Immigration service grants temporary protection to 51,716 from Ukraine

Portugal’s Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) has so far granted 51,716 temporary protections to people who fled the war in Ukraine and reported to the Public Prosecutor the situation of 728 children who arrived in Portugal without their parents.

According to the latest update by SEF, since the beginning of the war on February 24, Portugal has granted 51,716 temporary protections to Ukrainian citizens and foreigners residing in Ukraine, 30,792 of which to women and 20,924 men.

SEF reported that the highest number of temporary protections granted continues to be Lisbon (11,121), Cascais (3,106), Porto (2,519), Sintra (1,778) and Albufeira (1,284).

SEF also said it had issued 42,347 certificates granting a residence permit under the temporary protection regime.

This certificate, issued after the health service, social security and the tax authority have assigned the respective numbers, is necessary for refugees to start working and access support.

During the process of assigning these numbers, citizens can consult the numbers that have been assigned in the meantime in their reserved area of the digital platform https://sefforukraine.sef.pt.

SEF also reported that requests for temporary protection were authorized for 13,632 minors, representing around 26% of the total.

SEF also revealed that it has communicated to the Public Prosecutor the situation of 728 Ukrainian minors who arrived in Portugal without parents or legal representatives, cases in which there is considered to be no “present or imminent danger”.

In these situations, where in most cases, the child arrived in Portugal with a relative, the case is communicated to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the appointment of a legal representative and possible promotion of a protection process to the minor.

SEF also told the Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People about the situation of 15 minors who arrived in Portugal unaccompanied but with someone other than parents or a proven legal representative, representing these cases “current or imminent danger”.

The request for temporary protection in Portugal can be made through the online platform created by SEF and available in three languages.

However, for minors, it is mandatory to go to a branch of the Immigration and Borders Service to confirm their identity and affiliation.

On February 24, Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine that caused the flight of more than eight million people, including more than 6.6 million outside the country, according to UN estimates.

The international community condemned the Russian invasion, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and strengthening economic and political sanctions against Moscow.