which corresponds to a penalty equal to or more than three years according to Portuguese law"
Pray tell me how you figure "foreigners" can't become citizens? Failed the language test, by any chance?
There are an ever increasing number of Portuguese Government websites that are entirely geared to offering a service to Portuguese citizens. Absolutely nothing 'speedy' to foreigners who cannot posses the Citizen Cards (Cartão de Cidadão). Also, consequently, absolutely no distinction between 'quality' foreigners that could help Portugal develop and modernise and 'low quality foreigners' on the run from whatever.
Yet another total ignorance by Portugal of the whole principle of the European Union. Yet weirdly - the Portuguese stay (for the time being) and we Brits must go !