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Worry over passport for Biometrics appointment

Visas, Residency & Citizenship

Last Post by Tams 2 months ago

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Tams

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Oct 27, 2022 11:36 am

(@tams)

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I posted this onto another topic about SEF appointments for biometrics card, but thought I should also make a separate topic.

I have all the documentation in accordance with the WA for residency - QR coded download certificate, CRUE etc. Also have full Portuguese D/L and registered at local Centro de Saude in Almeirim. The big problem I have overlooked is that my passport is out of date and I can't book an appointment till this is processed and i can bring along the renewed passport.

I have applied for the new passport this week and the old one has been sent back but the SEF office in Santarém said that this has to be done before the end of December to ensure an appointment! I wasn't aware there was a deadline so soon for this based on the rollout only starting this autumn. I cannot find any evidence anywhere on the SEF/Brexit site, ar anywhere else, that there is an end of year deadline.

Obviously, I hope the new passport arrives within that time, but a big worry is set off about what happens if the passport is delayed. Surely the QR code is still valid and I am not going to be deported or something in January!?

I would appreciate and be grateful for some clarification about this as it is creating a lot of anxiety.

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blaze451

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Oct 27, 2022 3:30 pm

(@blaze451)

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this might be relevant-

https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2022-10-26/immigrants-can-renew-residence-permits-online/71519

it states - According to the SEF, these documents “continue to be accepted” after December “as long as the holder proves that they have already scheduled the respective renewal”.

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Tams

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Oct 27, 2022 5:15 pm

Reply to

blaze451

@blaze451

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have seen that today. I am a bit puzzled how you can schedule an appointment for a renewal when you don't have the updated passport document to actually meet the requirements of the appointment to receive the new biometric card. But at least it seems to hint that the QR code is still valid.

I just pray that my whole residency application is not voided on the SEF portal if the passport takes too long. UK passport office suggests up to 10 weeks to send a new passport. That would take it into Jan 2023 and is a main reason for my worry.

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x-camone

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Oct 27, 2022 5:57 pm

(@x-camone)

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The article cited above is not applicable when it comes to either EU citizens or to UK citizens resident prior to Brexit. It only applies where authorisation to reside is required.

EU citizens (and UK citizens resident prior to Brexit) do not require authorisation - they apply for a document confirming they have exercised their EU freedom of movement rights and, provided they remain resident according to the allowed absences criteria, their status as residents is not called into question if the document validity expires.

Our status in particular is also guaranteed by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and law arising from that, which (at least in the case of Portugal) does not rely on the holding of any given document, but on the fact of our continued presence.

I can't imagine where this end of year "deadline" has crept in from but it's a completely new one on me. Maybe it's just when any temporary arrangements for making appointments / issuing the bulk of these cards ceases? Possibly. But there can be no end date for applying to SEF for recognition of WA protected status and issuance of a document attesting to it beyond that, providing one satisfies the criteria.

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Tams

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(@tams)

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Oct 27, 2022 8:23 pm

Reply to

x-camone

@x-camone Thanks for the reply. This is how I have understood it, which is why I thought I was going mad after what was said yesterday about getting an appointment before the end of December. Would still like further clarity from SEF themselves about it.

Posts: 36

Tams

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Topic starter

Nov 29, 2022 6:10 pm

(@tams)

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Joined: 2 years ago

Appointment subsequently completed by walking into local SEF office and having the biometric print and photo completed. Was advised to wait for 48 hrs to download the payment reference on the Brexit portal after log-in.

Waited till Friday and then attempted this. The message as uploaded showed and still shows almost a week later. What is happening, why am I getting this message and what am I supposed to do to get a payment reference number.? I need to make the payment obviously asap.

Many thanks if anyone can help with this.

Attachment : SEF-payment-form.GIF

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blaze451

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(@blaze451)

Joined: 1 year ago

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Posts: 512

Nov 29, 2022 9:09 pm

Reply to

Tams

@tams have you followed the instructions given in other threads on here to generate the reference number?

-> select Brexit ->Exchange Residence Document->

Go to the € sign, then click on the name, then the printer icon. It should then generate the document (even though logic suggests it'd print a blank thing...) If this works, you then wait 48 hours before paying it.

https://expatsportugal.com/community/residency-visa-citizenship/sef-brexit-appointments/paged/2/#post-202857

Tams

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(@tams)

Joined: 2 years ago

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Posts: 36

Nov 30, 2022 11:10 am

Reply to

blaze451

@blaze451 Thankyou. The point is that after clicking the € sign and my name it comes up with the caption I posted in my previous post. There is no printer icon, nothing. Clicking on my name simply produces the "No active or pending payment documents" message. I cannot click on that and get past it.

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Worry over passport for Biometrics appointment

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