Is the EU citizen registration certificate still valid?

Member since 28 January 2025

Paul_ETMember28 January 2025 16:35:48

Hi,

I obtained this certificate during the transition period before Brexit before 31st December 2020 and it is marked as valid until the end of December 2025. However I did not 'regularise' and exchange this certificate for the biometric ID card before the deadline in June 2021.

I am considering moving to Portugal next month and renting an apartment for the rest of the year (I am a remote worker). I previously travelled to Lisbon in September 2022 for 11 months and October 2024 and stayed for 75 days. I have never been asked to show a visa or prove right of residency.

I have also read here - https://aima.gov.pt/pt/documentos-e-vis … -june-2025 - that the EU citizen registration certificates are valid until 30th June 2025, although this appears to documents which expired earlier than mine.

I have emailed the brexit address at AIMA but want to know if I can enter on the EU citizen registration certificate for longer than 90 days, or do I need to apply for a visa?

JohnnyPT Portugal Expert

Member since 23 May 2020

JohnnyPTPortugal Expert28 January 2025 16:58:53

5117

@Paul,

That's no longer possible. You would had to regularise your situation before the end of the Brexit transition period (31 December 2020). Now, you would have to apply for a Visa (D8 visa in your case) if you want to stay +90 days in any 180-day period.

https://aima.gov.pt/pt/viver/brexit/wha … larisation

https://aima.gov.pt/pt/viver/brexit

The fact that nobody has asked you for anything doesn't mean that you've been legal, quite the opposite. In fact, if you've been here for 6 months +1 day, you become a tax resident.

Paul_ET Member

Member since 28 January 2025

Paul_ETMember29 January 2025 10:31:36

Thank you for the swift response.

I wanted to provide an update that the Brexit AIMA account already replied to my email and instructed me that I can make the request to exchange the certificate for the one which confirms residency under the withdrawal agreement, providing I can submit proof of my stay before January 1st 2021.

This could be a somewhat generic response but I will make the request and update this forum when I hear back.