Brazilians Protest Again Over Portugal Visa Delays

Only two weeks after the first protests, nationals of Brazil took to the streets again, frustrated over the visa Portugal visa delays.

Differently from the initial protest, this time, Brazilians protested only outside the Portuguese Consulate in São Paulo. 

Fed up with the long waiting times to receive a decision on their visa application, protesters said that the authorities are not taking their requests seriously as nothing has changed in the last 15 days, Schengen.News reports. 

At the same time, the protesters blamed both the consulate and the outsourcing company, VFS Global, for not making any changes in the way they handle the visa processes. 

According to those who took part in the last protest, it is taking up to six months for their work visa applications to be processed. Moreover, they also complained about the low number of approvals. 

Protesters that within a group of around 300 Portuguese visa applicants, in recent days, only ten of them have received a positive response to their application.

In addition to the above-mentioned, protesters said that they are being required to submit documents that have already been sent, leading to additional delays.

Protesters also said that the long processing times are also causing financial losses for them, with some having already quit their jobs in Brazil to move to Portugal. 

Portuguese Consulates Blame VFS Global for Delays 
After the first protests took place, the Portuguese consulates in Brazil made a statement on the matter, saying that the outsourcing company, VFS Global, is to be blamed for the visa delays that Brazilians are experiencing. 

As explained by local media, the Portuguese Consul General in São Paulo, António Pedro Rodrigues da Silva, said during a conversation with a protester that VFS Global has been making a series of mistakes during the visa process. 

One of the mistakes that the outsourcing company has been making, according to Siva, is the delivery of incorrect documents at the consulates. 

Silva also said that VFS Global does not have enough workers to meet the demand and that the company has an outdated system, leading to delays. 

On the other hand, VFS Global has defended its standards and practices. A VFS spokesperson said for Schengen.News that the company updates its system regularly to ensure efficiency and accuracy.

The spokesperson also said that all those having specific concerns are encouraged to contact the company for assistance, stressing that they remain dedicated to supporting everyone.

Source: https://schengen.news/brazilians-protest-again-over-portugal-visa-delays/