Portugal is the gateway to Europe for many young Angolans who, “desperate” for lack of jobs and better living conditions in the Portuguese-speaking country, say they want to emigrate to Europe because “almost everything is missing” in Angola.
At the new visa center for Portugal inaugurated on Monday in Luanda, the almost endless queues since the early hours of the morning are a symbol of the aspirations of young people who are betting on the European dream to realize their lives.
The search for better living conditions, job opportunities, qualified training or tourism are the goals of many young people who believe in better days, but outside of Angola.
Anxiety drives many to wake up early to get a priority spot in the lines, where tempers often flare over the wait for an answer on their visa, passport, or just to get an appointment.
“There’s a lot of demand for visas to Portugal, because for us Portugal is the door to Europe, that’s why there’s really a lot of demand,” Damião Mabiala, 30, a commercial agent who is anxious to emigrate for the first time, told Lusa today.
Read also: Portugal opens new visa center in Luanda, consul asks for “time and trust”
Among the hundreds of young people who do not go unnoticed by those who circulate in Largo da Ingombota, in downtown Luanda, is the young businesswoman Mirela Almeida, who wants to know Portugal and make tourism, although she does not rule out the possibility of settling there.
“I am going to Portugal for tourism, just to get to know it. I always wanted to go there, so I think now is the right time, I came here to make the appointment,” he said.
Mirela Almeida, 27, knows the “desperation” of many young people who want to emigrate in search of better living conditions: It’s very normal for people to look for better conditions, and that’s why there’s all this flooding.”
Pointing to the people around the new center for issuing visas to Portugal, Mirela assures that she does not intend to stay in Portugal, but admits the possibility for the future.
Queues indicate the pretension of young people who bet on the European dream for the realization of their lives. Photo: Ampe Rogério/Lusa
“Everyone wants to go out and see new countries, and here there is all this demand. So far I’m not going to stay, who knows further ahead,” he explained.
Tourism is also the intention of agricultural engineer Abreu Sateco, 28, who says he is looking forward to getting to know “the lands of Camões,” but does not want to emigrate.
“Everyone has their own purposes and goals in life,” he said.
Cristo Lomba, on the other hand, wants to emigrate to pursue higher education in Portugal and other opportunities in Europe, because he says he is “desperate” about the “lack of job opportunities and qualified training” in Angola.
“It’s a desire of young people, because here the living conditions and the ease or quality of education is not as effective as in European countries like Portugal (which) has a good quality of education, has a stability of life, where everyone can live or have a job,” he said.
The 24-year-old student and bar worker, who was there to learn about the procedures for obtaining a visa to Portugal, says young Angolans are desperate to emigrate, especially because of the high unemployment rate.
“One of the biggest problems here in Angola is unemployment, so this fear of emigrating to (countries in) Europe, like Portugal, comes from this situation of lack of employment,” he argued.
People queue at the entrance of the new center for issuing visas at the Portuguese embassy in Luanda, Angola. Photo: Ampe Rogério/Lusa
Queues indicate the pretension of young people who bet on the European dream for the realization of their lives. Photo: Ampe Rogério/Lusa
“Yes, I say yes, we are desperate. Today, if you ask young people if they want to emigrate, they say they wouldn’t look back if they had the chance, all because of this situation, the quality of life is terrible, there are no jobs,” he said.
Portugal has inaugurated a dedicated visa center in Luanda, with which it hopes to speed up processes, according to the consul general, who asked for “time” and “trust” from users and said that priority will be given to CPLP visas.
Rosa Lemos Tavares pointed out that the processing of new types of national visas, introduced by the new Law on Foreigners, which allowed the implementation of the Mobility Agreement of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and created the CPLP visa subregime, began in October.
These national visas provide for stays in Portugal of more than 90 days and are intended for higher education, work, prolonged medical treatment and family reunification, among other categories, to which new ones have been added, such as digital nomads, job search and family accompaniment.
Previously, visa applications for Portugal were submitted and processed at a VFS Global center, along with those for Belgium, Brazil, China, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine and South Africa.
VFS Global, which is contracted by the Portuguese government, schedules and receives visa applications online, while the consulate approves them.
According to Rosa Tavares, the new facilities are divided into two areas (visa application and passport issuance), with more counters, more staff and two waiting rooms in each area, one with 40 seats and the other with 34 seats, as well as a digital kiosk with access to the VFS Global sites, the Portuguese Consulate in Luanda and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ visa portal.
Read also: Portugal opens new visa center in Luanda, consul asks for “time and trust”
