The parish council of Alcáçovas, in the municipality of Viana do Alentejo (Évora), has followed the parish council of Arroios (Lisbon) in requiring a valid residence permit to issue residence certificates to non-EU immigrants, “given the dubious intentions of some applicants”, writes Lusa today.
In a notice dated March 7, but only seen by Lusa today, the parish council announced the measure’s entry into force, justifying it on the grounds that there have been “situations of alleged false declarations and/ or a somewhat dubious actual stay in the country”.
This decision took into account “well-founded concerns” that the mass legalisation of illegal immigrants could be becoming ‘institutionalised’ through the parish councils.
Said parish council president Frederico Carvalho: ““The executive believes that the issuing of residence certificates to foreign citizens should not be done by the parishes but by a central government body that can supervise applicants”.
