This Autumn the “Presidente da Câmara” “and “Presidente da Junta” in all town halls and parishes all over the country are up for election on 29th September.

Foreigners from EU countries and those from Argentine, Uruguay, Israel, Norway & Peru and the Portuguese speaking countries, who are resident in Portugal and have held a Residência card for 2 years, can register to vote at their local Junta de Freguesia.

Whilst most expatriates are not eligible to vote in the National elections in Portugal, they can vote in their local elections once they have qualified.  Eligible expatriates are encouraged to take the simple step of going to their local Junta de Freguesia and registering to vote.  Even by doing only this, you will make the authorities aware that they have expatriates in their area who are potential voters!.

The minimum voting age is 18 years, but 17 year olds may register to enable them to vote as soon as they turn 18.

How to register?

The registration process is very simple and costs nothing.  First-time registration can be made at anytime at the offices of your local Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia) up to 60 days before elections take place.  To register, just take along your valid Portuguese Residence Card (Cartão de Residência) or your Passport.  You will be required to fill in a registration form (Verbete de Inscrição).  The staff will then provide you with a Voter’s Card (Cartão de Eleitor), which shows your name, voter’s number and constituency.

Once you are registered there is normally no need to re-register unless you move to a different parish (freguesia).  In which case you will need to transfer your registration by going to your new “Junta de Freguesia”, complete a transfer form (Impresso de Transferência) and inform them of your change of address.  You should also give them your previous voter’s card which they will then retain and issue you with a new one.

How to check your registration?

You can check your registration every June (between 11th and 25th) at your Parish Council Office.   If there is an error in the registration record (Cadernos Eleitorais), you must make a written complaint to the Constituency Registration Commission (Comissão Recenseadora).

Lost your card?

If you misplace your Voter’s Card go to your local Parish Council Office with your valid Portuguese Residencia card and ask for a replacement.  They can provide it on the spot.  If you know your voter’s registration number the process will be quicker.

How to vote.

On voting day you may cast your vote between 9am and 7pm.  You will need to go to the voting hall (assembleia de voto) with your Identity Card/Residencia (or other Portuguese document with a photograph) and your Voter’s Card (Cartão de Eleitor).  If you have lost your Voting Card it is still possible to vote.

At the voting hall look for the signs telling you which Voting Table (Mesa de Voto) to use.  Each table deals with a range of voters’ numbers.  Normally one table is reserved for foreign residents.

At the table show your valid Residência card, hand-over your Voter’s Card and you will receive the Voting Form (Boletim de Voto).  There is a curtained chamber where you fill in the Voting Form.   Indicate your chosen candidate or Political Party by putting a cross in the box alongside the name.   Fold the Voting Form in two, with the written part hidden inside, go back to the Voting Table and place your folded Voting Form in the sealed box (urna).  The scrutineers will mark in the Voting Register that you have voted and return your Voting Card.

This information has been compiled by afpop, the largest Association for foreign residents in Portugal.  Fuller information is available to Members.  afpop can be contacted at their office in Portimão: Urb Quinta do Morais, Poço Fojo Lote 6, Loja c, Apartado 728, 8501-917 Portimão.  Tel: 00351 282 458 509.  E-mail:info@afpop.com.  Web site: www.afpop.com

Amovate has had several queries from residents concerning the recent spate of Charity Collectors in Vale da Telha.  The collectors appear to be visiting houses on a more regular basis.

An Amovate representative contacted the local GNR to find out if these collectors are legitimate.  We were told that the recent collectors DO NOT have a license.

The procedure is that any Charity must first obtain a license to collect, from the Cãmara, indicating the days when they will be collecting.  The Cãmara then inform the GNR who are made aware of the details.

The GNR have stessed that each individual is at liberty to give to any charity they wish, but if anyone is unsure of the validity of these collectors, please e mail Amovate on info@amovate.com with as much information as you can provide (i.e. numbers of people, vehicles, registration numbers, name of charity etc.)   We will then forward your e mail to the GNR for verification.

Amovate representatives attended a recent seminar in Lagos, which was billed as a Residence Seminar.  In attendance were – British Consulate Portimão, Administration Regional de Saude, & SEF (Servico de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras).

