The articles written by the PÚBLICO Brasil team are written in the variant of the Portuguese language used in Brazil.
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Many people ask me how I got a residence permit to live in Portugal, since I still don’t have Portuguese citizenship. I decided to move here in 2021, at the very end of the pandemic, and I was enrolled in a postgraduate course, but my course did not last longer than one year, which made it impossible to apply for a student visa.
The move to Portugal had to be very well planned, especially with a pre-teen child, and he was decisive in my staying here. The law allows a residence permit to be granted to minors, and that’s what I did.
At the time, the foreign assistance service was provided by the former SEF, and I managed to schedule my assistance while still in Brazil, four months before my trip. I arrived in Lisbon and received care the following month.
What I needed was to prove that my son was enrolled in a school, that I already had a home address and that I had the financial means to support him here. My son was enrolled in a public school and I already had a Portuguese bank account, which I opened when I was still in Rio de Janeiro.
This strategy was somewhat quick and effective. The same does not happen with thousands of immigrants who wait for assistance at the service that is now called AIMA, Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, to obtain the long-awaited residence permit and be able to move freely from one country to another.
Rio de Janeiro beautician Tatiane Martins has been waiting for her residence permit for three years. In September 2021, she resorted to calling Expression of Interestwhich at the time was still permitted, to obtain documentation. This mechanism was abolished this year, and Portugal began to require a work or student visa to guarantee the immigrant’s permanence in the country.
Recently, the Portuguese government announced that citizens of Brazil and East Timor They will be able to apply for a residence permit after entering Portuguese territory as tourists, without the need for a visa. The Government promised to activate a specific channel at AIMA to deal with the matter, but the bill still needs to be approved by the Assembly of the Republic.
While waiting for her residence permit, Tatiane found work, housing, has a tax identification number, the so-called NIF, a user number, which entitles her to the public health service, pays taxes and this year opened her own beauty business. All without having a residence permit yet. Setbacks that show how much Portugal needs to evolve in the process of legalizing foreigners.
At the beginning of the year, Tatiane finally managed to receive care, but is still waiting for her resident card, which should have been sent to her home. After some e-mails without a response and after two visits to the AIMA customer service desk, she discovered that, due to a system failure, the card had not been sent to processing.
“The first time I went to AIMA to find out about my card, the employee shouted at me, said he didn’t provide information and laughed when I complained. I felt very sad and incapable. I was looking for my right, and I insisted on signing a complaint book in response to the employee’s mockery, but nothing was resolved. I had to go back a second time to find out what had happened and then have my authorization forwarded. They said my card should arrive in October.”
Faced with difficulties, you may ask yourself: Why insist on life in Portugal?
The answer of the vast majority is security and the possibility of improving their lives, with more quality and better financial conditions.
Portugal is no longer a cheap country within Europe, on the contrary, rents in Lisbon are among the most expensive and salaries are among the lowest. The minimum wage is 820 euros and the average salary is no more than 1500, 1600 euros.
But despite this, Brazilians believe they have more purchasing power here than in Brazil, not to mention access to public health and education.
The decision to migrate to another country always has strong motivations, such as the hope of a better life, or even the realization of a dream. Everyone knows their reason, but this change should not be made without planning and financial organization. It is essential that you have a good reserve for possible unforeseen events, because they happen.
Portugal has particularities. When looking for a public service, for example, you will notice that the information changes depending on the attendant. There are moments when we think: “It can’t be possible! They’re all crazy! But I say that, despite certain confusions, in the end things work out. It must be the Portuguese way”.
The fact is that once we organize our routine, we realize all the good things that Portugal can offer. A calmer, safer life, many quality public services and a people who, although they may sometimes seem grumpy, prejudiced and even arrogant, also know how to be extremely affectionate and receptive.
I think that the way we approach and relate to people can greatly facilitate possible misunderstandings in this process of adaptation to a new country and a new culture. It is important to be aware that this is not our original home, and that it is the owners of the house who establish the rules and customs.
I’ve come across some grumpy and even rude Portuguese people, but let’s face it, there are boring, clueless and disrespectful people everywhere, whether above or below the Equator.
I’m going to mention one of my first experiences with the Portuguese, before I even decided to live here.
I was at Feira da Ladra, an antiques fair that brings together hundreds of exhibitors and is something I love doing in Lisbon. Friendly, I asked one of the vendors how to get to the Nossa Senhora do Monte viewpoint, the highest in the city. Immediately the Portuguese gentleman began to show me the way.
“The girl follows the tram tracks (cable car), then passes a ladder and follows…”
Then the Portuguese man next to you interrupts: “No, there are no stairs. Don’t go that way, you turn before the stairs.”
And an argument began there: with a ladder, without a ladder… I, standing in front of the two men, stopped what they were doing and began to argue about something that wouldn’t make the slightest difference to them, but to me. I confess that I no longer remember whether the path actually had stairs or not, but the episode says a lot about being helpful and kind.
And this is not my only example of receptivity and friendliness here. The Portuguese know how to be generous, playful and good-natured. I get along very well with them, whether at home or in the places I frequent.
And, if for some, the presence of so many Brazilians may be a nuisance, or seem like a threat, I believe that, little by little, these Portuguese people will realize that this exchange is positive and brings new life to many parts of the country. No culture survives closed in on itself, and everyone, without exception, has the right to “discover” a new and happier world.
