Portugal

According to the EU Temporary Protection Directive Portugal has granted temporary protection to those displaced from Ukraine as a result of the country's crisis, according to the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

In order to enjoy the protection status as well as the social and economic bonuses (e.g. to have access to various services, such as health care in public facilities, social support, and enrollment in job offers, among others), you have to register to receive Temporary Protection Title, which automatically includes:

• A Temporary Residence Permit
• A Tax Identification Number (NIF)
• A Social Security Identification Number (NISS)
• A National Health Service (SNS) user number.

How to apply for temporary protection

NB. The protection is initially for one year, but it can be extended if the conditions that prevent persons from returning to their home country persist.

Applications can be submitted online at SEFforUkraine.sef.pt (available in Portuguese, English, and Ukrainian). This service is available to all Ukrainian nationals and their families, as well as international citizens residing in Ukraine, regardless of whether they are already in Portugal.
Because online registration is only available to those over the age of 18, minors must apply for protection in person at one of SEF's 24 exclusive services to validate their affiliation.

Requests for temporary protection can also be made in person at the National Centers for Support to Migrant Integration (CNAIM) in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro and at some SEF delegations. Information on the offices and their working hours see here.

More information is available on Portugal to Ukraine platform.

The Temporary Protection Status in Portugal does not include a financial substitute, but the non-contribution scheme is available, which implies that rent, food, and other necessities may be covered upon request. Please see the relevant sections for more information.

Portugal has an extensive, tax-funded public healthcare system. The National Health Service (SNS) User Number, which enables access to all essential health services in the public system, is immediately granted with the Temporary Protection application. Anyone who is registered with the SNS can benefit from necessary medical services which are provided free of charge under the SNS, whereas non-essential services and treatments need a minimal co-payment.

Unless you have to go to the hospital for emergency treatment, you will need a referral from a Portuguese doctor for treatment. Public hospitals in Portugal provide services including:

• emergency treatment
• outpatient treatment
• nursing
• post-operative care
• maternity care
• psychiatric care
• care for those with terminal illnesses

As with doctors' services, standard public health insurance may not cover some hospital costs, so you will need to check before receiving treatment.

Within 14 days of arriving in Portugal, you should contact the health facility in your new neighborhood to register yourself and your family. You can maintain track of your previous health status and get access to the National Immunization Program (PNV) and the COVID-19 vaccination in this way.

Child and Youth Follow-up Consultation

On weekdays, the SNS will offer a consultation to accompany young people and children (up to 18) arriving from Ukraine at Dona Estefânia Hospital. The service of translation is assured.
The number 967 059 865 should be used to schedule a triage appointment. The appointment will be booked in the afternoon after the triage, which will take place in the morning. Children and teenagers will be recommended for a particular therapy or follow-up consultations based on their requirements after an initial clinical evaluation.

If you cannot afford housing in Portugal, you can seek assistance from the High Commission for Migrations (ACM), which works closely with Social Security to afford accommodation for individuals who need it. You can contact sosucrania@acm.gov.pt by email, fill out an online form on the Portuguese Diplomatic Portal (available in Portuguese, English, and Ukrainian), or visit one of the three National Centers for Migrant Support (CNAIM) in Lisbon, Faro, or Porto.

You may also be eligible for the Entry Door program's special regime, which provides financial assistance to cover the costs of lodging in tourist resorts or the rent of a house. Support is available for up to 18 months and can be extended for up to 30 months. More information is available on the Portugal For Ukraine website.

EL*C has created a lesbian hosting network of individuals that made available their appartements and spare rooms for Ukranian refugees. Please notice that EL*C can provide you with a temporary solution (up to a few months). Contact the relocation team at: +48 571 944 400 and info@lesbiangenius.org.

Other organisations providing help with housing (please notice that these contacts are not verified by us):

• Ukrainian Support
• Telegram Channel
• Supporting Ua Friends
• Help outside Ukraine
• Consultores Imobiliarios pela Ucrania

Emergency housing platforms: https://www.host4ukraine.com, https://www.shelter4ua.com, https://refugees.casafari.com, and https://solidarybed.org.

Schools

Whether legalized or not, all foreign children and young people between the ages of 6 and 18 have access to the Portuguese public education system and have the same rights as Portuguese citizens.
Parents should make their way to the school nearest to their place of residence to start the enrolment process. They can check the school network here: https://www.dgeste.mec.pt/. Each school decides on the measures to support displaced students through close monitoring, ensuring Portuguese language is taught under the Portuguese Non-native Language programme, a gradual integration plan in the different school subjects or other intervention programs, and school integration activities.
Learn about the extraordinary precautions taken to ensure that minors are welcomed in Portuguese schools.

