According to presidential decree 240/21, of 29 September, consulted on Monday by the Lusa agency, the protocol aims to strengthen relations of friendship and cooperation in the academic, cultural, scientific, technical and economic fields with the Portuguese Republic, as well as eliminating existing barriers to the development of business and investment activities.
In this sense, the parties agreed to facilitate the granting of long-term visas, for academic, cultural, sporting, scientific and technological purposes, as well as citizens seeking medical treatment and their accompanying persons, with long-term work visas also being elected.
Regarding academic, cultural, sporting, scientific, technological and health purposes visas are valid for multiple entries, long-term and renewable.
Work visas, on the other hand, are valid for multiple entries, within a period of 36 months, allowing their holders to remain continuously, for periods of 12 to 36 months, which can be extended, for the purpose that determined their granting.
For the attribution of a long-term work visa, workers involved in investment projects are considered, namely national reconstruction projects, contracted by public, private or mixed capital companies from both countries.
The presidential decree emphasizes that the signatories of the protocol must grant visas with the aim of facilitating the mobility of citizens of both countries within a maximum period of eight working days from the date of their application, while for long-term work visas, the maximum period is 30 working days from the date of order.
Signatories must guarantee the necessary conditions to ensure the permanence of applicants in their territory during the period of validity of the visa and the renewals or extensions of the granted visas must take place within five working days from the date of application.
The protocol will take effect from the date of its signature, for a period of five years, automatically and successively renewable, provided that it is not denounced as provided, "when one of the signatories expresses this will, notifying the other in writing and through the channels diplomats".
