In an interview with Diário de Notícias/DN Brasil, the Deputy Secretary of State for the Presidency, Rui Armindo Freitas, answers some of the questions that most concern immigrants in Portugal.
Specifically, why are residence permit renewals no longer carried out via the website? It was a service that came from the old SEF and was one of the few things that worked very well.
As I said, we are solving one problem at a time. We have solved the 440,000, we will now solve 210,000 and we will solve the renewals. And we have to solve them quickly. Now that we are starting the process for these 210,000, the focus will be on renewals. In other words, what I can say is that in this firm tone of solving one problem at a time, we will move on to renewals. It is known that in the plan we presented, we say that renewals should go back to AIMA. It is also known that there is an increase in renewals, which does not make sense from a documentary point of view, and we have to respond quickly. The entire system needs improvement and that is our next objective. And what I, the only thing I promise is that as the next objective, it will be dealt with with the same firmness as the others have been dealt with. In other words, we very quickly have to find a solution for this and we will find a solution for it. We are studying how it will be much faster, shorter, than, actually, all these much more complex processes where we started.
Will there come a time when the IRN will no longer be involved in renewals?
Yes, it will.
We don't know how much?
No, but it will be soon.
But is the Government talking to the IRN about this issue? Because, at the moment, the IRN in Lisbon has one rule, the IRN in Setúbal has another, the IRN in Braga has another, and the IRN in Porto has another. Each one is making its own rule and the Government allows it.
And the issue is, we have been trying, since we have been here, to reconcile the IRN with the AIMA, because there were also communication difficulties and that is being overcome. But our desire now is to find a definitive solution for the renewals. And we will do it. I assure you that we will do it.
In this vein of solving one problem at a time, there is also the expectation of solving the problem that it is impossible to contact AIMA at this time, either by email or by telephone.
Yes, the AIMA contact center.
There has been talk of this contact center since January last year.
Yes, but only now that the contract has been drawn up, the specifications have been finalised and we are finally going to have a contact centre. An application has been submitted, a tender has been launched and now we are taking the steps. Until now or in the past, everyone who would speak to you, spoke only of a desire. What I am talking to you about is concrete actions. The application has been submitted, the public tender has been held and the next step is to have the contact centre up and running, because there is also specific training that those working in the contact centre need to have and that is all already being worked on.
How many people will work in this contact center?
I still don't know. I want to tell you that AIMA answered 500,000 calls last year. I want it to be clear that these problems must end and we are also here to put an end to all those who have benefited from the indignity of those who were vulnerable in Portugal. There is a strong message. This government is regulating migratory flows to Portugal. The rules are now in place and are clear, but so are all those who have taken advantage of this indignity that has been created because immigrants are always the most vulnerable. These deals are on time. I am talking in general about networks and everything that could be a business of indignity, because the public administration has to be able to respond to the needs of the citizens and that is what we are working on.
Right now, there are, let's say, two classes of immigrants, those who have the money for a lawsuit and those who don't.
Public administration, as I told you, must be able to respond to the needs of citizens.