Portugal intends to start issuing humanitarian visas

Currently, the current legislation stipulates that a foreigner or a stateless person can request political asylum. To do this, he needs to arrive in Portugal and submit an application to the Office of Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) or another law enforcement agency. Prior to that, such an opportunity was only available to people who were already in Portugal, which created difficulties for those who did not have a safe route to the country.

The purpose of the bill

The draft laws proposed by the Liberal Initiative party open up the possibility of introducing humanitarian visas and regulate the transitional procedure in accordance with the new immigration law. They were approved on Friday by the Assembly of the Republic and are now under consideration by the parliamentary committee. The party aims to create a humanitarian visa that will allow those seeking protection not to risk a dangerous trip to the national territory. Instead, apply for asylum at the Portuguese Embassy in your country or in a neighboring state.

It is assumed that the law will enter into force after its final approval, and implementation may begin at the end of this year.

Earlier it was reported that Portugal extended the documents of relaxants for a year.

Conditions for granting the status

On the basis of the Convention on the Status of Refugees, the right to asylum in the country may be granted to a person who has been threatened and persecuted at home. The grounds for entry include the following situations:

• imposition of the death penalty;
• cases of cruel, degrading treatment;
• a real threat to life or security in war conditions;
• experienced physical, mental or sexualized violence; 
• discriminatory actions by the police, courts or other official bodies; 
• lack of access to judicial protection; 
• penalties for refusal to perform military service, if such service involves participation in criminal acts.

To confirm the grounds, the foreigner should submit to the Service for Foreigners and Borders Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF) evidence of his circumstances, if necessary with the involvement of witnesses. Interaction with government agencies takes place in a language understandable to the applicant or through an interpreter.

Within three days after the application for asylum, the applicant is given an official confirmation authorizing temporary stay in Portugal. In case of a change of residence, the victim must immediately inform the SEF.