'Living in Portugal: Brazilians complain of xenophobia when renting real estate.'

Brazilian immigrants coming to Portugal face problems finding housing. Many Brazilians have reported cases of being refused housing due to xenophobic prejudice. BBC News Brasil journalists approached Brazilians living in Portugal and received responses confirming discrimination by property owners.

Brazilian lawyer Marcia Alcantara, 41 years old

traveled to Portugal in August for work. The company she works for paid for all her moving expenses and hired an agency to find a place for Marcia and her family to live. But when she ran into the owner of one of the apartments she was interested in, Marcia learned that he didn't rent to Brazilians because he thought they were noisy and''not serious.

Amanda Barreto Mello

who has been working with real estate sales and rentals in Portugal since 2015, says owners may refuse to rent to Brazilians due to perceptions of low cultural level and noisiness. Brazilians also complain of difficulties in renting due to the lack of a guarantor, income certificate and indefinite employment contract.

Portuguese realtor Ana Aires Pereira

says that the difficulties in renting to Brazilians have more to do with financial and bureaucratic issues than with their nationality.'''The owners' main requirements include paying three months' rent upfront, providing a guarantor and an indefinite employment contract.

According to Portuguese government data, the number of Brazilian immigrants who expressed interest in moving to Portugal, wanting to regularize them, increased by 36% last year. Of the 392,757 Brazilians who expressed interest in living in Portugal, 153,000 have fully completed the process and have residency.

Despite difficult rental conditions, many Brazilians continue to come to Portugal and demand for real estate continues to grow. Corrector Amanda Barreto Mello notes that owners' attitudes towards Brazilians have improved in recent years, and most of the apartments being occupied are in the middle''and upper class.

Sources say cases of Xenophobia discrimination remain difficult to prove and complaints do not always result in a proper response. However, Brazilians who have experienced discrimination can contact Portugal's Commission against Racial Discrimination to file a complaint.