USA evaluate maintenance of visa exemption with Portugal
United States immigration and travel policies are increasingly tight and Portugal is not out of target. At this time, the government of Donald Trump is evaluating the maintenance of Portugal in the electronic system for travel authorization (this), a program that allows any citizen from the countries participating in this system, traveling to the United States and being up to 90 days, without a visa requires.
The assessment of the participation of this is triggered by the US when more than 2% of citizens of a country traveling with this authorization are in the country around 90 days. This is the case of Portugal: according to an Entry/Exit Overstay Report report, for the year 2023, our country has a “total exceeding rate” of a permanence time of 2.30%. The previous year, the rates was even higher: 4.75%.
Speaking to the sunrise, José Cesário, Secretary of State for the Portuguese communities confirms that Portugal has ‘overcome’ the rules of the East. « That’s why I’ve done two recordings, widespread widespread in the US, to appeal to the rigorous 90 -day fulfillment, because non -compliance can end up in question our participation in the program. » José Cesário also said that there has been « regular contact » with the US Administration as it is an incident that has maintained the Portuguese government « very concerned ».
In an attempt to show the US government that Portugal is trying to solve the problem, at the beginning of the month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published on the social network X a video on the subject. «This does not allow to exceed these 90 days. Even if there are flight delays or other unforeseen events. If you do, you can be sanctioned or prevented from future visits to the United States and may even be forbidden to enter the country permanently, ”says the video.
This Wednesday, the anti-immigration policies of the US administration were more tapered. Donald Trump has signed a law prohibiting entry into the United States of citizens from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea (CPLP Member State), Eritreia, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
