Latest news and stories about border control in Portugal for expats and residents.
Ryanair has called on the Portuguese government to suspend the new Entry/Exit System (EES) at airports during the peak summer season. The airline warns that the new border control procedures could cause significant delays for families and holidaymakers traveling through Portugal until September.
The Ministry of Internal Administration has admitted to IT constraints affecting border control operations at Lisbon airport. While officials acknowledge that some passenger data is not being collected, they maintain that these technical issues do not pose a security risk to the country.
The government of Guinea-Bissau has criticized Portuguese authorities for the detention of Guinean students at Lisbon airport, alleging failures in the visa issuance process. Justice Minister Carlos Pinto Pereira stated that students holding valid visas should be permitted entry, while Portuguese officials maintain that the detentions are due to missing documentation. At least 18 students have been affected since the beginning of April, with many returning to Bissau.
A December audit by the European Commission identified serious deficiencies in border control procedures at Lisbon and Porto airports. Brussels warned that these failures could negatively impact other European Union member states and compromise security. Separately, local authorities in Horta have expressed concern over operational restrictions imposed by the National Civil Aviation Authority (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil or ANAC) that are forcing flight diversions.
ANAC (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil) is Portugal's national civil aviation regulator, responsible for safety oversight, licensing and economic regulation of airlines, airports and ground-handling services. It oversees tenders and issues licences such as the recent ground-handling awards for Lisbon, Porto and Faro, so its decisions directly affect airport operations, service providers and related jobs.
The National Association of Travel Agencies (Associação Nacional de Agências de Viagens or ANAV) has raised concerns regarding the implementation of a new border control system at Portuguese airports. The association warns that the transition could lead to severe congestion and longer queues for travelers. ANAV is calling for urgent coordination among authorities to mitigate potential disruptions.
ANAV is the National Association of Travel Agencies, a trade body that represents travel agencies and tour operators in Portugal and lobbies government for industry support. In the recent story it warned that severe weather could damage tourism demand and asked for faster public aid to help businesses recover.
The European Commission stated that initial constraints in the new European Entry/Exit System are normal, but emphasized that resolving these issues at airports is the responsibility of individual member states. The system, which came into force last Friday, caused significant delays at Portuguese airports over the weekend.
Capital transfers for cultural projects linked to the golden visa (autorização de residência para atividade de investimento) program reached 46.8 million euros in 2025, a 298% increase over the previous year. Data from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports shows that US citizens are the most frequent users of this investment route, followed by Chinese and Indian nationals.
The Golden Visa (Autorização de Residência para Investimento, ARI) is Portugal's residence-by-investment program, created in 2012, granting non-EU nationals a residency permit in exchange for qualifying investments.
Since October 2023, direct residential real estate purchases no longer qualify — a reform aimed at easing housing market pressure. Eligible investment routes now include capital transfers (€500,000+), investment fund subscriptions, job creation, and contributions to scientific research or cultural heritage. Minimum amounts and conditions vary by category.
A Golden Visa provides Schengen travel rights, requires minimal physical presence in Portugal (7 days per year), and offers a pathway to permanent residency after five years and citizenship after six. The program has been politically controversial, with ongoing debate about its impact on housing prices and its value as an economic stimulus.
Applicants must deal with AIMA for residency processing, which has experienced significant backlogs.
Biometric data collection for departures at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended on Saturday morning, April 11, to prevent passengers from missing flights due to long queues, according to the PSP. The process resumed in the early afternoon. PSP spokesperson Sérgio Soares confirmed that biometric collection is now operating at 100% for both departures and arrivals. The suspension was a contingency measure to manage high passenger volumes and avoid excessive wait times. The Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated EU system replacing passport stamps with digital biometric registration for non-EU citizens, has been fully operational since Friday, following a phased rollout that began in October 2025.
Update: Biometric collection suspended again at major airports
Biometric data collection for departures at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended again this Sunday, April 12, due to excessive waiting times. The PSP stated the measure aims to prevent passengers from missing flights while maintaining border security as high numbers of travelers exit the Schengen Area.
The PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) is Portugal's national civilian police force, founded in 1867. Responsible for defending Republican democracy and safeguarding internal security and citizens' rights, the PSP polices major cities—Lisbon, Porto, Faro—and large urban areas, covering only 4% of Portugal's territory but roughly half the population. Led by a National Director under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its approximately 21,500 officers handle preventive policing, crime investigation, public order, airport security, diplomatic protection, private security regulation, firearms licensing, and border control (since 2023).
PSP vs. GNR: The PSP is civilian with police-focused training and urban jurisdiction, while the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) is military (gendarmerie) with military training, covering 96% of Portugal's rural and suburban territory. Both share core public safety missions but differ fundamentally in nature, training, and geographic responsibility.
