Lusa
The measure aims to end the current exception that allows Brazilians and Timorese to come to Portugal as tourists and without permission of residence.
The government is preparing a significant review of immigration policy, focusing on residence permits to Brazilian and Timorese citizens.
Currently, these citizens can enter Portugal as tourists, without a visa, and later request a residence permit – a privilege established by bilateral agreements that does not apply to other countries in the community of Portuguese -speaking countries (CPLP). However, this possibility has Originating thousands of court proceedings and the agency for integration, migrations and asylum (AIMA).
The new government proposal provides that, in order to obtain residence permission, citizens of these two countries will have to enter the country already with the proper visawhether for work or residence. Although the visa -free tourist entrance remains allowed, this way will no longer allow subsequent regularization of the stay.
This measure has already been discussed with the president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, during the Brazil-Portuguese Summit, and does not imply changes to the CPLP agreement nor to the associated consular visas. Government intervention is limited to requests made in the national territory, without legal basis of entry, says.
In addition, the next Council of Ministers will bring profound changes in the laws of nationality and family regrouping. The minimum time of legal stay in Portugal for access to citizenship may Pass from the current 5 to up to 10 years And the need to demonstrate an effective connection to the country will be reinforced.
The executive still wants loss of nationality For citizens sentenced to penalties greater than three years, by court decision, although a similar measure has already been considered unconstitutional by Parliament.
In the family regrouping, the government intends to harde Foreigners bring family members From outside Portugal except in specific cases, such as minors already resident in the country.
With the objective of “closing the dossier” of pending regularizations, the executive intends to redirect the migratory policy to attract highly qualified talentincluding emigrated and Lusodescendent Portuguese. One of the measures will be the granting of visas to seek work only to candidates with high qualifications. At the same time, the implementation of integration policies is planned, especially in education, where there are already 140,000 foreign students in Portuguese schools
