Immigration: Residency rights news in Portugal

European Commissioner warns: immigrants can only stay for 90 days in other EU countries

dnbrasil.dn.pt13 Jun

Foreigners may lose residency. PS speaks of intimidation

The decision will depend on the authorities on the ground, with AIMA's legal department receiving and analysing the files from the PSP. “These are serious statements,” says Pedro Delgado Alves, from the PS.

Canada studies 'associate member' status with Brussels

It is a 'tectonic shift', a Canadian official told the Wall Street Journal regarding Canada's move towards the European Union at the expense of the United States. According to the New York newspaper's Sunday edition, Ottawa and Brussels are exploring ways to make the North American country an 'associate member' of the EU. Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg this Wednesday to attend Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address and deliver a speech of his own. Sources cited by the WSJ indicate that Carney has been in regular contact with EU leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, and Scandinavian counterparts, to discuss closer ties. Discussions have reportedly included visa-free work and residency for Canadians in the EU, as well as broader proposals for the free movement of goods, services, and workers in strategic sectors. Both parties are also considering joint infrastructure projects, such as submarine cables, data centres, and satellite networks, alongside partnerships in defence, education, and the supply of Canadian energy, minerals, and fertilisers. A Canadian source described the shift as a consequence of deteriorating relations with the US since 2025, stating that Canada is transitioning from viewing itself as a North American nation to a transatlantic one.

Stateless persons: AIMA only has 17 records of people without assigned nationality

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum ensures it has already made all the necessary adjustments to be able to grant Stateless Status, which came into effect this month.

Portugal to recognise stateless status in AIMA

PCP fears "aggravated constraints" and injustices for immigrants

The PCP considered today that the Constitutional Court ruling, which gave the green light to the law on the return of foreigners, could lead to “aggravated constraints” and generate injustices for many immigrants.

Constitutional Court says the Return Law provides relevant guarantees that safeguard the best interests of children

These positions are included in the reasoning of the judges at the Palácio Ratton, who on Friday deemed eleven provisions of the legislation approved by Parliament to be constitutional.

Brussels extends protection for Ukrainian refugees until 2028 but limits entry for those with military obligations

The European Commission proposed today to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until 2028, but argued that the regime should no longer cover new arrivals who lack authorization from Ukraine to leave the country due to military obligations. “Today, the European Commission proposes to extend the temporary protection for people fleeing the war by another year...”

Controversial Returns Regulation approved in the European Parliament

For right-wing MEPs, the Pact on Migration and Asylum is only complete with this directive. However, the left accuses the proposal of violating the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Ask the Lawyer: my son was just born in Portugal. Is he still entitled to Portuguese nationality?

Brazilian lawyer André Lima answers a reader's question about immigration every week for DN Brasil. Recent changes to the Portuguese Nationality Law have significantly altered the rules for children born in Portugal to foreign parents. Previously, it was sufficient for one parent to have a residence permit, even for just one day, or to have resided in Portugal for at least one year, even without a permit. Now, the law requires one parent to have legally resided in Portugal for at least five years for the child to acquire nationality by birth. Children born before the new law took effect on May 19, 2026, may still benefit from the previous rules, though legal action may be required if the IRN refuses the application.

dnbrasil.dn.pt5 Jun

Lusophone constitutionalism and constitutional humanism

The Portuguese Constitution (CRP) stands out for its clear international agenda, particularly regarding cooperation with Portuguese-speaking states. Unlike its limited influence in broader European federalist structures, Portugal plays a significant role in the Lusophone sphere, where constitutional provisions translate into tangible policies, such as special rights for Lusophone citizens and the CPLP. The author argues for a shared Lusophone constitutional identity, rejecting the notion that this is a form of post-colonial dominance. Instead, it is a circular exchange of legal solutions that fosters a 'constitutional humanism of the Lusophony,' characterized by robust fundamental rights protections and sophisticated systems of judicial review.

18h AIMA admits error and reverses expulsion decision

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) acknowledges a mistake and retracts its decision to deport an individual.

“Return package”. Government maintains new rule facilitating the deportation of immigrants with minor children

The Government has kept the rule in the new version of the “return package” that facilitates the deportation of immigrants with minor children in national territory. The text specifies that the current protection against expulsion only applies if the child is a legal resident. The new wording of Article 135 of the law, concerning “limits to expulsion,” states that this applies to those who “have minor children, nationals of a third state, who are legal residents in Portuguese territory, for whom they effectively assume parental responsibilities and ensure their support and education.” The full text was released this Monday, March 30, following its submission to Parliament. Despite concerns raised by advisors and during public consultation regarding the protection of children, the executive has disregarded these inputs. Another change requires at least five years of residency in the country to benefit from this non-deportation rule, whereas currently, the length of residency is not a factor when minor children are involved.

Government drops 20-year entry ban for expelled foreigners

The proposal submitted to Parliament maintains a ban of up to five years, which may be extended if there is a serious threat to public order or security.

Time and the law

The article discusses the legal implications of time limits, specifically focusing on the government's proposal to extend the 60-day detention limit for illegal immigrants to 18 months. The author argues that the government is using the 'short' duration of the deadline as an excuse for its own failure to provide sufficient resources for deportation processes, drawing a comparison to the violation of procedural deadlines in criminal cases and the potential for such logic to be applied to the National Health Service (SNS).

Families have equal rights. The protection of rainbow couples in the European Union

Considering the case law of the Court of Justice, anyone against raising the rainbow flag is also lowering the EU flag. Because families in the EU still have equal rights. Opinion by Sérgio Maia Tavares Marques.