The Portuguese Parliament is set to discuss a proposal to amend the Foreigners Law to allow residency permits for children enrolled in schools, including those in preschool and primary education. This move comes after a petition garnered over a thousand signatures, prompting legislative review.

A petition to amend Article 92 of Portugal’s Foreigners Law has successfully gathered over a thousand signatures, necessitating a discussion in the Portuguese Parliament. The current law allows residency permits for secondary school students who are enrolled and covered by the National Health System or have health insurance. However, it does not extend this provision to younger children in preschool or primary education.

The Petition

The petition was spearheaded by Célio Sauer, an immigration lawyer, who argues that the current law is unjust. According to Sauer, many young children who are already integrated into Portuguese society and education system are left without the right to residency. This issue is particularly pressing for children whose parents entered Portugal with a visa from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which does not grant family reunification rights.