Category Archives: Useful Information

Register to Vote in the Local Elections

This is a reminder to all residents who hold a valid Portuguese Residence Card (Cartão de Residência) to register to vote.

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 1st October 2017.

How to register?

The registration process is very simple and costs nothing. First-time registration can be made at the offices of your local Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia) (opposite the Câmara offices. 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).

We have just been advised that the final day to register is this coming Monday 31^st July…

It’s time you had your say especially about the conditions of Vale Da Telha

Insurance For Amovate Members

Amovate has formed a partnership with local insurance brokers Fidelidade in Aljezur to offer members an additional discount on all kinds of insurance cover.

If you are soon to renew your insurance, or plan to switch from your existing brokers, you can take advantage of the discount simply by producing your membership card when you sign up with Carla and Manuel Cristo at their office in Rua 25 da Abril, Aljezur, near the bridge.

Carla says they can already go up to 62% discount in their original quote. But as an Amovate member you will get an additional €10 discount on any insurance policy you take out with Fidelidade.

Carla, whose company handles the public liability insurance for Amovate’s “Family Days”, says they also offer the discount in transfers from other insurance, and goes on:

“Here in Fidelidade we offer house insurance—this also covers swimming pool leaks (but not simple cracks)—and storm damage to the pool plumbing; basically the pool has the same guarantees that the building has.

“We now offer the top level cover for building contents, such as accidental damage to computers, smart phones, tablets etc.

“And our range of services also includes health and car insurance, pet health insurance and liability insurance for pets, guns, house rental, travel, life insurance, personal injury and funeral costs.

“Overall, the services we offer are mostly related to insurances, professional consultancy, claims management and clients needing our services in an emergency can contact me on my mobile phone 24 hours a day”.

Registering as an Overseas Voter

The UK Government, via the British Embassy and Consulate in Portugal, has recently published guidelines urging British expatriates to register as an ‘Overseas Voter’. Whilst this guidance was not connected to any particular event, it is of course now timely advice in light of the referendum scheduled for June on the UK’s EU membership.

UK nationals who have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years can register as an overseas elector, to be able to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections, UK-wide referenda, and European Parliamentary elections.

You can apply to register to vote at gov.uk website, a process which take about five minutes to complete. However if you are unable to register online, you can download and post back paper forms. But remember to return your completed form as far in advance of the deadline as possible. The actual deadlines for registering to vote and applying for an absent vote will be set once the date of the referendum is known. Use the two links above to take you to your preferred registration method.

In order to register you will need to know your National Insurance number and date of birth, and have your passport to hand if you have one. If you don’t have a National Insurance number you can still register, but you may have to supply more information to show who you are.

Even though the referendum is still some time away, it’s best to register sooner rather than later so you can be sure you’re registered in time. It is important to remember if you are not registered you can’t vote in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union when it takes place.

This information has kindly been provided by Afpop

Britons living abroad can Register to Vote

Expat Britons can register in the UK to be able to vote. The voter registration process is simple, and the essential information needed is available online and with a referendum coming up, it is important that overseas voters are able to contribute to the decision making process.

If you have been living abroad for less than fifteen years, then you are eligible to register to vote.

For more information, please follow the link to this article in the Algarve Daily News:

http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/7883-british-ambassador-visits-the-algarve-with-but-one-message

(photo courtesy of the Algarve Daily News)

British Consulates in Portugal

New telephone numbers for British Consulates in Portugal from May 2015

Courtesy of Algarve Daily News at: http://www.algarvedailynews.com/

From 1st May 2015 telephone numbers for the British Consulates in Portugal are changing. If you need assistance, consular staff can be contacted throughout the week on 21 392 4000 for the British Consulate in Lisbon, and 282 490750 for the British Vice Consulate in Portimao.

Our Consular team in Portugal is available to provide assistance Monday to Friday, from 9.00 am to 4.30pm. In an out of hours emergency these numbers will also connect you to the Foreign Office in London, where consular assistance is provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The consulates in Lisbon and Portimão are open to the public for personal appointments, or walk-in assistance, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 2pm.

You can find detailed information on how we can help British nationals in Portugal, travel advice, living in Portugal and other news from the British Embassy in Lisbon as well as a link to our appointment booking service at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-lisbon

You can also follow us on Facebook at BritsInPortugal where we post useful information and news about consular initiatives and activities in Portugal and beyond.

British Consulate in Lisbon: 21 392 4000

British Vice Consulate in Portimão: 282 490750

Visit http://www.gov.uk/fco for British foreign policy news and travel advice and http://blogs.fco.gov.uk to read our blogs.