The Foreign & Commonwealth Office and this Embassy are keen to ensure that their buildings and services are fully accessible to disabled members of the public. Wherever possible, we have made our buildings and services accessible. Sometimes however, this is not possible due to security or other restrictions. In these situations we will endeavour to provide a service or access to a building in an alternative way to ensure equality of access for disabled people. To assist disabled visitors, we have set out below details of disabled access at this Embassy and Consulates. We hope this information is helpful.

Lisbon Embassy

Main Entrance: Ramps leading on to both the main entrance and the Consulate door make the Embassy building accessible to wheelchairs. The pavement, however, is partially cobbled. The Embassy building door is permanently shut, and is only opened after the visitor has rung a bell outside. Further assistance for Embassy visitors in wheelchairs is available upon request.

Lisbon Consulate

This area of the building is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs during the opening hours of Consular and Visa Sections. For security reasons, visitors' belongings may be subject to search by guards at the main door.

Toilets - The small toilet in the Consulate, though accessible, is not fitted with equipment for wheelchair or limited physical mobility users.

Access for visually impaired and deaf/hard of hearing visitors

• there is no specific signage or Braille available for visually impaired visitors. Guide dogs are welcome. There is no specific signage or Braille available for visually impaired visitors. Guide dogs are welcome.
  

Interpretation

• professional signing interpreter, if required, must be provided and paid for by the visitor.
  

Hearing dogs are welcome.

Portimao Consulate

The public entrance is at ground level and there are no stairs. There is a public toilet for wheelchair users and those with limited physical mobility. There is a public service counter available for consular customers at wheelchair level. All doors are wheelchair accessible.

Access for visually-impaired visitors

• signs are clear and easy to read. Not available in Braille
• guide dogs are welcome

Access for deaf/hard of hearing visitors

• hearing loop system installed
• minicom and textphones are not installed
• staff do not have sign language
• professional Signing interpretation is not available
• hearing dogs are welcome.

Porto Honorary Consulate

The British Honorary Consulate is situated close to the river in Vila Nova de Gaia in the heart of the city’s Port wine trade district. The Consulate is based in the offices of the Symington Family Estates (Dow’s Port Lodges) and can be accessed by taxi or private car. Car parking facilities are available next to the entrance to the consular office.
 
Main Entrance:  There are two small steps from the car park to the Consulate’s main entrance. During working hours, there is a security guard and other personnel on site who are happy to assist wheelchairs through the main entrance.

Toilets

There are no purpose-built disabled toilets, but there are modern toilet facilities and access to them by wheelchair is possible. There are two small steps to the area where the toilet facilities are located. During working hours, there is a security guard and other personnel on site who are happy to assist wheelchairs through to the area where the toilets are located.

Lifts

There is no requirement for lifts as the offices and toilet facilities are all situated on the ground floor.

Floor Covering

The floor covering in the Consulate is carpet. The floor covering in the area where the toilets are located, is marble and polished granite.

A telephone is available in the reception area, access to which is monitored by consular staff.

If you need to visit us or use our services and feel that they may be inaccessible to you, please contact us on (+351) 22 618 4789 or by e-mail britcon.oporto@sapo.pt for clarification and further advice.

Funchal Honorary Consulate

The British Honorary Consulate is located in the centre of Funchal close to the seafront and the town pier. The premises are in the Rua da Alfândega, which is a narrow pedestriansed road which connects with the lower half of the Avenida Zarco, directly in front of the entrance to the fortress ‘Palácio de São Lourenço’.  The street level entrance is just 20 metres along this road adjacent to Blandy Travel.

Parking - The nearest parking to the Consulate is on the Avenida do Mar (50 metres) where there are public parking metres.

Main Entrance: Directly from the street with no steps. The lift to the Consulate’s offices is in the reception area, which has polished marble flooring.

Lift Access - Although not very spacious, the lift is large enough for a wheelchair with one person accompanying. The ground floor is level 1 and the consulate is on level 3.

Consulate Reception Area:  Very spacious, with  easy access for manouvering wheelchairs, on a laminate wood floor.

Toilets - There are no toilets for public usage.
 
A telephone is available in the reception area, access to which is monitored by consular staff.

If you need to visit us and feel that our premises may not be accessible to you please contact us on (+351) 291 212 860 or by e-mail Britcon.Funchal@NetMadeira.com for clarification and further advice.