The Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça or MJ) has sworn in 47 new registrars to support the Institute of Registries and Notaries (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado or IRN). This is the first intake of new professionals in over two decades, with additional staff expected to join in September to address staffing shortages in civil, property, and commercial registry offices across the country.
Justice Ministry hires 47 new registrars to reduce backlog
Tuesday, 4 August 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The Institute of Registries and Notaries (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado or IRN) is the government body that manages civil, land, and commercial registries in Portugal. It is currently processing a backlog of 516,000 nationality applications, resulting in average wait times of three years. These delays impact all applicants, including children and grandchildren of Portuguese citizens.
