Portuguese descendants who lack a valid residence permit may face expulsion proceedings, even if their applications for Portuguese nationality are still being processed. The clarification was made today by Ana Cristina Monteiro, President of the Venecom Association, yesterday, following a meeting between the association’s new governing bodies and the president of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. She said the concern arose among the Venezuelan community living in the Region, especially after notifications from the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA). Ana Cristina Monteiro stressed that there is no expulsion order aimed at the Venezuelan community and that the current procedures apply to all foreigners in an irregular documentary situation. She explained that many people are confused because they believe a nationality application alone is enough to keep them in order. However, she noted that nationality requests are handled by the institutes of registries and notary, and that people must regularise their situation through the residence permit while waiting for that process to end. The message was intended to reassure the community while making clear that pending nationality applications do not replace the need for proper legal residence.
