Latest news and stories about expat rights in immigration in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
An analytical look at the recurring trend of AIMA overturning deportation orders, highlighting the ongoing challenges regarding expat residency rights and permit regulations.
Guinean students holding valid visas are facing detention, humiliation, and forced repatriation, highlighting systemic failures and aggressive practices in border control.
Brazilian President Lula visits Lisbon for diplomatic meetings, with discussions expected to address disagreements regarding Portuguese nationality law and bilateral relations.
Brazilian expatriates in Portugal are raising concerns over immigration law changes, rising xenophobia, and administrative backlogs at AIMA ahead of President Lula da Silva's visit, urging diplomatic intervention.
The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has reopened its online portal for family reunification applications just before the Brazilian President's visit to Portugal.
The European Union has fully implemented its new Entry/Exit System, replacing physical passport stamps with mandatory digital biometric registration for non-EU citizens to enhance Schengen Area border security.
Psychologist Juliana Ribeiro de Souza Revoredo is researching the emotional and professional impact on Brazilian lawyers following the sudden termination of the reciprocity agreement between the Brazilian and Portuguese Bar Associations in 2023.
Joom CEO Ilya Shirokov warns that proposed changes to Portugal's nationality law create market uncertainty and hinder the recruitment of international talent, noting that the company has already lost potential candidates to Germany.
Mafalda Guerra, a Chega activist, was dismissed following an RTP investigation that uncovered her properties being utilized as illegal housing for immigrants in Lisbon. The report raised significant concerns regarding the legality of the rentals and the implications for immigrant communities.
SOS Racismo says a young São Toméan, Samuel Edi, remains detained at Lisbon Airport “without knowing the factual or legal reasons,” and alleges he was “brutally assaulted” by police. The PSP rejects the claims, denying any unprovoked assaults or mistreatment. The case reflects a direct dispute between an advocacy group and law enforcement, raising questions about transparency, detainee rights, and the need for an independent inquiry or clear official documentation to establish what occurred.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities attributed the need for immigrants this Thursday to Portugal's “success”, as they perform jobs that nationals “do not want or cannot do”. Emídio Sousa was speaking during the Portugal Global Nation Forum, a strategic platform connecting Portugal, its diaspora, and international markets.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities argued that Portugal needs immigration to meet market needs and rejected the idea that the arrival of foreigners in the country is putting downward pressure on wages.
Brazilians living in Lisbon have begun receiving the first identity cards issued through a pilot project for citizens residing abroad. The initiative, a partnership between the Federal District Civil Police, the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to integrate RG and CPF numbers and simplify access to Brazilian government digital services. The new card will replace the old paper version by 2032, with a priority deadline of 2028 for those receiving social benefits. The service is currently available by appointment via the E-Consular portal, with plans to expand to Paraguay in June.
The Brazilian consulate in Lisbon is already the largest in Europe. The representation, responsible for a jurisdiction with more than 360,000 Brazilians, has created the Brazilian Women's Space and is hiring.
The president and vice-president of the Casa do Brasil in Lisbon met with the Brazilian and Portuguese leaders at the Belém Palace, where they discussed the situation of immigrants.
PRESS REVIEW | There are reports of a lack of bathing facilities and food shortages, with meals arriving late and in insufficient quantities.
Documentation presented by the students was reportedly insufficient to guarantee entry authorisation into the country. Five other young people were repatriated this Tuesday. The Association of Guinea-Bissau Students in Lisbon states that the young people are unable to bathe and there is not enough food for everyone.
Lula da Silva concluded his European tour in Portugal, highlighting the historical ties between the two nations and the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. During meetings with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Lula used charismatic gestures, such as ordering a 'bica' (a Portuguese espresso), to strengthen diplomatic relations. While the visit focused on trade, multilateralism, and UN reform, it also touched upon the integration of the Brazilian community in Portugal, despite some expectations for more forceful government action on immigration issues. The visit concluded with lighthearted remarks about a potential Brazil-Portugal World Cup final.
The leadership of the Casa do Brasil de Lisboa (CBL) attended a meeting between the presidents of Brazil and Portugal on Tuesday, April 21. Lula was received by António José Seguro at the Belém Palace. During the meeting, the CBL president addressed the contributions of the Brazilian community in Portugal and raised urgent issues, such as persistent difficulties with immigration service appointments. Contrary to community expectations, Lula did not publicly address recent changes to Portuguese immigration and nationality laws, focusing instead on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement and multilateral peace agendas. The CBL also expressed concern over the rise in racism and xenophobia.
