Over 60% of golden visas have expired
There's 19,000 pending requests to renew golden visas, according to the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF).
The Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) has 19,000 pending requests to renew golden visas. It’s more than 60% of the total, according to the newspaper Público.
The renewal is mandatory every two years, and SEF explains that “the admissibility of documents and visas concerning the stay of foreign citizens in the national territory was extended until December 31, 2022”. But expired documents are not accepted at international airports, and some holders aren’t able to enter or leave the country.
During this year, SEF has already opened about seven thousand vacancies for renewal of these residence permits, thu two thousand vacancies remained unfilled. SEF explains that as the majority of golden visa holders do not reside in Portugal, they are not always able to present themselves on the scheduled day. It also acknowledges that appointments are not always made in advance.
