Which government measures simplify the process for foreign citizens in Portugal in 2024?
In 2024, the Portuguese government has introduced significant measures to simplify the bureaucratic processes for foreign citizens, specifically regarding the acquisition of NIF, Health, and NISS numbers. The launch of a dedicated service at Espaços Cidadão aims to eliminate long wait times that foreign residents typically face, allowing them to access these essential identification numbers swiftly and efficiently. This initiative is part of a broader effort to modernise services and ease the administrative burden on newcomers. By having a central location, foreign citizens can gather their identification numbers without needing to navigate multiple agencies, which can often be daunting. This allows for smoother integration into society, ensuring foreigners can engage fully with healthcare, taxation, and social security seamlessly. The measures reflect the government's commitment to supporting foreign communities and recognising their contributions to the local economy. Reduced queues and centralised services will not only help the foreign population but also benefitted government agencies by lowering pressure on their services. This structured approach paves the way for a better living experience in Portugal. Get ahead in your transition by learning about the necessary steps and required documents. For inquiries regarding the new measures or how to access these services, reach out today!
Margarida Balseiro Lopes was speaking at the end of the meeting of the first Council of Ministers dedicated to Digital Transition and Modernization, which took place today at the Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova (Nova FCT), in Almada.
Among the 15 measures, the minister highlighted the case of identification numbers for foreign citizens.
"We know that the Finance, Social Security and Citizen's Offices have been faced with long queues" and "we have thousands of foreign citizens living in Portugal who cannot access something as basic as a Tax Identification Number [NIF], the Social Security Number or the Health User Number", continued the government official.
And, therefore, "what we are going to do now in 2024 - this is a measure for this year, in the last quarter of 2024 - in a project that is being implemented by AMA [Agency for Administrative Modernization] and AIMA [Agency for Migration and Asylum Integration] is in one place for citizens to have access to the three identification numbers", explained Margarida Balseiro Lopes.
"This is particularly important because we will take pressure off" the people who work in these entities, she said.
"We are going to make this service available in Espaços Cidadão", explained the government official.
