How to obtain residence permit for a person entered Portugal Illegally

Hi Simplemen.  It's much better to be legal as you know.  There is a way but you must be of benefit to the Portuguese people and right now that means you should be paying taxes to support the Portuguese economy.  First of all I must say that Portuguese people are some of the nicest in the world and the more I live in Portugal  the more I like this great country. I am from the UK so don't really have any immigration issues here.

This is the situation as I understand it. I'm not a legal adviser so I can only tell  you what I have heard.

Good jobs are almost impossible to find and many Bengalis work in shops, hostels and restaurants for very low wages.  The wages are hardly enough to live on.  If you have Bengali friends or relatives here the way will be much easier for you, especially regards to accommodation.  They will also show you how to register your presence in the country and get a tax number (fiscal number). This number is extremely important and you cannot do anything in Portugal without it.

As far as I've heard you are not legally allowed to get a job in Portugal for six months after arriving but many do I guess. If you are caught working in this period you will be told to leave the country.

When you are lucky enough to get a job you must start paying income tax immediately and you must get a social security number. Maybe your boss can help you do this.

At some stage (after a few months) you will get an inspector visit you at work and then you will have to have an immigration interview and then possibly gain temporary legal residence.  You may also have to pay a heavy fine for being in Portugal without permission.  You must extend your temporary residence each year and after five years you might get your permanent residence.

Regards accommodation, most Bengalis share rooms and apartments to keep costs at a minimum. They usually stay in older buildings which have been badly maintained.  I'm not sure of the costs but friends I know pay 450  Euros shared between three people.  I pay 550 Euros a month for a better apartment in a safe area. But Lisbon is a very safe city anyway.

If you have any questions, I will try to answer you. **

I have noticed that most Bengalis don't try to fit in with the Portuguese way of life and they hang around in Bengali ghettoes.  It's not the best way to go if you have the chance.  Live in Portugal so be Portuguese is the way to go.

Best regards,

Anthony

Dear Anthony,
Genuinely appreciate your effort and time that you have taken to provide me with the info.It was an eye opener.I will bear them all in mind before any move.If you could kindly keep me posted with any other information that you find.
Thanks again

The short answer is not good news, I'm afraid: if you've entered the country illegally, there is no legal way for you to stay. It doesn't matter how welcoming the Portuguese community is or if you're offered a job, the immigration laws are strict because Portugal is part of the Schengen Area and it must comply with Schengen policies, in addition to their own.

Any visa you would have the possibility to obtain must be acquired before you enter, not once you're here. Even people who were once legal, their visas since expired, and have employers keeping their jobs for them waiting for SEF to approve them to stay, are required to leave Portugal (and yes, deported).

The website you need to consult is not an expat forum, but SEF:
http://www.sef.pt/portal/V10/EN/aspx/page.aspx

If you are seeking asylum, you must read this:
http://www.sef.pt/documentos/56/Guia_EN_.pdf#1

To be clear, I do *not* work for SEF, I'm a foreigner myself and subject to the same laws. However, I am a volunteer at the only migrant detention centre in Portugal, so I meet people in your situation all the time. There are a lot of Bengalis in the centre right now, please don't end up there.

Message me directly if you want.