Latest news and stories about asylum in Portugal for expats and residents.
Data from the European Union Asylum Agency shows that asylum applications in Portugal fell by 37% in 2025, totaling 1,763 requests. The primary countries of origin for applicants were Colombia, China, and Angola, with Portugal receiving only 0.2% of the total applications across the European Union.
The European Union is implementing a new entry control model featuring screening centres and return hubs as part of the upcoming European Pact on Migration and Asylum, aimed at accelerating deportations and harmonising migration procedures.
An analytical look at the legal conflict between EU member states concerning the protection of individuals from persecution based on personal characteristics.
The Portuguese Council of Ministers has approved amendments to immigration and asylum laws regarding returns, balancing EU compliance requirements with concerns over detention periods and judicial oversight. While the proposal introduces positive alternatives to detention, critics highlight risks regarding the extension of detention limits and the potential impact on families.
Luís Neves inaugurated a new modular wing at the Temporary Installation Centre of the Santo António Housing Unit, in an investment of around one million euros.
Nahir sought refuge in Portugal after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, receiving asylum in the country.
The European Union received 332,000 asylum applications, a figure only seen if one looks back to 2021. The drop in the number of applications continues the trend observed since the end of 2024.
Between January and June, the 30 EU+ countries (the 27 member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) received 332,000 asylum applications.
The President of the Republic had 20 days to decide whether to promulgate or veto the bill. Furthermore, the PS wants to urgently hear from the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion in Parliament regarding the execution of the RRP.
President Seguro should veto the law, living up to the majority that elected him against André Ventura.
The Constitutional Court has given the green light to the law on return and asylum. The PSD believes the President will enact the legislation, while the PS guarantees it will respect the judges' decision. LIVRE and the PCP believe there is room for a veto.
The Secretary-General of the PS, José Luís Carneiro, said today that the party respects the decision of the Constitutional Court (TC), which deemed the norms of the decree amending the granting of asylum and the return of foreigners to be constitutional.
The Constitutional Court decided there is no unconstitutionality in the Return Law. The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, had requested an assessment of the decree in July due to doubts regarding its incompatibility with the Constitution.
The government wanted to increase maximum detention times, streamline the expulsion of irregular migrants, and eliminate abusive appeals. The President sent it to the Constitutional Court, which now has 25 days to decide.
The Immigrant Solidarity Association states that the decree was an “authentic civilizational setback” and that what the President of the Republic did “safeguarded the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.”
For the minister, the advantages are evident, but the Government wants an “independent evaluation” to show it is an “advance in the quality of assessment”. Also, Rui Oliveira keeps the yellow jersey in the Tour of Portugal.
A week after the massive influx of migrants into the Spanish city of Ceuta, the former Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, António Vitorino, views what happened as a “serious crisis” that requires joint action. In an interview with Antena 1, the current president of the National Council for Migration and Asylum laments the reaction of some member states, which he describes as “completely disproportionate.”
The Migration Observatory reports that the majority of refugees seeking asylum in Portugal originate from African and Latin American countries.
The role of monitoring fundamental rights in screening centres has been assigned to the Ombudsman. This is stated in the legislative text, but it still needs to be approved and implemented. The centres are expected to be ready.
The New Pact on Migration and Asylum enters into force in the European Union today, with the bloc anticipating ‘a possible need for adjustments’. The European Commission guarantees it will The post New EU Migration pact comes into force to “put house in order” appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The two proposals that amend the granting of asylum and border control will be discussed in committee, despite criticism from the left regarding the detention of minors made on Thursday.
The Government's legislative proposals amending the regimes for granting asylum and border control, although they divided the parties during the debate, were approved today for detailed committee review.
Three out of every four irregular migrants issued a return decision in the EU continue to remain in the European Union. This is what is now intended to be prevented.
Regarding asylum, the draft law aims to reform the procedures for assessing international protection applications, as well as amending procedural deadlines.
The volume of asylum requests in Portugal has seen a significant decrease of nearly 40% throughout the year 2025.
Without effective execution of return decisions, European immigration and asylum policy risks losing credibility and the trust of citizens.
The number of asylum applications in Portugal fell by 37% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to data released by the European Union Agency for Asylum today, which The post Number of asylum requests fell by more than a third in 2025 appeared first on Portugal Resident.
