Portugal: rules of entry and stay for refugees from Ukraine
RULES OF ENTRY
Ukrainians are allowed to come to Portugal with any passport or identity documents (children are allowed to enter with a birth certificate). No visa or entry permit is required.
To arrive in Portugal, you can use regular commercial flights across the EU (subject to a valid biometric passport), international rail and bus services or free "humanitarian flights" coordinated by the Portuguese government (details - in the Portuguese embassies), free bus transfers coordinated by the Ukrainian community (details in Ukrainian Refugees UAPT WhatsApp / Telegram / Viber +351969293235), as well as other types of land transport, including private cars.
Crossing the border without a biometric passport is allowed in case of arrival by land or humanitarian flights
Support from the Portuguese Railways - free tickets for trains from Spain to Portugal and across Portugal, from TAP - free flights from Poland / Romania to Portugal (coordinated by the Portuguese Embassies in Poland / Romania).
In order to use regular (commercial) flights, it is necessary to have a certificate of a negative coronavirus test result (PCR test performed no more than 72 hours before the submission of the document, or a rapid laboratory test for antigen performed no more than 24 hours before the submission of the document) or covid certificate for the full course of vaccination (European covid certificate or Ukrainian digital covid certificate generated in Diia app, with QR code, provided more than 14 days have passed after the last dose of vaccination with Janssen vaccine or AstraZeneca or Moderna or Pfizer or Sinopharm (Vero Cell), Sinovac (Coronavac), Bharat Biotech International (Covaxin), Verity Pharmaceuticals, Fiocruz, R-Pharm) or a certificate of recovery.
The requirement to submit covid documents does not apply to children under 12 years of age. Travelers must complete the form at https://portugalcleanandsafe.pt/en/passenger-locator-card (the form must be completed after the check-in for the flight on which travelers arrive in Portugal and before boarding the aircraft).
In order to use "humanitarian flights", the list of required documents must be clarified with the Portuguese Embassy, which coordinates the flight, or with the direct air transport organizers.
To better coordinate traffic, enter Portugal and obtain temporary protection status, please fill out the following form
If you are traveling to Portugal from Poland - contact the Embassy of Portugal
It is advisable to have covid documents when arriving by land, but in their absence, entry into Portugal is also allowed. An entry form is not required.
WHAT TO DO AFTER ARRIVAL IN PORTUGAL?
The Portuguese authorities recommend that Ukrainians do not apply for refugee status, but for the status of a person in need of protection - pedido de proteção temporária (temporary EU protection). The procedure for processing documents in this case is simplified, does not involve the seizure of personal documents, does not impose restrictions on the person and creates mechanisms so that the person can open an account in any banking institution in Portugal; work as an employee or carry out business activities in Portugal; apply for social assistance; place your child in kindergarten / school; to continue studies in Portuguese universities; receive medical care in public medical institutions.
To do this, you just need to register with the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) online https://sefforukraine.sef.pt/ (a SEF office (see information at https://imigrante.sef.pt/deslocacao-sef/ or https://cutt.ly/cDIeEM2) should only be contacted in person when applying for a child who is in Portugal without parents (eg with a grandmother, sister, aunt)), providing information about your identity, residence in Portugal and contact details.
Based on your request, the Portuguese authorities will issue:
- residence permit (Título de Residência)
- taxpayer number (NIF)
- Social Security Identification Number (NISS)
- medical number of the National Health Service (SNS).
These identification numbers provide access to health care, education, employment, social protection, etc.
The waiting time for processing an application to the SEF is approximately 2 weeks, the information is sent to you by e-mail, which you specified when registering with the SEF.
The residence permit will be issued for an initial period of one year (which can be extended for another year, provided that circumstances that prevent people from returning to their country continue to exist).
The absence of a passport is not a ground for refusing protection by the Portuguese authorities; other available documents are provided to the SEF, such as a birth certificate, internal passport, or other document with photo.
Regarding passport actions for citizens of Ukraine in Portugal
If you need urgent help, contact the city hall where you are, for example in Lisbon - the Center for Assistance, which is located at: Casa do Tinoni, Projeto Crescer na Segurança, Serviço Municipal de Proteção Civil de Lisboa, Rua Cardeal Saraiva, 1070-045 Lisboa, tel. 800 910 111 (09: 00-13: 00/14: 00-20: 00, Monday - Sunday), https://www.lisboa.pt/lisboa-com-a-ucrania
List of all other municipalities in Portugal
You can also seek help from the National Migrant Integration Support Centers (CNAIM):
CNAIM Lisbon
Address: Rua Álvaro Coutinho, 14, 1150 - 025 Lisbon
CNAIM Algarve
Address: Loja do Cidadão, Mercado Municipal, 1.º Piso, Largo Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro, 8000-151 Faro
CNAIM Norte
Address: Av. de França, 316, Edifício Capitólio, 4050-276 Porto
The schedule can be found at: https://www.acm.gov.pt/pt/-/cnai-centro-nacional-de-apoio-ao-imigrante .
List of local migrant assistance centers: https://plim.acm.gov.pt/plim/contactos/contactos-rede-claim
Other assistance centers
- Center in Lisbon - Casa do Tinoni. +351 800 910 111
- Help Center in Cascais
- Help Center in Vila Nova de Gaia - tel. 933 159 266/913 832 906/933 159 267/913 833 293
- Assistance in the Azores
- Ukrainian Refugees UAPT, established by the Ukrainian society: +351969293235 (WhatsApp / Telegram / Viber)
If you need advice, you can contact the National Center for Support and Integration of Migrants in Portugal - website: https://www.acm.gov.pt/-/sos-ucrania email: [email protected] tel. +351 218 106 191 or 808 257 257 (Mon-Fri 09: 00-20: 00, Sat 09: 00-17: 00), incl. in Ukrainian
Contacts of Ukrainian embassies / consulates in Portugal:
Embassy of Ukraine in Portugal (Lisbon)
Address: Avenida das Descobertas, № 18 - Restelo 1400-092 Lisbon
+351213010043 / humanitarian aid: +351 210521 730
Fb-page of the Consular Section https://cutt.ly/HDITbcH
Address: Avenida de França, 352, escritorio 3.9-3.10, 4050-276 Porto
+351222011889
The schedule of operation of embassies and consulates, as well as the provision of telephone consultations:
RULES OF STAY WITH A PERSONAL VEHICLE WITH UKRAINIAN REGISTRATION
At present, the Portuguese government has not yet taken a special decision on this issue, so the standard provision applies that after obtaining the status of a resident, the owner must legalize his car within 30 days, which provides for certain payments.
Legalization can be expensive, so the Union of Ukrainians will ask the Portuguese government to settle the issue without additional payments from refugees. Follow the news and do not rush to clear the car.
RULES OF ENTRY WITH ANIMALS
Arrival with pets by air is governed by the rules of the airline that operates the flight. When entering by land, a veterinary passport is not required to transport the animal, but it is desirable. If there are no documents for the animal, you should contact the veterinary service at the place of residence / stay (many veterinary centers have taken the initiative to provide services free of charge).
More information about staying and opportunities in Portugal:
- https://t.me/+WofloIWvYDQ5NWQy
Line for providing translation services from / into Ukrainian by phone: +351 218106191
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