We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Got an email today to schedule an appointment within the next 10 days with one of the very few "service stations".
I live near Portalegre, and in spite of the fact that there is a SEF office in town, the only option I've been given is Beja, a 400km round trip! I've written to them requesting to go to Lisbon - at least there are direct buses there.
If I get a response I shall then ask them if I can delay scheduling until my husband receives the same email from sef, so we can go together.
I'm pretty mad that I should have to spend so much time and money doing this when my current residency permit already has fingerprint and photo.
Does anyone know how far ahead one can make the appointment and indeed what happens if you don't? HA!
I live near Portalegre, and in spite of the fact that there is a SEF office in town, the only option I've been given is Beja, a 400km round trip! I've written to them requesting to go to Lisbon - at least there are direct buses there.
If I get a response I shall then ask them if I can delay scheduling until my husband receives the same email from sef, so we can go together.
I'm pretty mad that I should have to spend so much time and money doing this when my current residency permit already has fingerprint and photo.
Does anyone know how far ahead one can make the appointment and indeed what happens if you don't? HA!
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 866
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Hello Fluffy - we had the email notification separately but on the same day to our separate email addresses .. the relevant bit you are referring to is, I think,
"the schedule page is only available between 16 October 2022 and 26 October 2022 for the following persons"
So you need to activate things and go ahead and make the appointment online within the date limit given - that does not mean your appointment will be in that short period. For instance we have made ours for a convenient date in November and there was no other appointment times taken up at our Centre. We did not look further than November. I would suggest you wait a few days to see if your OH gets their email meanwhile, then you can book your two appointments on the same day. As to changing to a different Centre, I am not sure how you would go about that ... sorry. Perhaps you will get a response to your request, or perhaps go into your SEF office at Portallegre and ask for help! Ours is at Santarém ... would that be any better for you than Beja? They may be doing it at Evora ... why on earth should you go to Beja which is not even in your SEF area. Contact details are here ... good luck! ... https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/balcoes-...-568ad156-8494
"the schedule page is only available between 16 October 2022 and 26 October 2022 for the following persons"
So you need to activate things and go ahead and make the appointment online within the date limit given - that does not mean your appointment will be in that short period. For instance we have made ours for a convenient date in November and there was no other appointment times taken up at our Centre. We did not look further than November. I would suggest you wait a few days to see if your OH gets their email meanwhile, then you can book your two appointments on the same day. As to changing to a different Centre, I am not sure how you would go about that ... sorry. Perhaps you will get a response to your request, or perhaps go into your SEF office at Portallegre and ask for help! Ours is at Santarém ... would that be any better for you than Beja? They may be doing it at Evora ... why on earth should you go to Beja which is not even in your SEF area. Contact details are here ... good luck! ... https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/balcoes-...-568ad156-8494
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Thanks for a very helpful reply Rambling Archer. Actually OH does have his email too, to a different address and he hadn't noticed! Are you saying that you can do the biometric card at Santarem? If so that would be much better than Beja, at least we have friends there we could visit! Anyway,I got the standard response from sef that they will respond asap so will wait and see. Thanks again
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 866
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Thanks for a very helpful reply Rambling Archer. Actually OH does have his email too, to a different address and he hadn't noticed! Are you saying that you can do the biometric card at Santarem? If so that would be much better than Beja, at least we have friends there we could visit! Anyway,I got the standard response from sef that they will respond asap so will wait and see. Thanks again
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Got a reply from sef but not what we wanted:"We inform you that, appoitment place available for schedule is according to your Brexit website registered address.
After applying on the Brexit portal the application form is locked.
Note That:
· The data can be change, when collecting biometric data on your appointment
· Canceling your application will change the registration date.
· Brexit SEF notifications will be sent following the chronological order of registration.
If you wish to change any data (address; passport details) or the family members list, you must cancel the previous submission with this button [img]cid:[email protected][/img] and apply to a new one."
It then basically says that only by changing your permanent address would you get a new "service station"
So we have to travel 200km to Beja - I'm so cross especially as I met someone yesterday who got a biometric card in Portalegre SEF this year presumably because it was the first time she had applied for permanent residency!
After applying on the Brexit portal the application form is locked.
Note That:
· The data can be change, when collecting biometric data on your appointment
· Canceling your application will change the registration date.
