Portugal has approved, this Wednesday, a bill to facilitate the issuance of visas to citizens of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), under the agreement on mobility among member states of the CPLP.

The new law amends the law on foreigners and guarantees the full application of the agreement on mobility between CPLP member states signed in Luanda on July 17, 2021.

According to the Portuguese Minister of Assistant and Parliamentary Affairs, Ana Catarina Mendes, the visas are short term and residence visas for citizens covered by the CPLP agreement.

The official explained that as a result of the scope of the concession of the temporary stay visa and the visa for foreign citizens, the previous opinion of the Foreigners and Borders Service that the law assigns is now dispensed with.

For citizens covered by the CPLP agreement and already in Portugal, the bill foresees "the possibility of applying for a temporary residence permit in national territory" and holders of a temporary stay visa or who have entered Portugal legally may apply for a CPLP residence permit in the country, she said.

According to the minister, these changes also allow a response "to the urgent need for human resources and the need to revitalize the economy.

"This amendment is a first step towards achieving the objectives enshrined in the agreement on mobility between member states of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries and to enable it to be applied to all member states as they deposit their instruments of ratification.

Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tome and Principe, and East Timor are part of the CPLP.