New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

The Immigration and Border Service (SEF) is today starting to contact British nationals resident in Madeira or the Azores under the Withdrawal Agreement, for them to schedule appointments to provide their biometric data for the new residency card.
During this pilot project, British nationals resident on the Portuguese islands will be able, from 21 February, to go to SEF’s offices in:
- Azores: Angra do Heroísmo and Ponta Delgada;
- Madeira: Citizen's Office in Funchal.
In addition to providing their data for the new card, residents will also be able to update their information with SEF.
British nationals already registered on the Brexit Portal will be notified by email, this will be done in chronological order by date of registration.
Those resident in mainland Portugal who have already registered on the Portal will be contacted by SEF once phase 2 of the process is officially launched there. They do not need to contact SEF at this time.
The certificate with the QR code, that can be downloaded from the Portal, continues to be an official residency document for those under the Withdrawal Agreement. It is valid until the new card is issued. Furthermore, valid EU residency documents continue to be accepted for travel purposes, until the new card is issued.

Looks as though there is still some time to wait .................

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Given speed of progress so far, probably best to assume 3-6 months for the pilot!

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Well, any progress is better then none. :lol:

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Agreed!!! Waiting, Waiting .....

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

A guy on Facebook who lives in Madeira (responding to an article about this) said that he's just received an email from SEF about this a couple of hours ago; he logged on to the portal and has booked an appointment for this coming Monday... He was in shock...! So it may be sooner than we think..! He said he'd report back after he'd been to the appointment.

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

That is good news, keep us posted.
Booking is done on brexit portal.
It sounds like SEF has given up on idea of using Camara's. Not sure why, as bio-metrics taking kit is portable suitcase.

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

I saw this which was posted on the Madeira Group (for Brits) on Facebook earlier today. A lady had her appointment with SEF today and went through the new Brexit-Residency Card process (had her photo & fingerprints taken, and the card will be sent to her 'soon') - and she detailed the process (below). Her appointment only took 5 mins, so it's all pretty quick, and it seems relatively straight-forward. I thought it might be useful for people on this group, so i'm copy/pasting it here:
~~Process for Brexit-Biometric Residence Cards

The whole process took no longer than 5 minutes per person and was pretty straightforward. In Funchal the appointment was at Balcao 16 - as you enter the building immediately turn right and then left. At the end, Balcao 16 is on your right. Let someone know you have arrived - give them your name and time of appointment and they will call you up. They will ask for:

• Passport
• Residency Certificate
• NIF
• Health Number (numero utente)
• Social Security number (if you have one)
• Father's full name
• Mother's full name
• Your telephone number (ideally your Portuguese number)

They will then take your photo, finger print scan and signature scan (machine is right next to where you will be sitting).

To pay, you will then need to go back online at https://brexit.sef.pt/en/ and log on (the same way you did when booking your appointment). Then, instead of clicking the appointment icon (looks like a calculator), click on the icon with the Euro symbol. Click on your name and then on the date. It will then pull up a blank payment document. Click on the yellow icon next to the words 'Payment Document DUC'. You will be asked to confirm the details are correct. Click the Save Icon (computer disk) and then the Payment document will be populated with all the necessary details. There doesn't seem to be a way of printing this off so take either a screenshot or a photo of the document which gives you the Payment Reference.

Payment can be made 48 hours after the document is issued via Multibanco ATM or online banking; you will need to state the reference number when making the payment.

They can't say how long the cards will take to be issued since it is a new process and they have only just started doing them.

Fee is €15 (or €18 - there seems some confusion about it)

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Thank you for the information. It is nice to know what we are facing.

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Residency certificate or the document with the QR code on it?

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Probably both as the one confirms the other.

Am I naive to be surprised that there is a charge for this card?

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

The SEF say that the only valid document now is the pre-Brexit one with the QR code but then they do tend to make it up as they go along ...

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Article 18 of the Withdrawal Agreement.
(g) the document evidencing the status shall be issued free of charge or for a charge not exceeding that imposed on citizens or nationals of the host State for the issuing of similar documents;
h) persons who, before the end of the transition period, hold a valid permanent residence document issued under Article 19 or 20 of Directive 2004/38/EC or hold a valid domestic immigration document conferring a permanent right to reside in the host State, shall have the right to exchange that document within the period referred to in point (b) of this paragraph for a new residence document upon application after a verification of their identity, a criminality and security check in accordance with point (p) of this paragraph and confirmation of their ongoing residence; such new residence documents shall be issued free of charge

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

UPDATE from Embassy on the process on Madeira and the Azores

"The information that SEF have given the Embassy is that, for the pilot, only the three locations stated are available. Afterwards, they will open other locations but they cannot confirm which ones at this time. All residents in the islands who are registered in the portal will be contacted during this phase, but if they cannot travel to another island, they do not need to book an appointment now, and they will be contacted again later with another notification. The Embassy also suggest that residents send an email to[email protected] explaining their situation.
Residents who are elderly or are unable to travel or attend an appointment due to physical impediments should also use the above email address to contact SEF so they can make special arrangements.
In Madeira, all slots are now booked until June. But as long as residents have their appointments booked within the window mentioned in the email, that's the most important step.
My understanding is as well that the address given in Terceira of the SEF office is incorrect. Unfortunately, I do not have the correct one.
I am unaware at this point when the process will be rolled out on the mainland."

Not a very encouraging way to finish the statement

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

Could someone from Madeira who has started / been through the process please give an update? Any positives / negatives that you could share with us? Thanks.

Re: New biometric Cards - Trial process underway
 

I saw on a Facebook Group today that someone who went in for their biometric appointment (as above) in Madeira on 21st Feb, received their new residency card today (i.e. 2.5 weeks later).