|
|
|
Angola and Portugal approved, through Presidential Decree No. 240/21, a bilateral protocol to facilitate national visas, in common or ordinary passports, for youth mobility, health, and work reasons.
The two countries intend 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 companions, and they are valid for multiple entries, long-term, extendable, for the purpose that determined their grant. Under the Protocol, visas must be granted by the Signatories within a maximum of eight days from the date of application.
In addition, this protocol also includes long-stay work visas that are valid for multiple entries, in a period of thirty-six months, allowing the holder a continuous stay for periods of twelve to thirty-six months, extendable, for the purpose that determined its grant. According to the Protocol, this visa must be granted by the Signatories, within a maximum of thirty working days from the date of the application.
Also read: Angola and Portugal reviewed their Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement
Long-term work visa beneficiaries are workers involved in investment projects, such as national reconstruction projects, contracted by public, private, or mixed capital companies from both countries.
Renewals or extensions require to ensure the stay of applicants in their territory until the end of the condition that determined the granting of the visa shall be granted by the competent local authorities of the two Signatories within 5 working days from the date of the application.
The Protocol shall take effect from the date of its signature, for five years, automatically and successively renewable, if it is not denounced by the Signatories.
Article by Duarte Marques da Cruz
Duarte Marques da Cruz
Duarte Marques da Cruz is partner of the Portuguese law firm MC&A, specialised in international business advisory, with a special focus in Lusophone markets. With extensive experience in the Energy sector (Renewables and Oil & Gas) and in International Taxation, he has supported international companies in major upstream, midstream transactions and projects, including in implementing, exploration and development programs. Duarte has also supported international clients in other areas of practice, namely, Mining, Transport & Logistics, Regulatory Compliance and Mergers & Acquisitions in Mozambique, Angola and Portugal.
Through this Simplification Project, Angola shows to investors and economic players that intends to maintain its bet on the internal and external investment; on other hand, it is important to note that this simplification procedure is only at its beginning and is expected a wider range of facilitation in multiple public administration proceedings and regarding more sectors of the economy.
