# Refused residency card?



## Anya Hargreaves (Dec 4, 2020)

Hi
I wanted to see if anyone (non-EU) has had their residency card refused? It is almost at the 3 month mark for my husband and we still haven't received it. SEF had written to us last month asking for clarification of the address we are staying at. We provided this but still haven't heard back. Should I expect this to be delayed past 3 months due to COVID, and the holidays? Or is this an indication the residency card has been refused? 
Thanks.


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## hktoportugal (Feb 25, 2019)

Hi, I can only provide you with my pre-COVID experience. I am an EU citizen, my wife is non-EU. We went to the SEF offices in February 2020 and received her residence card two weeks later in the mail. Prior to going to SEF I had communicated with a senior inspector by email to make sure that we were able to present all required documents while we were there. (I actually forgot to get my "certificado" initially so had to come back that afternoon to show it)


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## Anya Hargreaves (Dec 4, 2020)

That sounds ideal! I can't even get hold of anyone to give me a basic update. Please can you let me know how you got the inspector's details? Thanks.


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## Anya Hargreaves (Dec 4, 2020)

So, we are still waiting. My husband’s application passed the three month mark last week. The contact centre first didn’t pick up for a few days, and then when they did they told me they’re closed - no updates can be provided - and to call back tomorrow, or next week. 
I emailed the SEF office as I’d been told they would only respond once we’ve passed the 3 months. No response from them. 
We have a lawyer helping us and he said he’s contacted SEF twice this week, no reply received.
In a second request sent 3 weeks ago, SEF asked for further proof of address which we provided on the same day we received the letter.
I am at a complete loss as to what we can do or what the hold-up is.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Anya Hargreaves said:


> I am at a complete loss as to what we can do or what the hold-up is.


The hold up is probably the pandemic situation.

I work in public administration (not in Portugal, though) - staff is quarantining, working from home on whatever they can do from there without the files, on sick leave, on annual leave because they don't have child care, staff gets pulled from non-essential work to try to get a handle on all the pandemic-related new tasks that come in every other hour, we have staff that does nothing but try to get data for statistics for this Ministry or that Ministry only to then be told they have to do it all over again but a little differently for yet another department, etc., etc.

Residence card applications can take up to six months by EU regulations, I am afraid that applications that were submitted three months ago are probably not seen as urgent.


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## Anya Hargreaves (Dec 4, 2020)

ALKB said:


> The hold up is probably the pandemic situation.
> 
> I work in public administration (not in Portugal, though) - staff is quarantining, working from home on whatever they can do from there without the files, on sick leave, on annual leave because they don't have child care, staff gets pulled from non-essential work to try to get a handle on all the pandemic-related new tasks that come in every other hour, we have staff that does nothing but try to get data for statistics for this Ministry or that Ministry only to then be told they have to do it all over again but a little differently for yet another department, etc., etc.
> 
> Residence card applications can take up to six months by EU regulations, I am afraid that applications that were submitted three months ago are probably not seen as urgent.


Thanks. SEF do say they have a 3 month maximum turnaround, *but* all of this doesn’t matter as we heard that the card has been sent to print! 🥳🥳


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## vianina (Feb 25, 2020)

That's good news. How did you manage to get that info?


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## Anya Hargreaves (Dec 4, 2020)

I emailed the SEF office where we had applied. They didn’t respond to an email I sent last year, but now that we’re past the 3 month mark I was told by the contact centre that they would reply, which they did.


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## vianina (Feb 25, 2020)

Thanks. Glad it’s close to being sorted now.


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