Higher Education

The status of the student in emergency for humanitarian reasons has been applied to those who wish to complete their education in Portuguese higher education. There is also provision for the award of scholarships by the Portuguese State to cover tuition fees and means of subsistence. Applications should be submitted directly to higher education institutions or through platforms that aggregate supply and demand.
Students who want to start higher education in Portugal can do so for free; however, there is a €697 minimum annual administrative charge. However, keep in mind that in Portuguese universities, Portuguese is the primary language of instruction. However, several universities also offer English-taught programs, so it's only a matter of browsing through the university brochure to see what courses are available.

Equivalence of academic degrees

The request for recognition of higher education degrees and diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions is made exclusively online, by filling in a form.

Portuguese transport companies (airlines TAP and railroad company CP) are offering free travel options.
Flixbus has free tickets for refugees on the route from Przemyśl/Rzeszów to EU countries.

Citizens of Ukraine entering Portugal can travel by rail everywhere by presenting a passport or Ukrainian identity card at the ticket office or to the train conductor.

Municipal transport operates on the usual fees, there are no reservations for the Ukrainians

Driving License

After entering Portugal and before receiving the temporary protection residency visa, you can drive in Portugal with your foreign driver's license for 185 days.
You may drive for up to 90 days with a foreign driving permit after getting temporary protection, but you must apply to exchange your driving permission for a Portuguese driving license.
You do not need to show verification of your license's legitimacy or undergo any theoretical or practical tests. You are also excused from paying the costs that come with it.

Temporary protection recipients will be given a temporary residence permit that allows them to enter the labor market.
The Employment and Professional Training Institute (IEFP, I.P), has an area dedicated to citizens of Ukraine who are looking for a job in Portugal. To apply for a job opportunity, send an email, with reference to three areas or professions in which you would like to work in, together with a CV or profile description, to job.ukraine@iefp.pt. More information at www.iefp.pt/portugal-for-ukraine.
IEFP has a contact center available in Ukrainian (+351 215 803 470), operating every working day from 9 am to 5 pm. The phone line helps Ukrainian citizens who are looking for a job to apply for offers.

Countryside employment

The IEFP also gives financial support to those who decide to work in Portugal, in the Interior territories, through the "Emprego Interior Mais" program. The applications are made on the iefponline portal.
The fixed amount will be 2,659.20 euros (6x the value of the Social Support Index - IAS in 2022), to which you can add 20% for each member of the family, with a limit of 1,329.60 euros (3x the value of the IAS). See all the information, including conditions and the support payments, in the iefponline portal.

For more information about tax obligations and contributions, see the page "Migrants: taxes and social security in Portugal".

Recognition of professional qualifications

In the context of the situation in Ukraine, a simplification of the recognition of professional qualifications has been adopted, with a waiver of the requirements provided by law.
If you want to practice a regulated profession, you should contact the competent authority to clarify the conditions necessary for professional practice.

Same-sex marriage in Portugal has been legal since 5 June 2010, therefore it generally recognizes same-sex registered partnerships concluded in other countries.
Civil unions and partnerships are considered equivalent or comparable to marriage in Portugal. De facto partnership in Portugal is not marital status. Its recognition, however, has some effects similar to marriage.

For the recognition of the partnership/ family ties (for Ukrainians), any means of proof is accepted, including testimonials.

Portugal is among the countries implementing the most accessible LGR procedures, i.e. those where self-determination prevails in procedures. This cluster includes the countries across the EU following the highest human rights standards of the legal requirements set in their legislation to access LGR.

If you need advice on the issues related to the LGR and more, please contact @lgbtukrainebot.

Lesbian organisations in Portugal

Club Safo - assistance and support for lesbians
Web: https://clubesafo.pt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClubeSafo

LGBT+ organisations

ILGA Portugal
Email: ilga@ilga-portugal.pt
Tel.: +351 218 873 918
Web: www.ilga-portugal.pt/sosukraine

• liaison with other entities for legal and logistical support (housing, food, health, and social protection);
• specialized psychological support;
• integration in volunteering and cultural activities of the association;
• (non-certified) Portuguese language classes;
• put you in contact with other LGBTI+ organizations in Portugal / in the nearest region.

GENERAL ORGANIZATIONS HELPING UKRAINIANS FLEEING THE WAR

Ukrainian Refugees UA-PT
Email: helpua.pt@gmail.com
Web: https://helpua.pt
Tel.: +351 969 293 235 (WhatsApp / Telegram / Viber)
Tel.: +351 301 207 011
Schedule: 10h to 18h Portugal time | 12h to 20h Ukraine time
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpua.pt
Instagram: https://instagram.com/helpua.pt

Ukrainian Association in Algarve (south of Portugal)
Email: auafaro@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AssociacaodosUcranianosnoAlgarve

All people arriving from Ukraine with pets, can identify the animals and indicate their vaccination, as well as request support from The Directorate General of Food and Veterinary through the following contacts: acsccdim@dgav.pt or tcastro@dgav.pt and pdomingos@dgav.pt.