Brexit LIVE: Troubling Portugal dispute sparks chaos as 35,000 Britons left in bleak limbo

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Under the Brexit withdrawal agreement, British citizens in Portugal were guaranteed their social and employment rights would be protected and had to exchange EU residence documents for a biometric residence permit.

More than 34,500 Britons live permanently in Portugal and have been left detained at airports, paying to have broken bones treated or facing the risk of losing their jobs due to the delays in getting a biometric card.

Instead, a temporary document and QR code was issued, which Britons say is not recognised locally or at international borders.

Tig James, who runs the British in Portugal campaign group, said an estimated 41,000 British nationals were affected and she has spent the past three years “screaming from the rooftops” about the problem.

She blamed the Portuguese immigration and borders service, SEF, and added: “SEF is wilfully, deliberately and systemically not adhering to the withdrawal agreement, resulting in the physical, emotional and financial suffering of thousands of UK nationals living in Portugal.”

SEF said in a statement: “The current residence documents of British nationals living in Portugal continue to be accepted, even after the end of the transition period, and until the new residence card is issued.”

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A UK government spokesperson said in a statement: “We continue to urge the Portuguese government to complete the process of issuing biometric residency cards to UK nationals living legally in Portugal without further delay. 

“Portugal must immediately and fully implement the withdrawal agreement commitments it signed up to in 2018 so UK nationals have the security they need.”

SEF said in a statement: “The current residence documents of British nationals living in Portugal continue to be accepted, even after the end of the transition period (31 December 2020), and until the new residence card is issued.

“The exchange of the current residence document (either an EU registration certificate issued by the town hall, or an EU permanent residence certificate issued by SEF) was carried out through the Brexit portal (brexit.sef.pt), which allowed British nationals to apply online to exchange the document.

“Until then, the certificate with the QR code, that can be downloaded from the portal, continues to be an official residency document for those under the withdrawal agreement. It is valid until the new card is issued. Furthermore, valid EU residency documents continue to be accepted for travel purposes, until the new card is issued.”

Troubling Portugal dispute sparks chaos as 35,000 Britons left in bleak limbo

Britons living in Portugal have been unable to access healthcare, change jobs, or travel in and out of the country because its ministers have not issued post-Brexit ID cards.

Under the Brexit withdrawal agreement, British citizens in Portugal were guaranteed their social and employment rights would be protected, and had to exchange EU residence documents for a biometric residence permit.

More than 34,500 Britons live permanently in Portugal, and have been left detained at airports, paying to have broken bones treated or risked losing their jobs due to the delays in getting a biometric card.

Instead, a temporary document and QR code was issued, which Britons say is not recognised locally or at international borders.

Tig James, who runs the British in Portugal campaign group, said an estimated 41,000 British nationals were affected and she has spent the past three years “screaming from the rooftops” about the problem. 

She blamed the Portuguese immigration and borders service, SEF, and added: “SEF is wilfully, deliberately and systemically not adhering to the withdrawal agreement, resulting in the physical, emotional and financial suffering of thousands of UK nationals living in Portugal.”

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My name is Dylan Donnelly, bringing you the latest in Brexit affairs and on the EU.

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