Thanks to Tig James from the Facebook page British in Portugal for this information. And today more information has been added to please take a look on
British in Portugal Here, and give the page a like
For all those who have been living out of the UK for more than 15 years, I have just been told by my very helpful UK voting office, that I can register to vote from 16 January 2024 onwards.
They also forwarded this useful link:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05923/
Also, here is the link from the uk.gov website to register:
https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad
Additionally, here is my post from a few days ago that contains a lot of very useful information and links that UK nationals should be aware of and yet only just over 400 of the nearly 5,000 members viewed it. I am not sure why as I hopefully tagged everyone:
“IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR UK NATIONALS
This week I have had two meetings with the British Embassy and in both many issues were discussed. Please read the post to completion as these issues affect all of us.
1. It has come to light recently that there are a number of health centres who appear to be discriminating against UK nationals. This has taken the form of being told they are being refused healthcare/treatment/prescriptions, etc, because of their nationality and/or treated poorly as a result.
If there are immediate language difficulties the Embassy have advised ACM (Alto Comissariado para as Migrações) provide a free language service that may be used at the time of talking to the health centre, a three way conversation:
https://www.acm.gov.pt/-/servico-de-traducao-telefonica
The Embassy have also requested the Complaints Book be completed when these incidents occur which can be completed online as well as at the health centre concerned and in English:
https://www.livroreclamacoes.pt/Inicio/
Additionally, there are a number of other organisations that can be contacted in order for this to be dealt with:
CLAIM – Centros Locais de Apoio à Integração de Migrantes. Please see the link for your local centre:
https://eportugal.gov.pt/…/centros-locais-de-apoio-a
ARS – Autoridade Regional de Sauúde which is the regional health authority for the Algarve:
https://www.arsalgarve.min-saude.pt/contactos/
ERS – Entidade Reguladore da Saúde. A complaint can be made to this agency if access has been denied to health care:
https://www.ers.pt/pt/reclamar-diretamente-a-ers/
Ordem dos Médicos – this organsiation can be contacted if a complaint is to be made against a particular doctor. A link is also provided for the necessary form to be completed n this case:
https://ordemdosmedicos.pt
Complaints form: https://ordemdosmedicos.pt/…/Formulario_de_Reclamacao.
Please remember if you are unable to receive health care at your health centre you can attend the nearest Emergency Room at your local hospital.
If you are currently attending a health centre as a Portuguese resident and are being asked for your EHIC/GHIC card or for payment you should not be being asked for either. If this is the case, please contact the British Embassy in either of the following two ways:
https://www.contact-embassy.service.gov.uk/?country=Portugal&post=British%20Embassy%20Lisbon
Or contact them through on this email address citing the subject as a ‘Healthcare Issue’:
Notarial.Portugal@fcdo.gov.uk
2. In 2024/2025 both ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) and ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) will be commencing.
ETA – An ETA is the authorisation non-UK nationals will need to apply for to visit the UK. Please note certain nationals from particular countries can apply this year:
https://www.gov.uk/…/apply-for-an-electronic-travel…
ETIAS – UK nationals resident in the UK will need to apply for an ETIAS if they wish to visit the EU and Schengen Area:
https://etias.com
Although records are already being kept, I have been informed once the ETA and ETIAS are in place, this will mean that all UK nationals will have some form of electronic record made of their entry and exit into the EU and Schengen Area.
It will mean anyone overstaying in the said area will be immediately highlighted to the authorities including those who do not have residency documentation when they leave or enter Portugal.
Those who are found to be overstaying in the Schegnen Area will be immediately removed and fined. Not only will they be fined but they will be banned from the Schengen Area for a minimum of six months and placed on SIS (Schengen Information System) system. Once the ban has expired it is then down to each individual member state in the EU and Schengen Area as to whether they will then allow the previously banned person to re-enter. In other words, just because the ban has ceased this does not automatically mean a person will be allowed entry anywhere in the EU and Schengen Area.
For all UK nationals who resided in Portugal PRIOR to 2021 and still do not have residency documentation or a Withdrawal Agreement biometric card (WABC) please go immediately to the Brexit portal on the SEF website or AIMA:
SEF: https://www.sef.pt/pt/Pages/homepage.aspx
AIMA: https://aima.gov.pt/ptand
The Brexit portal is still open but we do not know for how long this will now continue.
3. Withdrawal Agreement biometric cards (WABCs).
Anyone who still has not applied for their WABC on the Brexit portal please do so immediately.
There are a number of issues UK nationals are having with their WABCs from being unable to pay, unable to obtain an appointment, are too ill to attend a SEF/AIMA office, receiving the 404 error when attempting to book an appointment, are unable to sign in to the SEF/AIMA websites, received a five year card instead of a ten year card or haven’t received a card at all.
Please contact me on Messenger with any of these issues and I will attempt to resolve them for you.
4. For those who are legally resident in Portugal, UK driving licences are currently legally allowed to be used until the end of 2023 if you have registered your address at IMT (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes):
http://www.imtonline.pt/…/9-un…/203-4-outras-situacoes-2
As per the Embassy, ‘This new bilateral agreement will mean that holders of full and valid driving licences issued in the UK or in Gibraltar can continue to drive on their licence in Portugal until it expires. Residents must simply register their licence with IMT, as is currently the case. Residents will also be able to exchange their licence for a Portuguese one without the need to sit a test, including in cases where a licence has been lost or stolen, as well as expired licences up to two years after their expiry.’
5. Voting.
UK nationals, once they have left the UK for more than 15 years, their ability to vote in UK elections has been denied. This is about to change. After much hard work by many, many people, in January 2024 you will be able to register to vote and if you wish to know how to do this, please see the link below. Even once registered there will be a need to periodically re-register to vote:
https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad
Those who have been abroad for more than 15 years may not be able to register to vote until January 2024.
As soon as I am aware of anymore issues I will, of course, let you all know.”
Tig James.