Latest news and stories about immigration policy in legal in Portugal for expats and residents.
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.
The government of Nepal has formally requested assistance from Portuguese authorities regarding the status of 2,800 Nepalese nationals currently at risk of expulsion. The situation highlights ongoing bureaucratic challenges faced by foreign residents in Portugal as the country manages its immigration processes. No immediate resolution has been announced by the Portuguese government.
Approximately two thousand Nepalese nationals in Portugal face potential deportation after allegedly being defrauded by an agent who used counterfeit stamps on their immigration documents.
The Annual Internal Security Report reveals a significant surge in immigration enforcement, with approximately 23,000 individuals notified to voluntarily leave Portugal in 2025, marking a sharp increase from the 444 notifications recorded in 2024.
The article discusses the use of the term 'humanism' in government immigration policies, highlighting the contrast between benevolent rhetoric and restrictive practices. It emphasizes the need for genuine humanist approaches in immigration, particularly in light of contributions immigrants make to society. The appointment of Luís Neves to the Ministry of Internal Administration is seen as a potential turning point in addressing anti-immigration sentiments, particularly those rooted in economic and crime-related fears. The article calls for a more comprehensive and courageous political approach to combat identity fears associated with immigration.
Four Guinean students from a group of ten have been stranded at Lisbon airport for five days due to a lack of documentation. The Students' Association states that delays in obtaining visas are one of the causes.
The Chega leader stated that Portugal “would also not welcome the president of North Korea”.
The investigation originated from complaints forwarded by a Ministry of Education body. The case involves suspicions of fraud related to costs and the issuance of certificates.
All indicators related to passenger control at air borders showed an increase compared to the same period in 2025. Entry refusals rose by 57.6%, with 704 cases between January and March of this year. The data was released by the Public Security Police (PSP) this Monday, April 13. Police authorities issued entry bans to 73 passengers, representing a 217.4% increase. Arrests at air borders grew by 36.5%, with 157 people detained in the first three months of the year. There were also 9,302 interceptions recorded, 45.3% more than in the first quarter of last year. Interceptions refer to citizens identified or approached and may or may not result in an entry ban or arrest. Precautionary measures saw an increase of 153%, totaling 5,484 applications in the period. Among these indicators, the smallest rise was in the detection of document fraud, which increased by 1.1%, with 188 cases. In total, the PSP controlled 4,313,811 passengers at all national airports, a 12.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
A case involving two Brazilian athletes, whose direct guardians are in Brazil, led the Portuguese Basketball Federation to revise the rules for registration in its championships.
The AD coalition agreed to include more crimes as grounds for loss of nationality and to reduce the conviction period required to prevent its acquisition.
João Almeida criticised the 'lack of awareness' of the PS and the remaining parties of the 'geringonça' coalition for 'permissiveness' in immigration policy.
The PSD and CDS-PP have reached an understanding with the Chega party to pass the Nationality Law. The agreement includes stricter criteria for criminal convictions as grounds for denying or losing nationality, such as criminal association and arms trafficking, while dropping requirements regarding social welfare dependency. The debate in Parliament was marked by heated exchanges, with the government defending the move as a restoration of national consensus, while opposition parties criticized the alignment with the far-right.
The approval this week of RASI 2025 – the annual internal security report – shows that 23,134 immigrants in Portugal ‘illegally’ were notified to leave the country last year. How The post More than 23,000 immigrants “notified to leave country in 2025” appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Home News Chega insists that foreigners in Portugal should not receive social support Chega insists that foreigners in Portugal should not receive social support The Chega party wants to enshrine in law that foreign nationals receiving social benefits should be barred from obtaining Portuguese na
Approximately 23,000 immigrants were notified to voluntarily leave Portugal last year, an exponential increase compared to 2024, when 444 notifications were recorded, reveals the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI) today.
Portugal records a record increase in notifications to leave the country; the effective removal rate increased even before the new law. Immigration enforcement actions increased, but found little more than a thousand illegal residents in the national territory. Crimes committed by immigrants remain stable (and Hindustani individuals are not among those most identified).
With the vote on the Nationality Law scheduled for this Wednesday, Chega insists that crimes such as drug or arms trafficking and criminal association should lead to the loss of nationality.
Marriages of convenience and “other crimes” related to illegal immigration are those that grew the most.
Without an agreement with the PSD, André Ventura's party presented amendments that tighten eligibility requirements and extend the waiting periods for reacquisition of citizenship to 25 years following convictions for certain crimes.
Government legislative proposal aims to accelerate procedures for the removal of foreigners in an irregular situation.
The Portuguese government has approved a series of mechanisms to facilitate the deportation of immigrants in an irregular situation in the country. The so-called “return package” will now issue notifications for foreigners to leave Portugal, known as a “duty to leave”. The government promises to notify several people in the coming days. Furthermore, irregular immigrants may be detained for longer periods while awaiting deportation. The changes are causing concern, especially due to the delays by the government itself, through the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), in processing residence applications and issuing authorization cards on time. DN Brasil editor Amanda Lima explains.
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).
A country that wants to benefit from immigration and preserve it as a positive force must be able to separate openness from permissiveness, welcoming from abdication, and compassion from arbitrariness.
An analysis of the current immigration crisis in Portugal, arguing that the government's inefficiency in processing residency permits is the primary cause of the undocumented status of thousands of immigrants. The text criticizes the government's rhetoric, particularly statements by Minister António Leitão Amaro, and highlights systemic failures in the immigration system, including ignored court orders and the inability to process family reunifications, while questioning the accountability of those responsible for the administrative backlog.
André Ventura says there are “good signs from both sides” in negotiations with the Government. The party wants an end to the suspensive effect on asylum applications and faster deportations.
The leader of Chega says he hopes the Constitutional Court will not once again be a “blocking force” to the repatriation of immigrants.
Home News Portugal approves new immigration measures Portugal approves new immigration measures The extension of detention periods for immigrants facing expulsion proceedings by up to 18 months, and the end of voluntary departure notifications, are among the measures foreseen in the proposed Law
In this Thursday's episode of Contraponto, moderated by journalist João Adelino Faria, the new law on the return of migrants and the difficulties in electing external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic were under debate.
