A British citizen residing in Portugal felt like an “illegal immigrant”
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Tens of thousands of British citizens are reportedly stranded in Portugal without access to healthcare, unable to replace jobs or come and go from the country due to the lack of factorisation of post-Brexit IDENTITY cards.
British ministers urge Portugal to fully bring into force the Withdrawal Agreement for the livelihood of the 34,500 Britons who settled in the country before the UK left the European Union.
Under the agreement between the UK and the EU, it guaranteed that Britons living in the country would have their jobs and social rights protected.
In doing so, the Portuguese government demanded factoring biometric apartment cards, but Britons living in the country say they still rely on transitory documents and a QR code, which they say are not recognized locally or at foreign borders.
Delays in issuing important identity documents forced a British citizen residing in Portugal to pay a £4,000 hospital bill for a damaged limb because he did not have access to public healthcare.
James Campbell, a computer programmer, also told The Guardian that he feels more like an “illegal immigrant right now. “
Another couple told the newspaper they were arrested at Frankfurt airport for using residency documents. The couple has since been accused of violating immigration laws.
A UK government spokesman said in a statement: “We continue to urge the Portuguese government to complete without further delay the procedure of issuing biometric cards to British citizens living legally in Portugal.
“Portugal will have to put into effect without delay and in full the commitments of the Withdrawal Agreement it signed in 2018 so that British citizens have the security they need. “
Portugal’s Immigration and Border Service SEF said in a statement: “Existing documents of British citizens living in Portugal continue to be accepted, even after the end of the transitional era (31 December 2020), and until the issuance of the new card. .
“The exchange of the existing apartment permit (either an EU registration certificate issued through the city corridor or an EU permanent apartment certificate issued through SEF) took place through the Brexit portal (brexit. sef. pt), which allowed UK citizens to apply online to exchange the document.
“Until then, the certificate with the QR code, downloadable on the portal, remains an official apartment permit for other people under withdrawal agreement. It is valid until the new card is issued. In addition, valid EU apartment documents continue to be accepted for purposes until the new card is issued.
Britons living in Portugal say they still rely on transitory documents and a QR code
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