· Brexit SEF notifications will be sent following the chronological order of registration.
If you wish to change any data (address; passport details) or the family members list, you must cancel the previous submission with this button [img]cid:[email protected][/img] and apply to a new one."
It then basically says that only by changing your permanent address would you get a new "service station"
So we have to travel 200km to Beja - I'm so cross especially as I met someone yesterday who got a biometric card in Portalegre SEF this year presumably because it was the first time she had applied for permanent residency!
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 360
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Canceling your application will change the registration date.
So could you:
Cancel your application
Arrange a new appointment at a time when another venue is available
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
That was our first thought Ricko but unfortunately not, as you need a new permanent address to get another venue.
You're probably right Sunseeker 1st, I saw "BEJA" and freaked out without reading actually where in Beja.
Seems like they have us by the short and curlies. We did wonder what would happen if we just didn't make an appointment but our permanent residency runs out in February so reluctantly we will comply and drag ourselves to Beja. Will visit some adegas on the way home to cheer us up
You're probably right Sunseeker 1st, I saw "BEJA" and freaked out without reading actually where in Beja.
Seems like they have us by the short and curlies. We did wonder what would happen if we just didn't make an appointment but our permanent residency runs out in February so reluctantly we will comply and drag ourselves to Beja. Will visit some adegas on the way home to cheer us up
#9
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 866
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
No - not necessarily ... it depends! Our Biometric appointments are definitely at an SEF office for Registrations, not a Camara. However apparently some Camara's are being used - don't ask me where!
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 866
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
That was our first thought Ricko but unfortunately not, as you need a new permanent address to get another venue.
You're probably right Sunseeker 1st, I saw "BEJA" and freaked out without reading actually where in Beja.
Seems like they have us by the short and curlies. We did wonder what would happen if we just didn't make an appointment but our permanent residency runs out in February so reluctantly we will comply and drag ourselves to Beja. Will visit some adegas on the way home to cheer us up
You're probably right Sunseeker 1st, I saw "BEJA" and freaked out without reading actually where in Beja.
Seems like they have us by the short and curlies. We did wonder what would happen if we just didn't make an appointment but our permanent residency runs out in February so reluctantly we will comply and drag ourselves to Beja. Will visit some adegas on the way home to cheer us up
Can I ask if you moved from closer to Beja and thus put that address into the Brexit Portal, and now you have moved up to Portallegre? It is so frustrating that one is not allowed to update the initial application and then they take two years to process it and expect your life to remain on hold til they get round to it ... words fail ...
Cheers then
#11
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 970
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
I only found out today that the SEF office in Beja is not being used for the new cards. Iwould have been thoroughly annoyed if I'd gone up net week and then not known where we were supposed to be.
Completely different part of Beja.
As you enter Beja from the Ourique end, have McDonalds on your left, straight across .- as it were - over the roundabout. Carry on I think through two sets of traffic lights. On your right, you will see a patrol station, on your left, just before, is a bombeiros station. Take the left and it's down there, apparently.
Big sign with Registros on it and a cafe on the right.
Completely different part of Beja.
As you enter Beja from the Ourique end, have McDonalds on your left, straight across .- as it were - over the roundabout. Carry on I think through two sets of traffic lights. On your right, you will see a patrol station, on your left, just before, is a bombeiros station. Take the left and it's down there, apparently.
Big sign with Registros on it and a cafe on the right.
#12
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Rambling archer, we started off with a 6 month rental in Proença a Nova (even further from Beja!) before we found our only ever permanent address north of Portalegre. Thanks for the empathy, we will try and make the best of the enforced trip.
ouriquejan - thanks for heads up on where to go.
ouriquejan - thanks for heads up on where to go.
#14
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Has anyone on this thread had any success changing the "station", so office you have to attend? We live in Lagoa, Central Algarve, got our emails today to make appointments. The only office that process offers up is Lisbon. For us that's a 5 hour round trip, 263km not to mention tolls. Loule is much closer, or Portimāo closer still but I've not heard that the cards are being issued there.
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 908
Re: We shouldn't have to travel so far for the biometric card
Just got our appointments through. It does state on the email that you can make an appontment outside your residency area if that will speed things up. I have from today to the 5th November to make the appiontment. I have to say, I am nervous about it.