The Minister of Internal Administration acknowledged in Parliament that the introduction of the new border control system at the airport “went very badly” and that more agents are needed to reduce waiting times. “We have average waits of three hours and maximums of six hours,” stated Maria Lúcia Amaral, who is being heard ...
"We have average waits of three hours and maximums of six hours" at Lisbon airport, acknowledges minister
Tuesday, 16 December 2025RSS
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Context & Explainers
The border-control system is the set of checks and databases used to process non-EU travellers at entry points — passport and visa checks, biometric data capture and automated database searches such as the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Entry/Exit System (EES). A temporary suspension of automated checks at Lisbon Airport means those arrivals may be processed differently (more manual checks or national procedures), which can change wait times, administrative workload and how security checks are carried out for non‑EU citizens.
