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Parliament approves Law No. 61/2025 on immigration

Sunday, 15 February 2026AI summary

🛂 Immigration #legal-reforms #expat-rights #government-policy

Parliament approves Law No. 61/2025 on immigration — Photo: Portugal Resident

After more than a year of debate and a prior Constitutional Court challenge, Parliament amended the Immigration Law with Law No. 61/2025 of 22 October, introducing administrative reorganisation and new control measures, Portugal Resident reports. The change follows intensive discussion and is meant to reshape how migration procedures are handled; the report notes the Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional) previously rejected parts of the draft. Residents with pending immigration applications or awaiting procedural changes should watch official guidance from immigration services for any new steps.

Update: Parliament enacts Law No. 61/2025 changes

Portugal Resident confirms the amendment is recorded as Law No. 61/2025 (22 October) and says it reorganises administrative structures and adds tighter control measures; implementation details and official guidance are expected from immigration services.

Context & Explainers

The Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional) is Portugal's highest court for constitutional review, responsible for checking whether laws and statutes comply with the Constitution and for annulling or suspending unconstitutional measures. FNAM's push for a review matters because the court can strike down or block parts of the regional emergency services statute, directly affecting how emergency care is regulated.

The Immigration Law is Portugal’s legal framework that governs entry, residency, asylum and deportation of non-nationals. It was amended by Law No. 61/2025 on October 22, 2025, after parts of an earlier draft were rejected by the Constitutional Court; the changes reorganise administrative responsibilities and introduce stricter control measures that affect visas, residency and family reunification processes.

Law No. 61/2025 is the statute that amended Portugal's Immigration Law and was published on October 22, 2025 after almost a year and a half of debate and a prior rejection by the Constitutional Court. It reorganises administrative responsibilities and adds new control measures, so visa holders and applicants should check official guidance to see how procedures, deadlines and application rules have changed.