# BIOMETRIC CARDS and WD



## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

*IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR UK NATIONALS*

As most people are aware, we are still waiting for the two processes to be put in place regarding the Withdrawal Agreement biometric card. The first being for those who arrived in Portugal in 2020 but were unable to obtain their WA residency documents and the second for those who already have residency but need to exchange that documentation for the WA biometric card. 

Last night I spoke again to the co-chairs of British in Europe regarding the current situation in Portugal. There are approximately 1,000 UK nationals who arrived in Portugal in 2020, unable to obtain residency and thus health care or relevant paperwork for their employers. On travelling to and from Portugal (often for work) there is a very real fear and threats that they will not be allowed to re-enter the country.

Additionally there are tens of thousands of UK nationals with Portuguese residency documents that are not recognised in the EU (as they aren't the WA biometric card) and people again are being threatened with refusal of entry to EU countries and having their passports incorrectly stamped with the 90 day limitation of stay.

Also, many now have expired residency documents which SEF refuse to renew because of the supposed provision of the WA biometric card at some point. This is a further issue as institutions in Portugal will not accept expired documents as legitimate identification.

No other EU country is in the situation Portugal is in with a failure to implement the Withdrawal Agreement. 

I have agreed with the chairs of British in Europe that this is a systemic failure by the Portuguese government to carry out legislation that impacts every UK national and their dependents. 

British in Europe are contacting the EU Commission (again) on our behalf as well as the FCDO to now state there is a failure to implement the Withdrawal Agreement.

We have also been requested to do our part. The EU Commission take more notice of requests to look into issues if they have a number of enquiries about it. 

Will as many as possible please write to the link below stating it is impossible to obtain a WA biometric card as the processes in Portugal are not in place and how this failure to implement the WA is causing a great many difficulties for UK nationals the least of which is the inability to obtain health care. Please do add any difficulties you may be having because of this.

We have been promised the WA biometric card since the summer of 2020 and it simply is not taking place leaving many UK nationals in dreadful circumstances.

The more people who write it really is a case of the more notice will be taken so please, do your part in helping not just yourself but many others potentially in a worse situation than yourself. 

Also, please inform your Portuguese MP/MEP, the more people who are informed the better.

Thank you.









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## proud.to.be.EUROPEAN (Feb 14, 2020)

Brilliant post !!!

It's such a disgrace that UK embassy in Lisbon is just sitting on its arse and hoping problem will just disappear!


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