Brazilian President, Lula da Silva, was received this Tuesday in Lisbon for meetings with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and President of the Republic António José Seguro. Topics on the table included immigration, xenophobia, and aeronautics.
The President of Brazil disappointed the Brazilian community by not significantly addressing changes to Portuguese immigration and nationality laws during a joint statement with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. While Brazilian groups hoped for a stronger stance on immigration issues, Lula focused on praise for the Brazilian workforce. Prime Minister Montenegro clarified that the Portuguese government has regularised over 235,000 Brazilian immigrant applications in the last two years, noting that only a small fraction of requests were denied. Lula also met with the new Portuguese President, António José Seguro, and discussed the Mercosur-EU trade agreement.
Luís Montenegro and Lula da Silva met at the Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon to discuss bilateral relations, trade agreements between the EU and Mercosur, and the status of the Brazilian community in Portugal. While Lula focused on strengthening economic partnerships and multilateralism, Montenegro addressed concerns regarding immigration, highlighting the regularisation of over 235,000 Brazilian citizens. The visit also included meetings with the President of the Republic and was marked by both protests and demonstrations of support.
The Prime Minister spoke to journalists this Tuesday outside the Palacete de São Bento, alongside the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, during a visit marking the first official meeting between the two.
Lula da Silva will discuss topics such as immigration, xenophobia, and aeronautics.
The Brazilian head of state is received today in Lisbon, where he is expected to meet with Luís Montenegro and António José Seguro to discuss topics such as immigration, xenophobia, and aeronautics.
Measures to improve the quality of life for migrants and ensure equal rights within an intercultural context will be the topic of discussion.
Lisbon, once a vital escape route for refugees fleeing the Nazi regime during World War II, continues to serve as a modern-day safe haven. As the city experiences a surge in diverse foreign residents—from workers from the Indian subcontinent to affluent Americans and Europeans—many face the bureaucratic exhaustion of immigration systems. Drawing on the experiences of intellectuals like Hannah Arendt and contemporary author Ece Temelkuran, the article explores the universal struggle of finding a home in an increasingly unstable world, ultimately finding hope in the shared humanity of a 'Nation of Strangers'.
The DN Brazil Radar airs every Friday at 8 am on the DN Brazil YouTube and Spotify channels, featuring a weekly summary and everything of interest to Brazilians in Portugal. DN Brazil is a section of the Diário de Notícias dedicated to the Brazilian community living in or planning to move to Portugal. The texts are written in Brazilian Portuguese. The deadline begins: the new Nationality Law is with the President; the PS sends the penalty of loss of nationality to the Constitutional Court.
The PS parliamentary leader, Eurico Brilhante Dias, confirmed this Friday, April 17, that the socialists have requested the Constitutional Court to conduct a preventive review of the amendment to the Penal Code associated with the new version of the Nationality Law, two legislative initiatives approved by the entire parliamentary right. Lamenting the “unfortunate concession of the PSD to the far-right”, Brilhante Dias referred to the amendment to the Penal Code that creates the accessory penalty of loss of nationality, whereby naturalised Portuguese citizens lose such right if convicted of serious crimes. “It creates a different sanctioning framework for Portuguese men and women,” he argued. Regarding the Nationality Law, highlighting the socialist bench's contribution to addressing the unconstitutionalities pointed out by the Constitutional Court in the version approved last year, Brilhante Dias said it is not covered by the preventive review request sent to the judges of the Palácio Ratton. Eurico Brilhante Dias also said there was no decision regarding the candidacy for the Ombudsman, claiming that less than 24 hours had passed since the election failed for the Lisbon Law School professor Tiago Antunes, former Assistant Secretary of State to the Prime Minister and European Affairs in António Costa's governments - and accused by the Liberal Initiative of having been part of the “intoxication and manipulation machine of public opinion during the José Sócrates executives”. Despite this, the PS parliamentary leader dismissed the idea that Tiago Antunes lacked votes among socialist deputies, saying that “the numbers speak for themselves” and taking pride in having “a cohesive bench”. Already on Thursday, after the voting result was known, in which the candidate for Ombudsman only had 104 favourable votes, less than the sum of null and blank votes, and far short of the two-thirds majority required. PS proposes a “more balanced” nationality law with a transitional regime.