The Entry-Exit System (Sistema de Entrada e Saída) is an EU border-register that records biometric data (fingerprints and a facial image) and travel details for short-stay non‑EU travellers, replacing passport stamping and creating a searchable entry/exit record. According to recent reporting, the new rules now require over a third of non‑EU nationals entering Schengen to provide this extra data at the border; the aim is to improve security and migration tracking, but travellers should be prepared to submit biometrics at kiosks or border control and ensure their travel documents are valid. For expats and visitors this usually means slightly longer checks on arrival/departure and more robust digital records of your travel history.
The Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) suspended biometric data collection at departures in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports on Saturday morning to prevent passengers from missing flights due to excessive wait times. The system, part of the new European Entry/Exit System, resumed operations by the early afternoon. Officials confirmed that biometric collection remains active for all arrivals.
Update: Airport biometric data collection resumes after temporary suspension
PSP spokesperson Sérgio Soares confirmed that biometric data collection is now operating at full capacity for both departures and arrivals. The suspension was a contingency measure implemented after the new border control system caused significant queues, leading some passengers to miss their flights.
The PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) is Portugal's national civilian police force, founded in 1867. Responsible for defending Republican democracy and safeguarding internal security and citizens' rights, the PSP polices major cities—Lisbon, Porto, Faro—and large urban areas, covering only 4% of Portugal's territory but roughly half the population. Led by a National Director under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its approximately 21,500 officers handle preventive policing, crime investigation, public order, airport security, diplomatic protection, private security regulation, firearms licensing, and border control (since 2023).
PSP vs. GNR: The PSP is civilian with police-focused training and urban jurisdiction, while the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) is military (gendarmerie) with military training, covering 96% of Portugal's rural and suburban territory. Both share core public safety missions but differ fundamentally in nature, training, and geographic responsibility.
The Entry-Exit System (Sistema de Entrada e Saída) is an EU border-register that records biometric data (fingerprints and a facial image) and travel details for short-stay non‑EU travellers, replacing passport stamping and creating a searchable entry/exit record. According to recent reporting, the new rules now require over a third of non‑EU nationals entering Schengen to provide this extra data at the border; the aim is to improve security and migration tracking, but travellers should be prepared to submit biometrics at kiosks or border control and ensure their travel documents are valid. For expats and visitors this usually means slightly longer checks on arrival/departure and more robust digital records of your travel history.
A new European border control system for non-EU citizens has officially come into force across the European Union. The system, which utilizes biometric data, follows a phased implementation period that previously caused processing constraints at Lisbon airport.
The number of Brazilian citizens denied entry at Portuguese airports fell by 49% in 2025 compared to the previous year, with 749 individuals turned away. Despite this decrease, the Annual Internal Security Report (Relatório Anual de Segurança Interna or RASI) indicates that the total number of foreign nationals denied entry into Portugal has increased overall.
Wait times at Lisbon's Aeroporto Humberto Delgado reached two hours on Sunday morning during a peak in arrivals. The Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) reported that all border control posts were staffed as part of an Easter contingency plan, which includes 30 extra agents in Lisbon. Airport manager ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal confirmed that while waits hit 120 minutes at 08:30, they have since dropped to under an hour.
The PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) is Portugal's national civilian police force, founded in 1867. Responsible for defending Republican democracy and safeguarding internal security and citizens' rights, the PSP polices major cities—Lisbon, Porto, Faro—and large urban areas, covering only 4% of Portugal's territory but roughly half the population. Led by a National Director under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its approximately 21,500 officers handle preventive policing, crime investigation, public order, airport security, diplomatic protection, private security regulation, firearms licensing, and border control (since 2023).
PSP vs. GNR: The PSP is civilian with police-focused training and urban jurisdiction, while the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) is military (gendarmerie) with military training, covering 96% of Portugal's rural and suburban territory. Both share core public safety missions but differ fundamentally in nature, training, and geographic responsibility.
ANA (ANA Aeroportos de Portugal) is the company that manages Portugal's main airports, including Lisbon Humberto Delgado, Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro, Faro, and airports in the Azores and Madeira. Since 2013, ANA has been owned by the French group Vinci Airports following privatization.
ANA is responsible for airport operations, terminal management, and infrastructure investment across its network. The company has been at the center of Portugal's long-running debate over a new Lisbon airport, with plans for a new facility to relieve capacity constraints at the current airport, which is located in the city center.
Passenger traffic at Portuguese airports has grown significantly, with Lisbon consistently ranking among Europe's fastest-growing airports. ANA's investment decisions and concession terms directly affect flight capacity, passenger experience, and connectivity for residents and tourists.
Portugal has launched the “Travel to Europe” mobile application, developed by the European border agency Frontex, to streamline entry for non-EU citizens. The app allows travelers to submit data in advance, helping to avoid the long queues seen at border controls (controlo de fronteiras) last year. Non-EU travelers entering the Schengen Area (Espaço Schengen) should download the app to speed up their arrival.