We were told it was not as fully informative as expected, and most information would already be known to people who have lived in Portugal for a few years.  Here are some of the points raised:

• Firstly, it was reported that it is compulsory for foreigners who live in Portugal permanently to become a Resident after 3 months of residing here. (Although it is unknown how this is policed and monitored)

If you have Residencia, and allow this to lapse, and then apply again, there will be a fine to pay.
Residencia is obtained in Portimão at SEF. **(see below for details on how to renew your Residencia in Portimão)

• With regards to Healthcare – EVERYONE who lives in Portugal is entitled to be registered, and is entitled to receive healthcare on the equivalent of the Portuguese National Health.

Those in receipt of a State Pension (and who have lodged a Form S1) will receive treatment at a minimal cost. Those who are living here, and are below State pensionable age, and are not employed, fall into a “Grey Area” which is a slight  anomaly and it was stated that although they will still be treated, they will have to contribute more to the costs of Doctors Appointments etc.  When asked if there was a table available showing these costs, the speakers were unable to confirm the costs involved.  However, it is understood that these costs can be obtained from the health Website.

Here below are some of the links to the public services:

Administration Regional de Saude:

 http://www.arsalgarve.min-saude.pt

European Site: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catld=559langld=en

SEF (Servico de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras):

http://www.sef.pt

The British Consulate indicated that he is more than happy to come up to the Aljezur area, and it is hoped that this  will be arranged in the near future.

** How to renew your Residencia at SEF in Portimão

You need to make an appointment at SEF by telephoning 808 202 653.

Wait until they finish speaking and then you need to press the telephone key (1)

You wait again and you press the key (4) and again you wait and then you press the key (4) again

Then you will speak to someone to make the appointment.

The best time to make the phone call is early in the morning around 8:30 (that is when they start working).  For the appointment you will need your full names and birth dates.  They will inform you about the documents you need to take to Portimão, or you can find it on this web site:

http://www.sef.pt/portal/V10/EN/aspx/apoioCliente/detalheApoio.aspx?fromIndex=0&id_Linha=4351#CReg_Permanente_EN

look for the paragraph:

CERTIFICATE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE
FOR EU/EEA/SWITZERLAND CITIZENS

You can go onto the website, and print out the forms to complete in advance, to save time when you go for your appointment. Please Note: SEF will not photocopy any documents for you, so be prepared and take copies with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We could be facing more problems with satellite TV reception over the next couple of weeks.

Doug (“The Dish”) has been on asking us to advise everyone that for a brief period our satellite signals may disappear for a short time around 10am-11am each day.

He explains: “This is due to the sun (that bright orange thing we haven’t seen a lot of recently) being directly in line with the satellites at this time and the sun’s electrical emissions upsetting the satellite signals we receive.

“This is simply because of the sun’s alignment with the satellite. If you happen to see the sun (!) around this time stand near your dish and you will see how central the sun is to the dish. Obviously it goes without saying that you shouldn’t look straight at the sun.

“This situation will only last a few days during the next couple of weeks, but if you do lose your signal you will know this is the reason.”

Doug says we still run the risk of permanently losing BBC, ITV etc later in the year.

“The satellite from which you are currently receiving the main signals (i.e. BBC, ITV, C4 etc) is Astra1n, which is a temporary satellite transmitting these signals for just over 1 year now,” he explained.

“The signals which have been much stronger than pre 2012 are to be changed to Astra 2e which should have been in service by now but which was delayed because the Russian launch vehicle had a problem—it let go of its last satellite too early!

“So, Astra 2e is launching from French Guyana at the end of May and will be commissioned around June time. If the reception is similar to Astra 2f which they stopped transferring signals to in December then we will have a problem getting from the satellite the BBC and ITV signals that we want.”

Doug is still trying to track down a possible solution to the potential loss of signals from June onwards.

He told us: “I am hoping to get details of the largest dish manufacturer In Portugal, to try and get a better guide of what we may need to receive Astra 2f, which is transmitting channel 5 etc ITV Anglia West etc.”

Doug will keep us posted as the situation develops.

Satellite TV–More Bad News

Doug has also come up with what could be more bad news for those of us hoping to be able to replace our TV pictures from the UK—if we can no longer receive them via the new satellite this summer—with programmes  streamed via the computer.

He tells us:

“Websites that re-transmit live TV over the internet without permission from broadcasters are in breach of copyright, Europe’s highest court has ruled in a judgement with wide ranging implications.”

UPDATE Astra 2E – The soon to come new replacement satellite for the 28.2 degrees east satellite position which is called “Astra 2E” and which will not be launched until Early/Mid June, 2013 will not be “officially” operational at 28.2 degrees east until August, 2013. Naturally some testing of this satellite will occur before it becomes operational.